Day Sixty-One: New Questions, New Discoveries (Part One)

I realized I was terribly, ridiculously wrong! If it hadn’t been for Little Black’s frantic barking last night, perhaps I’d never have discovered it. There really are rats here!

Yes, all this time, I had never encountered such filthy creatures. That’s why I always believed it was impossible for them to appear in this place. But last night, whether it came to steal food or was simply passing by, Little Black spotted it.

Amidst Little Black’s loud barking, I groped for the flashlight by my bed. When I swept the beam across the floor, I saw it: a long tail, most of its body already squeezing through the crack beneath the door and out. That tail alone was enough for me to be certain—it was a rat!

I leapt up from the ground at once, though not to chase it. The rat had vanished without a trace. Little Black was standing at the doorway, staring outside, probably regretting he hadn’t caught it. My real concern was to check whether my remaining, precious food had been stolen.

You see, my food supplies are limited—every bite lessens what little I have left. Each time I eat, the thought that it will one day all be gone fills me with a sense of sorrow. Thankfully, perhaps because Little Black had noticed in time, I circled my supplies several times under the flashlight’s beam and found no signs that anything had been eaten. It was a false alarm, after all.

Later, I had a nightmare. I dreamt that the rat returned, bringing a swarm of others with it. When I opened my food bags, countless rats burst out from inside and underneath them. Of course, I woke up in fright.

It was another night of poor sleep. Whenever I can’t rest well, my body feels especially weary. I can feel swelling around my eyes—perhaps I even have bags or dark circles now.

I must think of a way to keep the rats away as soon as possible. I can’t bear the thought of my food becoming theirs. Judging by the tail alone, the rat from earlier must have been at least twenty centimeters long. By proportion, it must weigh at least half a kilo, maybe even a full kilo. The thought is chilling!

In a place like this, there’s no shortage of food for rats. Otherwise, my supplies would have long since fallen victim to their claws. If that rat was merely passing by, that’s fine. But if it’s set its sights on my food, I’m in real trouble.

...

The rain has stopped. Standing in the doorway, I see a few large birds circling overhead—perhaps eagles. I watch as one dives swiftly, then soon soars skyward again, something clutched in its talons. It’s too far to make out what it caught.

One by one, they swoop down, rise, and then fly off into the distance. I can’t tell whether they’re catching rabbits, rats, or perhaps snakes.

My meals have been irregular these last few days, which has left my stomach somewhat uncomfortable. When I got up, I even burped, feeling a vague, indescribable unease. From now on, no matter what, I must make sure to fill my belly first. The juicy fruits and wild berries from last time are running low, and they’ve been sitting for a while—their skins are beginning to shrivel and wrinkle.

I pick up a piece of fruit and take a bite. There’s not as much juice as before, and the once-crisp flesh is now a little sandy, but at least it’s still edible.

The bananas nearby are still green, showing no sign of ripening. These bananas, as large as plantains, have left me with a lingering apprehension. I really don’t want to taste them, but if I leave them too long, I worry they’ll spoil. So, I pull one down.

“Let’s try one more time,” I mutter, trying to convince myself. Peeling it open, the banana flesh still smells quite fragrant, though the aroma is milder than those I’ve had before. I only dare to take a tiny bite this time. To my surprise, it isn’t too astringent—there’s even a hint of sweetness. The brown seeds in the center are numerous, but I just chew and swallow them. Afterwards, there’s a faint astringency in my mouth, but it’s still within an acceptable range.

These bananas are a bit difficult to use as a staple, but as a snack or dessert after a meal, they’re a good choice—at least they’re not going to waste, right?

Maybe because I ate the banana on an empty stomach, my belly began to rumble loudly, startling me. I just hope I don’t end up with diarrhea...

The clouds are thick today, so the sun isn’t too intense. I plan to take a walk along the riverbank—to pick some fruit and bathe and wash my clothes in the stream.

I sling the plastic basket over my shoulder. Yesterday I made three hand baskets of various sizes, so today I’ll just take the largest one, to collect more fruit as backup.

...

Perhaps it’s because it just rained, but the water in the little river now comes up to my calves. Strangely, the schools of fish that used to be here seem to have vanished. At least, within my view, I can’t spot a single one—only some small fish and shrimp dart about at the clear bottom.

It’s not a real problem. If I want fish, I can use the fishing nets from the forest near the seaside and catch plenty, though there are sharks there, which is a nuisance. Even though they’re small, probably juveniles, their teeth are still formidable...

The water is a bit cool, and after washing, the breeze feels chilly. I change into clean clothes and, following a method I’ve seen in historical dramas, lay my clothes on a rock by the river and beat them back and forth with a thick branch.

I don’t really understand the principle, but I’m imitating what I’ve seen, and it works well. After folding and beating the clothes several times, and rinsing them in the water again, they come out free of any obvious stains.

Once the clean clothes are in the plastic basket, I walk to a nearby fruit tree. There aren’t many fruits left—maybe enough for me to pick twice more.

This tree has been the greatest help to me since I arrived on the island. Without it, I would have gone hungry many times. Its juicy, sweet fruit not only quenches thirst but also fills the belly. But after eating so much, I’ve started to tire of it. Picking is easy—the tree isn’t very tall, and its branches spread wide, making it easy to climb.

While up in the tree gathering fruit, I make a new discovery. Through the leaves, I spot another, smaller fruit tree in the distance!

Excitement surges in me. Once I’ve stored away the juicy fruit, I sling the basket over my back and head toward this new find.

Its fruits are yellow, though I can’t quite make out their shape. I’m not sure if I recognize them...

No matter. Even if I don’t, I can try them. After all, the tree is thickly covered with fruit. If they’re edible—and delicious—then it would be perfect!