Ringo Secrets Revealed Part One
Ringo the friend and protector of the East villagers and other Islanders preferred to live alone. He frequently visited his friends in the East village. But many of his days were spent in solitude. He lived that way for so many years that he was accustomed to it. He knew every cave on the Island. He used those caves in the past to hide from other people. These days he used them out of habit. His favorite cave was on the South side near the secret lagoon. This is where he had taken Jero and Goro captive a few years before. Ringo had abandoned this cave for a year. Then returned to it. He had known much unhappiness there, but it was by far the most comfortable cave on the Island.
Shortly after the incident with Mali and Mazi, Ringo traveled to that cave to be alone. He returned to the East village the day before with the twins, their parents and the others. He was given a warm welcome there because of his bravery and service to the villagers were quick to show their appreciation. They were open with their thanks. Open shows of affection still made Ringo uncomfortable. He tolerated this for awhile. But he did not know how to accept praise and admiration from was an emotional person. He could express his own emotions without thinking about it now. Because he had spent a great deal of time lately with the villagers. For so many years he had lived in total isolation with only animals and birds to keep him sat in his cave stirring the fire to make it burn brighter.
He cooked fish on a spit that he caught that morning in the lagoon. He thought about the events of the day before. He thought about the brown haired leader of the fierce natives who had tried to kill the twins. Ringo had seen that man somewhere before. If memory served him correctly the brown haired man had once lived in the South village. Even with all of the red paint on his face Ringo had recognized Montega's features. His name had not been Montega then. Montega had been a young teen when Ringo had last seen him in the Arawak village.
The Arawak village had at least 90 members. It was difficult for anyone observing it from a distance to point out one face from another in the crowd. Besides the golden child (who claimed much attention) Ringo had frequently noticed Montega in his hidden observations. Ringo remembered that Montega was always angry. The brown haired, dark eyed teen had made quite a show, often strutting around and arguing with his parents and other elders in the village. Montega was always noticeable because of his loud voice and in his rage the day before had still been conscious before flinging Montega's body over the cliff, that this was someone whom he had seen before more than once. The white loin cloth, tattoos and red paint did not fit.
Things had happened so quickly the day before. But today in his quiet reflection Ringo's memory returned. Montega's name had been Silko when he lived in the Arawak village. Ringo had heard that name frequently spoken during his observations. Silko was a trouble maker and a disobedient child. He had earned much displeasure from fellow villagers. At that time Ringo had traveled back and forth between the East village and the South village hiding among the vine covered trees watching the daily lives of the villagers. This is how Ringo encountered Gin, the little boy that he had taken in to the jungle. Gin had become like a son to him. When Gin died Ringo lost his reason for awhile.
In the throes of his grief he hid away and did not return to his daily observations of the villagers. He lost track of the angry Silko and did not think of him again until yesterday. How did Silko end up becoming a priest in the evil Carib tribe? Why did he want to kill his fellow Islanders? He must have been possessed by the evil spirits that he prayed to. This is a mystery that would not be discovered since the evil Montega was dead. Ringo ate his fill of the fresh cooked fish and decided to take a nap. Later he would hunt for some new flints to use for fires. There were things that he did at each of his hideaways to make his life easier. He decided while doing his chores later that day that tomorrow he would travel back to the North side of the island and explore the caves there. He especially wanted to go to the sea cave and the stony beach near it that the evil Caribs had used to secretly invade the Island.
Ringo Secrets Revealed Part Two
By noon the next day Ringo had arrived at the North shore and was making his way down the path to the stony beach just east of the high cliff. The tides had washed away any signs of footprints that would have been left by the Carib natives. The narrow stony beach was isolated and inhabited only by sand crabs and sea birds that occasionally swooped down to collect small sea creatures and dead fish that washed up with the tides. Ringo paced the beach finding nothing vital. There were no canoes left behind.
He turned around, returned to the foot of the high cliff and prepared to enter the large cave that he and so many had used for shelter in the past years. He stopped first to build a small fire and light a torch so that he could see better inside the dark cave. At first glance the cave had no clues. He saw the fire pit and spit in the center. There were fish bones, flint stones and a few discarded articles of clothing that he recognized as belonging to himself and others that had used the cave in the recent past. He climbed the small path that led to the ceiling of the cave, being very careful not to disturb the hanging bats. He ducked to avoid them which brought his attention to the hole in the path that revealed the sea cave below.
