By Kaol, art by RJL

It was a beautiful morning, she thought to herself, as she walked past the lagoon. The sun was shining, the humidity was down, and the clear water sparkled as if containing uncut diamonds. This thought made Mary Ann smile to herself, as she considered how that image would have excited the Howells far more than the natural beauty before her did.

In fact, on days like this, she could almost forget that she was trapped on this island with no way off. It had been a year now and she sometimes wondered if escape might ever occur. That gloomy thought was not allowed to tarry today, however, and she pushed it swiftly aside. If she simply thought of this as an extended tropical vacation, it somehow made the day much easier to accept.

Stopping beneath a banana tree, Mary Ann looked up and saw a bunch of green bananas dangling just overhead. She had come out this morning in search of bananas for her much favored banana crème pie. It would have been expected that everyone would grow tired of it by now, but it was still a delicacy among their very limited menu. Setting down her basket, Mary Ann placed her hands on her hips and considered the tree. She was dressed for the occasion, wearing her close fitting denim shorts and a red halter top tied beneath her breasts. It had occurred to her that she might ask Gilligan to retrieve the bananas for her, but experience had demonstrated that such a request was far more likely to end in some unforeseen disaster. Spitting on her hands, and smiling with an effervescent and never ending cheerfulness, she grasped the trunk of the tree and began to shimmy up it, her bare feet embracing the trunk with practiced agility. Having been raised on a farm, Mary Ann was certainly not afraid of hard work.

Mary Ann reached the top of the tree, and with a seashell knife constructed by the Professor, managed to cut free a bunch of bananas which dropped to the sandy beach beneath her. Her task accomplished, she was about to begin climbing back down, when she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Glancing in that direction, she saw that Ginger was out this morning as well, and walking around the other side of the lagoon. She was dressed in her typical fashion, wearing a low cut gold lame' gown with a long slit up the side. Mary Ann had never understood why Ginger insisted on continuing to wear such unpractical clothing. Ginger had insisted that a simple girl from Kansas couldn't be expected to understand, and Mary Ann had to concede the correctness of that judgment.

Mary Ann was about to call out to her, when she noticed something unusual. There was a large plant growing along the edge of the lagoon, and it was of a kind she had never seen before. It was very large and very colorful, but most of all it was very large. Brows drawing together, Mary Ann considered it, thinking she would need to bring it to the Professor's attention.

Ginger did not seem to notice the plant, however, as she glanced down at the path. Mary Ann now noticed that Ginger had a towel in her hand and was likely heading to take a shower at the waterfall before the men were up and about.

Suddenly, Mary Ann gasped as something completely unbelievable occurred. She had seen and experienced much since being shipwrecked here, but this was a first. Without warning, a thick tendril whipped out from the plant and wrapped about Ginger's ankle. Ginger was jerked to a standstill and looked about in confusion before glancing down. The wrist-thick stem began curling and winding its way up her calf, embracing her like some botanical serpent.

"Oh my gosh!" Mary Ann hissed, almost under her breath. Ginger's arms were up at her sides as she looked down in astonishment at this unexpected antagonist. Engaged such, she did not see as an upper tendril shot out from the plant and spun about her left wrist. She was jerked sideways towards the plant then, the towel dropping from her grasp.

Mary Ann's jaw dropped open as she saw the plant behave in an even more inexplicable fashion. In the center of the tendrils was what appeared to be a bright orange, podlike form. It seemed about six feet in height and four feet in girth. It was now bending slowly forwards towards Ginger, and Mary Ann saw an aperture at its top begin to widen. With a horrified realization, Mary Ann understood what was going to happen next.

Apparently Ginger realized as well, as her red head began to shake and Mary Ann could hear her cry out a scream of negation. It was obvious that this plant, or animal, or whatever it was, intended to eat Ginger.

Mary Ann knew she had to do something, but she couldn't decide what. She could run over and try to save Ginger herself, or she could go back for the Skipper and Gilligan. But if she did that, Ginger might already be eaten by the time she came back. She had no choice but to try and do something herself. After all, she did have the seashell knife. It might do some good.

"Hold on, Ginger!" Mary Ann piped as she began edging quickly backwards down the tree. She wasn't at all certain she could reach Ginger in time, but she knew that she had to try. Glancing to her side as she went down, she saw that the plant had lifted Ginger in the air, and was moving her, head first, towards its opening, a pink goo dripping from what Mary Ann thought of as the plant's lips. Ginger's legs were kicking vigorously, trying to reach ground and free herself. However, the tendrils of the plant were looped too tightly about her and she had no way of escaping.

Mary Ann hit the ground running. Fists clenched, arms pumping, she dashed along the path leading to where she had seen Ginger. As she ran, she screamed out, "Professor! Skipper! Gilligan!" again and again, hoping that one of them might be up and within range of her voice. Actually, she hoped one of the first two were up and within range of her voice. She really wasn't too sure if she wanted Gilligan to be the one to arrive at this point.

