You can't eat gold

It was in moments like these Aaron would ponder the things his father would tell him as a child.

“It’ll be like the days of the pioneer’s son. Freedom. Ungoverned. Free from modernity.”

Words of optimism, designed to plant a seed of hope in the acidic soil of the present day. In truth when stripped from the romance of collective myth and memory the hunter gatherer life really left little to be desired for. The world now was nothing but a husk, the rotten remains of a pillaged cornucopia.

For a time, Aaron had been part of caravan that made things a little easier but ultimately the dangers and growing politics were not worth the trade-off. He had broken off from his previous cohorts when its self-appointed leader had taken a shine to Jessica. To Aaron’s morals no emerging rule, ritual or custom would justify the sacrificing of her innocence.

So here they are again on their own.

Jessica stood by Aaron, her hand clung to his as they walked through the desolate terrain, the sun beating down behind them. She was always fascinated with their shadows. Often she would make her father pose whilst she traced the shapes.

She felt safe in her father’s leathery grip though the soft indentation on his finger would lead her to reminisce. It meant a lot to him that ring and Jessica would think about how he had to trade it for medicine when she was sick.

“Sure was pretty, but you can’t eat gold Jess. You can’t eat gold.”

Jessica knew it was pretty, but she did not understand that the pitiful ring would often be the only thing that gave her father solitude in the ferocity of the small hours.

Jessica had come to a stop, drawing her hand away from Aarons in order to place it over at a modest golden heart locket hanging from her neck.

“What’s wrong hun?”

He studied her, shielding the sun from his eyes.

“Come on Jessica, not now, we’ve got to keep moving.”

She raised her head with a sullen look which Aaron was the prerequisite to tears. Dropping to one knee Aaron wiped her tears away, tucked a loose hair behind her ear and placed the trinket under her clothing.

“You don’t have to worry about that kiddo. Not today” He Punctuated his words with a gentle kiss on her forehead and took her hand again. They continued to walk through the sprawling landscape until they reached a structure that provided shade. Two walls of broken and rusted vehicles piled atop of each other creating a makeshift entrance.

As they ventured further they could feel prying eyes observing them from hidden vantages. Sporadic calls sprung up from the silence clearly communicating their imminent arrival.

Just ahead of them was Schlep. A waif of a boy with wild hair and a weariness that aged him. Sat within a pile of stacked tires at the foot of a large gate, a spear clasped in his hands. As the calls of his peers eventually reached him he snapped into position. Standing firm and to attention just in time to see Aaron and Jessica approaching. Aaron with a raised open hand in a friendly greeting.

“I have an offering for your Phuri Dai.”

The boy nods.

“For pollo.”

Aaron begins to mime the act of eating.

“And for me?”

The flash of a smile belies Aarons frustration.

“We have very little my friend.”

Jessica began to rummage through her satchel which contained a plethora of plastic artefacts. She had known boys like Schlep, she was looking for an old facsimile of a monster. They always seemed to like snakes. Bereft of snakes she settles on a small figurine of a proud gorilla. She approaches Schlep as her father watches on, the small token held out before her.

“Kongo!” Schlep exclaims barely able to disguise his sudden rush of excitement.

“For Pollo?” enquires Schlep, gathering himself.

Aaron nods.

He studies the Gorilla toy again before looking at Jessica.

“A kiss?” Sounding less sure, his voice going up a pitch.

Jessica looks towards her father for guidance.

“Not today Sunshine. Now Pollo. In, In.”

Schlep pockets the Gorilla and bows his head.

“You follow.”

Schlep cups his mouth and makes a loud and distinctive sound signalling someone to relieve him from his post. He stands attentive until he hears the response echoing through the valley of junk.

“This way.” Schlep says as he opens the gate.

They follow him through an array of corridors until they come to a wide opening populated by shanty houses. There is a bustle, young children watching over infants as elders concentrate on daily chores. Most were unconcerned with the young master and his two guests. Though some down tools and began to follow.

Less familiar with such settlements Jessica always struggled to keep her eyes from wandering. Her father on the other hand was accustomed to these places, wiser to potential dangers. His focus was intently on following Schlep who was now speaking with a rapid enthusiasm which Aaron had tuned out. After a time, the trio arrive at their destination. An open circular area, the remains of a fire smouldering in the centre.

As they enter more of the locals abandon their chores and begin to gather. Some began to sit in small groups, whispering to each other and occasionally pulling faces at Aaron and Jessica.

Schlep now stood by the embers makes gestures to quiet the growing crowd. He begins to theatrically address the crowd relishing the chance to perform.

“As we gather here, we have two strangers!”

“STRANGERS!” The crowd repeat in unison, giggling as they do.

“Thrown back to us by the sea.” Booms Schlepp as if addressing a Calvary.

The crowd collectively bows for a moment before exploding into a mockery of the elements.

Jessica’s grin is in stark contrast to the stoic expression on her father’s face.

“As the wise from times before they come bearing gifts-”

“BEFORE THEY SHALL DEPART!” The crowd jeers.

