Part 17 (2/2)
Louis sat up. ”Hold on, monsieur. Let's back up. Napalm bombs?”
”Minibombs . . . an even dozen . . :'
”Why?”
The corporal looked confused.
”James,” he said sternly.
”I . . . I don't know. I suppose if we need to clear a section of jungle. Something that blocks our way:”
”How large a region would one of those bombs clear?”
”I . . :' The man choked back a sob. ”I'm not sure . . . maybean acre . . . I don't know.”
Louis leaned his elbows on his knees. ”Are you telling me the truth, James?” He wiggled a finger for Tshui, who had grown bored with the conversation and sat cross-legged, busy laying out a new set of tools.
On his signal, she rose from her work and crawled like some jungle cat toward the naked soldier.
”No,” the corporal cried, mewling, ”no, I don't know anything more:” Louis s.h.i.+fted back in his seat. ”Do I believe you?”
”Please. . :”
”I think I will believe you:” Standing, he turned to his mistress. ”We're done here, macherie. He's all yours:”
She slid smoothly to her feet, offering a cheek to be kissed as he pa.s.sed.
”No,” the man on the ground moaned, pleading.
”Don't dawdle,” he said to Tshui. ”The sun is almost up, and we'll need to be under way shortly.”
She smiled, smoky and full of hidden l.u.s.ts. As he stepped to the tent's threshold, he saw her bend down and collect her bone needle and thread from the spread of tools. Lately, Tshui had been trying a new approach in preparing her specimens for head-shrinking. She now liked to sew her victims' eyelids closed while they were yet alive. To better capture their essence, he supposed. The Shuar shamans placed special significance in the eyes, a path to the spirit.
A sharp scream arose behind him.
”Tshui, don't forget the man's gag,” Louis scolded. He made the mistake of glancing over his shoulder.
Tshui squatted above the face of Corporal James, her thighs on either side of his head, holding the squirming man in place as she busied herself with her needle and thread. He lifted an eyebrow in surprise.
It seemed Tshui was trying something new.
”Pardon, ma cherie,”he said, bowing out of the tent. Apparently he had scolded her too soon. The gag truly wasn't necessary.
Tshui was already sewing the corporal's lips shut.
ACT THREE - Survival of theFittest.
BRAZIL NUT.
FAMILY:Lecythidaceae.
GENUS:Bertholletia.
SPECIES:Excelsa.
COMMON NAMES:Brazil Nut, Castanheiro do Para, Para-Nut, Creamnut, Castana-de-Para, Castana-de-Brazil
PARTS USED:Nut, Seed Oil
PROPERTIES/ACTIONS:Emollient, Nutritive, Antioxidant, Insecticide.
CHAPTER EIGHT.
Village.
AUGUST 13, NOON.
AMAZON JUNGLE.
Frowning, Nate caught the line and secured it to a mangrove tree. ”Care-ful,” he warned his boat mates.
”It's swampy here. Watch your footing:” He helped Kelly climb over the pontoon and onto the firmest section of the bank. He himself was muddy up to his knees and soaked everywhere else.
He lifted his face to the drizzle of rain from the cloudy skies. A storm had blown in overnight, starting with a fierce downpour, then fading into a steady misty drizzle within the last hour. The day's journey sofar had been dreary. They had taken turns with a hand pump to bilge the water out of the boat all morning. Nate was glad when Captain Waxman had called a halt for lunch.
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