Ripples

John sat on a hard, uneven log, staring into the crackling flickering flames in front of him.  He sat here as dinner was prepared and as the sun dipped down below the trees.  He sat here after the others turned in for the night - he could see the dancing shadows on their stagnant forms, wrapped up in bed rolls like sausages.  There has to be something I can do differently tomorrow.  John sat on the log, his eyes open through the late hours, foot tapping incessantly.  He brought up his hands and covered his face, as if he could somehow shield himself from guilt.  The deep knot in his stomach persisted, a cobra vise holding tight.  I wonder if I should try talking straight to the people.

The flames slowly died down, leaving only small flickering streaks of light desperate for more to feed on.  The chill of the night saw an opportunity and crept in, it’s tendrils reaching up John’s shirt and caressing his neck.  The steady hum of night crawling insects filling his ears, rattling in his head.  I wonder if force could be used, at least on a few.  He tossed a few more logs on the red embers, sparks flared out from the disturbance, flames hungrily devouring it’s new victim.  I can’t be the reason an entire tribe disappears.

***

Light crawled in the campsite before the sun could be seen, slowly chasing out the black, illuminating shapes and drawing out colours.  The small clearing was bordered by tall trees, small bits of orange sky peeking out between the large flat leaves of the canopy above.  The gentle melody of birds carried on the light breeze called forth a new day.  

John looked over at his two sleeping companions.  Eddie was snoring softly, the sweater used as a pillow had half unraveled.  Beside him, Doc’s head lay on a pillow, his tent of netting around his exposed head had several poles fallen flat.  Large bags with changes of clothing, different hats, and notebooks tucked against his feet.  

The squawks and rustles of the locals built up around the group to the typical chatter.  Eddie groaned, rolled around, and peeked his head up seeing John on his perch.  He crawled out, shook the sleep from his limbs and rolled up his bag tightly before any crawling critters could claim it.   

“Sit here all night?  You must have worn down a print of your bottom into that log,” Eddie said, patting John’s back as he walked over to the next seat.

“I can’t understand why they can’t just trust us.  It’s not like I’m a stranger, I know people here better than I do back at home.  Well... as well as you can through a translator anyways,” John said.

“I don’t think it’s a problem with trusting you,” Eddie said, brows furrowed. “More of an issue with us wanting to poke them all with unknown tiny needles and inject something in their bodies.  Not really something these folks are used to,” Eddie replied as he stoked up the fire and sorted through the cooking supplies.

“It’s not like we’re here for no reason though,” John said, his thoughts drifting back to memories more vivid than the jungle sitting in front of him.  Two years ago when he came out for his second visit, the people smiled brightly and shouted with excitement.  The children ran out with their shrill little voices, crashing into him.  Fruit baskets overflowing and red and yellow flowers woven in their hair.  Workers had been out chopping trees down, clearing new space.  It was a different time.

John’s following visit however, the smiles fell from faces quickly, more baskets lay empty, and the cleared out area was empty and unused.  Eddie stood beside him this time, eyes wide, drinking in the sites for the first time.  John had wanted an adventurer who was good with languages, and somehow Eddie popped up - the perfect combination.  The tribe was able to communicate that many had started what they called the shakes and sweats.  Spots would come up along their hands and feet and they would stop eating and drinking.  John vividly recalled wondering how this familiar disease could have made its way to such an isolated group when the realization smacked him in the face.  His mouth went dry and his vision couldn’t see anything around him.

Something was pressed into John’s hands, tugging his mind back to the present.  He looked down at some dried bread.

“Eat up there zombie man, we have another day ahead of us,” said Eddie, his eyes squinting as he looked up at the sky.  “We should probably head out soon.  I’ll go wake Doc, he’ll want some tea,”  Eddie pulled out the kettle, filled it, and walked over to the sleeping form.

John stared at the morsels in his hands.  What can we possibly do differently today?  

Doc grumbled and shifted as Eddie returned and propped the kettle over the fire, looked over at John and said, “So what’s the plan today?”

John continued to look at the bread in his hands and said, “I don’t know.  We have covered as much scientific information as we know.  We’ve told them it’s been used for years, it’s been proven.  We’ve told them it will continue to spread, risking their people.  We’ve already covered everything I can think of.”