He lowered his torch to the hole hoping that the light would reveal more of the cave below but it did not work. He laid the torch to the side and hunkered down to get a better look. Natural light from the sea opening invaded the cave below. At first look the cave appeared empty. He moved his head to the side suddenly because he thought he saw someone's leg just out of his line of vision. He bent lower and sure enough he saw a man's bare leg. The man appeared to be laying down.
Ringo watched for several minutes and thought that he saw a slight movement now and then. The leg looked cut and bruised. Whoever lay below was injured. Ringo had seen enough. He must get in to that cave. He sat back and speculated just how he would do that. When he was nine years old Ringo had been inside that sea cave with his father and two other village men. They had been out exploring in a canoe and had seen the cave from a distance. Ringo remembered that his father and the other men had to use the oars very carefully to get safely to that cave because of the treacherous rocks surrounding it.
Ringo did not have a canoe. The canoes that his fellow villagers had owned had rotted over the years, or been washed out to sea with high tides. Ringo liked to swim in the sea but never had a desire to use a canoe. He never really needed one. He did his traveling by jungle and used the big stone wall that ran North to South. The only way that Ringo knew how to get to that cave was by canoe. The injured man appeared to need help immediately. Ringo had no choice but to make his way to the East village to borrow a canoe.
Ringo Secrets Revealed Part Three
Ringo arrived in the East village only an hour later. When events required, he could travel very swiftly and he knew some short cuts which he (so far) had not revealed to anyone. His friends there were delighted to see him as usual. Kayla immediately offered him a cool drink which he partook of thirstily. When he had drank his fill he saw Tanak and Kumi followed by some of the other village men approaching from the beach. They all were smiling. Tanak slapped him on the back and asked him to come in swiming.
Ringo smiled back and said, "I come to ask favor."
"What can we do for you today?", Tanak responded.
"I need canoe."
"Well by all means take one of ours", Tanak said turning and pointing to the group of large canoes on the beach.
"Where are you going to go in the canoe?", Kumi asked.
"To a sea cave on the North shore", Ringo answered. He requested, "I need one person to go with me to help".
There were several offers of help from the men surrounding him. Ringo looked from smiling face to smiling face and knew that he was a very lucky man.
He shrugged his shoulders as if to say "I do not know who to choose."
Kuruk son of Kayak stepped forward and said, "I will go with my friend Ringo."
Ringo nodded happily in his direction and said, "We must leave NOW."
"Ok" Kuruk said.
Kuruk had just turned 18 and did not need to ask his father's permission to go.
But for the sake of courtesy and tradition he bowed to the village leaders Tanak and Kumi and asked, "By your leave?"
Both men smiled and nodded permission.
Ringo hurried toward the canoes saying anxiously to Kuruk, "Come now please."
The other men stood and watched Ringo and Kuruk dragging a canoe in to the ocean. They wondered what the hurry was and felt concerned. Ringo was always a man of few words. They trusted him and young Kuruk equally who had both proved their mettle during recent crises. Kuruk was a fully trained healer now and a strong young man.
Kuruk's mother and Kayak's mate hurried to the group of men carrying her baby daughter on her hip.
She asked Kayak, "Where is Kuruk going?"
Kayak answered, "He is going to help Ringo." "They are traveling to the North shore."
"What now?", Fatai wondered aloud.
"I have no idea", Kayak answered.
The group of men and Fatai watched Ringo and Kuruk as they pushed the canoe in to the surf and climbed aboard. The pair began to paddle furiously until they were well on their way. Finally they could be seen no more.
Tanak said, "May the spirit Gods be with them."
"Amen to that", Fatai said as she walked toward the huts.
She was approached by a group of her fellow village women who were full of questions about what was going on. They surrounded her and walked back with her. She told them the little that she knew. Ringo and Kuruk paddled swiftly through the ocean. They were well on their way to the North shore. The journey was short for the island was not very large. In less than an hour they were passing the stony beach. They were out to sea a ways and could not see much on the beach. Still no signs of canoes or visitors.
Almost immediately they could see the stone cliff. They both looked up and spied the stone idol in the distance. The edge of the cliff top looked deserted. The afternoon sun was behind them. It would make its way westward before sinking in a couple of were huge rocks in front of them which cast deep shadows on the sea. Here the sea was very treacherous. The tide was beginning to come in and the sea was becoming less calm and steadily becoming more violent each minute. In an hour or two they would be unable to get to that sea cave. They had to be on guard every minute or their canoe would crash against the rocks and be destroyed. They paddled carefully.