Mary Ann went around the bend of the lagoon, and could see Ginger now around 100 yards away. To her dismay, the creature had indeed begun eating Ginger, forcing the actress into its maw. It had swallowed her head and shoulders and was continuing to force its struggling meal deeper into its body. Ginger was still alive, however; her muffled screams and writhing body were evidence of that. That meant there was still time to save her. Maybe. Mary Ann winced at imagining how it must feel to be within the creature, being eaten alive.

Continuing her cries for help, Mary Ann raced forward. She never imagined she'd be facing such perils in her life, but one thing life on this island had taught her was that she could do far more than she ever expected.

Including running into quicksand when least expecting it. One moment she had been racing forward with no thoughts of her own safety in mind, almost within arms reach of Ginger and the attacking flora, the next she suddenly found the deceptively solid looking sand beneath her feet was not so solid after all. This was two surprises in one day for her, and two surprises too many. She had not encountered quicksand in this area before, and she had never seen a plant such as the one that had now swallowed the still struggling Ginger up to her hips.

Mary Ann had never fallen into quicksand before. She knew of two other locations on the island that contained this substance, but others had discovered it and so she had cautiously avoided those areas. The Professor could likely explain how it had suddenly developed here, but Mary Ann could only feel it, not understand it. Her motion had forced her forward into the bog, and it circled lazily about her two thighs which rose out of the sand like twin tree trunks. She shifted her legs back and forth, testing how firmly she was caught, and in spite of straining, she could not raise her knees high enough to break the surface.

In spite of the immediate peril she knew both she and Ginger were in, Mary Ann was able to notice an amazing number of things, as if the world had suddenly veered into slow motion. She noted that the sand about her bare skin was actually warm and not unpleasant in its way. She had expected quicksand to be abrasive, but in fact the lubrication it received from the water made it actually feel rather stimulating, as if she was getting a massage. Her eyes were captivated by the movement of the quicksand about her thighs as it rippled and danced in response to the pumping of her legs. It almost gave the impression of being alive.

As if breaking out of a trance, Mary Ann looked up and saw Ginger's rounded posterior sliding gently into the plant's 'mouth'. This galvanized Mary Ann and she began pumping her legs more desperately now, knowing that her friend's life depended on her escaping the clutches of this sandy trap. Yet it almost felt as if her legs had been caught in some type of glue, and all her efforts did was trap her further, like a fly on flypaper. "Hold on, Ginger!" she cried out, hoping that Ginger could still hear her within the plant. Apparently Ginger could, as her legs began kicking with renewed vigor a moment later.

Yet in spite of her optimistic cry, Mary Ann was beginning to realize she was in a serious predicament herself. She was sinking into this quicksand, and it was already just beneath the cuffs of her shorts. All her struggles had failed to move her one inch forward or upward, although she had made several inches downward. Her arm holding the seashell knife waved desperately towards the carnivorous plant, yet was too far away to make contact. Mary Ann continued waving, hoping to attract the plant's attention. If it snaked out one of its vines in hopes of making her its next meal, it might pull her free from her own trap, and bring her close enough to free Ginger.

Luck was not with her, at least not of the good kind, and the plant steadfastly ignored her. Mary Ann watched with dismayed horror as Ginger's rump slid completely into the plant. Ruefully, Mary Ann looked down to see her own butt edging into the quicksand. It seemed that she and her roommate were both being devoured and both by unlikely assailants. Tilting back her head and fighting back tears of frustration, Mary Ann renewed her cries for help from the others.

All that remained uneaten of Ginger were her legs from the knees down, and Mary Ann found herself waist deep in the quicksand. She pawed at the sand about her, trying to reach for more stable soil, but her hand only slapped on quicksand, causing it to heave and roll mockingly about her. It was tight about her body and pressing her thighs together. Initially she hadn't really believed herself in any danger, her concern being only for Ginger. Now, however, she began to fear that not only would Ginger disappear, but so would she. The others would have no idea what might have happened to them, as they would be gone with no trace or clue as to their whereabouts.

"Mary Ann!" she heard a voice call from the distance, and her defeated heart leapt with joy...until she recognized the voice. "Mary Ann!" Gilligan cried again. "Where are you?"

It was a moment of decision for her. The quicksand was oozing seductively up her bare midriff now, and it occurred to her that there were far worse ways to die. None sprang to mind immediately, but if she had to rely on Gilligan for help, she considered that she could well discover them. It seemed questionable whether anyone could do anything for Ginger now, anyway, her high heeled feet only minutes from consumption. Mary Ann's bent arms now rested on the surface of the quicksand and it was only inches from supporting her breasts. She frowned and pondered the dilemma. With a heavy sigh, she decided she had to at least allow Gilligan to try, even though her demise might now become far less peaceful.

