Chapter 12 Scene 5

Phato has crossed over onto his island and prepares to collect the rare herbs. He finds an Oke Bur and an Ancestor's Flower easily and sets them near the liana rope bridge he made to the castaway's island. Getting the Datura bowl will be a more difficult matter. He heads north toward the swampy part of his island, and sees a Datura Bowl in the middle of a mud pit as he expected. The pit is six meters in diameter, but as he explained to Sophia, long, strong, light bamboo sticks often wash up on the beach. From experience he knows that one of them laid on the mud will support his weight, but it is much better to have two.

Quest 7: Find two bamboo sticks.

Phato goes south to the beach on his island and heads northwest. Soon he finds one of the sticks, and it is another five minutes until he finds a second one.

Quest 7 complete!

Phato returns to the mud pit. He checks for wild animals, and then sets down his bow and quiver. He places the two bamboo poles parallel to each other on the mud, and the ends are very close to the Datura Bowl. He steps carefully onto the poles and makes his way to the bowl, but just as he gets there he is attacked by a flock of quail. Some go at his face and he uses his hands to fend them off, but others peck at his ankles. The stings force him to slide his feet off the poles and toward each other, and once both his feet have slid off the poles he sinks rapidly into the soft, watery mud. He wants to catch the bamboo poles with his hands which would stop him from sinking past his thighs, but the birds keep going at his eyes. He has to protect his face with his arms, so he keeps sinking up to his belly before the birds fly away.

Phato takes a minute to catch his breath, wondering what caused the attack. Fortunately the bamboo poles are right there by his sides so he will be able to get out without too much effort. He grabs the poles and carefully pushes himself up. He gets his waist above the surface of the mud, and then his loincloth. As he starts to pull one leg out, the birds attack again, going at his eyes. In order to protect his face, Phato has to let go of the poles with his hands and subsequently sinks up to his belly again. Then the birds fly away and Phato has to catch his breath again. The birds appear poised to attack him again if he tries to get out of the mud pit.

"What is going on?" Phato thinks to himself. "Do they want to stop me from getting the Datura Bowl?" The bowl is actually within reach. Phato reaches for it and grabs the stem. He looks at the birds, but they show no indication of swarming at him again. He tugs at the stem, but the bowl doesn't break loose. Trying to get more leverage, Phato reaches down into the mud to grab the stem with both hands several centimeters below the surface. Pulling harder, he feels the plant begin to break loose. One more good hard yank and the stem breaks from the root, but the effort causes Phato to sink quite a bit further, up to the middle of his chest. He had thought he had hit bottom before but just proved that wasn't the case. He hears the birds laughing at his situation.

Phato slowly pulls his arms out of the mud holding onto the Datura Bowl stem. The effort causes him to sink a little further, up to his armpits. The birds laugh some more as he balances the Datura Bowl on one of the bamboo poles and then has to take another breather with his arms resting on the poles. After a few minutes he begins the process of pulling himself up and along the poles, eventually crawling on top of them while taking care to move the Datura Bowl along. It takes an hour for him to get out of the mud pit with the bowl, and then he goes to the shore to clean himself off. This takes another half hour, and then he gathers the Oke Bur and Ancestor's Flower and puts them in a bag with the Datura Bowl. He retrieves his quiver and bow, slings them over his shoulder, and proceeds to the palm tree with the liana rope bridge and crosses over to the castaways' island.

After descending the palm tree on the castaways' side, Phato makes his way toward the group surrounding Amelia. He sets the Oke Bur, Ancestor's Flower, and Datura Bowl down by John.

Quest 5 complete!

"I am sorry I took so long; I had a little difficulty in getting the Datura Bowl."

"That's not a problem," assures John. "You did a great job just getting these before sunset."

Tom asks, "John, have you found out anything about what herbs are effective for healing Amelia?"

"Yes. The rosemary, tickseed, and sesame had no effect.  At least one of the Oke Bur, Ancestor's Flower, and Datura Bowl is a key ingredient.  I think the Datura Bowl is most likely to be the most important, and getting another sample is very helpful and worth whatever difficulty you had in obtaining it."

Sophia giggles and asks Phato, "Did you fall into the mud pit?"

Phato is not eager to answer. His hesitation is enough for Sophia to determine the correct answer, but more significantly, Phato is shocked to hear a different voice, from a person who had been blocked from Phato's view by Tom.

"Phato!?"

"Kuruka!?"

Tom doesn't understand how it's possible and asks, "So you two know each other?"

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