Ringo was in the front of the canoe. Kuruk in the rear watched his movements and mimicked them. There was no need for Ringo to speak. The two men worked well together carefully maneuvering as they approached the sea cave. They passed under the rocks and guided the canoe smoothly in to the cave. They both breathed sighs of relief. Almost immediately they were plunged in to darkness. They sat still in the canoe which came to rest against the bank of the cave inside. They waited for their eyes to adjust.
After a few minutes they could see well enough to step out of the canoe and wade through the water. Ringo pulled the canoe in and tied it to a large rock. The sea cave was very large and went deep under the cliff top. Kuruk followed Ringo to the part of the cave that lay directly under the cave above. They saw a man laying very still on the ground just to the side below the opening in the ceiling above. He was unrecognizable until they got very close. He appeared to be dead at first. Then the man moved slightly and moaned. Ringo stood over him. He could hardly believe his own eyes!
Ringo Secrets Revealed Part Four
Ringo kneeled down to get a closer look at the badly battered man laying prostrate on the floor of the sea cave. Kuruk reached for a cloth bag that he kept tied at his waist. Inside were potions and healing pastes and other tools that he used for healing people.
Ringo exclaimed, "It is Montega!" "But I killed this man!" "How can he still be alive?"
Kuruk kneeled beside Ringo and began to examine the man. Montega's face was a bloody mess. His skull looked fractured. His brown hair was matted with blood. His normally dark skin was pale and his skin felt feverish as Kuruk touched him. His limbs were bruised and asked, "So, you know this man Ringo?"
Ringo answered, "Yes." "He is supposed to be dead." "It is he who took the twin children from your village." "He is an evil man who deserved to die."
Kuruk said, "I have never seen a Carib native." "But I have heard them described." "This man does not fit that description." 'His hair and skin are much lighter."
Ringo said, "He is a Carib priest and he came here to do evil." "He lived before in the South village." "But he came here with the Caribs and acted as one of them." "He was their leader."Kuruk stated, "Well he may be evil but still he lives." "I have taken an oath to heal my fellow man and I must try to help him."
Ringo replied heatedly, "NO we must leave now!" "Let him die." "I have seen him before in the village where he was born." "He was never a good person." "We must not let him live to do more evil."
Ringo stood and walked away. He turned, bent down and picked something up. He turned and came back to Kuruk and the unconscious man. In his hand he grasped a large rock.
"I will bash his skull and finish him off." Ringo raised his arm to do it.
Kuruk jumped up and shouted, "No Ringo I will not let you do that!" "This man is badly injured and may die anyhow." "Please put that rock down now!"
Ringo looked sullen. He stood with the rock raised high for several minutes. Finally he sighed and dropped it. He turned his back to Kuruk and Montega and watched the tide wash in and out of the cave. Kuruk continued to examine the man. He took a cloth out of his bag and wetted it with sea water. He washed the blood from the Montega's face, arms and legs. He pulled a pot of salve out of his bag and applied it to the Montega's cuts and bruises. There was nothing that Kuruk could do for the man's skull injury. He would most likely die. How he had managed to survive being bashed in the face and chest and thrown over a high cliff in to the sea was some sort of miracle. Montega moaned and moved slightly but did not wake turned and approached Kuruk and the man.
Ringo said, "The tide is coming in." "If we stay in this cave any longer we will be trapped here over night." "We must leave now."
Kuruk replied, "I do not think that I should move this man today." "I am willing to sit here with him overnight." "You can do as you wish Ringo." "Please do not be angry with me friend."
Ringo replied, "There is much danger if a storm comes." "This cave will flood to the ceiling and we will drown."
"A storm is unlikely to come." "We are in the dry season.", Kuruk said.
"Very well." "I will stay here with you my friend Kuruk." Ringo pointed to Montega, "But that man is not worth the trouble you take."
Kuruk said nothing in return. He looked at Ringo and smiled gratefully
Ringo Secrets Revealed Part Five
Kuruk spent that night in the sea cave looking after Montega. Ringo sat nearby watching him. They could not build a fire because the cave was too damp. There was no wood. The night was chilly. The tide came in and the sea water rose almost to the edge of the cave shore. Kuruk did what he could to make Montega more comfortable. He took some tepid water from his water jug poured it in to a clay cup from his bag and made a pain killing posset from healing herbs that he carried in his bag. The herbs in the posset also worked to bring down fever and kill did not wake up.