"Over here!" she cried out, waving her arms and causing her to settle another couple inches. She could feel the moisture of the quicksand on the undersides of her breasts now and shuddered at the sensation. Biting her lip, she waved her arms above her head again and felt the gentle touch of the quicksand through her blouse.

She could hear the rustling of bushes and cried out just as Gilligan stepped through. "Gilligan, it's quicksand! Watch your step!"

Surprisingly, Gilligan did stop before plunging in beside her. Perhaps she had a chance yet. "Mary Ann, what are you doing down there?"

"It's quicksand, silly. I'm stuck in it."

"Oh no," Gilligan said. "I better get the Skipper and the Professor!"

"No!" Mary Ann cried as he began to turn around. "No! There isn't time for that. Ginger's being eaten alive!"

Gilligan shook his head. "No way. This is a family show."

"Don't I know it," Mary Ann mumbled. "This is the most sensual experience I've had on this island so far." Clearing her throat, she said, "No, I mean that plant over there is eating her!" She gestured towards the plant.

"Oh my gosh!" Gilligan stammered. "What should I do? I can't save you both!"

"Get her first," Mary Ann said. "I should stay afloat a few more minutes."

"Yeah," Gilligan replied and reached forward. "Quick, give me your knife!"

Mary Ann hated to give any sharp object to Gilligan, but agreed he would likely need it to free Ginger. "Oh, okay," she said, handing it to him.

"Thanks," Gilligan said, and moved to step forward...right into the quicksand.

Mary Ann grabbed his foot before he could set it down, however. "Gilligan, this is quicksand!"

"Oh," said Gilligan. "But I need to hurry!" he exclaimed. Redirecting his foot, he placed his sneaker atop Mary Ann's head, and using her as a stepping stone, leaped across the quicksand towards the plant.

Mary Ann had only a moment to open her mouth in protest and could not stop Gilligan, although the weight of his body upon her drove her down into the quicksand like a sledgehammer on a tent spike. She went from breast deep to chin deep in a second, and failed to bob up again. Her arms were also beneath the surface of the quicksand now, and try as she might, she could not pull them upwards.

The quicksand was all about her, and Mary Ann turned her head in a semicircle, her expression anguished. The movement of the quicksand sent a tingling through her body, yet fear kept her from enjoying it. It was up to her jawline and moving up over her face. Her eyes were wide as she tried to decide what to do. If she cried for Gilligan, he could not save Ginger, yet if she didn't cry for him, she was doomed. Closing her mouth, lip trembling, she bravely awaited her fate and prayed for Ginger's rescue.

Ginger was completely inside the plant now, but Gilligan was hacking madly and seemingly ineffectively at it. Yet green juices were flying from the plant and its vines and tendrils were waving frantically. Mary Ann tilted her head back, trying to keep her mouth above the quicksand. She could feel its cloying wetness on the back of her head. Every instinct demanded she cry out for help, but with Ginger still within the plant, she could not permit herself that release.

As she slid beneath the surface, Mary Ann saw the plant's orifice open and begin disgorging Ginger. Beneath the surface of the gritty sand, Mary Ann smiled, before she disappeared completely beneath the surface of the dusky trap, a large air bubble exploding where she had been moments before.

Nearby, Ginger rose to her feet, her body coated in a gelatinous, pink goo. "Oh Gilligan, you saved me!" she said, leaning on him for support. "How did you find me?"

Gilligan grinned and pointed towards Mary Ann. "I heard Mary Ann calling...uh oh," he finished, his expression turning dismayed.

"What 'uh oh'?" asked Ginger looking at the empty piece of ground Gilligan had indicated.

"Um, Ginger, would you go stand over there please?"

Shrugging, Ginger complied, walking to the space Gilligan indicated. "Okay, I'm here. Why?"

"Cos that's the place in the quicksand where Mary Ann went under, and I want to be able to find it again once I go get a vine." he replied, rushing off into the jungle.

"Quicksand?" Ginger asked weakly as her feet gently eased into the yielding earth. She gasped as a hand wrapped around her ankle and she felt herself being pulled deeper into the shifting sands. A moment later a gasping head broke the surface while Ginger frantically windmilled her arms to keep her balance. Mary Ann blinked as the wet sand slid from her face. "Mary Ann," Ginger cried.

"Ginger," Mary Ann gasped. She looked up at the statuesque redhead in surprise. "But what are you doing in the quicksand. Didn't Gilligan save you?"

"Yes, he did," Ginger replied in disgust. "And then he pushed me in here while he prepared to save you."

Mary Ann held tightly to Ginger, frantically trying to keep her own head above the surface while Ginger moved gradually down to join her. "So what are our chances, do you think?" Mary Ann asked bravely.

"How long can you hold your breath?" Ginger asked.

Copyright Kaol-September 1997