Chapter 2
A NEW DAY
Mary Ann's eyes fluttered open as the sun peeked through the window. She turned her head and stretched. The first thing she noticed was the blanket dividing the room. She popped straight up in her bed. After a moment of confusion, she then realized that she was in the Howell's hut and not her own. She shook her head as she remembered the events of the previous day. It wasn't a dream.
Mary Ann quietly slipped out of bed and spied around the makeshift wall to see the professor's sleeping form. She tiptoed outside and back to the hut that she and Ginger had previously shared to get ready for the day.
Mary Ann didn't sleep well. She knew that she needed more than her usual one cup of tea to fully wake up. Preparing breakfast will just have to wait another minute or two.
By the time the professor groggily approached Mary Ann, she was already cutting up papaya and bananas. "Sorry, I'm late Mary Ann. Coffee?" he asked hopefully.
Mary Ann handed him a cup. "You know we don't have coffee, only tea."
Professor grinned. "I know, but I keep hoping you'll surprise me one day."
"I didn't sleep too well last night. I couldn't stop thinking about what happened to the others."
The professor ran a hand through his hair, "Yes, an extraordinary perplexity."
Mary Ann picked up their plates and headed toward the table. "Would you bring the tea?"
"Do you have anything pressing to do today?" the professor asked.
"Not really, we have enough food for a couple of days. So, for once I have a free morning."
"Decreasing from seven to two people to cook for ought to give you a little more free time each day."
"That'll take a little getting used to. I've never cooked for only two people."
"Does this mean I'll get more than one piece of pie now?" Professor asked with a grin.
"Only if you're good." Mary Ann imitated a stern look, but the professor saw the twinkle in her eyes.
The professor chuckled and held up his hands. "I'll be good."
"Oh, I'm sure you will be."
"Why don't we take advantage of your newfound free time and do a little exploring today?"
"Sounds good." Mary Ann was grateful for any distractions. "Anything special that you're looking for?"
"Nothing in particular, but we often stumble across something new and beneficial. But before we head out, I want to go back and take a look around that lagoon." He jabbed the table with his finger. "There must be some clues as to where the others went."
After breakfast, Mary Ann and the professor walked down to the lagoon. Soon they were standing exactly where they had been the day before when the other castaways had disappeared.
The professor pointed to his left. "You check that direction and I'll go this way. Look for anything out of the ordinary."
They searched meticulously from the surf to the tree line. In and around the bushes and trees.
The professor bent down to look under a rock, hoping for any kind of clue.
"Did you find anything, professor?"
The professor rested his fists on his hips. "I can't find anything. Not one clue."
"I can't even find their footprints."
The professor pondered for a few moments longer. "There's obviously nothing here to find. Let's go exploring and come back later. Maybe by the time we get back, they'll be waiting for us. No doubt pleased with their elaborate prank."
"I don't know about them waiting on us, but I hope you're right, professor."
As the pair climbed higher, there were no sounds except for the crunching of their footsteps on the path. Both were lost in their own thoughts.
Mary Ann was thankful that the professor suggested exploring. The exertion was a welcome distraction. Glancing at the professor, she wondered what it would be like if one of the other castaways had been here, instead of the professor... or worse, if she were alone? A shiver ran down her spine at that thought.
The professor was also uneasy. He didn't like it when he couldn't solve a mystery, and this was a big mystery. He couldn't find even one clue and was uncertain about his next step.
"Professor, what is that?" The professor turned to see Mary Ann pointing at an oblong yellow-green object hanging from a tree.
"Mary Ann, do you know what you've found?" the professor exclaimed.
"No. Is it some kind of fruit?"
"Better than that. It's Artocarpus altilis."
Mary Ann raised an eyebrow
"Breadfruit, Mary Ann. It has vitamin C with moderate amounts of thiamine and potassium. This will give us more variety in our diet."
Mary Ann smiled at the excited Professor, "I'm not sure how to prepare breadfruit, but I'll experiment and come up with something."
"Breadfruit has a potato-like flavor and can be prepared in many ways. It also yields latex and you can make caulk with it by mixing it with coconut oil."
"Caulk? You mean we could waterproof a boat?" Mary Ann asked excitedly. "If we can build one."
"Yes, precisely. It's too high to reach. I'll have to make a harvesting tool and come back for it."
With a plan in place, the professor and Mary Ann decided to head back to their huts before it got too late.
Once they had returned, Mary Ann brought them fruit juice to quench their dry throat.
"It's so quiet without the rest of the castaways," Mary Ann said.
"No Skipper yelling for Gilligan."
"No Ginger rehearsing while I cook our meals. Or Gilligan begging me to make him a coconut cream pie."
"It does seem too quiet."
Mary Ann sighed. "I don't need to start supper for a couple of hours. I don't know what to do with myself, I've never had so much free time."
"Skipper has a deck of cards. Would you like to play a few games?" the professor asked.
"OK, sounds like fun."
After the professor won a few hands of poker, they ate another quiet meal. The professor suggested a stroll. They wandered aimlessly, ending up at the spot where the castaways had disappeared. They stood quietly staring out over the water for several minutes.
The professor noticed tears forming in Mary Ann's eyes. He placed his arm around her shoulders and turned them away from the lagoon.
"Come, my dear. This is not helping us," the professor said.
Mary Ann nodded and laid her head on his shoulder while trying to stop her tears.
When Mary Ann entered the Howell's hut later that night, the professor was already in bed. Blushing, she hurriedly looked away and rushed to her bed.
"Don't forget tomorrow is laundry day," Mary Ann said.
"I'll put my clothes in the basket before breakfast."
"Thank you." Mary Ann hesitated for a moment. "Do you think they made it to Hawaii?"
"I honestly don't know, my dear," the professor replied reluctantly.
"If they did make it, then a rescue boat could be here any day now."
"Don't get your hopes up too much," the professor cautioned.
"I'm not. My father always told me, 'Hope for the best but plan for the worst'."
"Very sound advice."
"Good night, Professor. Sweet dreams."
"Good night, Mary Ann.