Words for Wednesday - Mary and Allan revisited - 4

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

Words:
Wardrobe
Silhouette
Sergeant
Dispensation

Placebo
Displeasure
Sympathy
Discretion

Used here: Wardrobe.

When the thirst for coffee had been somewhat slaked, Tom arose. "Time for a tale," he said. "I'll try to make it clear and slow for anyone to follow and to make it easy on the translators. Do not hesitate to stop or interrupt me, but please raise your hand to do so." He looked around and people nodded and grunted in agreement. Tom continued: "When the Wave hit, two groups of tourists were in the Wieliczka salt mine, one Polish-speaking group led by the guides Danuta, Tomasz and Lech; one English/Italian group led by Dana, Strega and Bob.
   Dana and Bob both died in a cave in some days after the wave as did 5 tourists. This means that four guides and 35 tourists made it out of the mine. As they found their way to the surface, the rains had already begun, and they began the trek to the Tatry - that's those mountains here. They did not have much in the way of edibles, as the cafeteria in Wieliczka was above ground and all luggage, except from very small backpacks were disencouraged in the mines. They hoped to find some wild animals in the mountains, as they supposed the disaster was only local. There's an atomic plant somewhere north of Krakow - or was, and they suspected that one to have blown up. Going south, to the mountains and the tourist towns there, seemed the logical solution. But as they reached the mountain range and all towns were nothing but brown dust they lost their courage. Without food, without anything but a crate of arrows and Strega's bow they were going to starve before help would ever get to them. A group went back to the mine and collected all they could find, but they were a long time returning. The mine was partially filled up with water and more cave ins made it dangerous there. On their return, Strega had taken leadership of the groups and kept them alive, doling out meagre rations of the collected food stuff. They had found the cave, then high up in the mountains, and settled there. Strega keeping the flock in tight reins with a mixture of threats and promises. Later Strega was discovered stuffing her head during the night, when she watched over the suitcase and its contents. Slowly they all became undernourished, famished even and only Strega and Francesco had the energy to keep on going. When they were too weak to do much, and Strega had gone mad at some point and forbade them to leave the cave, some, led by Beata planned a rebellion, but Strega had the bow, and her mesmerising personality. She bribed Francesco with promises of sex and food to be her strong man, the rebellion petered out. Some days later she saw our plane and hatched a plan of luring us into the narrows between the two mountains and steal all our possessions, killing us off or taking us prisoners. When this misfired on behalf of our caution, they tried to talk Strega into surrender, but she said no. When our food smells reached them, Beata sneaked upon her, using that distraction and clubbed Strega over the head. And that broke her hold on the group. Only Francesco tried to revenge her," Tom ended the tale.

  Danuta spoke: "What we do to Francesco now? And what to us all? We have very little clothes, no food, no nothing. What happen?"
  Tom said: "All who wants to stay and to work together with us are welcome to stay. We promise nothing but hard work and a chance of survival. All here work, all do their part. You row a boat, you tend the greens, you feed the mice, you wash, repair, study languages, mathematics, anything ... and teach what you know. Those are the conditions." Eva, fr. Paul and Sally translated to 'their' language groups. The wieliczkans mostly nodded, some said yes, some were too confused or shocked to think straight.
  Tom rose again: "Francesco is a problem. If we can trust him, he can stay. If not, he poses a danger to all of us. To survival even. We cannot keep him tied up, or sedated. We could leave him in the cave, but that would be an inhuman solution. How say you? Can he be trusted, or will he try something again?"
  "Let me talk to him when he wakens," Fr. Paul said. "I am still a priest. We can hope this means something to him."

  Beata was the first to awaken, she was given food and briefed by Danuta and Tomasz, her co-guide. Beata listened and then spoke quickly to them, looking embarrassed, anxious and uncomfortable. Danuta looked up. "She says she would want very much to join, but she will be of no help for long time, leg broken and her pregnant too. And she awfully sad for having killed a person, even Strega. She asks to be put into cave and abandoned." Danuta said, tears welling from her eyes. "She thinks she is bad person." Eva was listening as well, on the look out for sour notes and further information, but found nothing. Beata, who had been unconscious during much of the recounting of the happenings, and furthermore not close enough to the Polish group to have overheard what they said, gave once again the same story, only this time from a dissident's point of view.
  "I think we have a cure for 'bad person'." Robert said. He was the one bringing round the food baskets with Lisa, his fiancée. "Father Paul, come over here. You're the expert on bad persons, aren't you?"
  "As long as Sarah and Fred have worked their magic on that leg, I can try and mend the bad person," father Paul said with a reassuring smile. "But I'll need some peace and quiet. Not a highway as here."
  "You can use the kitchen nook, if that's fine with you," Granny T offered. Robert carried Beata into the nook and fr. Paul and Danuta went in too and closed the door. Some times later fr. Paul came out, rummaged in his chest and brought forth a purple stole, which he kissed before placing it around his neck, and his breviary. After even more time he and Danuta left the kitchen nook together, leaving Beata alone for a spell out there.
  In the meantime Hank and Tom had written everybody's names in the logbook, and had them put their signature next to it as a way of keeping them to their promises. When they had signed the ledger, they were freed from their ropes and set to work on washing and mending their clothes. Most of the wieliczkans did not have any spare clothes, and what they had were much in need of washing and mending. The rest of the afternoon the original survivors searched in their wardrobes for spare clothes that fit them. Most of them also bathed and washed thoroughly and looked much better in the evening. Much language learning also happened, Polish, Italian and German words for clothing flew through the air to be replaced with the English equivalent. Allan, Mary and the rest of the crew from the floating village came aboard and was told of the day's happenings. Allan dug up what Polish he remembered and helped a big man find fitting clothes from his own suitcase. Only Francesco did not partake in the general happy mess. He half sat, half lay, still tied to a plane seat, looking dour and angry.
  "He's having a bad attack of the envy," Fr. Paul explained to Allan, Mary and their children. "He thinks we have had it too easy. He won't accept our help, 'charity' he calls it, and wants to fend for himself. Also I'm not certain he would not try to kill Tom, whom he sees as our leader, or all of us for that matter, and take over the plane. He needs to hear - and understand, really understand Mary's talk on interdependence. He's one tough nut, and I'm not sure we can crack him in time to do any good."