The Carrier - Episode Seven

by Willan Ellis

'Teanne? Wake up!'

  'Mi haus!'

  'Wake up!' Lin finally relented and slapped Teanne across the face who sat up quickly and angrily looked around, finally looking at Lin, who looked at her cautiously, 'are you alright?'

  It took Teanne a few moments to gather her senses and work out where she was, but finally she nodded and stood. 'Where in mothers name were you?' Teanne looked at Lin confused, 'I woke up and you were gone. I have been looking for you all morning and then suddenly you are back. You were just lying there, I thought you were dead.'

  Teanne looked up at the sky, the sun was at its peak. Mid Afternoon? I was only gone for a few moments.

  'Well?' The tone in Lin's voice brought her attention back from her own thoughts, and she looked at the far off mountain peak. The cloud was gone. A chill went up Teanne's spine and she suddenly felt nauseous.

  'I... I... I'm not sure?' Teanne lied.

  'And since when do you speak Mesi?' Lin asked planting her hands on her hips,

  'What are you talking about?'

  'You were mumbling in Mesi, my home, I'm home' Teanne rose an eyebrow at Lin, which prompted an angry response 'I am a Sister Elite remember? I speak dialects other than the common tongue.' Teanne lowered her head shamefully, Lin approached and put her hand on Teanne's shoulder,

  'I'm sorry, you just scared me.'

  'I'm a little scared right now too,' Teanne replied and took another look at the mountain peak,

  'Are you sure it was Mesi I was speaking?' Lin nodded and Teanne took a long drawn breath.

  'Can we just put it the can't explain, it must be the Estrus pile?' Teanne offered, hoping that Lin would allow them to move on. Lin took an angry breath and walked to the edge of the mountain.

  'For now.' Lin finally replied. She looked over her shoulder and motioned Teanne closer, 'our friend is waiting for us to move. There is not enough day left to make the border. I think we should stay here another night and leave at first light tomorrow.'

  The thought of staying another night at this camp-site made Teanne anxious, she avoided looking at the far off mountain again and looked back toward Luia, and finally saw the young girl crouching under an overhanging branch, patiently waiting.

  'Shall we go and introduce ourselves?' Teanne asked light-heartedly trying to lighten Lin's mood.

  'Go to her?' Lin asked, a small smile creeping to her lips. Teanne nodded. Lin turned and went back to the campsite packing up their belongings and extinguished the fire.

  'Ready when you are.'

  The Aakash Mountains – Mid Afternoon.