Kuruk held Montega's head up and brought a the cup to his lips. He spilled little drops of it slowly down his throat. Montega swallowed it reflexively even though he remained awhile Montega stopped moaning and twitching and fell in to a more natural sleep. Before Kuruk fell off to sleep himself he took some soft cotton from his bag and wrapped it around Montega's skull making a bandage to cover his head wound. Ringo watched all of Kuruk's actions. He watched until Kuruk fell asleep. He sat deep in thought for an hour and then nodded woke with the first morning light. The tide had gone out. Kuruk was waking up too. Kuruk checked on his patient who was still asleep. Montega's fever had broken. He looked a little better. A little less pale. His wounds were not so red and festered as before.
Ringo said, "We must leave this cave today." "We cannot build a fire here." "We need fresh water and hot food."
Kuruk answered, "I agree." "I do not want to move this sick man yet." "But we must."
A short time later Ringo helped Kuruk carry Montega to the canoe. They laid him inside carefully. Montega opened his eyes and groaned in pain. Then he fell immediately in to another stupor. The men turned the canoe around and paddled carefully out of the cave weaving through the dangerous rocks. Once again they breathed a sigh of relief when they were out to sea. They steered the canoe in the direction of the East village. However, they did not intend to go there.
As they paddled Kuruk said, "We should not take him far." "I do not think that we should take him to the village." "Mazi and Mali will be frightened if we show up with this man."
They approached the stone beach. Ringo who was in the front of the canoe jumped out and began to pull the canoe to shore. Kuruk followed. They tied the canoe to a large rock about ten feet on shore.
Ringo said, "We need to find vines and wood to make a stretcher." He began to look for items.
Kuruk checked on his patient. Montega was unconscious in the canoe. The sun shone on his hideous wounds. Kuruk followed Ringo and began to help him look for vines and wood.
Ringo Secrets Revealed Part Six
It took about 20 minutes to find the right materials to make the stretcher. Ringo and Kuruk worked well together. The stretcher was finished. They carefully lifted Montega on it. They carried him thus back to the cave under the cliff. Ringo made a fire in the cave and went fishing. Kuruk left Montega on the stretcher. He gave him a drink from his water jug. Montega's eyes would flutter open now and then but he did not wake rested for awhile. Ringo returned with fresh fish which he cleaned and put on the spit to cook.
When the fish was done they ate it and drank water from their jugs. Kuruk tried to wake Montega up to eat some of the fish. But he would not wake. Kuruk needed to find fresh herbs. He asked Ringo to go with him. He did not want to fall in to another mud pit like he had on a previous stay at the cave. Plus he did not want to leave Ringo alone with Montega. He feared that Ringo still might feel an urge to kill him.
Ringo agreed and said, "I need to go in the jungle to get fresh water." "I will do that when I am sure that you have found the herbs you need and are safely on your way back to the cave."
"What a good friend you are to me Ringo".
Kuruk headed for the area near the mud pit where the best healing herbs grew. Ringo followed him. When they arrived Ringo held on to Kuruk's tunic while he reached for the herbs that grew on a bush. Then he held Kuruk's ankles while he lay on his stomach and dug up healing roots on the bank just above the deadly mud pit. Kuruk put the herbs and roots in his doctor bag. He waved goodbye to Ringo and headed back towards the cave.
Ringo walked away from the mud pit and to the southwest. After several minutes he found a path that only he knew about that led to a secret spring in the middle of the jungle. It took him an hour to get there and another hour to get back. When he arrived back in the cave Kuruk was busy making a fresh posset. He had to use the rest of the drinking water for this but it did not matter because Ringo carried two large bladders full of fresh spring water on his shoulders.
Kuruk fed some of the healing posset to Montega. Again Montega did not wake up. His eyes opened briefly and he swallowed reflexively. Kuruk made a fresh paste and several poultices out of the herbs and roots that he had found. He bathed Montega's wounds with clean water. Then he applied the pastes and poultices. He removed the bandage from Montega's head, bathed that wound and treated it with the healing paste. He re-wrapped the wound with another clean cotton cloth.
Montega slept soundly once the posset took effect. Kuruk and Ringo ate the rest of the fish and made small conversation. They watched the fire burn. Kuruk asked Ringo to take a walk with him before the night came again. They decided to climb the stone stairs to the cliff top. They looked out to sea when they reached the top of the cliff. The ocean looked beautiful. The sunset was glorious with hues of orange-red and pale pink. Ringo and Kuruk approached the ugly stone monument and looked at it.
