I rubbed my hand down my face in pure frustration, "I am telling you, I saw a woman out there! She helped me back here after I got separated! I
was attacked by baboon and the baby- yes yes the baby! She was sitting and eating so I drew her. Mother you know how I am... But the baby
absolutely adored it... When I took it away oh the baby began to cry and cry!" Mother was helping by setting up tea for the lads bringing in
boxes of items for research from the ships. She absolutely adored tea and other herbs. Herbs was one of the main reason we were out here
even. As they left I began again, "The baboons chased me for the drawing- OH! And mother! They. Took. My. BOOT!" I held up my bare foot for
her inspection. She was starting to even believe me now, excitingly nodding once in a while.
"Oh dear...those were the ones I bought you." She whispered to herself while expecting me further. Claire was simply rolling her eyes and
taking out her machete to shave off a few inches of her hair.
"Obviously some sort of wild berry he ate perhaps..." Claire circled me in thought, her machete that was strapped to her back a few seconds
before and now in her grasp whipping across her hair.
"I did not eat anything strange! I simply saw a wild woman, she was dressed in skins and her hair was in dreads. She also was wearing a loin
cloth." I began losing my mind at the thought of mu mother and Claire not believing me. Claire's rather large nose was even starting to distract
me.
"Oh my, well she's just like her father! Oh ho ho...except the wild woman in a loin cloth part.." Claire rolled her eyes as mother chuckled to
herself. Her tucked in white ironed shirt had snagged on a bamboo split stock a little.
"Mother I'm telling the truth! She waked like this, by supporting her weight on her knuckled." I got down on my hands and feet to crouch and
demonstrate.
"Oh I see what you mean darling!" My mother crouched down alongside me and walked a I did. After a few minutes it was quiet painful.
"Yes, yes! Oh and over here!" i got up and stepped to the black board.
"Go on."
My mother was fascinated by what I had learned. She even ignored a slight tear in her yellow buttoned dress.
"She had no idea what personal space was or much further in English. In fact all she could tell me was her name but she is indeed a fast
learner. The baboons took my sketch of the baby with them...all the while we were up in a great-"
"She told you her name?" My mother was pacing with thought something she did often.
"Yes indeed she did. Her name was Tawny. Tawny the ape woman."
"Apes?!" Claire demanded at the word.
"Oh yes, once she brought me back just outside our camp and they were waiting for her. One small gorilla she had wrestled with had walked right up to me. He
was such a sweetie and was her best-friend." My mother nodded and chuckled to herself before stirring a cup of tea.
"Do you know where she is now?" My mother's smile and wide eyes were filled with so much hope. I was almost sad to tell her no.
"I'm sorry mother but she had left before I could see where she had left to. Her mother had shown up, she was quiet rude... but she was terrifying. I almost
shed my skin at the sight of her teeth. She was a silver back and gorgeous! Oh how I wish I could have spent more time with her. She was strong and covered
in battle scars from what looked to be some form of cat claws. Oh and she was blind in one eye!" Claire was no drinking every word I had spoken and had
even stopped cutting her hair, only half of it was cut.
"We can still track her!" Claire was something when it came to shooting but practically nothing when it came to tracking.
"It would be quicker if we just explore the island like the original plan." I stroked my bare chin in thought. How could I get Tawny to spend some time with me?
She would be such an amusing project- Project. Who am I kidding? She's a lady and I have no right to call a young woman a project. It almost disgusted me at
the thought. Ah hah! I don't want her as a project but as a friend. Claire's square jaw was still set on me. She was swatting away butterflies with gold
rimming- where is my sketchbook?
"You killed it!" Claire had clasped her hands around the butterfly just as I was about to get a good look at it. She sighed, "There are plenty of places to see a
butterfly Jack.