Eddie watched the flames and spoke in a slow manner, as if his thoughts were bubbling up one word at a time. “What if… What if talking about things isn’t the best approach anymore… Maybe now it’s time for some action.”

John looked over quickly, eyebrows raised.  “I could see Doc tempted to pin these folks down, but never would have thought you’d be willing to!  As much as it is tempting I don’t think we would get many.”

“That’s not what I had in mind,” Eddie continued, shaking his head. “What if we need to show them how these things work, prove they aren’t harmful.”

“Hard to do that if they won’t let us immunize them,” John replied, his voice strained.

“What if we immunize you?”

John blinked several times, his mouth partially opened and dropped his bread.  He had been utterly obsessed with opening a door, pulling at it, yelling at those inside, studying every nook and cranny persistently.  Too focused on the door, he hadn’t thought to look for a window.  

Eddie picked up the bread, handed it back and watched as John's facial expressions changed several times over as the idea manifested.  Nodding his head, John looked over to see Doc finally up from sleep and called to him, “Bring those immunizations of yours today Doc, we’ll be using at least one of them.”  John finally took a bite of the hard bread.

Doc rubbed the sleep from his eyes, brows furrowed.  “Sure thing,” he gruffed, “You’re carrying them though.”  His mouth stretched out in a yawn. “Is there any tea made yet?”

***

As they arrived at the village, the few people out were fluttering through the morning activities, mirroring the birds in the canopies above.  The tall, slender figures had dark skin, accustomed to the sun and wide, round eyes.  Several stood together holding large empty baskets weaved of grass, calling to a few stragglers.  The outsiders walked towards the largest of the structures.  A man was standing at the door watching their approach. He nodded to them and opened the flap.

Doc parted ways to remain outside and walked over to the firepit in the center of the village.  John felt his stomach drop as his eyes looked upon the cleared out section of the jungle where new structures were never erected, the underbrush already creeping up.  He clenched his fists, feeling the sharp edges of his nails pressing into his palms.

John put down Doc’s bags, ducked into the hut, and joined the seated circle of figures, one bead in a wide pearl necklace.  The walls of the hut stretched up until all edges met at the highest point in the middle.  Eddie sat next to him, back straight, and greeted those nearby in their throaty but oddly fluent language.  Scanning the faces, John saw Tak across the way and felt a lifting in his chest.  His old friend was sitting cross legged studying the ground by his feet, no shakes or sweats yet.  He could almost see the easy smile and crinkled eyes he once knew hidden beneath the stern expression lined with guilt and loss.

Silence spread out as greetings ended and the focus shifted to John, each face turned to him.  John swallowed and shifted in his seat as he combed his thoughts, finally saying, “Good morning all, thank you for joining me again today.”  

Eddie shadowed his comrade, transforming John’s words to their tongue.  John continued, “I have said all I am able to say.  We have shared the fates your people are destined for.  We shared our history with this illness, it’s timelines, and we have brought something to help you survive.  I have tried to explain the science and what these can do for you.  There is no more for me to say.”  John paused and looked around the circle at the faces and was greeted by furrowed eyebrows and frowns. 

John shifted his focus to Tak noting the dark circles under his eyes.  The dark cloud looming over this man seemed to cast his face in shadows.  John continued, “You have had a hard year, and it will only grow worse.  Have the elders changed their decision?”

Tak looked at John as the silence stretched on, finally shaking his head.  Tak replied, “No.  The spider, the snake, and the bee all have points and attack with them.  We will not have our people harmed.”

John gave a slow nod as his heart raced, considering the best approach and choice of words.  It felt as though he was playing a game of chess, each side making their move.  “We will leave after today to return the immunizations unless the elders change their mind.  Today I have no more to say, but I do have something to show you instead.”  The heads tilted slightly as the translation caught up.  John paused to let his words sink in, then continued, “I will get one of the shots, wasting one as I am already protected, in hope to open your minds.  Will you allow Doc to enter and perform it?”

One head in the circle turned to Tak, then another, then a wave of focused faces were on him.  Tak sat frozen, eyes only for John.  Slowly he nodded his head.  