Becoming more animated Schlep begins to clap. Like a well-rehearsed ringmaster he dances around the circle encouraging his cohorts to clap along.

They oblige with vigour, the tempo rapidly increasing as the clapping and stomping develops into a raucous din. At the peak of this a bell is struck from somewhere within the crowd. The chime pierces through the thunderous applause and brings it to an immediate end.

Jessica and Aaron exchange a look. The bell tolls one more time, struck by an out of sight hand.

Silence.

An opening develops in the crowd, two elder men gently push the observers to one side. Flanked by tribesman Faa enters the fray, adorned in jewellery, the harsh sunlight making her every movement shimmer. Each of her fingers is decorated with multiple rings and about her neck are dozens of delicate chains. Her wrists hold thick gold bangles. She walks with controlled purpose and from behind a black veil her piercing eyes lock onto Aaron. Only breaking contact for an occasional glance toward Jessica, who in response to the sight of Faa has instinctively placed her hand on her chest. Faa extends her open hands towards Aaron. Beckoning.

Aaron swings his rucksack from his back and from it produces a plastic item. Cream in colour, you or I would know it as a Polaroid camera. A murmur from the crowd, Faa raises one hand and instructs them to be quiet. The conductor of a baying orchestra. She takes the camera, runs her hands over every inch of it.

“Battery?”

Aaron nods.

“You Show.” Faa passes the camera back to Aaron.

He switches the camera on and raises it intending to frame an image of Faa. She protests, her dismissive hand gesture suggesting Aaron instead takes a picture of Jessica.

“Smile Sweety.”

Jessica obliges *CLICK* the camera whirls into life. The crowd responds with a gasp, much to the annoyance of Schlep who urges them to quieten down. Faa takes hold of the unexposed photograph as the camera spits it out, noticing her sour expression Aaron interjects.

“Soon, soon.”

Faa flashes a vibrant smile.

“And for you?”

“Pollo.” Aaron holds up two fingers.

“Pollo?” Repeats Faa before belly laughing.

The crowd laugh along wildly, all but Schlep who seems to be mimicking Aaron’s restrained reaction.

“See how they live?” Shouts Faa. Throwing her hands toward the sky.

“A lesson to us all of what’s lost at sea. A warning to heed for all of you.”

She brings her hands down and takes a look at the photograph which despite the age of the film has developed a pleasing image. Faa takes note of Jessica's guarded posture but all in all she isn't impressed.

“No polo.”

Aaron winces like an arrow just pierced his kidney. The crowd begin to murmur again. Instead of doing his duty and silencing them Schlep looks at Jessica making sure she notes his apologetic glance. Faa hands the photograph to Aaron with a pointed dismissal.

“Perhaps. She has something that will please us.”

Before Aaron can protest he catches the sun glimmer off of the heart locket which Jessica is now holding above her head. The crowd begin to clap.

“Pollo?” Says Jessica fighting back tears.

Faa nods slowly as she plucks the locket from Jessica’s loose grip, she signals to one of the men beside her to complete the exchange. Aaron follows the tribesman without acknowledging Jessica. The crowd begin to disperse, the excitement now having passed. Faa runs her hands over the locket feeling every curve, bevel and blemish.

“Your mother?”

Jessica nods, biting her bottom lip, that familiar sullen look forming.

“She loved you very much. Each day she counted your every foot step.”

Jessica averts her eyes.

“Now she stays with me. Safer here. Many steps to count.”

As Faa departs in the same fashion she arrived Schlep offers Jessica a final apologetic look, before anything further can develop Aaron returns. Holding two live chickens under each arm and a growing feeling of shame within himself.

“Come on kiddo.” He says solemnly without breaking his stride, Jessica follows.

They didn’t talk much on the way back and in the evening they replaced conversation with routine pleasantries as they slaughtered one of the chickens and prepped what little vegetables they had stored. Jessica spent some joyous moments with the now solitary live chicken as Aaron cooked. Finally, they ate their well rationed meal in silence as the sun descended and the clear skies succumbed to billowing clouds. Aaron watched his daughter drift off to sleep all the while rehearsing the conversation they would eventually have. They each slept well. Their dreams filled with blessed memories of when the two of them were a three.

A few hours later Aaron awoke from this pleasant slumber to the sound of a rooster crowing, he leapt out of his array of blankets and rushed outside to find not only a rooster but two additional chickens pecking at feed in the makeshift pen. Startled he then noticed his rucksack and its contents strewn across the floor. Upon initial inspection Aaron could not see if a theft had taken place. He looked at the bounty of poultry in disbelief one more time before rushing to Jessica.

To his relief she was as he had left her, sleeping soundly. He could not help but smile when he noticed the locket around her neck, that smile became an astonished laugh when he saw the small plastic gorilla placed upon her upturned palm.

Somewhere not too far away from where Jessica and Aaron playfully argued over what names they would bestow upon the chickens Schelp sat on top of a large hill that he often visited. Though today his eyes were not for the sun, today he basked in its dawn light whilst studying the polaroid photograph of Jessica.

Maybe the sea is not so bad after all.