Whining pitifully, Shadow idled up beside Red and stretched out his head towards her. Though she was crying over her actions – spilling water all over me – he didn’t realize that. All the little bugger knew was that he was having fun barking and chasing her in the sweltering heat, and now she was crying.

“Stop that, both of you,” I demanded, between wheezes for air. “Red. Shadow. Up.” I tried to make my weakened voice as loud as possible, and Shadow – who has been trained all his life to obey it – immediately got up and came over to my side. Red, however, might need some teaching, as she only looked up towards me questioningly.

“Up, Red,” I pointed at her, and shook my head from side to side. “Nagu. We don’t have time for you to cry.” Struggling, I pushed back on the tree I was leaning against and began to force myself upright.

Sensing my movement, Blondie opened her eyes and tilted her head in my direction. Noticing I was forcing myself upright, she gracefully hurried up from her relaxed position and moved to place herself under my left arm to help support me. Angrily, she snapped something at Red in their language, which I couldn’t understand, and whatever it was made Red immediately hop over and move over, duck herself beneath my right shoulder, and help support me on my right side.

With their help, I was upright again, though fog was drifting all across my vision. Having no other choice, I leaned back and used the tree to help support me, while the girls on either side kept me from teetering over. I’m beginning to fear that I may have internal injuries from my collision with the boat’s steering wheel. I’ve had broken ribs before in my life, and I never remember it being this difficult to catch a breath, or my side hurting this intensely. Of course, that might just be because I was on pain pills prescribed by the doctor back then, and there isn’t anything like that now.

“N… N… Knife,” I struggled to wheeze the word out, while weakly staring at both girls. Both of them blinked out me uncomprehendingly, and then spoke a few times back and forth with each other.

Looking around, I noticed Blondie’s corset still stretched out on the ground near our feet, from where she was feeding us earlier. Forcing my hand up from where it seemed to weight a thousand-pounds by my side, I pointed to it and opened and closed my palm several times. “That,” I wheezed. “Give me that.”

Comprehension dawned on Red’s face, and she gently pushed more of my weight over onto Blondie, so she could keep supporting me upright, before bending and picking it up. “Shina,” she asked, as she held it out for me?

“Shina,” I agreed, taking the corset from her. Slowly and painfully – the only speed was capable of moving at, at the moment, I forced myself to lean forward and wrap my arms around Blondie’s body. Most of my weight was now supported under her slim shoulders, and the warmth and sweat of her breasts was sticky against my chest. Struggling, I tried to wrap the corset back around her tiny weight, without losing my balance and falling.

“Nagu,” Red denied, snuggling her head beneath my arm once again, and tugging me back to where I was once more leaning against the tree. “Nagu, kin,” she asserted, as she gingerly took the corset from my trembling fingers. Once again, the two girls exchanged words, but I’m still clueless of what they mean.

“On. Her.” Pointing at Blondie’s waist, I struggled to convey my intention.

“Shina,” Red nodded, seeming to understand what I wanted. Walking behind Blondie, she wrapped the corset around her lithe stomach, and held it in place. “Nagu shina,” she informed me, sadly.

“Nagu. Nagu. Nagu.” Shaking my head left to right, I tried to show her she was wrong. I knew the corset couldn’t be tied anymore. I was the one who’d cut if off from Blondie, after all. Struggling to lean forward, I moved my hand up and down along where the laces go in the front of the corset. “Shick, shick,” I whispered, trying to convey a cutting sound, as best I could. I repeated my motions a couple more times, then was forced to lean back against the tree and rest again. Opening my hand up, I pointed to my palm, and then closed it.

“Knife. Here,” I pleaded towards Red.

Confusion furrowed her brow for a moment, then her face suddenly lit up as comprehension illuminated her. Sticking a hand down under the front of her loin cloth, she produced my knife – sheath and all – and presented it out to me. “Shina,” she asked?

“Shina,” I agreed, not taking it back from her. Raising my right arm up, I indicated towards Red and then my side. Almost instantly, she inserted herself back beneath me and helped support my weight.

“Thank… You…” I had to force my burning lungs to get the words out, and then I slowly began to lower myself back down the tree. With both girls helping, I managed to sit back down with collapsing over, and the moment I was seated, Shadow bounced up and snuggled into my lap.

“Thank… You… Both…” I struggled to convey my gratitude to both the young ladies, as I forced myself to keep my eyes open. I couldn’t help but stare at both their barely-covered bottoms, as close as they were hovering on either side, but I didn’t dare shut them. I was afraid that if I closed my eyes, I’d pass out again, and as the sun relentlessly kept creeping across the sky, I feared that was going to mean much trouble for us.

