Realms of Eden: Book 5: Hyak Anali

"Did you think that lies, sneaking around, having a laugh up your sleeve about one of your teammates and his gullibility would end in a joyful orgy that Caveman would have a good laugh about afterwards!" he continued, his voice a deep throbbing rumble that to everyone showed how angry the man was with them.

"No," replied Gareth Peterson, his voice was almost a whisper as he tried to express his feelings. "But Mina and Fiona were also part of this deception. I wanted to talk to Barry first but both of them told me that it would not turn out as I expected. I did not know what they meant but I think I am beginning to guess."

"What did you guess Gareth?" asked Sydney coldly.

"That Barry isn't who we think he is," the man answered softly.

"What else brought you to that conclusion?" asked Jason Williams softly. His question surprised Sydney and Kelsey. The young batsman stood and walked to stand beside his skipper. "All of you know what Barry is. Even me as one of the juniors on this tour know about Barry's love for Neville. You all thought you were doing Brenda a favour. Giving her loving that all of you thought Barry couldn't because he loves another man!" He clenched his fists in fury as he glared all around him. "You all make me sick!" he shouted and walked from the room without a backward glance.

"It's time to go out and play the game now," said Ian Creighton quietly. "Sydney go and open the batting with Jason. I don't think it is wise to have either of you in this room for the moment. Me and the lads have some things to discuss." Sydney nodded and left the room, Kelsey followed him and tentatively reached her hand to Sydney's shoulder. The big man shook her hand off and stormed to the viewing room where he donned his kit not even glancing at the one person he thought should have prevented this damned mess!

Jason and Sydney stood in the middle of the pitch alone. Not even the umpires were out on the ground yet and the two men simply looked around the grounds and gave some smiles and waves to the crowd. "I don't want to talk about it Syd," he had told his skipper as they walked out to the middle. "I am as much to blame for not saying anything about what I knew was going on as if I had taken her to a motel and fucked her myself."

Sydney sighed and accepted his young friend's request. "Best we not get out for a while though. I think Ian is going to need some time to get their heads back in the game."

"Fuck them Sydney! They have destroyed him. Why couldn't they understand that all he needed was to be asked, to be given some love as well as respect!" Jason's eyes were full of tears and Sydney smiled at the young man.

"You tried too, Jason?"

"Me and Rob, we wanted to tell him as he lay in bed with us, Sandy and Annie. I think he knew Syd, but he didn't want to spoil the night. I think he was waiting for her to come to him. The pity is she was waiting for him to come to her!"

"Fuck Jason, what are we going to do about it?" Sydney asked sorrowfully.

"Can't you just make them all forget?" Jason asked hopefully.

"How? There are too many of them. And it still won't change the fact that Brenda likes group scenes, Barry is bi-sexual and that all my fucking wives knew and didn't act to prevent this sort of thing from happening!" he replied harshly.

"Well the one that is coming out on the field now my friend had the least to do with it! She was the one that encouraged me and Robert to take Barry to our bed with the girls. I think secretly that she hoped we would bring Brenda as well," Jason said as he patted Sydney's shoulder.

"Why didn't you?"

"She had gone back to New Zealand for a few days to visit her father," Jason replied.

"So while she was away Caveman did play!" remarked Sydney suddenly. The young man nodded before he went to stretch his muscles as Belinda organised her field.

Surprisingly Belinda opened the bowling with Abe. The young man barely got into a canter as he jogged into the crease and bowled. The ball reached Sydney at about three quarters of Abe's normal pace. Sydney played it back down the pitch and watched as a very tearful Abe picked it up. He walked down the pitch and called the bowler to him.

"Abe man, what the fuck is up?" he asked quietly.

"Bel told us about Caveman, I am really sorry, Sydney," whispered the young man.

"Well don't worry about him matey. I have a solution to that particular bit of stupidity, but if you don't stop crying and bowl properly I am going to let you get me out for a duck!"

"You wouldn't!" exclaimed the bowler.

"Well if you aren't going to play properly, why should I?" Sydney fired back at him. Abe stiffened and turned abruptly away and marched back to the top of his marker.

The next ball whistled past Sydney's visor and he grinned as the big bowler cackled in delight. At gully Belinda called to him, "Thank you baby!"