An angry look appeared on Ringo's face and he said, "The Caribs defiled my altar."
"Your altar?", Kuruk asked.
Ringo's eyes looked teary as he answered, "I used this altar for many years to bring small gifts to my Spirit Gods." "I bring shells and flowers and other trinkets that I gathered." "Now Caribs have come and shed innocent blood here." "This Altar is defiled." "I cannot cleanse it for the blood sank in to the earth and stone." "I can only pray for the souls of the murdered and cry bitter tears."
Ringo pointed down and said, "That man down there in the cave." "He is one of them!"
Kuruk replied, "Yes it is so." "But he was injured by you, yet the Spirit Gods have allowed him to live." "It was you who saw him in the sea cave." "It was you who were chosen by the Gods to rescue him." "Now you must somehow learn to forgive him, because obviously the Gods have a purpose for him." "We must discover what that is." "I think that he is going to recover with our help." "He needs not only my help but yours too Ringo."
Ringo replied, "I will do what I can, but only because you are my friend."
He turned and made his way to the stone stairs and as he descended he stated solemnly, "Sometimes evil flourishes."
Ringo Secrets Revealed Part Seven
After that Ringo was true to his word and gave his utmost effort to help Kuruk take care of Montega. The Carib convert had been badly injured by Ringo's attack. His skull was not fractured but he was suffering from a concussion. The bruises and cuts that he suffered when Ringo threw him off of the cliff top proved to be superficial. The worst wound was on his skull; on the scalp near his forehead. On closer examination, Kuruk had to take a thin bone needle that he made from a fish bone, thread that he made from strong cotton and had to sew shut the wound.
It was not closing up with the ointments and poultices he had been using. The two men had to live at the cave for three weeks caring for Montega before the injured man was alert enough and physically well enough to walk. He was still unable to care for himself alone without help. He woke up and looked around each day. He did not speak. He was docile. He looked at them both with an expression of confusion as though he was not certain who they were. He appeared not to know who they were. Even the first week Ringo went back to the East village on foot to give word to Kuruk's parents and the other villagers that all was well. He carried with him a written message from Kuruk.
Kuruk wrote on a piece of tree bark, "Not to worry all is well. We are taking care of a badly injured man that we found in the sea cave. He is one of the villagers from this island. I will come home as soon as the man is well enough to travel. Please send back with Ringo these things.. Willow Bark, Baobab seed, leaves from Breadfruit plant and Balsam sap. Signed Kuruk."
Kayak and Fatai read the note. They passed it on to Kayla who read it and quickly summoned Tonga. They went to gather the things for Kuruk. Tanak joined the group around Ringo. He asked him, "How did that man get in to the sea cave."
Ringo answered, "He was washed in by the tide, but somehow he did not drown."
Tanak asked, "Do you know how he got injured, or why he was in the sea?"
Ringo did not want to tell a falsehood but he had no choice, "No, he lost his memory.""Maybe we know later."
Kayla returned with the sack of medicinal supplies that she and Tonga gathered.
She said, "Ringo tell Kuruk that as soon as he can, he must bring that man back here so that we can all take care of him."
Ringo smiled and nodded at her. Tanak, Kumi, Kayla, Kayak, Fatai and the other villagers wished Ringo well and sent back with him as much fresh water and food as he could carry. Ringo returned to Kuruk a few hours later with the fresh supplies. Kuruk was relieved to see him and happy that his return to the East village had gone smoothly. Kuruk did not want any of the East villagers to come here and see Montega. It was much better that they did not know the identity of the injured man.
Ringo Secrets Revealed Part Eight
After three weeks passed Montega was much better. He could walk unassisted. He did not attempt to speak even when spoken to, but used hand gestures instead as well as shaking or nodding his head. His wounds were all healing nicely, even the head wound. He would have some scars. The bruises were almost gone. There was no reason apparent why he should not speak. He did not act aggressive toward Kuruk or Ringo. Ringo kept a close watch on Montega. He did not trust him even though the injured man had shown no signs of aggression or deceptiveness.
Then one morning Montega spoke. When Kuruk handed him some water he said in a low voice, "Thank you."
Kuruk was quite startled but quickly replied, "You are welcome."
Montega spoke again asking, "Why do you not use my name?" "I do not know who this Montega is." "Why do you keep calling me that?"
Kuruk answered, "What should I call you then?"
The injured man replied, "My name is Silko." "I want to go home to my village." "Do you know how to get there?" "It is the Arawak village on the South side of this Island."