Concerned, both girls leaned over me and softly whispered to each other. Doing my best to ignore their ripe melons dangling so close to my face, I coughed a few times and waved my hand back and forth, in an attempt to show I was okay. “Nagu. Nagu,” I told them. “I’m not going to die. Not yet anyway. There’s too much to do right now.” Both stared at me, concern quite visible in their eyes, and I tried to smile as reassuringly as possible for them.

“Red,” I pointed at her, and then pointed to the knife she was holding. Moving my hand as swiftly as possible in an up-to-down, diagonal motion, I sounded out a, “Chop, chop,” trying to imitate the sound of something cutting, and then I pointed over to several of the thick vines which were growing at the edge of the underbrush leading into the forest.

Nodding, but looking puzzled, Red strolled over and casually hacked the vine I was pointing to. Holding it up for me, she quizzically asked, “Shina?”

“Shina,” I confirmed, then pointed for her to place it close to where I was sitting. Vines can be woven into rope, and rope is an essential tool for survival. “Shina,” I confirmed again, when Red carried the vine and placed it where I’d pointed. When she glanced over at me, a large smile was once again beaming across her face, as she flashed me a thumb’s up.

I couldn’t help but smile at her overwhelming energy and warmth. “One,” I told her, pointing to the vine and holding up a single finger. Moving my hand to pan all around us, I pointed at all the vines I could see nearby. “Many,” I told her, moving my finger to point back where the first vine she’d brought lay crumpled on the sand. “We need many vines,” I stressed, even knowing that she couldn’t understand me, for the language barrier between us.

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“Shina!” Thumping her hand between her breasts, Red nodded to show she understood, and then turned and moved off to start cutting and collecting vines for us.

Blondie was still hovering worriedly off to my left side, and Shadow was still snuggled in my lap, as I finally turned my attention back to her. May my dead wife forgive me, but those round ample bosoms of Blondie’s made me just want to reach up and squeeze them. How long had it been since I’d last held a woman’s soft mounds in my hand? At least a year, perhaps two. I’ve honestly lost almost all concept of the passing of time, since my wife was diagnosed with late stage liver and kidney failure.

Resisting temptation – the pain and lightheadedness helped – I reached out and gently tapped her across the hip. “Blondie, I need you to gather a swath of the largest leaves.” Forcing my gaze up to her eyes, I struggled to get my request out.

“Frenta?” From her deep frown, I could tell she didn’t understand me at all. I suppose I can add it to my list of words which I kind of understand the meaning of. ‘Nagu’ is ‘no’. ‘Shina’ is ‘good’. And now, I can assume ‘Frenta’ means something similar to ‘What the hell you going on about??’

“Tal Laulaia,” Blondie told me, pointing to herself, before pointing to me and asking, “Frenta kin?”

“Tal Laulaia?” I asked, thinking she was telling me her name.

“Nagu,” Blondie said, shaking her head from side to side. “Tal Laulaia,” she stressed once again, pointing to herself.

“Laulaia?” Pointing at her, I was trying to piece together what Blondie was telling me. “Your name is Laulaia?”

“Shinta!” Smiling happily, Laulaia confirmed my guess was correct. “Frenta kin,” she asked again, pointing at me.

“Steven,” I told her, pointing back to myself, before moving my hand to point to the little doggy who now appeared to be asleep in my lap. “Shadow,” I informed her.

“Steffen,” Laulaia confirmed, pointing back at me. Nodding to herself, she then pointed at Shadow and called him, “Shaddow.”

“Shinta,” I told her, too tried to argue over the finer semantics.

“Shinta,” she agreed, while happily half-way bouncing, causing my eyes to follow her ample chest as it rose up and down merrily with her movements.

“Laulaia.” Trying her name on my tongue made her nod happily and beam a smile back in my direction. Somehow, I was feeling a little ashamed of myself – I guess my natural anti-social nature was being exposed for me again. I’d needed some name to call the two girls, and my first reaction was just to name give them names myself. Laulaia wanted to know my name, so she introduced herself first – like a person with good manners should – and then asked for my name. My wife would be ashamed of me.

Thinking about it, my wife would be ashamed of me on so many levels…

“Sorry, Laulaia,” I apologized. Forcing myself to sit up once again, I started to unbutton the dingy faded shirt which I was wearing. Sometime after the crash, and before I washed up along the shore, I must’ve struggled out of the hooded parka I was wearing, or lost it. All I know is it’s gone, along with the two bags which I’d packed so meticulously full of food and supplies for me and Shadow. My plan, as crazy as it had been, was for me and Shadow to simply steal a boat, ride off into the storm until the gas gave out, and we either drifted into a new life, or died.

Struggling, wincing and groaning from the pain, I slid the shirt first off one shoulder and then the other. Waking from his rest, Shadow whined hearing my distress. Looking up at me, he wagged his tail encouragingly. “I’m okay, boy,” I reassured him, as I held the shirt out to Laulaia. “Here. Take this,” I had to feebly shake it a few times before she took it from my hands. “You need the protection from the sun more than I do, and my wife would never forgive me if I let you get burnt without at least trying to stop it.”

