Part 5: The Polliwog Cometh

An hour had past and the majority of the people were still in panic mode. Not only had they been crashed landed on an island in the middle of nowhere, it seemed that same island was inhabited by a giant monster that no one could see. It made sounds that many of them where familiar with, which made it even stranger. Marita had managed to get Eddie to calm down, after Tony had no luck.

John and his blind friend strolled away from their section of the beach. The moon was in its full zenith, plus the beach was properly lit with everybody’s fires. Two people were building a bon-fire, hoping whatever rescue plane that came could see it easily. Tony had other things on his mind at the moment. “The Polliwog.” He whispered.

“Why did Eddie call it that?” John asked.

“Apparently, it’s a child hood monster. The Boogeyman. Something his parents probably made up to help him stay in bed, eat his vegetables, what have you.”

“Did you tell him that a Polliwog is just another name for a tadpole?”

“I did. It didn’t help.”

“Then how do we explain to this kid, that this . . .Polliwog doesn’t exist?”

“Oh, put it does exist, John. You heard it. You saw the trees move. How do you explain that?”

John stopped their walking. “I can’t,” he huffed.

“Neither can I, my friend. Hopefully . .this thing will leave us alone.”

“And if it doesn’t?”

“Then God be with us all.”

“G’day, Mates!” a voice called from behind.

John turned to see the Australian he had met earlier. “Tony, this is Barto McKay. He’s the guy that has been supplying fires for everybody.”

“Very kind of you, Mr. McKay.” Tony extended his hand.

“Thank you, doctor, “ McKay said, shaking his hand, “Actually, Dock, you’re the one aye wanted te see.”

“What’s on your mind?” The blind doctor smiled.

“I overheard ya friend saying you needed to round up de medicine, “ he said, holding up a handful of medicine bottles, “I managed to find some in the luggage I rummaged through.”

“What kind do you have?” Tony sounded anxious.

“Ere, you take’em. It’s best they be in the hands of a doctor, anyways.”

McKay tried to place them in Tony’s hands, but John took them instead. “We’ll go over these.” He smiled.

“Yes, thank you, McKay,” Tony turned the friendship.

“No worries, gents,” McKay paused.

Tony was blind but he could hear the hesitation in the Australians voice. “Is there something else?” he asked.

McKay leaned forward, trying to whisper. “We’re calling it . . . The Polliwog?”

John smirked. Tony could feel his friends’ laughter. In a high stressful situation, it was to be expected. “If it makes people feel more comfortable, sure.” The doctor told him.

“Great. Well, g’night.” McKay said, walking away from them.

“Poor man,” Tony whispered, “Makes me wonder how everybody else is dealing with this.”

“If assigning that . . .thing a name will help make them comfortable, like you said, then I am all for it.” John muttered.

“John, how many capsules did he find?” Tony asked.

“Looks like five.”

“Read them off to me, one at a time.”

“Well, one of them is Advil at least.”

“That’ll help Marita. What else?”

“Uh . . .Diovan?”

“That’s blood pressure medicine. Keep going.”

“Sotalol?, I think?”

“That . . .that is a heart medicine. What’s next?”

“Skelaxon.”

“Hmm. Muscle relaxer. Last one?”

“Looks like . . . Depo . .Depo . . .Provera?”

Tony laughed, “That’s a birth control pill.”

“I don’t think we got to worry about being Adam and Eve just yet.” John returned the joke.

“Lets take the Advil to Marita. I could stand to use some myself.”

“How is your eye?”

“It still hurts, but that is be expected.”

“I am surprised you are not depressed as hell. I would be, if I lost one of my eyes.”

“I can’t afford to be depressed. I may be blind but these people need me. Unless of course there is another doctor on this island.” Tony laughed at the odds of such of thing.

As the two friends walked back to their section of the beach, they overheard the conversations of the surrounding people. They were all talking about the Polliwog.