Chapter One.
Professor Roy Hinkley awoke at early dawn, as he'd told himself he had to do the night before, and picked up the basket of instruments he'd put together the night before.
His calculations told him that today, around sunrise, the tide would be the lowest for the entire year, and he didn't want to miss it. He figured it'd be a good time to test the tidal stresses of the lagoon that they so relied on, and the opportunity to try out a new barometer he'd built.
He had been ecstatic when he'd found a rare deposit of ore that contained mercury. It would be perfect for the little and simple weather instrument that could prove life-saving in predicting approaching typhoons.
Even though he knew his footsteps would disturb nobody, moving across the sand, he still picked up his deck shoes to carry with him.
I could go barefoot, he thought to himself. It'd be just as easy, and it'd save wear-and-tear on these old sneakers. He was concerned because they were his only shoes, and if something happened to them, he would have to contrive some type of sandals.
Hmmm, maybe I could do that any way, his ever-processing mind thought. It'd save everyone's sturdier footwear in case there was an emergency, like having to evacuate one end of the island if the volcano began to kick up.
He was going to file the idea away, as he did with other ideas, but the more he thought on it, the more logical it seemed to him.
I could talk to Mary Ann about it, he continued to ponder as he stealthily walked away from the main portion of the compound. She's good at sewing and making things of the native plants around here.
He looked down at the sturdy, well-woven basket he carried. She made this, even! Wouldn't be hard to do the same for feet, would it?
As if thoughts of Mary Ann conjured her, he looked up, startled to see her out in the gray early light of dawn.
She was engrossed in something, and, curious, he walked closer to her to see what she was doing.
Ah, she's foraging, excellent, Roy thought. He'd taught her, soon after they'd been marooned on the island, all of the edible flora on their side of the island. I must arrange with her to go further, he thought, find new sources of nutrition. He knew a variety in their diet was preferable, to give their bodies the nutrients necessary for good health.
He stood silently watching her as she'd bend down, pick delicately at a plant, and place her prize into her own closely-woven gathering basket. The sight of her mesmerized him. She was so graceful and careful, not harming the plants any more than she had to. He saw her smile as she stood, looking down at the plant, almost as if she were thanking the plant for its gift.
She probably is, a thought passed by. He tried to move his feet, to bid her good morning, but was frozen on the spot. Bend, stretch, pluck, stand, move down the row, bend and pick all over again. She was so lithe and slender, and he knew she was strong, too, having grown up on a farm in Kansas.
She's such an engima, he thought, smiling as he stood there. He was completely out in the open, not sneaking a peek at her. She could look up any time and see him, and then he'd say hello. So he bided his time, watching and waiting for her to turn her notice his way.
She's so sweet and kind, but she's certainly not squeamish, he thought approvingly. Unlike many American women, she had no problem slaughtering and dressing an animal for eating. This was survival, after all, not a time to get a fit of the vapors and be the weak-kneed little woman. Like Ginger, Roy couldn't help thinking, snorting to himself. Ginger was useless. What DID she do here, any way, he wondered.
But he didn't want to think of Ginger; he was enjoying this little gathering and foraging scene with Mary Ann.
Mary Ann, in the meantime, was moving further and further down the path the people living there had beaten down since they landed there four years ago. She was amazed at the variety she was finding today, and couldn't wait to move on after harvesting a small portion from each cluster of plants. She didn't want to over-stress any particular plant, so she'd take only a little. It didn't take long until a lot of little bunches became one big bunch, so she was confident she could get a good basketful before it was time to go prepare breakfast for everyone.
Every little turn in the path was a surprise, a discovery, so in her absent-minded wandering, plant to plant, like a bee, she didn't notice a log that had blown down in the last windstorm, and her foot caught on it.
She squealed as she tumbled over the log, and cried out in pain as her ankle wrenched against the sturdy wood. Her body weight carried her over, tangling her foot even more painfully, and she hit the ground. Hard. Her basket of treasures flew out of her arms and landed in a heap yards away.
"OH!" the Professor heard as Mary Ann had wandered out of sight. He heard a howl of surprise and a crash, and his frozen feet became decidedly unfrozen, and he practically flew to Mary Ann.
"Mary Ann! Are you all right?" he cried, only seconds behind her.
"P-professor, what're you doing out here at this hour of the morning? How'd you know I just fell?"
He indicated his basket of instruments. "I was on my way to the lagoon, to work on some experiments during this very low tide, and heard you cry out! Are you okay?"
She held her lower leg, grimacing in pain. "I... I don't think so, Professor. This might be it, our first broken bone!"
Her sweet brow crinkled in worry, because she knew the dangers of such an injury. Infection. Blood clots. Gangrene. Any manner of tropical problems her mid-USA upbringing might not have educated her about.
