Chapter 12 Scene 6

Tom is confused that Kuruka and Phato know each other. The natives look at each other and are silent. "Kuruka, I thought you never left Sanctuary Island until the boat trip here."

"That is correct," Kuruka eventually replies.

Tom turns to Phato, "Then how did you ... did you visit that island?"

Phato remains silent and looks at Kuruka, who decides, "You should tell them, Phato, but let's discuss this over the evening meal. We should have a lot of variety."

Quest 8: Make a Crab Salad, Pickled Vegetables, Bomani's Snack, Sweet Quail, Baked Fruit, and Seafood.

"That will take a lot of ingredients," notes Nicole. "Let's see, that's one boar, one quail, two crabs, three fish, two eels, one squid, two breadfruit, two oranges, one garlic, three rosemary, three tickseed, six sesame, three cabbage, one eggplant, three pineapples, two tomatoes, two potatoes, two peanuts, one sugar cane, four bananas, one melon, and sixty-two brushwood. That's quite an order."

"We have a lot of people here now," reminds Kuruka. "Don't forget Olof has a big appetite. We should decide how to split up the tasks."

Tom utters a small groan. "It takes a long time to catch eels and squid."

Phato perks up. "It does not take me a long time. You must not have been fishing correctly."

Tom doesn't understand what he could have been doing wrong, but figures it's best to say, "Perhaps you can show me."

"I can if you have the right bait on this island."

"We have a good fishing pole that doesn't need bait."

"It may not need bait, but it works better with bait, especially for eels and squid. I saw a vegetable patch before.  We can get worms while we dig holes for the vegetables we need."

Sophia sees her chance to be near Phato. 'I can plant the seeds while you dig the holes and get bait. There are seeds for everything in Olof's shop."

Olof heads for his shop to find the required seeds.

Keruka was wondering if Phato would want to hunt the boar and quail, but since he got involved with the fishing part of the task, Keruka announces, "I will get the boar and quail." With her bow and quiver she goes to the north part of the beach where the boar often annoys the castaways.

"Why don't I collect the driftwood?" offers Braden.

"I can gather all the fruit," offers Nicole.

"I can get the herbs," adds Machk.

Since the fruit, herbs, and driftwood are roughly in the same places, Braden, Nicole, and Machk go around the beach and then up the elevator to the jungle, depot, and excavations.

John stays with Amelia and starts his experiments with the different herbs.

Once Sophia has given Olof a bunch of pearls to exchange for the seeds, she hurries back to the vegetable plots where Phato is digging holes and Tom is collecting the worms dug up. Sophia admires Phato as his lean muscles glint in the sunlight as he digs, and she plants the seeds as quickly so she can watch Phato as much as possible. After digging fourteen holes, Phato leaves for the shore with Tom who has collected twenty-one worms. Sophia is left tending to the vegetables but frequently turns her attention to the fishermen in the distance.

"Okay, so you say using bait with this spinner fishing rod will attract more eels and squid?" asks Tom.

"Yes," answers Phato.

Tom batis the hook, wades up to his knees with Phato following and casts the line. Phato prompty rebukes him.

"No, you have to go out a lot further for eels and squid." When Tom hesitates, Phato grabs the fishing pole. "Let me show you."

Phato promptly strides into the ocean until the water is up to his waist. He casts the line and soon catches two fish and then an eel. After each catch He wades back to where Tom is standing, and then Tom wades back to shore to put the fish in a bucket. After the eel is caught, Tom has to admit,

"That was very fast."

Phato has resumed his stone-faced expression. "I could have caught the eel faster but we also need regular fish."

"I suppose you're about to show me how to catch the eel faster."

"Yes, and the squid." Phato looks out over the ocean. "This is a good beach for fishing, sharks will not get past those rocks out there."

Phato then strides into the ocean until the water is up to his armpits. He casts the line and gets an eel, but on his next attempt gets an ordinary fish. Frowning, on his next attempt he decides to out in the water up to his neck. It is awkward to cast the fishing line like that, but he manages to catch something. As he reels it in, a big wave comes in and submerges him. Only concerned about not letting go of the fishing pole, he has to flounder around for awhile before he rights himself and paddles to shore, but he does have a squid on the hook. He resumes a stoic expression when he hands the prize to Tom.

"That was impressive," remarks Tom. "Are you all right?"

Phato acts annoyed. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"It looked like, uh, when you were under the water, um, you're right, you look fine and there's no reason you wouldn't be."

"I am fine. Let's get back. What shall we do with the extra worms?  Give them to Olof?"

"We sell them to Olof. Don't worry, he will eventually sell them back for a profit."

Phato isn't keen on Olof's business of buying and selling goods doesn't want to dwell on it. Olof buys the fifteen uneeeded worms for pearls and then offers, "Tom, didn't you need a purple mushroom for that sacrifice? Why not buy one now?"

Tom doesn't feel like opening the bunker where the hyenas came from and agrees. "Now all I need is an Oke Bur."

"I can sell you that, too."

"No, it will grow back soon enough."

Olof, Tom, and Phato then go meet up with the others.

Nicole, Machk, and Braden return from their trip to the Jungle, Depot, and Excavations with all the fruit, herbs, and driftwood needed for all the dishes. Sophia gathers all the vegetables that have grown and everything is ready for the big evening meal.

Quest 8 complete!

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