Sydney nodded and prepared to face the next ball.

Twenty overs later Jason and Sydney bumped gloves as the announcer informed the chanting crowd that their partnership was at 150. "Have we been here long enough, Skip?" asked Jason cheekily.

"We shall soon find out mate, Belinda's on," replied Sydney as he watched his beautiful golden eyed wife bend and stretch as she directed her fielders.

"She definitely has a nice arse," breathed Jason. Sydney grinned and tapped Jason with his bat.

"Yes and the little bitch used it to try and wear me out last night!" chuckled Sydney.

Jason laughed all the way to the striker's crease.

Belinda's first ball was a ripping googly that Jason barely kept from trapping him in front of the stumps as he played back and snicked the ball into his pads. Belinda giggled as she caught the ball returned to her from Clarry. "Did you see how I bowled that one babe?" she asked her husband.

"Nope, was too busy watching your tits bounce!" was his cheerful reply.

Belinda's body moved smoothly through the crease as she bowled into almost the identical place on the wicket. Jason played tentatively at it and could do nothing but blink in surprise as the ball flew from the edge of his bat and into the big hands of George Rahnti at first slip. "Bugger," he moaned then glanced up at his partner. His face held a wide grin and Jason could do nothing but smile back.

"See you soon matey," was his skipper's comment as Jason went past.

"Not too soon, skip. Most of our blokes have no idea how to play her,"

"They might need to get a quick lesson in how to handle awkward situations then," was Sydney's reply. Jason gave a loud laugh as he read the double meaning in the man's words. He looked towards the gate and saw Peter Bond heading down the stairs.

"Well at least these two will have something else to talk about," said Jason to himself as he walked past Peter and gave him an encouraging thumbs up.

A reporter was waiting on the boundary just near the gates and she smiled as she beckoned him over for a few words. Jason smiled as the pretty red-head seemed to be quite friendly as she introduced herself as Trudy.

"Great knock Little Typhoon!" she opened. "You and Whirlwind looked pretty serious out there. Carmie certainly spun those first two to end a great partnership!"

"Yeah, Trudy, we were pretty comfortable up till then. Belinda certainly can give them a rip and caught me totally by surprise."

"Unlike the first game she played where you took her to all parts of the field. Did she surprise you with that great googly on her first ball?"

"Very much! But then again she is a great all rounder and a very astute thinker of the game."

"It must be hard for Whirlwind having to play against his new wife?" Trudy asked with wide eyes.

Jason felt that the woman was digging for something and he answered with a grin. "I think that both of them enjoy the contest. Certainly there is no problems off the field. They all are very loving and easy going this side of the line."

"Speaking of off the field I have heard that there has been some upset within the team over the early disappearance of Caveman today. Can you confirm the rumours we have heard that Caveman and several of his team mates got into an argument earlier today?" The woman's eyes narrowed as she regarded the youthful face in front of her. She believed she had picked her target well in selecting the young man who was very junior to the team.

"Yeah there was a bit of a spat," replied Jason. "Caveman is quite ill but insisted that he was right for the game. A few of the boys tried to get him to stay at the motel in his bed but he is a very competitive player and wasn't prepared to be left out. However, after the first over that he tried to bowl as fast as he could he realised that he just wasn't going to be able to keep it up." He saw the woman's eyes harden as he glibly told the story.

"Our sources told us it was more to do with Caveman's wife than any illness," the woman stated coldly.

"Not sure about that," grinned Jason. "Brenda's been on assignment for NZTV for a few weeks and only came back today. So if there is some problem there it is news to us."

"Good boy," sighed Kelsey and Ian together as they watched the feed in the player's room.

Trudy tried another tactic and switched the topic to the team in general asking about how the players were coping with such a long tour and prolonged absences from girlfriends and wives.

"You forgot the boyfriends as well, Trudy!" exclaimed Jason with a broad grin. "We have quite a number of ladies with the group who are a tremendous help in keeping all of our spirits up. Some of them are missing their loves as well. But as a group we help each other and any spats or disagreements we can sit down and talk about. I don't believe that there is anything this group can't work out between them.

"Sorry Trudy but I had a big lunch and I think I need to go and get rid of some of it, if you know what I mean," Jason finished quietly.

