Track 9: Born to Be Wild

[jp1885]

Once out of the lake, Tony slumps onto the ground and inspects his leg for damage.

Unable to help himself, he also inspects Liz.

“I do believe I’ve died and gone to heaven...” he murmurs.

When the conversation turns to matters of aquatic predators, he frowns.

“My assailant appears to be somewhat far from home. Another one of the good doctor’s experiments perhaps?”

[SunlessNick]

"No more swimming then," Zara says. While Liz tends to Tony, she looks long and around the visible shoreline in case she can see a dock or some other artificial feature.

[Mr. Handy]

Liz stops the bleeding and binds Tony's wound. "Yes, he must have imported them," she says. "If there's no river leading from the lake to the sea, he'd have had to bring them overland to get them in the lake. You've only figuratively died and gone to heaven," she adds with a smile. "You're not hurt too bad, so you're not going to be doing it literally just yet, and a good thing too. We still need you here."

[jp1885]

“Music to my ears m’dear. Is it worth another dive in the lake, or shall we look elsewhere?”

[Mr. Handy]

"Elsewhere, I think," says Liz, putting her dress back on. "Let's not push our luck. We're not looking for anything specific in the lake, so the only reason to dive was curiosity, and I believe that has been satisfied."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

A close look at the outlet to the sea draining the lake reveals that it is far too narrow to have allowed the entry of either of the two deadly fish, both of them quite large in size.

Examination of the shore, where the outlet reaches the ocean, yields the sight of several large pieces of timber, caught in rocks just below the surface of the water. Of more interest, perhaps, is the fact that a human skeleton lies among them.

[SunlessNick]

"Any more dangerous fish in this bit?" Zara wonders aloud. If there don't seem to be, she's willing to swim out to look at the bones and wood a bit more closely.

[Mr. Handy]

"We should take a closer look," says Liz, "so we can find out who this person was and how he or she died."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Drawing nearer, it can be seen that the skeleton is covered with barnacles, indicating that it's been there for some time. There are a few shreds of clothing still attached to it; bits of drab-colored shirt and pants, and, nearly undamaged, a pair of heavy black boots. One of the skeleton's bony hands is clutched around a shiny rectangular object, below the surface of the water. The cries of seabirds mix with the sound of waves splashing against the shore.

[Mr. Handy]

"Fancy another dive?" asks Liz. "I'm curious to see what that object is."

[jp1885]

"I'll give it another shot," Tony volunteers. "Still got a good leg for the fish to gnaw on."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

The object is not so deep that it requires use of the diving suit, although Tony will have to wade out a bit and stick his hand fairly far into the water to grab it. A large albatross lands on a nearby timber and eyes Tony curiously.

Spoiler:

unexplained die roll0and another1

While grabbing the object, a giant crab seizes one of Tony's fingers and, sad to say, takes off the end of it with its sharp and powerful claw. Running back to the shore with a badly injured hand, he is able to throw the object, which happens to be a locked iron box of old-fashioned design, badly rusted, on the sand, while the two women help him stop the bleeding. He seems to have suffered quite a bit of blood loss.

Spoiler:

Ouch! Bad luck with the die rolls! Damage of 6, and Reduce DEX and CON by 1 until you get back to civilization to get some hand surgery performed and/or a blood transfusion

Once this crisis is under control, as best as it can be, investigation of the iron box reveals that there is no key evident anywhere around. It will be necessary to break it open somehow.

[SunlessNick]

"Why did the wolf men ever want to come back here?" Zara asks as she helps dress Tony's hand. "I'm sorry, Tony."

[Mr. Handy]

"So am I," says Liz, also helping. "Let's hope whatever's in that box was worth it. Some leverage should help us pry it open." She looks around for something to use as a prybar.

[jp1885]

"Argh!"

"Someone up there clearly has it in for me," complains Tony as he cradles his injured hand.

"Perhaps we could bash the box in with a rock, although part of it would probably chip off, fly into my face and take out an eye," he mutters, somewhat bitterly.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Despite these predictions of doom, it proves possible to smash open the box with a stone. Inside is a small notebook, plain in design, olive drab in color, and a tiny nub of a pencil, worn down nearly to the eraser. The handwriting on the pages inside is faint, and difficult to decipher, having apparently been written in haste.

day 1 aug ? 44 boat wrecked found crate w supply thank god isle got water fish cocos can survive

day 2 lit fire no ships no planes way off course? could be here a while

There are several pages missing, then more entries.

day 50 ? 60 ? sick of fish and cocos getting skinny wonder if war over

day ? got away from them got to get off this isle keep this locked up somebody read it please too late if you see this get away help yourself

[jp1885]

“I suspect I’m not the first person to fall foul of this island,” mutters Tony as he reads the notes. “If we weren’t on our guard before we should be now... So my dears; where to next?”

[SunlessNick]

"More questions than answers," Zara says. "But if this guy was in the war... could the wolf men have been around as long as that?"

For a moment she contemplates suggesting they take the writer's advice thinking:   cut their losses and leave, but then her conscience gets the better of her.

[Mr. Handy]

"Shall we follow the shoreline around the island?" suggests Liz. "That way we'll find any more landing sites we've missed."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

The trail continues in the direction of the east side of the island which, up to this time, has not yet been explored. It climbs up a bit, affording a view of a lush grove of coconut trees slightly below. Among these are scattered a number of rude structures, which can barely be called huts. These are centered around a central fire pit, in which a very small flame is burning. A couple of men in light clothing stand near the fire. They wear belts that hold pistols and small whips. Every once in a while one of the men shouts something, too far away to be understood, and an animal-like woman, dressed in rags, rushes out out of a hut, bearing food or drink. One of the men says something to the other that makes him laugh. The two walk lazily around the fire, stopping often to lean against a coconut tree and glance at their wristwatches.