~*The Fourth*~ Chapter 8

Chapter 8

All the community is gathered in one place Sal has an announcement to make. Richard and Shanna sit together as they listen very closely.

All right I’ve got some bad news. As some of you may have heard a couple of sacks of rice have got rotten. She continues on.

I need a volunteer to go with me to Ko Pha Ngan to buy some more rice. So don’t all volunteer at once?

No one volunteer’s all avoid Sal not looking at her.

Richard?

Yeah!

You gonna come to Ko Pha Ngan with me?

I don’t know.

I’ll go with you. Bugs interrupts.

Don’t worry Bugs Richard is coming aren’t you?

Am I? Richard doesn't really want to leave.

Sal asks everyone if they think Richard should go everyone raises their hand.

All right then I’ll go to Ko Pha Ngan with you. He didn't want to be an outcast so he took her offer.

Great. Sal is pleased.

Richard sits with a pencil and a piece of paper. A line of people wait to pass him some crumbled baht and their order.

Man: Toothpaste, a toothbrush, a new pair of swim trunks and a new hat.

Woman: One hundred aspirin, one hundred paracetamol and six packs of tampons.

Men: Four double A batteries and twenty condoms. Make it forty. And a bottle of Vodka.

Woman: Six bars of chocolate, four boxes of tampons assorted sizes.

Richard it’s a part of me. I am becoming a fish, Richard. Ordinary stuff for ordinary people is a waste of time I need something toxic something docile. Unhygenix explains to Richard as he shows him that he in fact does smell like a fish.

Man: A tin of beef curry. Yummy!

As many triple A batteries as you could find and a copy of the Daily Telegraph. Just for the quickie you know. Richard shakes his head at Keaty.

Woman: Fill this bag with a soft Bog Roll.

Woman: Jasmine Tea, Tiger balm, lip balm, hair conditioner, skin conditioner, 12 packs of ex-lax, aspirin and make up remover.

Woman: Big box of bleach.

Man: Anything based on Sugar.

Woman: Camen, saphron, cinnamon.

The last person to sit with Richard was Bugs.

Richard has his pen ready to take note.

What can I do for you?

Bugs smiles he whips out his right hand and grabs Richard by the testicles.

Richard buckles forward in pain.

Richard surrenders saying, okay, okay.

When you get to Ko Pha Ngan. Keep your hands to yourself and your dick in your pants. Bugs laughs.

He then releases him. Richard is still in pain as he watches Bugs walk away.

They get up early to leave Shanna volunteered to go also because she needed medical supplies. So they all go swimming into the underwater cave to get to the boat. "The Garage" Sal called it. The small boat is sprung to life. Sal is at the helm. Richard and Shanna stare out into the wide-open sea.

Richard: I was looking forward to air conditioning and a cold beer, but when we actually got there I just wanted to leave again.

The street is lined with bars and music blasting out of each one.

Richard, Sal and Shanna walk along the strip until they stop at a bungalow complex named Sumet's Place.

The reason for the beach to be kept a secret was because Ko Pha Ngan seemed like hell. Literally. The place was trashy and out of place if they found out about the beach they would ruin it just like this place.

Sal talks to a lady named Sumet she hands her a parcel of cannabis and orders two rooms. Sal and Sumet were old friends.

When the deal is over they go their separate ways and collect their supplies.

Richard decides to call home.

I don’t know. Maybe a year. I like it out here things are different. Yeah I will. Okay goodbye. All right I will goodbye. He hangs up the phone and whispers goodbye. He goes back and continues to collect supplies.

After a few hours all meet up at the motel carrying bags of the items Richard had wrote down they put them in the room and have a meal at the bar.

Sal asks Richard “So how does it feel to be back in the real world?”

It’s not like I remember it.

It gets worse every time.

Sammy and Zeph walk up to a guy that looks like Richard. They tap on his shoulder.

Zeph says, Damn it is Richard. He hugs him.

They are all hyped up. Sammy and Zeph start talking about The Beach. Saying its paradise and all. Richard tells them to stay away, but they don’t listen.

I’m telling you to forget it all right asshole. Richard yells at them.

Well that’s the last time I buy you a fucken beer. Sammy tells him madly as he notices Shanna.

Hey Shanna still with Richard?

Yes why?

Why don’t you come to a real man? I can give you what he can't. Sammy hated Richard at that point.

Shanna tells Richard she’ll see him later telling him she would tell him later on what they knew and if they really knew where The Beach was.

All Right. Sammy let’s go.

Richard stays with Sal.

So you’ve told them where you were going and you've showed them the map.

Yes

All right it’s okay they probably won’t even know how to get there. I’m going to play a couple of games of pool with Sumet. She hands him her room key.

So why don’t you warm the bed? A proposition to keep her mouth shut about what he had done. He had to pay the price so he did.

So Sammy how did you find out about The Beach? Shanna asked him as she joined him in their room.

We found a map Richard left it to us in our room. He takes out a key and opens the door.

Oh he did! Well I’ll show you the right way so you don’t get lost or shot.

What are you saying?

Well you know the dope field. It’s guarded by gunmen/farmers.

They’ll shoot you and won’t hesitate. She sits on the bed

Well I’m glad you told me. He joins her.

So where’s the map so I could show you the right way.

He brings it to her and she starts to redraw it. Sammy looked at her with desire he wanted her ever since the bungalows. When she finished Sammy asked her to stay.

He brings her closer to him.

Sammy I can’t. I love Richard were going to…………..

He kissed her before she could say anything else.

That night both Richard and Shanna had been unfaithful to each other.

Shanna left Sammy sleeping as she walked back to her room she needed a shower.

She hoped Richard wasn’t there so she could get a change of clothes. Luckily he wasn’t.

She proceeds to the shower room. It’s already in use.

Hello is anybody in there?

Richard hears a voice.

He comes out with a towel wrapped around his waist.

Richard?

Shanna. Hi wanna use it.

Yeah.

Well come in.

They shower together and end up making love forgetting about what they had done earlier.

Back | Next