Chapter 1 Scene 9

Point of view of Mike:
Mike carefully makes his way through the forest to the northwest. After a while he hears an unexpected sound – a child’s laughter. Moving around some bushes, he finds the source. A native boy in a green loincloth is holding onto two trees with his arms outstretched straight out to the side.

Gopumbi: Eight years old. Twin of Bukela. Wants to be a hunter, and spends lots of time in the forest studying animals.

As Mike gets closer, he can fathom a guess as to the source of the laughter. Small hairy spiders are crawling all over the boy. Mike is puzzled at first as to why the boy doesn’t brush them off, and then guesses that perhaps the boy’s hands are stuck to the trees. The native’s laughter prevents him from speaking intelligibly, so Mike breaks off a branch from a bush and brushes the spiders off. The boy gasps for breath, and in a couple minutes is able to speak. He is surprised at the appearance of the stranger, but grateful for him brushing off the spiders.

"Thank you. Who are you? And careful, don't touch these trees or you'll get stuck too."

"My name is Mike. I was on a ship that wrecked near here. We met Keruka and she said all you children were missing, and to go look for you. What is your name, and what happened here?"

"My name is Gopumbi. Yesterday I was studying different kinds of trees when I put my right hand on this one, and it stuck. I tried to pull it off, and couldn’t. Then I tried to get more leverage by holding onto this other tree with my left hand. I could barely reach it, but then it stuck too. I was standing here for about an hour, and then the spiders came. I could kick some away at first, but then they climbed the trees and onto my arms, and I couldn’t do anything about it. The good thing is that they’re not poisonous, but the bad thing is that I’m ticklish.”

Quest 24: Free Gopumbi from the sticky trees.

Mike finds that he can't pull Gopumbi's hands from the trees. Gopumbi says, "Keruka will know what to do. But first, can you get me something to eat? I'm starving. It rained for a while last night, so I was able to get some water by holding by head back and opening my mouth, and the spiders left me alone then, but they came back after the rain stopped. I like limes and kiwi best; there are some around here.

Quest 25: Get three limes, two kiwi fruit, and four bananas.

Mike looks around, and finds all the fruit. He returns to Gopumbi, who has started laughing again, but not as hard, since a few of the spiders came back. Mike brushes off the spiders again and feeds the fruit to Gopumbi since he can't use his hands.

Quest 25 complete!

Mike doesn't like to leave Gopumbi alone where he will be swarmed by spiders again, but Mike has no choice. He goes back to the village to see Keruka.

"Keruka, I found Gopumbi.  His hands are stuck to trees, like sap that turned to glue.  Have you heard of such a thing?"

"Not to that degree, but that is very believable under the circumstances.  We can make a solvent that uses fish oil."

Keruka takes a shovel and a fishing pole from the tool shed.

"You must dig for bait.  There is soft ground over there." Keruka points to the northwest corner of the Village. "You probably have to dig deep for worms when the ground is dry.  There was some rain last night but not too much.  When you have enough bait, and you should have two worms for each fish you want to catch, go into the water up to your knees, and cast the line away from the shore.  Reel the fish in slowly or the line will break.  You may catch some seaweed.  You will need three fish, and also four bananas and two limes for the solvent." Keruka hands Mike a shovel.

You have acquired the use of the shovel!

Quest 26: Make the Fish Oil Solvent.

Mike goes to the area with the soft dirt that Keruka pointed out. The dirt is very soft and easy to dig, but there are no worms near the surface He has to dig down half a meter before finding one, and another half a meter before he finds a total of six. He climbs out of the hole, which is a bit awkward as there is a pile of dirt close to half a meter high ringing the hole he has dug. He then goes to the of the South Beach and begins fishing. He catches a fish, then some seaweed twice, and then two more fish.

You have won the Bronze Fishing Trophy for catching five fish!

A bronze trophy with a fish appears on the screen for a few seconds and then fades away.

Mike then goes into the Southwestern Forest and finds the bananas and limes, and returns to the Village. On the way back a butterfly lands on the fishing pole.

You found a Purple Ashywing!

Mike puts the butterfly in the box of rarities, returns the shovel and fishing pole to the tool shed, and mixes the ingredients of the solvent in the pot over the fire.

Quest 26 complete!

You have mastered the Fish Oil Solvent recipe!

Mike returns to Gopumbi in the Northwestern Forest, who is easy to find because he is laughing again. Mike brushes off more spiders and pours the Fish Oil Solvent between Gopumbi's hands and the trees, and it works perfectly.

Quest 24 complete!

Gopumbi rubs his hands together and then his shoulders, which are kind of sore.

"Thank you Mike.  Now let's get back to the village."

"Agreed."

On their way back, a spider drops from a tree branch onto Mike's neck. When Mike feels a small sting, he flicks the spider away, and then notices, "That's not the same kind of spider that tickled you, is it?"

Gopumbi watches the spider scurry away. "No, that one's bite will put you to sleep for several hours.  I'm sure there's an antidote Keruka can tell us about.  Come quickly."

They rush along, but fifty meters before the boundary between the Southwestern Forest and the South Beach Mike staggers and drops to the ground unconscious.

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