The Ridge

AFTERWORD

It was strange that the only place that would suit was exactly where they had set up their first shelter. It took them three days to make this one. Larger and with movable sides and much more rain proof. In time, a bed was made, big enough for the three of them to sleep on instead of on palm tree leaves and ferns on the ground.

In three months they had fresh water piped down, a plug being used instead of the normal tap. Attention was then turned to the rocks at the very eastern end of the beach where he was able to build a fish pen and a gate, luring the fish in with pieces of fruit for them to be netted.

Not once did they see or hear an aircraft in the skies overhead. A year later, Tiki gave birth to a baby girl which was named Lali. Judy had a son three months later and he was called Robbie. It was another year before they produced again only this time Tiki had a boy and Judy a daughter. These were named John and Marina.

They lived as one happy family, no clothes being worn now and all were the colour of natives. The children were educated by all three, spelling and writing done in the sand as well as arithmetic and as many other subjects that they could think of. The children were shown the dangers of the sea by attracting sharks with dead fish for them to see for themselves how big and dangerous they could be. Swimming was only allowed in the shallows and under supervision.

It was with great excitement when the children saw a yacht heave to just off the shore eight years later. This possibility had already been discussed before of this happening and their decision had already been made to what would be the obvious question. They also had made two grass skirts for Judy and Tiki and a palm leafed one for Carlton, it didn't matter with the children.

A motor boat set off from the moored yacht and the three of them stood on the beach to greet them, the children behind them and their spears and other weapons hidden back at the shelter. They saw that the boat held five people, four men and one woman and when the boat reached the shore, one man jumped out and helped the woman out and three of the men, two staying with the boat as the others walked up the sand.

'Bonjour,' the leading man said as he got close and stopped.

'Good afternoon,' Carlton replied.

'English?' the man asked in surprise. 'I thought you were natives!'

'The sun does this sometimes to all white men,' he laughed. 'Anyway, welcome to our island.'

'Your island?'

'Well I suppose it really does belong to somebody else but we've come to regard it as ours as we are the only people here and have been for about nine years now.'

'Mon Dieu! Nine years? Do you know where you are?'

'Non Monsieur.'

'This is an un-named island in the New Hebrides.'

'Ha! Did you hear that?' Carlton said to the two girls, and turning back said, 'Well we've given it a name, Banz Island or as we're in French Territory I suppose it should be Ile de Banz.'

'Banz?' the man looked puzzled.

'British, Australian and New Zealander. That's our nationalities. Oh, do forgive me. I am a poor host and you are our first guests. My name is Robert Carlton from England, this,' he turned towards the girls and children, 'is Judy from Australia, Tiki from New Zealand and my four children, Lali, Robbie, Marina and John, all born here on Banz,' he finished holding out his hand which was shaken.

'I am Monsieur Pierre Tambard and this is my wife, Louise, and the captain of the yacht "Melani".' Carlton shook all the hands as Tambard continued. 'I am Charge d'Affaire at the Administrative Offices in Vila on the island Efate. We are on holiday and thought it a good idea to have a cruise around the islands. It was by chance that we stopped here for my wife just wanted a few hours ashore,' he explained. 'Tell us how you came to be here?'

'Certainly, but let us get into the shade of the trees, I think this sun is rather hot and making Madame uncomfortable.' He led them up to the tree line and offered them the only place to sit which was the bed in the shelter. The visitors noted that all it contained apart from the bed were four hammocks made from creepers, and six melon husks.

Tiki, Judy and the children, who were very good, this being their first sight of other people, sat on the palm and fern spread floor. Carlton stood and told them of the plane crash and that they were the only living survivors. Monsieur Tambard made notes and when he'd finished, Carlton answered as many of the questions that he could, though in a few instances, they were only half truths.

'Well all I can say that it's a miracle you have survived all alone of this small island for so long, and our yacht is at your disposal to transport you back to civilization,' Tambard said.

'With all due respect sir,' Judy spoke up now. 'We've discussed this many times, but since Marina, our youngest was born six years ago, we have decided to stay here. We would be most grateful if you could get the authorities to grant us residency and we promise you, we would not be a burden on the tax payers money. We've survived here for nearly ten years with the world having forgotten us, we now wish to forget the world.' This little speech flustered Tambard and was about to reply when his wife, Louise put her hand on his arm.

'Well I must say you've done a wonderful job,' she said to the girls, 'not only to have adapted to this life but to have raised such healthy looking children. But what about their education?'

'They have learned their ABC and are good at spelling. The writing is difficult as is the reading. When you do it in the sand the sea does tend to cut the lessons short sometimes,' Tiki said.

'Tell me what you need,' Louise said.

'Some paper and pencils, and of course some erasers so that we can re-use the paper, oh, and maybe a couple of books. That's all.' Tiki said.

'What about yourself?'

'Just a pot and a spoon, oh, and maybe a few vegetable seeds.'

'You?' she asked looking at Judy.

'A needle and some thread and maybe a bottle of antiseptic.'

'Is that all?' she asked incredulously, 'surely there must be more?'

'We live simple and that would be sufficient,' Tiki said.

'Well we can let you have this from the yacht, well not the seeds, but we can get them sent to you. And about you Mr Charlton?'

'Carlton ma-am. Well a saw and an axe would be most helpful and a couple of knifes and a stone to keep them sharp. I could do an awful lot with those as you can see,' he replied, waving his hand around the shelter.

'How do you get on for food and water?' Tambard asked, so they were given a short tour of the island and marvelled at the water pipe system and the fish pen. The saw the graves which had since been bordered with small pieces of rock and told the names of the occupants.

'It's a pity about this rock running across the beach, it somewhat spoils the whole look.'

'That's what we call the ridge. It's solid rock lava and it caused the ultimate destruction of the plane we were in,' and Carlton showed them what was left of the undercarriage, the tyres having long since disintegrated. 'But for this, the pilot might have landed us safely.'

Back at the shelter, Tambard took their full names to get them new passports and those of the children, all their surnames being Carlton.

'Oh one last thing you could do for me,' he said. 'Can you post a short letter for me if I may have a piece of paper and a pen?'

'Certainly,' Tambard said giving him his note book and pen and Carlton wrote just a few lines and handed it back.

'I've put the address there, and thank you.'

Farewells were said after the boat came back with the items Tiki and Judy had asked for, and a promise that Carlton's tools and the seeds would be sent out as soon as possible.

Carlton stood on the beach with his arms around his two women, Tiki one side and Judy on the other, the children at the water's edge, waving goodbye to their first visitors.

'What was in the letter you wrote?' she asked him.

'Nothing much. Just tidying up a loose end. It was to where I once worked. It was my resignation.'

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