The Field

The night wears on, still muggy and damp, for all of our tired, sore tribespeople. In the wee hours of morning and under the cover of darkness a bank of clouds have blown in from the west. Fat with sea water but not quite ready to burst yet the clouds sprinkle the hot praries and the island in much needed cool rain showers. The wind isn't too high but it picks up a little. All of the shelters hold and the ground is so hungry that mud doesn't become an issue. More than anything, it's all a relief from so much hot and uncomfortable weather. The oppresive air lifts.

By sunrise the clouds are hurrying on in the east where they gather in darkness. It's clear to see that the little island dodged quite a storm. The wind continues to be breezy and comfortable. It's a good, sunny day to wash out the soiled bedding and hang garments to dry.

Everyone comes together for breakfast, finding that they're famished even if they can't exactly look everyone in the eye after the experiences the day before. The cloudy feeling in the brain, while not completely dispelled, has been lessened a great deal. Most of the pollen has been blown away but the right look or touch will likely spark off another amorous frenzy. Helena suggests that people can take a second day to recover from the effects if they wish, or they are welcome to resume their work details if they'd rather do that.