"Shhhh," Roy whispered, soothing her back, making her lean against the log. "Let me see it. Come on, Mary Ann, I'll be very careful. I've had field training for such emergencies, as anyone who goes out on expeditions would require."
She relaxed her hold on her lower leg and extended it toward Roy. She felt a shiver as he ran his hand down her shin, his other hand cupping her heel.
He very carefully moved the foot back and forth, and when she didn't scream in pain, he was confident she had broken no bones. The ankle was swelling, however, and swelling rapidly.
He retrieved her hard-won herbs and floral delicacies and put them in his own basket, and motioned for her to reach her arms up.
He hefted her into his arms, bent down enough to hand her the basket to hold, and carried her back out to the clearing.
When he didn't turn toward their huts, but toward the lagoon, she protested.
"Professor, aren't you bringing me to my hut?"
"No, we'll go down here and I'll make you a poultice, using some of these herbs and seaweed, and we'll heat it all up together to make a paste. It'll help soothe the pain and bring the swelling down."
"Oh," was all she could reply. Her heart had skipped ten beats when he'd swung her so easily up into his arms, and after she clutched the basket to her during their little journey, she had to concentrate hard on ANYthing but his strong arms holding her up.
She knew it was at least another five minutes to the lagoon, and felt the need to chatter and make small talk, anything to distract her thoughts on being so close to this very eligible and very handsome man.
"Um, so, low tide today?"
He smiled at her, his blue eyes twinkling. "Yes, low tide today. I won't bore you with the scientific details."
"No, no, it's not boring at all! Maybe I can find some shellfish for dinner tonight? Is it going to be low enough for that?"
"Indeed it will, and that's a marvelous idea! Some of those spicier herbs you got would complement shellfish well, I'm sure."
She smiled at him, genuinely surprised, but pleased, that he'd noticed her cooking. She had begun to think he only noticed food for its caloric and nutrient value, not its actual sensory stimulation and satisfaction.
"So you find my culinary efforts stimulating to your sensory organs?" she asked, looking at him rather askance and coyly, smirking when she saw she'd succeeded in startling him.
He stared at her for a second, then broke out in laughter, making Mary Ann smile even more. He so rarely laughed out loud like this, that she was relishing the moment.
"Yes, yes, Mary Ann! I think you've been listening to me too long!"
She said quietly, sounding serious, "I listen to everything you say, Professor. I need to. Between you, me and the Skipper, I think we're the only three keeping everyone alive around here."
The change in his demeanour told her that he agreed, but didn't quite want to voice it. But it was true. "Well, there IS Gilligan. He does try, at least, he tries very hard! And never a complaint out of him."
She smiled once more, thinking of the first mate of the Minnow. "Yes, that's very true. He's enthusiastic if nothing else, isn't he?"
"Certainly. So we all have our roles to play here. And here we are, safe and sound! Let me sit you down, and I'll check your ankle again."
Roy knelt down by her feet, and removed her shoes so he could see her ankle more clearly, see where the swelling went. Okay, Roy, you're just examining her, like a doctor to a patient. Don't look up, don't run your hand up her leg, you're a professional, you're a PROFESSOR, she's a student, that's all.
He kept having to recite this to himself, keeping himself in "curious scientist" mode as he probed the swollen area carefully.
"Hmmmm, I'm sure there's no fractures, not even hairline, Mary Ann. You'd be in too much pain if there was."
He walked around the immediate vicinity, picking up washed-up debris, and brought it to her. "Here, start a fire and I'll get the stuff for the poultice together."
He knew she was fine on her own to build a small, hot fire, and left her to it to attend to his tasks. Within the half-hour, they had the paste he'd described earlier and he was smoothing it over her.
"There! Within a couple of hours, that should be fine."
She smiled up at him, the bright rising sun behind him. Her dark brown eyes twinkled, and he felt like he'd lose himself in that regard if he watched much longer.
"Feels better already! It's got a warming sensation to it. Now, Professor, you've tended to me. Why don't you go about your experiments, I'll watch the little fire, and when I can walk, I'll go out for those shellfish."
He smiled again at her, and stood to gather his basket of tools. "All right, I'll just be over there on the promontory, yell if you need anything."
She watched him as he walked away, and shivered, hugging her arms to herself. She wasn't shivering with chills, but with excitement. Oh, how that had worked out! She'd been ACHING to find some excuse to be alone with him, and this morning it literally FELL in her face! Now she had every reason in the world to simply sit and relax, and watch him work, with him unaware of her scrutiny.
Little did she realize that he, too, had enjoyed watching her in the same way that gray morning. He was also counting his blessings that that log had fallen when it did during their last storm.
Mary Ann watched Roy as he gracefully launched himself onto a pile of rocks, climbing effortlessly to the top to set one of his instruments up.
Now for Phase Two, Mary Ann thought. Problem was, she wasn't entirely sure what Phase Two would entail. She only hoped it'd manifest soon, or she'd go crazy.