Date: Sat, 1 Jan 2005 02:42:36 EST
From: Jonah
Subject: Island Paradise      Ch 6

Morning.
The sun was hot; the sand was warm.  Carl tried to turn his head but two
pairs of bare feet prevented him. Whichever way he tried to turn his face
became buried in one of the twins' lovely soles.
Paradise.
 Simon lay on top of him. Their erections rubbing together.  He felt
Simon kiss him on the lips.
"I'm sorry Carl", whispered Simon, "I was just Upset".
By way of reply Carl returned the kiss.
Paradise.
Something was wrong.
Carl sniffed.  Sulphur?  How could that be. Whispy clouds drifted across
the sun.
Suddenly Carl was wide awake.
"Simon ! get the boys up quickly.  Rory ! come with me."
He began to run for the nearest trees.  Rory hesitated for only a second
before following.  They crashed through the belt of forest and soon
reached the shore of the lagoon.
Two things registered immediately.
Firstly a cloud of steam was rising from the head of the mountain.
Secondly a huge grey warship was anchored off the far side of the
island.  A dark green helicopter hovered . "A sea king!", thought Carl.
Within seconds they were crashing back through the undergrowth.
Carl was breathless when they got back, but he could still bark out
orders.
"Get on what clothes you can.  We've got visitors."
Apart from his feet, Toby was already dressed.  Carl and Simon could only
liberate their trousers from Toby's makeshift bed.  The others loosely
tied lifejackets round their waists.
Not a moment too soon.  The roar of the Sea King was almost overhead.
Two men hung from a line below it.  They descended an alighted on the
beach only yards from the group.  The taller of the two men ran to where
the boys were.  He saluted Carl, though Carl had no idea why.
"Ron Seagars. Fourth lieutenant HMS Illustrious", he snapped smartly.
"Are you chaps all right.  Every ship in the Southern hemisphere's been
searching for you for two days now."
He looked round.
"Only one casualty?"
Carl nodded.
"Right!" said the officer, "PO Barlow is our medical orderly" i'll signal
the whirlibird to drop a stretcher and we'll whinch him up first.;  Then
the rest of you.  We can't waste time cause that volcanoe is getting
restless."
Carl just nodded.  Paradise could not last for ever.  He remembered that
the boys had lost their families.  What were they going back to?  Still a
sea voyage would at least give them some time together.
It did not seem five minutes before the Sea King was settling on the
flight deck.  Toby was taken to the sick-bay.  Lieutenant Seagers led the
rest to the quartermaster who kitted the boys out in tropical whites.  It
was all they had.
"Right!" said Seagers briskly, "I expect you're hungry, so the
quartermaster can take you down to the officers mess.  Carl, if you'd
come with me.  The old man would like a word."

The captain looked surprisingly young for the commanding officer of such
a large vessel.  No more than forty, but with some steely grey streaking
his hair.  He rose as Carl entered and shook hands across his desk.  As
son as Seagers left he came straight to the point.
"Mr. Breed I would like to keep you on board the Illustrious and take you
home, but the Admiralty have indicated that we will not be allowed to
abandon our cruise.  I gather the boys with you are now orphaned?"
Carl nodded
"Yes sir", he muttered.
The captain smiled kindly.
"Probably go into care when they get back.  Not much to look forward to
after all they've been through."
"No sir."
"Mr. Breed, are you in a hurry to return to the UK?"
Carl did not hesitate.
Sir I've been looking after those boys since the crash.  I'd like to se
the job through.  I don't suppose I've still got a job with Talbot
anyway."
The captain nodded slowly.
"I rather hoped you'd say that.  I have an offer from an Italian ship
doing a cruise of the Med with a party of schoolkids. They will be
putting in at Southampton in about two months time and they are prepared
to drop you off."
Carl said nothing, so the captain continued.
" You'd have to share a cabin as most of his accomodation is taken up
with a hundred and thirty Chinese schoolboys, but you'll have plenty of
time to make new friends.  The Italian skipper says he'll be glad to have
you.  What do you say?"
Carl was almost speechless.  He suspected that they could all make new
friends among a hundred and thirty Chinese boys, and he'd still be with
his boys for another two months.
Out of one Paradise to another ?
Well that's another story.