Marooned Ch. 01

"You shouldn't get any fish," said Ben. "You're the reason we're stuck on this island."

"Leave Gaston alone," said Kevin. He liked the decadent, seedy, faintly romantic Frenchman.

"I'll say anything I want to the Frenchie," answered Ben, and in his anger he accidentally kicked the stick on which the fish were roasting into the fire.

"God damn it, Ben. I worked all day long to get those fish." That was Sam. "Clumsy oaf."

"You've got a big mouth," said Ben, rising to his feet as Sam did also, the two of them facing off against each, eye to eye.

"Stop it," shouted Douglas, asserting his leadership. They paid no attention to him. He jumped between them and as Ben and Sam scuffled Douglas fell into the fire. Daisy grabbed him by the hand and pulled him up and away from the coals.

Sam and Ben were pushing and shoving each other like mad bulls. Kevin rushed between them, and was pushed aside.

Douglas was lying on the sand, grimacing in pain, and Daisy hovered over him. He shouted at Sam and Ben. "Stop it, you two. I"m trying to keep things under control and it's for nothing."

"Who the hell put you in charge, anyway," said Sam. Kevin put a hand on Ben's chest, and Sam pushed it away, knocking Kevin over. He fell over Daisy and ended up on top of her and Douglas, who screamed in agony. Kevin quickly jumped to his feet, ready for a fight. Now three of them were jaw to jaw, yelling at each other.

Gaston, standing apart from the group, diverted them with a yell of his own. "That's it! I'm leaving. Daisy, Kevin, I invite you to go with me. The rest of you can go to the devil. And I'm taking my shirt and my tools with me."

"Like hell, you're taking anything with you," said Sam. "You leave in your birthday suit. That's all."

"Shut up, Sam. Shut up all of you!" Daisy shouted from the ground. "Douglas is burned. Gaston is leaving, and you three are fighting. We're going to die if we don't cooperate. Don't you get it, you idiots!"

They all stopped to look at her. "First, I tend to Douglas, and then we'll talk this over. Like adults. Not animals. Sit down. You too, Gaston. Don't go anywhere." Sam meekly complied and the others followed, sitting down on the sand, wordless.

Douglas was not seriously burned although blisters were rising on his back and buttocks. Daisy continued: "Kevin, get me a coconut shell full of sea water to wash these burns. And Gaston, we've found use for that famous shirt of yours. Get it. We need to cover these burns to keep the flies and gnats out." Daisy did what little she could to soothe Douglas's burned back.

When she had finished with Douglas she turned to the rest of them, now sitting quietly in a circle around her. "We can't fight among ourselves. We might be here for years. Let's plan on that. Now, make up, all of you. Right now! Shake hands!"

Ben extended his hand to Sam and they shook. "Sorry," said Ben. "My bad." All the men joined in shaking hands.

"How do we get along?" asked Daisy.

"We have to find happiness in our lives," said Kevin. "This is depressing and there's no light at the end of the tunnel."

"Good point," answered Daisy, finding herself, not unpleasantly, the leader of the discussion. "How do we do that?"

"Fun, other than just sitting on the beach looking for an airplane or a ship," said Ben.

"A bunch of men marooned on an island, no soccer ball, no booze, no women. That's hell on earth," moaned Sam.

"We have a woman," said Kevin. All the men turned to look at Daisy, even Douglas who had been grimacing with pain. Gaston, who was pacing behind where the others were sitting, stopped in his tracks.

Daisy felt uncomfortable. She was suddenly aware of her nakedness. Douglas spoke up for the first time. "Daisy is almost a child."

"I'm not a child. What are you suggesting, Kevin? That I leave the group because I'm a distraction?"

"No, the opposite."

"Look, Kevin, I'm the odd one out here. I don't have a penis. I know that each of you has some sexual problems because of me. I see the looks. I hear the remarks. I've laughed them off, because I like all of you -- and we need each other. But I can't pick favorites. I've thought of pairing off with one of you, but I've rejected the idea because it would destroy the group. I'm in a delicate position. It's not fun for me. I would like romance too."

