11. Man Traps
Marcel was very pleased with himself as he went back to his ship that night. He was scaring those kids into avoiding him, which was exactly what he wanted. He did not wish to be distracted as he continued his repairs.
The next morning, he went on a scavenger hunt for materials. He found a special kind of palm leaf that was almost as tough as leather. A couple of these lashed together would make excellent patches for the sails. He picked out the sturdiest fallen branches and created a replacement for the gaping hole on his main deck. He worked for days, retrieving and rebuilding his terror of the high seas. He tightened the ropes of his figurehead, which had also gone through some changes. "Looking great, lads. All that weight didn't suit your looks." He slid down the rope and went to look for food this time. The sun was strong and he needed a break. He liked the taste of those fruits he ate and wondered if he could find more.
He continued into the jungle for a while when he came upon a bunch of sticks stuck in the ground. Marcel didn't have to guess what was on them. It was the sailors who had initially survived with the girls. Their heads had been mounted, hats and all, on sticks. Possibly to let the unlucky know what could happen to them. Marcel suddenly felt compelled to retrace his steps a bit and go in another direction. In doing so, he had triggered a trap that had caused him to trip and fall into a deep pit. When the dirt had ceased collecting, he got up and examined his situation. "Ah, merde. Just what I DIDN'T need today." He felt around for anything to get him out that may have been camouflaged by dirt and mud. Finally, his fingers wrapped around an exceptional tree root. He tested it to ensure it would not break, then began to climb.
As he reached the top, he was greeted by feet. Male feet. (This is perfect) he thought, gleefully. He pulled himself out of the hole and slowly looked at the cannibals one by one. "Greetings, gentlemen. I trust you are hungry, no? Well, I would offer you a bite to eat but," he put his hands in his head as if to crack his neck and turned it all the way to face the back. "I do not believe there is enough of me to feed everyone. So sorry." The cannibals promptly turned and ran screaming in terror.
Marcel righted his head and continued on his primary task. In the excitement, he had gotten turned around and was walking towards the huts. Fortunately for him, the girls were not there. They had gone for a little explore in the safer areas of the island. He figured there might be some food to swipe and some more materials he could use. He looked into the pot in the campfire. Lamb. "Well, they're doing alright for themselves." He reached in and grabbed a bit. "Don't mind if I do." It tasted glorious. He could not remember the last time he ate meat as good as this. He finished his piece lamb and continued his search. He got a few extra lines of rope, wood, nails, a hammer and another piece of lamb from the pot.
As he got ready to leave, he heard a faint whine. At first, he thought it was the cannibals but remembering his performance, he found that unlikely. The sound was coming from the third hut. Dan's hut. He opened the door and found Marianne. She was the source of the whines. From what he could tell, this girl was very very sick. Her hair was matted down and she was sweating profusely and writhing around in her bed. Marcel checked her forehead while keeping some distance. She was burning up. Marcel knew she only had a matter of seconds before she succumbed to her ailments. He threw the blankets off, scooped her up and rushed her out to the cool water. He quickly dunked her in and out all the way until she was out the danger zone.
At that moment, the girls had returned from their walk. Dan was the first to see Marcel with Marianne and the first one to holler. Gretchen came running after her. "What do you think you're doing?!" Demanded Dan. "Leave Marianne alone!" Gretchen caught up with her. "Get away, ya soppin' creep!" she cried angrily. Marcel said nothing and stood up. He handed Marianne back to Gretchen. "Fever. Nearly died." The two were left speechless as he walked away. They watched as his figure grew smaller and smaller till he disappeared from sight. Dan felt like crying. Gretchen looked down at the sand, holding Marianne. "She was alright when we left her..."she said quietly. Dan rushed to her hut and closed the door. They both knew the unspoken truth. They had misjudged the pirate's actions horribly.