Author: E. Verna Turner
Page 19
Cade and Melinda heard the loud noise of excitement from inside the cave. They too are thrilled to know what's happening inside so they trailed in through the help of the rope with knots that they were holding for quite sometime. Their left hands holding the rope and right hands with the kerosene lamp as they find their group to the innermost area zone. They saw them sitting and standing beside the edge of the railway track. Surprised of what they have seen they too waited for another train to appear or pass through the track. They waited and waited but no train came. There is no sight or sound of another train. With a heavy heart Loren told the guys to let go of what just happened. "We're waiting for nothing!" he said. So they were about to step forward to the main entrance when they heard some funny cuckling sound at the back. The sounds kind of familiar and when they all looked back.... and to their amazement their jaws almost dropped.
"My God! There are so many chicken!!!!!" blurted Tamara. "Yes they are chicken alright!!!!" said Mila."Where they came from? How on earth there are chicken here in the cave?" she asked.
Laughing and giggling they cannot help but tried to grasp the creatures. One by one they struggle to catch the chicken with their barehands. They walked and they run to get them. The struggle become evident until Loren tied so many of them with bungee cord. It's easier that way. Their hands are full. Other chicken tried to escape choosing the railway track to the darkest alley away from them. When they started counting they had a dozen hen and rooster all together and that's enough. They have to go back home. But before that, they covered the cave's entrance gate with dry twigs and coconut palms so that no prying eyes will see the opening. Nobody has to find out that they are in the island. It would be a secret they have to keep. They returned to the campsite and told their elders what happened. The whole story. It's better to be honest. Honesty is always the best policy and being truthful about their plan made the elders so proud of them.
" I believe your story. I am just so proud of you, all of you," as Grandma Olivia said with tears flowing down her cheeks she hugged them one by one. She, Bianca, Josephine, and Amelia were also teary eyed embracing each one of the teens and kids. They were glad, so happy that they were all safe. Imagine it took them hours to look for them around the island while they were gone. The elders got so worried for the time period that they didn't see them for quite sometime. And in those moments they realized of what they have done. Also to have known they were the only people in that mysterious island made them so cautious that they asked the children to make a promise not to do that again. That they have to tell them where they have to go and what time they have to come back. What part of the island they have to wander because it should be that way. They have to trust each other for they are the only inhabitants in a very secluded area and going back to the cave is not the best solution. That's according to Grandpa Gustavo.
"I forbid you not to go back to the cave!" said Gustavo in a stern voice and facial expression that they cannot unmask.
"But why Grandpa? That's our chance to go back to civilization without the need to cross the ocean." Loren told his Grandpa. His opinion maybe good however the rest of the elders advised the kids that it is not safe to go there. It's the security for their family they have to care about.
Anyway, the elders are happy with their catch. A dozen chicken, of rooster and chubby hen...they looked so healthy. But they cannot cook and eat their meat all at once. The older men built a cage made of bamboo sticks that can fit in more than 12 chicken. Their plan is for the breeding of the chicken, let the group of hen lay eggs, hatch, multiply the chicks and when there's enough for them there in the cage they will lay out plans of what to cook next. It's a short term and long term plan. Besides, they found so many other food they can gather from the island. One of these fruit bearing trees that are edible and can be cooked as food are: jackfruit, breadfruit, squash (pumpkins) their flowers are also edible . The ocean gave them lots of seafood: crabs, lobsters, clams, oysters, variety of fish: salmon, tuna, swordfish, halibut, mackerel, anchovies, herring,rock cod, lingcod, abalone. Now that they have chicken in their cage they have meat and what they found at the middle of the island is surely fascinating. They haven't told the kids yet.
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