An Oyster Bed

Velus swam in a tight circle, trying to get Fred's and Astra's attention. Fred noticed him first, and motioned to Astra to stop. Velus, seeing that they had both stopped, darted into the lagoon, into a bed of oysters. Fred and Astra gathered the shells by hand, and deposited them on the beach. They could have easily eaten them raw, but both of their tastes had been unaffected by their transformation, and they preferred to cook their food.

Fortunately, there was plentiful driftwood from somewhere. Perhaps this wood was jetsam from trees felled by a past hurricane. They could not tell. When they had gathered enough for a fire, Fred had started to rub two small sticks together, heating them to the point where they would catch on fire. Fred was amazed at how quickly they started. Astra pried open a couple of the oysters with sharp rock that she had found on the shore. No pearls - just squishy, filling, meat. She placed two dozen of them in the coals of a now steady fire.

Fred commented, "If I ever do return home, I would love to bring some of this wood back with me. It is a wonderful firestarter, and the smell it puts out is better than any herb or purfume that I have ever smelled."

"It is not a floral smell, but it is pleasing. I have a hard time describing it, though."

An oyster popped open. Astra grabbed a pair of driftwood sticks and quickly removed the oyster from the fire. A low sizzling sound and the great smell from the driftwood caused Fred's and Astra's mouths to water. They took a couple of the baked oysters and threw them into the sea, as a reward for Velus, who wolfed them down. Fred and Astra let the others cool enough to carry, and then submerged their lower halves in the lagoon, and ate a satisfying meal, while the pleasant smoke from the dying coals of the fire wafted in their direction. Filled with oyster meat and warmed by the coals, they were lulled into a sound sleep.

When they awoke the next morning, Fred saw a glint of very bright light, as if it had been reflected from a shiny surface, such as a mirror. The light came from

1. the northeast, whence they had come.
2. due west, somewhere inland.
3. from the southwest, somewhere along the beach.

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