Vanessa wiped her sleeve across her face in the forlorn hope of mopping up some of the perspiration that was making her skin itch. Her hair under the hat was wet and sweat was beginning to drip down her neck. It was three hours now since they’d said goodbye to the villagers and Luigi, their guide, had led them into the jungle to begin their long trek back to civilisation.
The last forty-eight hours had been hard. Not only was their stay in the village coming to an end with Ralph unable to complete his film the way he wanted, it had seemed the friendships they’d forged with the villagers were about to be torn apart by some superstition.
Summoned to the village council, they’d apprehensively followed Angela to the main hut the evening of what should have been their last night in the village. As far as Vanessa could see, every villager, from the smallest newborn baby to the oldest native, was waiting for them, grim-faced. The hunters had returned early from a food foraging expedition and were grouped around the head shaman, still clutching their spears, staring intently at Vanessa and Ralph.
Vanessa had shivered. Did they really believe she and Ralph had put the ‘evil eye’ on their gold? Memories of a terrifying visit as a young girl to an exhibition of cannibalism and shrunken heads in the British Museum in London suddenly sprang unbidden into her mind. Did these natives know that those practices had been outlawed? Did they practise other, even more macabre, rituals?
Swallowing hard to stop the bile in her throat rising, Vanessa had looked fearfully at the natives she’d treated as friends for several weeks. There was a stranger, his skin glistening with sweat, his spears and machete strapped in place on his back, talking and gesturing with the head shaman. Vanessa had glanced at him curiously.
‘He’s one of the native runners who keep all the villages in touch. Apparently, he’s brought some urgent news,’ Ralph had told her, after a quick consultation with Angela.
Luigi, who with Nick the cameraman, was acting as interpreter, had moved forward and listened intently to what the man was saying. Vanessa clutched at Ralph’s hand nervously as silence descended in the hut and the head shaman turned and beckoned them forward.
‘We have news that our aviamento, Takyanov the outsider, has been detained. His word has been broken. It is not you who have cast the evil eye.’ He had paused. ‘We are free to trade with you.’
Vanessa had felt her whole body shudder in relief. Then the phrase ‘free to trade with you’ had registered in her brain and she looked at Nick and Luigi in horror. The villagers had clearly misunderstood what she was offering to do.
‘Nick, Luigi, before this goes any further, you must make them understand the Fruits of the Forest cooperative would be their responsibility. I’m not buying their produce, only helping them to get organised to make and to sell it.’
Once she was convinced that the villagers, and the head shaman in particular, understood exactly what she was proposing, Vanessa had felt the tension leave her and she quickly began to outline again all the things the villagers would need to do to get the cooperative up and running.
‘I just wish we weren’t leaving tomorrow,’ she had said. ‘There’s so much to explain and put into action.’
‘We can stay one more day if you like,’ Ralph had offered. ‘No longer though, Nick and Harry have work commitments to get back for.’
Vanessa and Ralph had worked into the small hours trying to sort out a basic businesslike plan of campaign to get the cooperative off the ground. In the morning, they had held their own village council meeting to tell the head shaman and the villagers the things they needed to do.
The extra day had been a busy one with so many things to organise, not least packing up some samples of the native medicines, including several pots of the Sangre de Grado ointment that had helped Ralph’s injuries to heal so well.
‘If only we’d thought of this when we first arrived,’ Vanessa had said. ‘I could have done so much more before having to leave them to get on with it.’ She’d sighed and looked at Ralph. ‘There is one thing that still worries me, though. What happens if this Takyanov comes back and tries to muscle in on the cooperative? Angela did say the men knew there were dangers in upsetting him.’
‘Don’t worry. Once we get back to civilisation, we can alert the authorities to what we – you, are doing. Once you’ve organised some funds, you can appoint a trustworthy overseer to come out here to supervise things in your absence. Make sure there are no disruptions, no outsiders muscling in. You’ll be amazed at the progress on your next visit, you’ll see,’ Ralph had said confidently.
Hugging Angela goodbye the following morning, Vanessa was surprised to find herself fighting back the tears. From longing to leave the jungle, she found herself strangely sad saying goodbye to Angela, her friend.
‘Goodbye, Pacchumama. May the spirits be with you on your journey,’ Angela had said, hugging her.
‘I’m going to miss you, but once I’ve set up the cooperative for the village I’ll be back to see you again.’ Vanessa had bent down and given little Maya a cuddle and hugged her tight, before turning and leaving.
Now, as she tiredly followed Luigi and the porters along the muddy track, Vanessa’s mind was still racing, trying to sort out the logistics of the cooperative and wondering who she’d be able to find willing to sponsor Fruits of the Forest for at least its first year in business.
Darkness had descended as they reached the camp where they were to spend their last night in the jungle proper. Wearily, Vanessa stumbled into their sleeping hut. Tomorrow they would travel by small canoe up the feeder river to the Amazon itself and then, a day, or possibly two days later, a larger boat would take them to the town of Manaus.
Their journey home had begun. Part of her was sad that their adventure in the Amazon jungle would soon be over, but inside she was buzzing with the thought of seeing Pierre and Olivia again. Giving them tight hugs. Tucking them into their safe beds. Telling them about little Maya and her so, so different life. Hoping that she would be able to help provide a proper future for her and the other children of the village. She desperately wanted Fruits of the Forest to succeed.