‘Here it is!’ Melanie called out. She’d followed a path in the dense
foliage for a short distance before coming to a pulley attached to a
thick tree. A heavy rope hung around the pulley. One end disappeared
into the water. The other end was tied to a four-foot square float
nestled against the shore.
Kevin and Candace joined her. Kevin shined the flashlight across to the
island. On the other side a similar pulley was attached to a similar
tree.
Kevin handed the flashlight to Melanie and grasped the rope that drooped
into the water. When he pulled, he could see the pulley on the other
side swing out from the trunk of the tree.
Kevin pulled on the rope hand over hand. The pulleys complained bitterly
with high-pitched squeaking noises. The float immediately moved away
from the shore on its way to the other side.
‘This might work,’ Kevin said. While he pulled, Melanie swept the other
shore with the flashlight beam. When the float was halfway across, there
was a loud splash to their right as a large object dropped into the
water from the island.
Melanie shined the light in the direction of the splash. Two glowing
slits of light reflected back from the surface of the water. Peering at
them was a large crocodile.
‘Good lord!’ Candace said as she stepped back from the water.
‘It’s okay,’ Kevin said. He let go of the rope, reached down and picked
up a stout stick. He threw the stick at the croc. With another loud
splash the crocodile disappeared beneath the water.
‘Oh, great!’ Candace said. ‘Now we have no idea where he is.’
‘He’s gone,’ Kevin said. ‘They’re not dangerous unless you’re in the
water or they’re very hungry.’
‘Who’s to say he’s not hungry?’ Candace commented.
‘There’s plenty for them to eat out here,’ Kevin said as he picked up
the rope and recommenced pulling. When the float reached the other side,
he switched ropes and started pulling it back.
‘Ah, it’s too late,’ he said. ‘This isn’t going to work. The closest
nesting area we saw on the computer graphic is over a mile away. We’ll
have to try this in the daytime.’
No sooner had these words escaped from his mouth when the night was
shattered by a number of fearsome screams. At the same time, there was
wild commotion in the bushes on the island as if a stampeding elephant
was about to appear.
Kevin dropped the rope. Both Candace and Melanie fled back along the
path a few steps before stopping. With pulses pounding they froze,
waiting for another scream. With a shaking hand, Melanie shined the
flashlight at the area where the commotion had occurred. Everything was
still. Not a leaf moved.
Ten tense seconds passed that seemed more like ten minutes. The group
strained their ears to pick up the slightest sound. There was nothing
but utter silence. All the night creatures had fallen silent. It was as
if the entire jungle was waiting for a catastrophe.
‘What in heaven’s name was that?’ Melanie asked finally.
‘I’m not sure I want to find out,’ Candace said. ‘Let’s get out of
here.’
‘It must have been a couple of the bonobos,’ Kevin said. He reached out
and grabbed the rope. The float was being buffeted in midstream. He
quickly hauled it in.
‘I think Candace is right,’ Melanie said. ‘It’s gotten too dark to see
much even if they did appear. I’m spooked. Let’s go!’
‘You’ll not get an argument from me,’ Kevin said as he made his way over
to the women. ‘I don’t know what we’re doing here at this hour. We’ll
come back in the daylight.’
They hurried along the path to the clearing as best they could. Melanie
led with the flashlight. Candace was behind her, holding on to her
blouse. Kevin brought up the rear.
‘It would be great to get a key for this bridge,’ Kevin said as they
passed the structure.
‘And how do you propose to do that?’ Melanie asked.
‘Borrow Bertram’s,’ Kevin said.
‘But you told us he forbid anyone to go to the island,’ Melanie said.
‘He’s certainly not going to lend the key.’