Laulaia said something which I didn’t understand, and raised her eyebrows to look at me searchingly. Too tired to try to explain, I simply nodded and waved my hand dismissively. “That,” I pointed at the shirt she was holding. “Laulaia.” I then pointed to her. I can’t think of any simpler way to convey, “That on you,” to her.

Nodding, she unfolded the shirt and then slid it around her slim shoulders. Without bothering to turn her back, Laulaia stood unabashed in front of me and slowly buttoned up the buttons. A few was missing, from where I was tossed and tussled in the ocean, but more than enough was left to hold both sides together closed. When she was finished, it hung down several inches past her butt, covering her upper torso quite nicely. Laulaia’s breasts might be quite large, but her waist is tiny, and I’m 6’ 3” tall (1.9m) and probably weigh in at twice her weight at 230 pounds (105kg). I might be getting older, but I’m still just as large as I’ve ever been, and it was quite noticeable with my clothes on her.

Looking down, Laulaia took a moment to try and work the wrinkles out of the shirt. Seeing it was hopeless, she laughed lightly and then shrugged. Saying something – all I understood from the whole speech was her name, “Laulaia,” in about the middle of it – she gripped the left side of the bottom of the shirt with her right hand, lifted it several inches, nonchalantly showing me her panties once again, and then did what I could only call a curtsy towards me.

“Umm… Sure.” Waving my hand dismissively, I had no clue how the hell I was supposed to respond to something like that! “Laulaia,” I pointed directly at her.

“Shina,” she confirmed.

“Laulaia,” I repeated, still pointing at her, before moving my finger over to point at the leaves of several large plants around us. “Fetch.” Hearing one of his commands, Shadow raised his head and looked up at me quizzically. It felt wrong to speak to another person the same way I would a dog, but I was already learning that I have to keep things as simple as possible for now. Laulaia said something I didn’t understand in return, so I never took my finger or eyes away from the leaves and repeated her name again. “Laulaia.”

Seeming to finally comprehend, Laulaia gracefully strolled over to the plant I was pointing at – a large fern, I think – and then broke off several of the large leaves. Looking back at me, I gave her a thumbs up and then pointed over near the ever-growing pile of vines which Red was still collecting. Frowning moodily and muttering something I didn’t understand, Laulaia began to gather up bunches of the leaves and pile them up.

“So far, so good,” I told Shadow, rubbing his ears. Looking down, I couldn’t help but be concerned for my little man. The heat and humidity were steadily rising, and he had a fur coat which he couldn’t take off to cool down. He needed fresh water – we all were going to need it real soon – or else he wasn’t going to last very long wherever we were. Already, he seemed more lethargic than usual, to me. Hopefully that’s just because he’s worried about me and wants to stay by my side to comfort me, but I don’t think so. I think the little bugger is about to melt down on me.

“Just a while longer,” I promised him, before calling out to Red. “Red. You.” Waving and pointing towards her, I got her attention as she dropped off another line of vines. “Here.” I pointed to the ground beside me – just as I would to tell Shadow where to come to – as I stared at her. I really am starting to feel like a heel, treating these girls like a puppy.

Laughing happily, Red energetically bounced over to where I was pointing and then fluidly sat back on her knees. Sweat glistened freely over her firm, tanned skin, and her short, red hair was already soaked with perspiration. Just sitting here, the heat and humidity was sapping Shadow’s and my energy. It was surprising to see how well she was holding up. Does this girl have bottomless spunk?

“Here,” I told her. Holding out my hand, I stared directly at my knife in Red’s right hand. Without the slightest hesitation, she handed it over to me, shocking me. Somehow, Red seems much easier to communicate with overall, than Laulaia does.

Taking the knife, I scratched a long straight line in the sand, and then a small “V” at the top of it. Using it, I pointed back over at the small trees and shrubs nearby us. “Fetch,” I told Red, holding the knife back out to her.

Taking it back, Red stared down at my rough doodle, looked at the knife, then looked over at the bushes. Getting up in one swift movement, she swiftly moved over to where I was pointing and gestured at one of the small trees. It took several moments for me to realize what she was doing – she was asking how long a stick I was looking for.

“Longer,” I told her, trying to indicate with my hand. “Taller than you, if possible.”

We spent several moments going back and forth, before she fully understood what I was looking for. Once she was certain of what I was asking, Red went to work with a vigor, and I laid back against the tree and slowly scratched on Shadow, while struggling to catch my breath. The sun continued its relentless rise in the sky, and the heat and humidity keep increasing endlessly, making it harder and harder for me to catch each breath.

The silence might not be here right this moment, but Death seemed like He was lingering heavily overhead in its place. I’m honestly afraid neither me nor Shadow are going to make it past the day.