Words for Wednesday - Mary and Allan revisited - 2

The story of the people from the Wieliczka salt mine continued.

Words:
Wardrobe
Silhouette
Sergeant
Dispensation

Placebo
Displeasure
Sympathy
Discretion

Used here: Silhouette.

The situation grew into a long drawn stalemate. The people on the mountaintops could sit there and throw down things and they did. But the plane and even more the village kept their distance. The younger villagers and plane crew took turns swimming circles around the vessels two and two going in opposite directions. The rain began with depressing regularity at ten and the visibility dropped. The rain was not as heavy as it had been. After all it was the 39th day of the biblical downpour. But a steady wind was blowing, making up for the lack of raindrops.
"What way is the wind blowing?" father Paul asked Tom.
"From us to them," Tom said, "but why?"
"Smell." Fr. Paul explained. Could you ask the kitchen persons to make something hot and savoury for lunch. That could very well push those mine- and mountain people over the edge."
"Good thinking!" Tom said and went into the small kitchen. Granny T and Matthew understood the proposition and promised to make a very savoury lunch with lots of enticing smells.

Meanwhile the floating village, manned with only a skeleton crew and all the children aboard under Mary's and Minna's supervision backed further off. It was hard to defend, not stable and too valuable with all the plants and goods to risk in a fight.
All able-bodied found something that could be used as a weapon, Lots of ropes were put at the ready for tying up of prisoners and Sarah and Fred Timberley readied a first aid station in the front of the plane.
"How come you speak Polish?" Allan asked.
"I don't speak it very well," Eva said. "My maiden name was Nowak. My grandfather was from Poland, and as I told yesterday, I have spent several holidays here skiing and hunting."
"Great," Tom said. "Could you please dress in something white and green. You're to be our spokesman and interpreter. Our demands are these and not up for negotiation: We offer collaboration, a share of our meagre rations and a chance at a future. In return we need their labour and collaboration."

The boats were placed strategically in the waters facing the two mountain tops. As the smells of cooking drifted to the mountains, voices and noise could be heard. Eva stood in the boat nearest to the mountains, but could not catch but a single word here and there.
From the right mountain top, the one from which a single No! had been heard yesterday, an arrow came flying through the air. Eva jumped, and the arrow struck the railing instead of her legs. They prudently backed off some more. "Arrows!" Tom said. "That's a weapon to be weary of. Can you tell them that if they keep shooting we'll just leave?"
"Yes," Eva said and called out in Polish. The megaphone amplifying her words, making them roll between the mountains.
More tumultuous sounds could be heard from the hills, but no answer. They waited. Matthew and Granny T appeared in the plane door with baskets of food. One of the small boats rowed up and got the baskets, then they sailed round, distributing the food. Then two things happened simultaneously. The rain stopped and from the left mountaintop a young woman jumped into the water and came swimming towards the boats. Arrows from the right mountain top hit the water around her, forcing her into a zig-zag path. She was slow. And the power in her strokes became more and more feeble. She called out and began sinking. "She called for help." Eva said.
Hank rose and grabbed a rope. "Let me get her." he said and jumped in.
Arrows still hit the water, but fewer and farther between. "The bowman must realise that he's wasting his arrows," Eva said.
Hank reached the drowning lady and grabbed her dress. He tied the rope around her and turned her so that her head was clear of the water. James and John pulled mightily at the rope and slowly the lady was pulled to the boat. There was no reason to undress her, the wet dress clung to her emaciated body, hiding nothing. "Bring her aboard the plane and let our doctors look at her," Hank said to Robert, who rowed the food carrying small boat.

A commotion on top of the rightmost hill caught their eyes. A silhouette of a standing person could be seen against the mountainous backdrop, a thing rose in the air and with a yell the standing person slipped and fell down the side of the mountain. Allan, who had been watching the goings on through the binoculars yelled from the other boat: "Someone sneaked up behind the bowman and clubbed him over the head. The swing made him loose his balance, and they both fell into the water. Should we get closer?"
"Yes, But take care. First sight of trouble, you leave," Tom said. A yell in Polish was heard from the left mountaintop. Eva listened and translated: "They say: Their leader is down in the water, fighting another man. They ask for help. The leader is a bad .. a bad lady, I think, or a bad witch. They hope she's drowning." Eva shook her head and spoke in the megaphone in Polish. "I told them to surrender to us. If they say yes, what then?"
"Ask them to go down to the waters edge. Throw all weapons in the small boat, or on the mountainside. Strip down to underwear and swim here one or two at a time. We'll get them."

A loud voice rose in Polish from the right hilltop. "We have annulled the evil leader," Eva translated. "We wish to join you. She is dead."
Eva raised the megaphone once again and Tom could see the people going down and placing sticks and stones and makeshift clubs and weaponry on an outcropping boulder near the water. Then one after another they undressed and swam towards the other small boat rowed by Mona and Allison. Ben and Bengt stood over them brandishing hefty sticks.
"Ask them to go slowly," Tom said. "Only two at a time into the water. We won't be swarmed." And Eva conveyed his orders. The milling people on the shore seemed to understand, but many still undressed and was more than eager to get into the water. Soon the boat returned with two shivering people aboard. "We speak English!" A man yelled as soon as he was within hailing distance. "Fine. Can you swim on?" the man nodded, uncertain. And Tom continued: "Fine, swim to the plane. How many of you are there?"
"I don't know any longer," the man answered. "We were 40 to begin with, and 6 guides. But some have died. We're starving."