"Just one more before you go, Jason," the woman smiled cattily. "Is it true that you and Robert Dinnane share your wives?"

"If you look at our marriage certificates, Trudy," said Jason softly, "you will see that Sandy and Annie have two hyphens after their names containing both Williams and Dinnane. Does that answer your question or would you like a description of our wedding night as well?" he finished with a beaming smile.

The woman coldly ordered her cameraman to stop filming and turned back to Jason. "I know you fucking Australians are all fucking each other!" she hissed. "I am sure that not all of you are so sharing. I will get to the bottom of Caveman's hissy fit and expose you all for the lecherous and deviant bastards you all are!"

"If you wish you can come on board the Majestic or into any of our team activities and get togethers and ask as many questions, personal or otherwise, that you like, Ms Li," said a deep voice beside the pair. Sydney had just been bowled by his wife for 98 and had hurried down to the interview as he read the thoughts of his young friend.

"I will take you up on that Douglas!" hissed the woman.

"Hmm, perhaps another reporter might be a better choice," grinned Sydney. "I believe that you may be a touch sensitive around so much good humour and laughter. Something the Messiah's followers seem to despise. Thelma and Kelsey are upstairs, maybe a word to your boss about reassignment, perhaps to the war zones in southern Asia might be more your cup of tea?"

The woman spat on the ground beside the cameraman who had silently turned his camera and the sound back on to record the confusing conversation. "You would like that Douglas wouldn't you? Keeping all your dirty secrets to yourselves?" the woman was almost screaming with her rage.

"We have no secrets, Ms Li," replied Sydney with a friendly smile. "Why don't you tell your viewers what you really think is going on with the cricket world? I might warn you though Ms Li that our sponsors and the Solomon Islands' management don't take very well to libel and slander. In fact some might say that they are quite uptight about having lies and scandal spread about what the dedicated men and women do with themselves whilst on such a long tour."

"It still does not matter Douglas! You and your band of whores and gigolos are going to be exposed for what they really are! If it is not me that does it then others will come! The world needs to see you all for what you really are!"

"And what is that exactly?" asked Jason with a wide grin. He was following Sydney's lead and kept his humour.

"All of you fuck one another, even the men!" the woman screamed. "You have drunken orgies and lay with whomever will have you. Your actions are disgusting and sinful!"

"Settle down Trudy!" exclaimed the cameraman furiously. "I have two wives, three girlfriends and a boyfriend!. We have a healthy and very happy sex life. Do you want to show me to the world as some sort of sexual fiend and pervert as well! You are just a jealous bitch because you can't keep a man in your bed for more than five minutes!

"I don't know what the hell it is that the church you have joined in Fiji is telling you but, personally, I think you ought to grow up!"

"Thank you Chad," said Sydney with a small smile. "I think this interview is over now." The cameraman nodded as Jason and Sydney turned away and headed to the dressing rooms.

In his motel room Barry Crawford sighed as the interview ended. "Fuck it Sydney, you knew all along you bastard!"

"He has that problem sometimes," whispered Paul. "His non-interference in other peoples lives can be a fucking pain sometimes. But he would never betray any of us. Not you, not Brenda. It is up to the pair of you to make it right between you.

"It is unfortunate that all of the women know and many of the men were duped into keeping it close to their chests. But Barry you are guilty of that as well. If you want to let people like that bitch on the vid try to break up the group and stop the movement that is spreading throughout Oceania then continue to hold on to your anger and make everyone uncomfortable.

"If I were you though, and I was once, I would simply sit down and tell them all how you feel."

"Tell them that I love them all. That I fantasise about them. They would think I was totally off my tree," Barry said softly. His eyes threatened to overflow with tears again and Paul reached his arms around him and held the man close to his chest.

"Yes, Barry," he said softly before kissing the man's hair. "I think you would be quite surprised at the number that will tell you that they love you back."

On the field Belinda Douglas bounced with delight as she and her fellow spinners ran through the Australian line up with guile and precision. She raised the ball in delight to show the crowd after she had dismissed Joe Donnelly for a first ball duck to take her fifth wicket of the match. George Rahnti and Abe lifted her up on their shoulders and began to carry her from the field. "Wait!" she squealed, "Barry's coming out to bat!"

