Follow Your Star, Jennifer Bohnet [best fiction novels to read txt] 📗

of that could be sold and then both she and Ralph tried to look at the logistics of the whole thing. From producing, to harvesting, to storing, to marketing and – a major stumbling block – actually getting the stuff out of the jungle.

‘We need to organize a meeting with the villagers,’ Ralph said, ‘before we get too carried away. Find out exactly how they would like things to work – if in fact they think it’s a good idea.’

‘You do think they’ll go for it, don’t you?’ Vanessa asked anxiously. ‘It’s for their future, not ours.’

Ralph was silent for a moment.

‘I’m not sure. Remember the warning I was given before my accident not to interfere? Not all the villagers like us, me, being here. This Rio guy seems to have the villagers agreeing to his boss’s every move. You need to convince the head shaman that the villagers will benefit. It’s all a matter of trust,’ he added. ‘They like you so hopefully they will trust you enough to work with you.’ He glanced at her. ‘You know what they call you don’t you?’

Vanessa shook her head.

‘Pacchumama – roughly translated it means Earth Mother. They love the way you are with the animals and the children.’

Vanessa smiled. ‘Do they really? Maybe at the celebration tonight we can put our ideas to them and see if they’ve got any of their own,’ Vanessa said. ‘You’re right – we do need to get them involved from the very beginning – if only to prove to them we don’t have any ulterior motives.’

‘You do realize just how much it is going to take to get this project off the ground?’ Ralph replied. ‘And to keep it running? I’m not just talking about money here – it’s going to take a huge amount of time.’

‘I know,’ Vanessa said. ‘But we’ve got to try.’

‘I’ll give you all the help I can but I’m already committed to other projects when we get back. I won’t be around full time – a lot of the organizing will fall on you.’

‘Organizing is something I’m good at,’ Vanessa said. ‘Right, tonight at the celebration party for your recovery, I’ll talk to Angela and the others.’

But while Angela was openly enthusiastic, some of the other women were hostile to the idea and Vanessa found herself having to explain again and again how a co-operative would work to their advantage. And, no, she wouldn’t personally benefit from it.

By the time she was sitting on the floor next to the head shaman outlining the way the villagers could protect their own futures, it was clear that opinion was divided.

‘We have an agreement with the outsider,’ said the head shaman, resplendent in his native dress and war paint. ‘He is already helping with the gold mine and next year he has promised to help with equipment for the nut harvest. His Brazilian man is due here again soon to pay us for the gold we have mined, so we shall have money for necessary supplies.’

At his words, Vanessa felt her heart sank. ‘You don’t think…?’

He held his hand up to stop her. ‘We are people of our word. So, I thank you for your concerns, but we are already committed.’

Beside her, Angela said something quickly and the shaman answered with an emphatic shake of his head before he stood up and moved away.

‘Is that it then?’ Vanessa said turning to Angela.

Angela nodded. ‘The men are sure this man will do more and more to help us – besides, they are also aware of the dangers of upsetting him,’ she added quietly.

‘What about the women? They could do something themselves,’ Vanessa said, trying to hide her disappointment.

Angela shook her head. ‘The men would forbid it.’

Later that night when Vanessa and Ralph had returned to their hut and were preparing to climb into their hammocks she said sadly, ‘I was really looking forward to organizing the co-op. I even had a name ready, “Fruits of the Forest”.’

‘Maybe it’s for the best,’ Ralph said, trying to comfort her. ‘We’ll be home in a few weeks. You’ll have to put your organizational skills to work on marketing my film. Bring the plight of the jungle and its inhabitants to the world’s attention that way.’

‘Of course I’ll do everything possible to publicize your film,’ Vanessa said, ‘but I wanted to do something, try to make a difference, myself. I still can’t believe that they’ve turned the idea of a co-operative down because of some sleazy guy the head shaman has given his word to.’

‘This outsider, as the shaman calls him, clearly thinks he’s on to something sending his henchman from Rio all this way into the forest,’ Ralph said thoughtfully. ‘Wonder who he is?’

Vanessa shrugged and shook her head. ‘We’ll never know. I just wish the villagers could see that the co-operative would have given them so much more control over their own future – and that of the jungle,’ she added.

For the next couple of days Ralph concentrated on getting as much filming done as possible, before they began their long trek back to civilization and then home. As their day of departure drew near, Vanessa found herself thinking more and more about the twins. Keeping in touch had proved impossible from so deep in the jungle and she was looking forward to reaching Manaus on the Amazon in a few weeks and being able to telephone them.

She didn’t mention the co-operative idea to anyone again and was surprised when Angela brought the subject up as they prepared bowls of vegetables for the evening meal together.

‘Nobody has come to buy our gold,’ Angela said. ‘Some of the men think you have put the evil eye on it.’

Vanessa looked at her horrified.

‘The shaman is insisting that you and Ralph attend a village council meeting this evening. He wants to hear what you have to say before deciding what to do.’

‘Well done you two,’ Nanette said as the twins came running towards her, having been collected by Mathieu