Silko/Montega fired off these words so rapidly that Kuruk was stunned.
But Kuruk was quick witted and answered just as rapidly, "Yes I know the Arawak village, I have been there.
Montega then asked a series of questions about the Arawak village; "Do you know if my grandmother still lives?" "Her name is Thema." "Is Tyee still the leader there?" "Does the golden child still do his magic there?" "When can we leave for there?"
Kuruk did his best to answer Silko quickly.
His answer to the first question was, "I never met her so I cannot say." The next two answers were yes, and the last answer was, "When you are strong enough to travel we will take you home."
Ringo was listening to all that the two men said. He had questions of his own for Silko/Montega but he waited patiently.
Finally he was able to speak, "Silko do you remember living with the Carib tribe?"
Silko replied, "I know nothing about them, who are they and why would I live with them?"
Ringo said nothing. He looked at Silko suspiciously trying to see any sign of deception in his eyes, or his manner. But he could find none. Silko seemed to have forgotten about his life with the Caribs and did not have any memory of the evil that he had recently perpetrated.
"Why do you look at me so strangely Ringo?", Silko whined.
"It is nothing, here eat this fish it is getting cold", Ringo answered as he handed Silko some fresh cooked fish.
Later that morning Ringo and Kuruk were able to get away to talk about Silko's apparent loss of memory.
Kuruk said, "He has lost all memory of living with the Caribs."
Ringo replied, "He seemed sincere, but I intend to keep watch on him." "I must be sure before I take him anywhere."
"I understand", Kuruk commented. He went on, "It is a shame that he does not remember his life there." "We could have learned much from him about their evil ways." "Perhaps he could have given us vital information about their secret practices so that we could better defend ourselves from future attacks.""One day his memories will return." "When they do, I want to be there to witness it and watch him closely."
"I do not trust him", Ringo replied.
Kuruk emotionally revealed, "Do you not remember when the other villagers were afraid of you and what you might do to us?" "But now you are the best friend to all of us and also our defender." "We all look up to you."
Ringo blushed at this revelation. He was silent for several minutes and then replied, "Yes I remember that." "I had much to learn about people."
Kuruk stated, "This man Silko has much to learn as well." "We must give him the benefit of the doubt."
"I will try", Ringo said.
Another week passed and Silko was strong enough to walk distances. He had been helping Ringo fish and went on short excursions with Kuruk to find fresh herbs and mushrooms. Ringo and Kuruk decided that the following day they would set out early with Silko for the Arawak village. That afternoon the three men were relaxing by the bay when they saw two men walking toward them from the direction of the stony beach. It was Ponui and Pawin.
They were a bit breathless from paddling there in their canoe from the East village. The sea had been a little rough making the journey more difficult for them. They embraced Kuruk who embraced them in return. Kuruk immediately handed them a jug of water to quench their thirst.
After they had finished drinking, Pawin said, "Kuruk there is sickness in the East village and Kayla has sent us for you." "You must return at once." "Your healing skills are badly needed."
"Who is ill?", Kuruk asked anxiously.
"Several of the women including your mother Fatai and a few of the younger children, but not the babies", Pawin answered.
"Oh no!" "Not Mother!" "She is still nursing my baby sister!", Kuruk exclaimed.
"She is not so ill as some of the others and your baby sister is well, but you must come quickly now!"
Kuruk ran in to the cave and returned with his medicine bag. He looked very upset with tears in the corner of his eyes. Ringo's heartbeat sped up as vivid memories returned from the time of his own tribe's sickness.
"To think that this was happening in the same place!" He remembered how helpless he felt at the deaths of his parents who were among the last to die so many years ago from that terrible virus that killed all of his people. His heart went out to Kuruk.
He said, "I am coming with you."
Silko who listened with much sadness said, "Me too, I will come."
Kuruk replied, "No Ringo you must stay and take Silko home to his village as we planned." "I will manage."
Ringo said, "Ok I will take him home, but then I am coming as quickly as I can travel to your village."
"Thank you Ringo", Kuruk said in a broken voice.
He turned to follow Pawin and Ponui who were already making their way towards the stony beach where their canoe was tied.
Ringo watched them until they were out of sight. Then he turned to look at Silko who was sitting there by the bay looking very unhappy.
Silko said, "What bad news." "I hope that everything works out for Kuruk." "He has been very good to me and I feel that he saved my life."
Ringo nodded and replied, "He did."
