Island Squirrel
By Dennis M. Falk

25 January 2011
© 2011 Creative Commons copyright BY-SA-NC

Morning crashed with the waves on this uninhabited island, as she hoisted up her "flag" of sorts on the mast-cum-flagpole- A pair of her own panties from the night she and her fiancée crashed their small globetrotting two-fur yacht on this island, or rather, her fiancée, Mark, fixed it so their boat could be aimed towards the uninhabited islands they new were nearby, when a freak storm hit.

Mark fell overboard, just as he finished, and yelled for her to get below deck...only for him to be swept away at sea.

The poor red squirrel, only of 23, cried as she saw her beloved become one with the waves.

They were just on their way to Pago Pago to have an island wedding as they travelled around the Pacific, only to crash on, if the map was correct, Luahoko, in the Tongan islands.

That, however, was 5 years ago.

Since then, Nancy Nutsmith- Nance to her friends- has grown accustomed to life on the island. At least she didn't loose anything-- The contents of the yacht lay strewn on the beach, which she has since cannibalised for shelter and provisions- At least there had originally been enough provisions for being several months at sea, including a few solar panels to power things... And food. Fortunately between what was on board and what the island provided, in terms of fruit and fish, she lived comfortably.

Gathering fruit was easy, being a squirrel- Such a natural tree-climbing species! Pineapples, palmfruit and coconuts were easy to get, and the rinds she could chew on, to keep her teeth in shape. She was a good cook, too- Quite able at improvising, although sometimes she does tire of pineapple tuna...

But she makes the best of it, or tries to-- The two-way radio on board was damaged after the crash, so Nance hasn't been able to contact authorities in Nuku'alofa, the capital and main city in Tonga, if they were correct, before crashing. But the emergency wind-up shortwave radio worked, so Nance was never without news or music- That was comforting, when all you could hear were wind in the trees, crashing waves, and the occasional fart after having too much fish and fruit!

The sun rose graciously as it did every day, as she prepared herself some breakfast- A cup of coconut milk, a few slices of pineapple, and some tuna jerky she made a few days ago- It was tasty, she admitted- 5 years' perfection from onboard survival books helped, and that she was thankful Mark brought on board.

Mark & Nance were outdoor enthusiasts from coastal California, and were used to "roughing it", and planned to do the same as they travelled the Pacific, hopping from island to island. Power and fuel provisions, camping gear, water purification gear, food, books, music, even a portable flatscreen TV with built-in DVD, all suitable for camping on island.

Nance didn't expect she might be marooned on just such an island, without her mate.

*sigh* "It must be nine, time to wind up this thing...", as she proceeds to wind the radio for thirty seconds, then turns it on, tuned to Radio Australia, and the familiar chimes of "Walzing Matilda" before signon, and that morning's news, as she then proceeds to clean up her dishes, dispose of her garbage in a nearby crevice...which she suddenly felt an urge, so she removed her panties, and squatted over where she just tossed her garbage, feeling the rush of liquid warmth escape her. Satisfied, she wipes herself off with said panties, and heads back to her shelter, as she gathers her clothes for yet another washing- She takes care of her laundry about once a week.

A half-hour went by, the radio was still going, but getting weak- Must be country music day, nonetheless.... She wound up the radio for another half-hour's charge, and tuned to some other station-- Not too many island stations on shortwave, mostly Australia and New Zealand, so she tuned around a bit for some music, and let it go.

After putting up her laundry to dry (and a fresh pair of panties on), Nance decided she should gather some more coconuts, then looked up, noticing a tree...then looked at her hands-- She was used to this, being a squirrel-- Never had trouble climbing, even as an adult, so why the trepidation? She always felt it. Still, she took a deep breath...and CLIMBED! She scurried up the trunk of the coconut palm, until she could reach a branch, then she reached for a coconut, then two, then three-- It's a good day!-- and tossed the nuts to the ground, and more carefully, climbed back down to gather her newly acquired nuts.

Returning to her shelter, she left the coconuts outside, as she brought the radio inside, long since wound down, and decided on an afternoon nap, but not without a cup of coconut milk and a chewing stick made from a coconut rind-- The meat from said coconut went to last night's fish, and some left over for tonight's dinner, which she'll catch after her nap...

Before she closed her eyes in the afternoon sun, she said a little prayer of thanks for her fiancée, and for the Creator to take care of him.

The squirrel rested until evening came. Nance was resigned to this, but she made it home, just like she was brought up in the Squirrel Scouts and in finding a soulmate who loved the outdoors as much as she did.

This was her new home now.

The spirit of Mark smiled as he stood over her, "I told you I'd take care of you, and keep you safe. And you will be, here."

Fin.