Chapter 12

One of the elders rang the gong and the villagers looked to see what the gong had granted or taken away and the gong gave out rainbows of lights which meant that the gong had granted them food. There was no extra food in the bin it was still very low. Then one of the village farmers said look see and he pointed to the coconut trees and the tribe were amazed seeing the coconuts visible growing before their eyes. There were now 30 coconuts to harvest once they stopped growing rapidly. Some of the villagers complained saying, why the gong did not grant food for them to harvest instead of in the food bin, would be easier.
‘Look Lulu you can’t expect the gong to be predictable, after all it is only a machine not a person.’ Said the elder Papu ‘and you should be grateful it did not take away the food.’
‘I am grateful it just that with food so short, I only was saying that… oh never mind I am sorry but I’m concerned about the children.
‘You worry too much Lulu, look the children are very happy running around and if the food keeps running out I am sure the guiding hand well help with another restoring stew.’

I was watching the elder Papu and Lulu arguing about the food shortage and as we were still pretty full after the stew we all had. The food would be not eaten for awhile and this would give the farmers time to refurbish the food sources. Then Lulu was still very young at the age of 15 and always thought that food gets eaten very fast with a large tribe.

‘Isi, Isi lets play tag.’ Seven called out.
‘What? I called out.
‘Your “It”’ Seven called out laughing.
‘Oh no, not again! I’ll get you for this’ and I ran after, Seven and all the rest of the kids joined in and kept running away from me as they knew I was “It”.

After the tag game was over I carried on playing with Seven running to the coconut trees and I noticed that the whole tribe were getting ready for an event. I asked what event they tribe were celebrating and found out they were celebrating the anniversary on the day they arrived on Isola, many generations ago. The tribe were taking out a full week’s holiday and to go and relax and to enjoy the beach. The children joined their parents to enjoy the beach and I played with the other kids on the beach that had lost their parents. All worries were forgotten and we all just had a good time. The males entertained us by whistling tunes on the beach. The week soon past and every body feeling a lot more rested after a week’s holiday had to go back to work. I was looking forward to the next event next year. But that was now a long way off. Seven said to me, ‘there are a few more events to come off this year.’
‘Are there what are they?
‘I don’t know but they happen every 4 years.’
‘You mean like ringing the gong only rang every 4 Isola years?’
‘Yes maybe.’ Seven said.
‘I look forward to these events as things can be pretty boring round here with nothing to do most days. I only wish my brother and sister were here. They be grown up by now, well my sister will be as my brother has always been grow up. Probably also she not be much fun now been grown up.’ I wonder if they will find me soon’

What I did not know that the next event would happen when I would be having my 12th birthday in two years time. At the moment I was still missing them.

To be continued