Ringo Secrets Revealed Part Nine
Ringo and Silko left early in the next morning. Ringo led the way. He avoided the large stone wall and took a secret path through the jungle. He still did not trust Silko. But he was thirsty for cold fresh water. The path led to the secret spring. They arrived two hours later and Silko was amazed to see the spring hidden in the middle of the jungle. He kneeled down on the mossy bank and dipped his hands into the cold water.
He said, "I am amazed. I had no idea that there was a spring in the middle of the Island."
Ringo replied, "This has been a secret for a long time; yet I share it with you." "Soon I will tell the others so that they can come here." "My parents and the others in my tribe used to come here. This water is special. You will see."
The two men drank their fill of the delicious water. Silko began to feel a warmness running through his veins. Suddenly he felt very energetic. This water was like magic. If he drank more of it he felt certain that his head wound would heal completely. Ringo filled the bladders he carried on his back full of the magical water. He sat on a rock and rested. Silko continued to drink water from the spring until he could drink no more. He sat back and rested his back against a rock near Ringo. He closed his eyes and basked in the special feeling that the water gave several minutes
Ringo stood and said, "We must go. Before I return you to the South village there are other things that I want to show you."
Silko followed Ringo and wondered what else there was to discover. The head wound had taken some of his memories. Memories of his life in the South village were still there but somewhat hazy. He could not remember ever traveling outside of his village. Yet Ringo and Kuruk had given him the impression that he did. It must be so because he had been found near death in the sea cave. He had no recollection of how he got there or how he had been injured so badly. Even drinking the invigorating water did not wake his lost memories.
Silko had to walk swiftly to keep up with Ringo. The water had made him feel better. He was not nearly as tired as he had been the day before. They were heading southward. It was near noon and he was getting hungry. He hoped that Ringo would stop soon so that they could eat the fish and plantains that Ringo had brought along.
Ringo Secrets Revealed Part Ten
Silko's hopes were met when Ringo took a detour towards a group of large rocks. They sat there for awhile to eat, drink and rest. Silko was still not feeling perfectly healthy. This hiking through the jungle was tedious and energy taxing. Ringo was strong and muscular and walked quickly. Ringo looked at Silko and noticed how tired he looked.
He asked him, "Are you too tired to go on?"
Silko answered, "I am tired but I can keep going."
"Good because I want to reach my cave on the South side of the Island today", Ringo said.
"There must be a lot of caves on this Island", Silko stated.
Ringo replied, "There are many and most of them no one knows about but me."
"Now that is quite a mystery", Silko said.
"Before we go on there is something that I must ask", Ringo said.
"Yes, go on", Silko replied.
"After I return you to your village I must leave you for several days and return to the East village". "Then I will return and I intend to show you some places on this Island that no one has seen but me." "Will you be able to keep my secrets if I reveal them to you?"
Silko was very surprised, but he answered, "I am very excited about seeing some mysterious places on this Island." "If you wish them to remain a secret then your secret will be safe with me."
Good! "Let us continue now", Ringo said.
Silko followed Ringo who slowed down noticeably. They stopped after another hour to drink more water. As before the water invigorated them. In the late afternoon they reached Ringo's cave. They stopped at the lagoon to fish and bathe. Ringo made a fire and cooked the fish. They ate it. It was going to be dusk soon. Silko was so tired that he was falling asleep by the fire pit with the remainder a fish in his hand.
Ringo took Silko's arm and helped him climb up to his cave. He carried a torch in his other hand because the cave was very dark. There was a hammock strung in the corner for sleeping. Ringo told Silko to use it. Silko fell asleep as soon as he was lay down on the hammock. Ringo watched him sleep for awhile and then he too went to sleep making his bed on some straw mats near the cave entrance. The night was warm and no fire was needed.
Ringo Secrets Revealed Part Eleven
Ringo woke Silko at first light. Silko opened his eyes slowly, trying to remember where he was. His head ached and he felt strange.
Ringo said, "Please get up Silko, I must take you to your village quickly. I have a feeling that I need to be back in the East village as soon as possible."
Silko stood up a bit too quickly and reeled backwards nearly losing his balance. He felt so dizzy. Ringo was already leaving the cave and did not notice. Silko followed slowly. When he walked outside the cave Ringo was already climbing the steep incline above. Finally Ringo stopped, turned and stood still to wait for Silko to catch up. Silko climbed the steep incline unsteadily because he still felt so dizzy.
Ringo watched him and noticed his difficulty, "You are not well Silko?"
