Doctor Who_ Combat Rock - Mick Lewis [84]
Santi responded in Indoni, pointing at the women and what they were eating with a haughty expression of disdain on her face. The cannibal obviously understood because he responded in turn by giving her a cuff around the head, as if he were administering punishment to a particularly naughty child.
Santi screamed in fury, and Jamie only just managed to grab her arms and pull her back. The cannibal shuffled backward in amazement at this show of disrespect from a mere woman, and some of the other men laughed.
‘They can understand what you’re saying?’ Jamie asked, amazed she could actually converse with this isolated and primitive tribe of cannibals. He gripped her tighter until her struggles became more subdued.
Santi was silent for a moment. The Indio smirked at her and continued eating, watching her closely, his eyes drawn to the curve of her smooth, brown thighs. Jamie noticed this new, unwelcome interest with dismay.
‘Santi understand a little. Some words same as Indoni.
Only some. He understand me. Not like what I say.’
‘Well, be careful what you do say. You’ve seen what they’ve done tae poor Ussman. We don’t want tae be next, now do we?’ A thought struck him, and he turned her face towards his with one hand.
‘Can ye ask him where we can find the Krallik, or where men with hats of animal skin live, because that’s where the Doctor is going, and maybe they’ll know, living in the same jungle and all.’ It was obviously a vain hope, because even if the cannibals did know, they were hardly likely to change the habits of a lifetime and suddenly come over all hospitable to strangers. But at this point anything was worth a go.
Santi looked at him dubiously ‘You wear skirt too long.
You crazy, man. They want eat us, not give us directions.’
‘Just ask them. Say we’ll pay them, I dunno. Bribe them.’
‘What they do with money in jungle? You very foolish man.’
‘Look, can you think of a better plan? ’Cos right now I’m all out of good ideas.’
‘You have good ideas when?’
‘Lassie, this is hardly the time to show off your wit. Just ask the man.’
The Indio was observing this conversation with some interest, while finishing off the hank of belly greedily. His eyes never left them.
Santi gave in, and turned to the cannibal. She spoke in her own language slowly, as if addressing a child. The cannibal stared at her, and slowly a grin lit up his face. He turned to his tribe and repeated what Santi had asked. They all laughed.
Even the women. It was obviously a good and hearty joke for them.
Santi turned to Jamie with an ‘I told you’ expression. The Indio shuffled closer to them and spoke to Santi while actually looking at Jamie. His words were guttural yet musical, a fluting jungle language that was pleasant on the ear, even if the sights around them were certainly not pleasant on the eye.
Santi grunted, as if surprised. She looked at Jamie with a defensive glare.
‘Well?’
‘He tell us where men with hats of animal live.’
‘You see?’ Jamie squawked delightedly. ‘What did I tell you. Everything’s worth a go.’
‘He say they hide in temple at pool of evil purple flower –
no, not flower, I not understand word. Evil purple...
something... that make men mad who eat them. Santi not understand all. He speak with cannibal tongue. He crazy. But he say pool not too far by canoe through swamps.’
Jamie rubbed his hands together. Now they were really getting somewhere. ‘And will they take us there?’
Before Santi could ask, the Indio spoke again. Santi gaped at him for a moment, and Jamie had to shake her shoulder vigorously.
‘They say we not go there. We have more important...
fate.’
Jamie didn’t like the sound of that. His optimism began to slide again. ‘And what’s that?