Eddie popped up from the ground and walked out, leaving a thick silence behind him.  Several minutes passed until he returned with Doc, carrying his bag.  Doc came over to John, knelt down beside him and said, “Anything specific I should do?”

John thought for several moments, finally replying with, “Look friendly.  Say what you are doing as you do it and Eddie will translate.  Go through everything slowly, give some time for absorbing.”

Doc nodded and opened up his bag.  He looked around at the faces, not a breath seemed to shift.  “Quite the audience,” he said as he swallowed hard.

Doc pulled out several items and gently placed them on a cloth.  He asked John which arm he would prefer, Eddie shadowing every word.  Doc opened up a small sealed pack explaining it would clean the area.  A sudden cold grew on John’s arm as the familiar scent of sterilizing alcohol raided his nostrils.

As Doc pulled out the syringe, John said, “Can you explain the different parts and how it works?”

Doc stopped for a moment looking at the item in his hand before beginning.  He went over the tip, center, and plunger.  Completing his explanation, Doc held John’s arm steady and with one swift motion it was completed.  Several breaths pulled in sharply.

John barely acknowledged the sharp sting as he watched the group, wide eyed and mouths hanging open.  Doc explained the expected recovery as he packed up the wrappings.  The men having completed their task, sat silently.

Several minutes passed by as the group watched John closely, their eyes scanning over him.  A murmur rose up as questions and comments grew.

John held his breath, studying the faces, desperate to see which way the tides would pull.  

Tak looked over to John and said, “We need time.”

Eddie replied in their tongue, the three men nodded and left, closing the flap behind them.  The hot sun greeted them now high in the sky, baking them as they moved.  The men pulled on wide hats as shields and continued to the central area.  John sat on the smooth ground and his face fell into his hands.  Sweat started to bead along his forehead as he sucked in the thick air.  

Eddie sat next to John and gripped his shoulder.  “You did all you can, now it’s up to them.”

John replied with a grunt but remained curled up.  

A few scattered clouds moved along the sky.  One of the elders emerged, checked John over, pulled up his arms, looked over his face, and left again.  Several younger women came over and sat with the threesome, bringing the men some fruit.  Eddie and Doc accepted the plump red balls, squelching filled the air with each bite.  

John remained curled up, a snake wiggling around in his stomach.  His mind raced through the events of the morning, scrutinizing the moves he had made, the words chosen.  Several more clouds slowly travelled the sky, bringing momentary relief from the persistent rays.

Footsteps and shuffling from the large tent met John’s ears.  He peeked his head up, neck straining with the movement.  People were emerging, some speaking harshly and walking off while a few others walked over to them.  Slowly, John uncoiled his stiff limbs.

Tak came over to sit in front of John and spoke in his tongue.  The words were smooth and steady, difficult to detect emotion from.  Eddie said, “He has told his people that they may seek you for sickness protection if they choose to.  The elders are very torn, some livid but the group has decided and you should not be bothered.  There were a few from the gathering today that wish to speak with you.”

Tak sat silently, waiting for Eddie’s words to catch up.  John’s heart raced as he looked up at the face that was once as familiar to him as his family.  He nodded and replied, “We will stay one more week, then we will need to depart.  Thank you, my brother.”  Tak’s mouth remained a hard line, but John could almost see a smile in his eyes.  The man nodded, stood and left the group.  

A handful of adults came over and sat.  They asked many questions and insisted on looking John over themselves.  A newer member of the elders, a mother with many young, came forward and asked for the shot.  John’s heart soared as the men excitedly prepared the few items.  John sat across from her and held her hands, her palms were moist but she held his eyes through the process.  

The sun had dipped below the trees, bathing the inhabitants in the relief of shadows.  The three companions retired to their camp for the night.  John heard the chatter of the other two but the words were a blur of sound swirling around his head.  

That evening, as the black cloak of night rolled out across the sky, John spread out the embers, now a dull red, and crawled into his sleep sack next to the other two. One person was swayed today.  He bundled up a sweater as a pillow, shifted around, and closed his eyes.  All it takes is one pebble dropped in a pond to cause a rippling effect.