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‘Perceive it to be? You mean it’s not really this hot?’
‘Exactly. Your body is a fallible animal. Simply ignore its false information.’
‘Oh, thanks so much! That’s a great help!’
‘You are welcome, Mr Linton.’
That should have settled the matter - or at least so I thought, until, after a few more moments, I heard another sound from behind me.
Thud!
Unless a monkey had just toppled out of a tree, that was the sound of a falling secretary. I felt a muscle in my jaw twitch. She had come on this trip. It was her burden to bear, her task to accomplish alone. That’s what I paid her for, after all.
And yet…
And yet…
&n
bsp; Muttering a low invective, I turned around and marched back to the spot where Miss Linton lay on the ground, panting and gazing blearily at my feet.
‘In case there was a miscommunication, Mr Linton,’ I told her, my voice cold enough to freeze the constant rain dripping from the leaves overhead, ‘we are not stopping for the night yet. Because, as you might have noticed, it isn’t night yet. Get up!’
‘Pfft…!’ she said. Normally, I would have appreciated such brevity. Right now, however, I would have preferred a ‘Yes, Sir! Immediately, Sir!’
‘Mr Linton!’
‘Ffff…fff…Pfft…!’
I cocked my head, regarding her coolly. ‘Am I to infer from your excessive panting that you do not have the wherewithal to continue?’
‘Pff…pff…’
Glaring balefully, she raised her head to look at me. ‘I’m not weak, darn you! This is inhuman! Nobody can manage this!’
I looked down at her, trembling on the ground - and suddenly, I was seized by the insane urge to kneel down and hold her in my arms. Had I gone mad? Bodily contact would provide additional heat, and would be completely counter-productive in these surroundings! What was the matter with me?
Shaking off the mad idea, I gave her another cold look.
‘Indeed? I seem to be managing. And so, believe me, do the numerous native tribes living in this jungle.’
‘There are people living in this hell? Of their own free will?’
She looked so horrified and lost…
No bodily contact. No. Bodily. Contact!
‘Indeed there are.’
‘How do they stand it?’
You’d be surprised what people can stand, when they’ve never known anything else.
I shrugged and turned away. Better not to see her. Better not to stand too close. ‘Unlike you, they are resilient. And I believe they wear somewhat less clothing than you or I. Now, are you going to get up, or will I have to drag you up?’
There was a moment of silence. Long, thoughtful silence. When finally she said, ‘All right. I’ll get up,’ I felt as if I’d missed a part of the conversation. What was going on in her mind?
Better not ask. It’s probably safer.
