100. The Wonder Pot
Billy is lying dead still, overwhelmed by the moment, while Kadin slowly messages the wonder oil onto his back. Koko had been quite distressed about the state of his back and also over Kadin’s ankle and took them one by one to the warm fire at the back of the cave where Eldrich was recuperating. First, she doctored Billy’s back with the wonder oil while Kadin was looking on and eventually took over. Then it was time for Kadin’s ankle. Billy eventually took over and now they are treating each other. Amazed at the results of the sensational wonder oil they wanted to know from what and how it is made. Boeta and Koko took them on an expedition for a day to show them everything.
They travelled far along a gorge and with a bank climbed up against a cliff and reached a forest at the top. Carefully and on the watch out for cannibals, they approached the woods. It was not necessary to go deep into the woods and risking the danger to be cut off. They were astonished to find the origin of the wonder cure. It was blue gum trees’ fresh leaves that they harvested easily and quickly and carried back in a bag to Boeta and Koko’s cave. Boeta quickly kindled a fire. Billy and Kadin curiously watched the process. Boeta put aside a tripod made of thick logs and thongs while Koko fetched a cast iron pot and a little plastic bucket from their shelter at the back of the cave. Koko showed them how to bruise the leaves thoroughly before she put it in the pot that she only use for this purpose. The wonder oil is poisonous and only meant for external use.
Boeta now takes the plastic bucket and shows it to them. “Look at this. Do you know it? It is extremely precious and we store it in our shelter in the coolest corner.”
Billy identifies it immediately: “Coconut oil refined for cooking. Where did you find it, Boeta?”
Boeta smiles: “This is now as precious as gold, Billy. I gathered a lot when I could still venture it outside of these gorges. My parents luckily stored quite a lot of this in our pantry on the farm and when I visited the neighboring farms, I discovered more of it and carried it back to the cave. We have quite a handsome stock and use it sparingly.”
Kadin is curious. “What are you using it for? Only to make this wonder oil?”
Billy and Boeta smile and Billy explains: “No, Kadin, don’t you know coconut oil? Mostly you use it to roast food.”
Kadin’s eyes widen. “Oh, we always use sunflower oil or butter. But you now waste it if it is so valuable?”
Boeta shakes his head: “No, we are not wasting it. We are going to make fresh eucalyptus oil that we are going to need in the future.”
Billy fills her in: “Very unhealthy, Kadin. Those processed vegetable oils are poisonous and even become more poisonous how hotter we make them. It is Omega 6 oil that causes inflammation in your veins. The best oil that stays wholesome when you heat it is this coconut oil and it is well preserved if you keep it in a cool place, much longer than butter.”
Kadin rolls her eyes: “Why are you so clever? And butter? Is it okay?”
Billy confirms: “Excellent if you use it naturally. Essential vitamins are lost when you heat it. And there is an important acid in coconut oil not in butter. But if you want to cook with butter it is better to make ghee because the proteins in butter tend to sear.”
Kadin frowns. “How do you know all these things, Billy?”
Billy smiles complacently: “I did quite a lot of research over health and eating habits, my dear, because I realized we are lied to. The one says this and the other one that, so you have to do some research to find out what makes the most sense.”
Koko takes the bucket of coconut oil, opens the lid, and curiously Kadin peeps inside. “Hi, it looks stiff and hard.”
Boeta explains: “It is nice and cool at the back where I store it so that it will keep for a long time. It is a saturated fat that sets when it is cooled and liquefies quickly into an oil when it becomes warmer.”
Kadin watches Koko intently when she uses the stainless steel tablespoon to scratch the coconut fat lose and pushes it with her fingers into the little pot on top of the crushed leaves. She puts on the lid and put it aside. Boeta gathers the coals made by the fire and pushes the stumps that have not burnt to coals yet aside. He puts the tripod over the coals and gestures to Billy to come nearer.
He holds his hand over the coals and tests the height until he finds the correct temperature. He indicates to Billy to come and hold his hand there.
“Feel it! This is the precise warmth and remember how much coal you should use to keep the fire burning long enough.”
Billy holds his hand and feels how warm it should be at that height while Boeta explains: “Remember what you have just felt. The pot mustn’t become too hot, but warm enough and it is going to take six hours so the coal must be enough. I start at this height and will lower the pot systematically almost every hour as the coals become colder. It’s like our own slow cooker.”
Billy nods while Boeta hangs the pot high over the coals with its bottom where he felt the correct temperature.
Koko joins them with pieces of dried meat and a cup of water for each. “We are now going to relax while we devour our dried meat and gulp our water while the fire is going to slowly make our wonder oil. In a while, you will begin to smell the wonderful aroma. We will just have time enough to join the others before dusk with our fresh bottle of oil.”
Billy nods. “So, the leaves slowly dissolve in the coconut oil?”
Boeta nods. “Yes, you can use other oils as well but that is all we have here and it works well. Coconut oil, in any case, is beneficial for your skin as well.”
Kadin wonders: “By the way, people, do you think Donavan and Jonathan will find a safe exit without the monsters entrapping us?”
Boeta shrugs his shoulders. “I’m not so sure. I have roamed all over the place and was entrapped a few times and was only lucky not to be caught. It is as if they have become shrewder. Every time I ended up in a forest at the end of a gorge or when I climbed up to the top where the trees unluckily provided enough shade so that they could handle the light. It seems that they have sentries all over the place who can call their mates over long distances and then the fat is in the fire.”
Billy tries: “You have told the two soldiers that but it looks as if they believe there should be a safe exit. So, let’s hope.”
Boeta nods: “I have enlightened them about all the gorges and tributaries that I’ve tried and what I found. So, the plan is Donovan will go to the left into the branches and Jonathan to the right down the branches I haven’t yet investigated. That is why they expect to stay away maybe for more than one day. So, we will see. Who knows?”
Kadin frowns. What if there is really no way to get out?”
Billy shakes his head. “I refuse to believe that. There must be a way!”
Suddenly Kadin inhales deeply. “Oh, that’s nice! I am smelling it distinctly.”
Boeta smiles. “Yes, the leaves are starting to dissolve in the coconut oil.”
Koko rises from where she silently was sitting with her coconut oil bucket, takes off the lid of the pot with a stick, and peeps into the pot. She adds a little oil and puts the lid back on. Instantly the strong aroma hits their sinuses so strongly so Kadin feels dizzy.
Amazed her eyes widen. “Hell! The smell is vicious. I’m feeling as dizzy as a lady after a drinking party.”
They all laugh at her funny reaction before Boeta explains: “Koko will watch it carefully and will touch up with oil only when necessary. She knows her story …”
Koko looks back at Boeta when she hears her name. She smiles at him lovingly. She sits down closely next to him and they look into each other’s eyes. Kadin is aware of the desire that burns between them. She shifts closer to Billy and they also stare at each other. It is as if the aroma of the fresh oil fires the appraisal and yearning deep inside them. The two couples suddenly melt into each other’s arms in front of the pot. Each pair is unaware of the other.
All that exists now are their lovers.