Dancing with Fire (unedited)

Chapter 19 Fatu-Geelo

Rebecca met on the deck of the 'Hermione' with the crew. "The pirates have taken Nat, I am asking you to take me to Fatu-Geelo, I am not asking you to rescue Nat, just take me there."

"You face certain death if you go Becka," Peter said.

"Perhaps not, I'm working on a plan."

"I'm going too!" Gabriela said fiercely.

"No Gabby!"

"You need me Becka, I KNOW islands, besides I'll just follow you anyway, I'm an adult now, I'm fifteen."

"Fifteen, only in your imagination baby...on second thought I guess I'll have to Gabby, that way I can keep an eye on you."

"And Boo too, Becka, we'll need Boo."

"Pete, can you put us ashore before the pirates arrive, 'Hermione' is fast. We can lay low and hide until we can find an opportunity to get Nat." The discussion lasted most of the day but in the end the crew agreed to take them. And they put to sea with Rebecca and Gabriela as cooks.

The voyage lasted several weeks. Peter found Nathaniel's charts of the island and he studied them with Rebecca and Gabriela, explaining the symbols as the women committed the information to memory. "We can land you hear, we can get in close and there is a sandy beach hear. You'll need to find a place to hide the boat. Over hear (pointing) are a tons of caves, the island has feral goats and pigs as well as birds. No snakes. This hear is a cave Gomez uses as a prison. It has a small stream running through it and an iron gate, this is where they will most likely keep him. How will we know to come for you?"

"I'll lite a huge smoky fire, that will mean I got him, then you come."

"Pete, how old are you?" Gabriela asked shyly.

"I'm seventeen Gabby...why?"

"Just curious," Gabby answered her face coloring.

The next few days were spent deciding what to bring with them. They would need enough to sustain themselves. They decided to wear their black sari pants and halter choli and most rugged sandals. They would carry their blades and a sling. Tinder box, some small pots, cups, grooming supplies, two large foraging bags, rope and some ships biscuit were included. They had not applied any henna tattoos since beginning the voyage and decided they would have some warrior designs before going ashore. The night before leaving they decorated each other's back with their dragon design and added geometric armband designs on their upper arms. Then packing everything into a backpack on Boo and another on Rebecca they climbed into the ships boat.

Peter helped them to get into the boat. And as he held Gabriela's hand he held it a little longer than necessary and whispered, "Please come back Gabby."

"I will Pete, promise," Gabby whispered back smiling brightly at him.

They needed to get through some breakers and avoid rocks to get to the beach. The surf was quite heavy the little boat racing down the waves then crashing into the next. They shipped a lot of water each time they crashed into a wave and about fifty yards from shore a large wave capsized the little boat throwing then into the surf. Rebecca slipped out of her back pack a looking for Gabriela saw her floundering. "GRAB BOO!" she screamed. Boo swam to Gabby and she got a good grip on the dogs back pack. Boo them swam to Rebecca and towed both to shore. They collapsed on the shore, Gabriela vomiting the sea water she had swallowed. Rebecca stood and signaled the boat they were on shore and the boat pulled away, then collapsed herself.

They simply lay on the beach for what seemed an eternity. They had both lost their sandals in the surf and the boat had broken up. Rebecca spotted the back pack in the process of washing ashore. She got the back pack rescuing it from the waves and looked inside. Everything save the ships biscuit were intact. Boo came running to her whining with a large crab firmly attached to her lip. Rebecca laughing removed the crab then hugged the dog, "Boo...thank you." She then rubbed the dogs back and moaning with pure canine bliss Boo rolled over offering her belly. Gabriela joined Rebecca as they thanked Boo.