"I feel so strange, my head hurts and my limbs feel sore", Silko answered. He caught up to Ringo who stood still waiting for him.
"We will be in your village shortly. The healers there can care for you", Ringo said as he took Silko's arm to help him climb the rest of the way up the steep hill.
They reached the top in a few minutes. Ringo found the secret path through some big rocks and before long they were at the edge of the trees and Silko could see the familiar lagoon of the Arawak village. Even though the sun was just rising there were men taking a morning swim. They were astounded to see Ringo and Silko approaching from the curtain of thick jungle. One of swimmers named Ariki recognized Silko because they had played together as children. Ariki's companions that morning were Tano and Iniko. They waded over to the edge of the lagoon to greet Ringo and Silko.
Ariki spoke excitedly, "Why it is Silko!" "I never thought that I would see you again." "It was almost a year ago that you suddenly disappeared. Where did you go?"
Silko looked at Ariki with pure confusion. "What was he saying? A year ago? How could that be? Why it was only a few weeks ago when he woke up to find Kuruk and Ringo caring for him.
Silko replied aloud, "But it was only a few weeks ago that I left here, yet my memory is foggy. I was mysteriously injured you see, and I do not remember how I got to the north shore of the island. But somehow I did. And I believe that someone tried to kill me. I suffered so badly."
As Silko uttered the last sentence he lost his balance and began to fall. Ringo moved quickly and caught him preventing his fall on the slippery banks of the lagoon. Ariki came forward and helped Ringo support Silko.
Ringo said, "You must wake your village healers to help him. What he says is true. He suffered grievous injury and was near death. But a healer and friend of mine from the East village took care of him. I did what I could to help. This man needs more care. Traveling here with me has done him no good. But he wanted to come home."
Ringo and Ariki carried Silko between them towards the center of the Arawak village followed by Tano and Iniko. Two of the village women were up and about preparing a morning meal. One of them named Mamba came forward when she saw the strange procession approaching.
"What is this Ariki? Who are you? (looking at Ringo) Why is that Silko?", she fired off the abundance of questions in a loud voice that carried to the village huts.
Ariki ignored her questions and said, "Mamba please go and wake Seven. Silko needs help immediately."
Mamba did as she was told. Seven slept in a hut nearby. He had been wakened by her loud voice a moment ago anyway and stumbled out of his hut looking sleepy-eyed. He saw two men carrying a third man approaching with Mamba leading the way.
Mamba exclaimed, "Seven look who it is! Silko has returned to us, but he looks terrible!"
Mamba was a really annoying woman sometimes even though she was the best cook in the Arawak village. Seven gently pushed her out of the way and met Ringo and Ariki. He looked at the nearly unconscious man hanging off of their arms.
He ordered, "Quickly, take him in to my hut and lay him down on the sick cot next to my hammock."
Ringo and Ariki did as ordered. They lay Silko down on the sick cot. He closed his eyes and fell unconscious. He looked flushed. Seven examined him. He had a fever and his heart was beating too quickly. Seven found the scars on his body where he had been injured including the largest one at is hairline.
"This man has been badly injured and is not yet fully recovered", Seven looked at Ringo with questions in his eyes.
Ringo replied, "I found him a few weeks ago badly injured and near death in a sea cave on the north shore of this island. My healer friend from the East village Kuruk saved his life. Silko wanted to come home. I was honoring his wish."
So you are from the East village then, but I do not know you, we have never met. "What is your name?"
Ringo answered, "My name is Ringo and I was born on another island far away. My people came here many years ago and built the East village. They all died many years ago when I was young. I survived the sickness that killed them and have lived alone on this island ever since. I have traveled to every shore. I have seen your village before and it is true that you have never met me. I wanted it that way."
Seven listened closely taking it all in. He was very curious about Ringo but he must push that aside for another time.
He said, "Well we can talk later. For now I must take care of Silko."
Seven told Mamba who stood near the entrance of the hut watching them, "Take Ringo and give him something to eat. Then wake Mari my assistant. I need her help this morning."
Mamba was secretly in love with Seven and was always happy to do as he bid her.
She said, "I will be glad to do as you wish Seven." "Come", she said to Ringo.
He followed her. She took him to the fire pit where the other cook Kiki had remained to finish preparing the meal when Mamba took off. Kiki gave Ringo a plate of delicious food and some water. He sat and ate quickly. While he ate he made his mental plans. He must leave here immediately. It was a long journey to the East village. His inner voices told him that he was needed there badly.