The men almost dropped her in surprise as they looked to the gates. Sure enough Caveman came out swinging his bat around his body as he tried to stretch out his muscles in preparation to try and hold up an end for Simon Hunter to fight his way closer to the Islander target.

The crowd sat in silence as the demon fast bowler made his way to the centre. Australia only needed another 19 runs to win and Caveman hadn't been seen since the end of the second over. "Welcome Barry 'Caveman' Crawford!" yelled the ground announcer. "We have just been told that Caveman has come off his sick bed to try and get Australia home!"

The crowd roared and Barry weakly raised his bat as the chant of "Caveman! Caveman!" began around the stands.

"Good luck mate!" called Abe tentatively.

"Thanks mate," said Barry with a wide smile.

Belinda Douglas found herself weeping as she watched the stocky fast bowler ask for "Centre and Leg" from Harry Clements. "One to go Barry!" called the umpire and Barry gave him a quick nod before glancing around the field.

Barry carefully watched Belinda come into bowl and suddenly found himself chuckling and held his hand up to stop her run. "Sorry Bel, that bloody husband of yours told me to watch your tits to work out which way the ball was going to spin!" he called out.

Harry Clements almost doubled up with laughter as all the players around the wicket and the bowler herself did the same. In the dressing rooms Sydney whooped with joy as he saw the incapacitated players out on the field.

"What the hell is that all about?" asked Jason as he watched his captain with amusement.

"I told Barry to check out Bel's tits to guess which way the ball was spinning. I guess he couldn't help but tell her!" laughed Sydney.

With some order restored on the field Belinda finally bowled the last ball of her ninth over. Barry strangely found himself watching the bounce of her breasts and saw her shift subtly to her right. The ball spun from the off stump across him and he let his bat catch up with it and eased it down to deep fine leg. He and Simon quickly scurried through for two runs. "It works," the man said as he met Simon halfway down the track.

"You OK?" queried Simon softly.

"You still love me, Simon?" Barry asked back.

"Always brother," the nuggetty batsman said as he gave the taller man a soft pat on his pads with his bat.

"Then I'm fine. Think you can get us home?"

"We will see what we can do but Ani's bowling fucking quick!" grinned Simon as they separated to their respective ends.

Simon hooked Aniki's bouncer high into the night sky and Belinda prayed that Abe would take the catch that he was rapidly back-pedalling towards the boundary for. She grimaced as the big bowler fell backwards at the last moment as he tripped over the rope. The ball still cleared him by two metres.

Aniki looked to his captain and shook his head in disgust. "At the stumps Ani!" she called as he looked down to the batsman at the other end from his mark. Australia still needed 11 runs with 11 balls to go.

Simon played straight bats to the next four deliveries he faced to balls that he could do nothing about but defend. Aniki Trewalli was living up to his feared reputation as a great death bowler. Australia still needed 11 runs off seven balls. He patted down a few spots on the wicket and looked to Barry. The bowler gave him a small nod.

Ani's fearsome face filled Simon's vision as the bowler let rip with easily the fastest delivery of the match. Simon could do nothing but jam down on the ball that whistled in at his toes. "NO!" screamed Barry as Simon looked up to see if they could pinch a single.

"Up to you then matey," said Simon as the pair stood in the middle of the pitch and waited for Belinda to decide who would bowl the next over.

"She will," said Barry softly. "She's got the figures and goodness knows she has confounded everyone tonight with her bowling."

He proved to be right as at the end of a long discussion between herself, George, Abe and Aniki she banished them to their positions and handed her cap over to Harry for the final over.

Barry rechecked his guard and swallowed the lump in his throat as he waited for Belinda to bowl.

"I can kiss it better," snickered Abe as he leant over the prostrate Caveman as he groaned in agony from the spitting delivery that Belinda bowled that had come back hard and slammed into the protector in his trousers.

"Promises, promises, Abe," grinned Belinda as she stood over the pair. "You all right Caveman?" she could not help the giggle. "Your the first one I have ever dropped on the ground by smacking his nuts!"

"Heartless bitch," Barry groaned and then gasped in surprise as Abe gave his battered groin a gentle rub.

"Cameras man!" Barry hissed as he pushed Abe's hand away gently.