They all sat silently and the men muttered among themselves until Sam spoke up. He was uncustomarily reflective. "Daisy, it's not your fault that you're the only woman, but I can't stop thinking about wanting you. When we got on that airplane, I was thinking about how I might get you in bed. It's the same here. I think the others feel the same. You and I spend all day together every day, and at night I sleep beside you, touching you, seeing you. It's killing me!"

Daisy looked at the five men sitting around her. They all nodded in agreement with Sam. She sat quietly for a long moment and then said, "What can we do about that?"

"It's up to you."

"Any arrangement we make has to be fair, all for one, one for all. Well," she laughed, "I didn't mean it quite that way." She paused. "Maybe I did. If you, all of you, promise me harmony, promise me you'll quit fighting among yourselves, maybe we can come to an agreement."

"Are you talking about sex?" asked Douglas, a horrified tone in his voice.

"Yes, sex." She thought about that for a moment. "If sex will help us survive, I'll do it. But you all have to agree. Harmony. All for one, one for all."

"You'll agree, Douglas, or I'll throw you cock-first into the fire, you pommy prude." said Sam.

"Enough, Sam. Just shut up."

"Doug's not our leader. He either agrees with us or he's off to his own part of the island. Alone," Ben said.

Daisy spoke lightly. "It's up to you, Douglas. But we all have to be in agreement. If you don't go along, you go into exile. It's like that TV program." She smiled at Douglas, adding levity to her voice.

"I'm not sure what we're talking about," said Kevin.

Daisy took a deep breath. "I guess I'm saying that I'll have sex with you -- all of you --if you pledge to get along, to cooperate with each other. All five of you. But there has to be limits. I can't fuck you all every night. And I don't want to get pregnant. I'd have to abstain for 10 days each month. And then there's my period. Five days, usually. Most of all I don't want anybody calling me a whore."

"I'll kill anybody who does," said Sam. "You're a goddess, Daisy."

"Hear, hear," said Ben, bowing down in mock obeisance.

"Hey, guys," Daisy said lightly. "I'm not sacrificing myself for the group. Who knows? I might like the sex."

"We'll make sure of that," said Sam. "I don't know about the others, but I have a rare prowess in making a woman happy."

The group exploded in mocking merriment. "How is this going to work?" Kevin asked. He turned to Gaston, who had been silent throughout the conversation. "Are you in this deal?"

"Mais oui. With pleasure. I am attracted to Daisy."

Sam looked at Douglas. "Are you in? Yes or no."

Douglas looked at Daisy. "I didn't mean to be insulting. I agree-- although I may have to be careful because of these burns before I, uh, get physical."

"You have a bye, on account of illness." They all laughed together and Daisy noticed several erect penises around the fire.

"I'm ready. Now!" shouted Sam, rising to his feet in celebration, jumping up and down. "I am looking forward to loving Daisy."

"So, how do we get started?" asked Ben "

Daisy got to her feet. "Maybe I'll just take a walk on the beach while you decide among yourselves how to organize this. Keep in mind that I'm not a fucking machine. I have emotions -- and limits."

"You don't want to get pregnant, so we'll have to start keeping a calendar to determine when it's safe. I'll do it. I know how to calculate it," said Douglas, always the practical one. "We also have to agree not to talk about any of this when -- if -- we get rescued. I have a wife, and children."

"My lips are sealed." She made a motion of zipping her mouth.

"Daisy," Douglas continued, "It will be my honor to have sex with you."

Daisy kissed him on the forehead. "It will be a honor for me also. With all of you. Can you build a little hut for me for some privacy. I don't want to fuck with everybody watching." She giggled. "At least for now."

"We'll all pitch in and build you a palace by the time it gets dark." said Ben. "The finest of coconut fronds. Soft, sweet smelling pandanas leaves, the whitest of sand."

"One more rule," she said. "Anybody who misbehaves gets cut off from sex. And maybe exiled."

"Who decides that?" Doug asked.

Daisy looked him the eye. "I do. No trial. No appeal. My decision." They all looked at her. The power quotient among them had changed. The young naked girl was in charge. They nodded in agreement.

She lightened her voice. "This might be fun. Is that an awful thing for me to say?" She paused. "There's just one more thing." She paused again while every man waited. "I'm a virgin."

All five men responded in a chorus of "What!"