On the Job

 

Fallon warily eyed the two Sprints behind them. “I’d feel more comfortable in the center of the group. Where are we going?”

“The rockpile. We carry rocks,” Drindl said. They were tall enough to look over the heads of the other prisoners. “Check it out.”

The mountain of gray rubble rock stood ten warriors high at least. Above the mountain, a dust wafted into the blue sky. Out above the ocean, tall clouds billowed up into the blue sky. “Cool front coming in,” Bebe said. When she was young, she had been taught to read the sky.

Fallon turned to Alithea. “Did you learn to read the sky in school? Maybe they will teach Erthen.”

Alithea shook her head. “I read flesh. Bebe reads sky. Warriors read the enemy in combat.” Maybe it was different here, she thought. Although it was difficult, there was no reason that Erthen could not learn to read sky. “What language will they teach him? He’s at that age.”

“We’ll teach him our language,” Fallon assured her.

“He’ll be tired at the end of the day,” Alithea reminded him.

“So will we,” Fallon nodded to the rubble ahead of them. The guards motioned them to pick up the rocks and take them along the beach. Stretching to his full height, Fallon saw Fae warriors sitting astride four enormous beasts. He turned to Drindl in amazement.

“They call them elephants,” Drindl said. Shading his eyes, he looked toward the sun dazzled water, then pointed to a jetty of rocks.

“Hey, you two,” Alpen growled. Fallon turned to him. “Listen. Some of these People are stooped from carrying rocks. They have been here a while. Maybe you can find out where they took Erthen. Remember, pace yourself.” He gave Bebe’s hand a squeeze then stepped forward and picked up a jagged boulder. Hefting it, he added, “Sharp edges, be careful.”

Bebe stepped forward, picked up a smaller rock and inspected it with curiosity. A guard standing higher up on the rubble, snapped his whip toward her to get her attention. She nodded, then turned to carry the rock toward the waiting elephants. Setting it down, she felt the thick, smooth floor of the travois. Alpen touched her shoulder to urge her on. “It’s a strong material. How did they make it?” she asked.

“Don’t tempt the whip again.” His tone was pleading, not commanding. “I will kill that fool if he strikes you with that.”

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When each travois was filled, the elephant pulled it down the beach to the jetty. Some of the prisoners were sent down the beach to unload the rocks. At midday, they rested and were given the same pressed food bars that they ate that morning.

“Bland but not rancid. We have an adequate store of energy,” Alithea remarked as she bit into the bar. “A plant-based product. I don’t taste any fish or Ibik, do you?” she asked Bebe before tipping the container of water to her lips. She handed it to Fallon. “Where does the water come from? It tastes fresh.” She looked to Drindl.

“I’ve only been here a week,” he answered. “I haven’t gotten sick.”

“Where did the jagged rocks come from?” Bebe asked. “There’s no smoothness. Who put the rocks here?”

Drindl shook his head. “It’s been here since I was brought here.” 

They sounded an alarm and the whole group returned to work. Unloading a rock, Alithea stole a moment and carefully felt the broad footprint of the giant beasts in the hard sand. She marveled that so much weight did not press down further into the sand.

Later in the day, someone nearby screamed and fell back onto the sand. The prisoners paused with their burdens as the woman held her arm forward and tried to staunch the blood. Alithea instinctively put her rock down and rushed to the kneeling woman. Alithea grabbed her hand and stretched her arm to the sky. When the woman pulled her arm down, Alithea calmly held it there as she looked at the woman. “Keep it elevated,” she said to the woman. Her matter of fact tone prompted obedience.

Alithea looked about her, then tore a strip from her own garment and swiftly tied the tourniquet around the woman’s arm. She lowered the arm to inspect the wound and was frustrated that her surgery kit was back at the cave where they had been captured.

“Fallon, water please.” The ocean was nearly within reach, but she needed drinking water. She turned towards Fallon and looked up at the figure of a Cawthingi guard. From this position, she could rotate into a kick that would disable him. Instead she passively let herself be brushed away as the guard pushed her shoulder. Looking past the guard, she saw Fallon rushing to the rescue but held up her hand. “I’m fine.”

Fallon extended the container of fresh water to show the guard. Alithea made a washing motion on her own arm and pointed to the injured woman. Fallon stepped forward with the container, but the guard brought his rod down on Fallon’s arm and the container fell to the ground. Steadying it, Alithea kept half of the water in the container. Fallon turned to attack the guard.