From Sand to Nand

Chapter Six

Just after the funeral, Captain Royce and Officer McSchmitt led the way back to the plateau. The weather had not yet picked up. To describe the hour-long typhoon as scary would have been an insult to all the island's guests. The storm rendered all huts naked and bare by the time it passed. Bamboo frames that were able to withstand the high winds stood well-rooted but were left roofless and with porous walls. People unsuccessfully tried to shield their electronics from the moisture. Clothing and personal baggage became saturated and soaked.

As they arrived at the plateau, they encountered a scene that initially looked like a hostage negotiation. A large, obese man was being held down on his stomach by force with his hands restrained behind him. Those who surrounded him were clearly angry and in dismay.

"What is going on?" McSchmitt took the lead. Captain Royce stepped beside the Master at Arms to make his own presence known but remained quiet.

"Captain," began a teenage boy. "This guy tried to grab some of the girls down by the lake and, uh, we ran down to help..."

At that moment, the captain looked at his right-hand man and their silent stare spoke immeasurable volumes. We're going to have serious problems with the people on this island.

"Is anybody hurt?" the captain asked.

The group shook their heads.

McSchmitt retrieved the handcuffs from his belt and approached the detainee. "Sir, I'm placing you under arrest on allegations of assault." The satisfying metal clicks propagated through the increasingly fast and humid air of the rapid wind. "Remain on the ground and don't move until I say so." He stepped back and initiated his interrogation process. "I need to speak with all of those involved." Reflexively, he reached for his pen and paper pad from the left breast pocket of his uniform, recalling the paper had been ruined throughout the days before. The witness accounts were going to have to be recorded via his own memory.

The passing crowd began to gossip. "Move along everyone; nothing to see here!" exclaimed the captain. "The rain is coming, so please find your shelters and prepare. We'll handle this. Crew, please assist anyone in need."

As he spoke, the crew ushered the people to a less obstructive distance from the dysfunction. The commotion died off and most everyone just obeyed, but still, they kept a watchful eye and ear open toward the conflict at hand.

After separating everyone to defuse the situation, McSchmitt proceeded. "Okay. Walk me through what happened, and please start at the beginning."

The story was quite simple. Three girls had been bathing down by the lake because they didn't want to carry water back up to the plateau. This strange man, seemingly out of nowhere, approached to inform the girls that the captain ordered they not bathe in the lake. Startled by his threatening demeanor, they became quiet, which is when the man said that one of the girls needed to come with him so he could tell the captain what she had done. When none of the girls elected to comply with his demands, he began trying to pull one of the girls forcefully with him, but the others tried desperately to free their friend and called for help.

By the time assistance from the plateau arrived, the group subdued the fellow, but not before he had put up a belligerent fight. One girl received a bloody nose, and the teenage boy who explained the situation to the captain received a swollen eye and had been nearly knocked unconscious. The others had wrestled the combative man to the ground and transported him back to the plateau where they waited for the captain. The group debated sending a messenger to alert the Master at Arms but opted to simply wait to avoid disturbing the sensitivity of the funeral.

The man attempted to plead his own innocence by suggesting that his intentions were genuine and that he had planned to bring the girl on whom he tugged back to the captain for disciplinary action.