Savages by Conran Shirley

Author:Conran, Shirley [Conran, Shirley]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Pocket Books
Published: 2012-07-24T04:00:00+00:00

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22

Though they were still very weak, the women started to work again. They were building the raft on two smoothed skid logs, which would serve as rollers when the raft was pushed down the path to the beach.

In their frail state, when the women started to lash the logs together with vines, they found it unbearably heavy and exhausting work.

“I can’t go on much longer,” Carey panted.

Jonathan kicked at the logs that Patty and Carey had been binding. Immediately the vines could be seen to loosen.

Jonathan looked grim. “Lash it tighter, Carey. Your life is going to depend on that log, and so is mine.”

“Look, I’m not qualified to do this sort of work.” Carey was irritable, as an overtired child is irritable. She looked at her bandaged hands and said, “I’ve never done practical carpentry. I just can’t do any better.”

“None of us is qualified to do it,” Jonathan said. “And you can do it better. Use your foot to brace yourself as you pull the vines tight. Look, I’ll show you again.” He thought, Trouble with women is, they won’t persist, they give up at the first failure. Women ain’t hardened to disappointment, as men are.

Carey wiped the sweat from her cheeks. She said apologetically, “I used to be able to do this sort of thing when I was young, but not since I had children. I’m not as strong as I used to be—and my hands are still painful.”

“Oh, get on with it, or we’ll never get out of here,” Suzy said crossly.

Silvana, who was partnered with Suzy, said in a tight voice, “You should talk, Suzy. You’re not even trying!” She looked up at Jonathan as he approached to kick the logs. “Suzy’s only pretending to pull. Look at her hands, they’re not blistered like mine. And she’s careless. Just look at these logs! You can see that the vines are loose without even pulling at them!”

Suzy scowled. “I’m about ninety pounds lighter than you are, Silvana! That’s why I can’t pull as hard on the vines. And I expect your hands are blistered because you’ve never done a lick of work in your life.”

In a placatory voice, Annie said, “We can’t afford to be impatient or careless. We don’t want this thing to come apart in the water.”

Suzy threw down her vines and said, “Are you insinuating—”

Patty yelled, “I am, if she’s not. I’ve been watching you!”

The basic conflict that existed between the women had lain dormant, for they had been company wives and therefore expected always to behave politely to each other.

“Suzy always shirks her work,” Silvana accused.

“I’m not built like an ox, Silvana. And I don’t eat more than my ration. You always steal food before you serve it to us.”

“I have to check the taste, don’t I? And I’ve pulled my belt in four inches since we’ve been here. That wouldn’t happen if I were stealing food.” Silvana glared and thrust out her arms. “Look at my hands! How would

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