Arid

by Joyce, Anne

  “I haven’t seen birds in so long… other than crows and buzzards. Those birds didn’t look like either,” Xiomara gasped.

  “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Joshua glanced at Julio.

  “I’m with you, bro. Someone else can cover the grave.” Julio threw down his shovel.

  “Where are you going?” Paola said.

  “We’re going to find some food. It’s cool enough right now to set out on a journey,” Joshua replied.

  “When you see birds, it’s a good sign. They know where the food and water are.” Julio pulled a bandana from his pocket and tied it around his face.

  “Can I go with you? Please, please, please,” Paola begged.

  “If it’s all right with your mother,” Josh said. Maria nodded. “Okay, then let’s go get our flashlights and water containers. You’ll need something to wrap around your face so you don’t get sunburned.”

  Paola took Joshua’s hand and walked with him to his hut. Maria watched them with a smile. Josh was more of a father to her than her real father ever was. Maria had married Juan because she was young, pregnant, and scared. He promised to fulfill her greatest dreams, but Juan proved to be as useless as his words. He had been an abusive husband and a negligent father. His reign of terror ended when he tried to get tough with a Purifier and received a fatal blow to the head. Maria never admitted how relieved she was to be rid of him. It was the only good thing a Purifier ever did for any of them.

  “Rest in peace, Edgar. I wish the world was a better place.” Blane shoveled the last of the dirt over the grave.

  “It won’t be the same without him,” Skylar said.

  “You’re right. Who will Julio argue with now?’ Blane replied.

  “All of my efforts are futile. I saved hundreds of lives at the hospital, but I can’t help anyone here.” Xiomara threw up her hands.

  “The odds are stacked against you. We’re living in a crude, harsh environment. None of us are equipped to deal with it,” Blane replied.

  “I’m tired of having a front row seat to the suffering. I don’t want to think about who is next. I can’t do us any good,” she sighed.

  “That’s not true and you know it. Who found some aloe for Blane when he was scourged with sunburn? You did! When Josh was sick from eating bad food, you gave him something to settle his stomach. We’d fall apart without you,” Skylar said.

  “Edgar was old and in poor health. He couldn’t handle this place, and that’s not your fault in any way. You’ve got to stop beating yourself up,” Blane said.

  “He’s right. You’re taking this way too hard,” Skylar agreed.

  Xiomara stared off for a moment. “Edgar kind of reminded me of my fiancé. Miguel was better with people, but he was very outspoken and wise like Edgar. I think that’s why it’s bothering me so much.”

  “You’re engaged?” Skylar raised an eyebrow.

  “I was engaged… back when things were normal. He was a surgical technician at the hospital. He was a kind-hearted humanitarian who wanted to make the world a better place. We hit it off right away, of course. We lived in a flat together when all of the chaos started. He was driving home one night and got carjacked. Some thugs saw a jug of water in the front seat and they killed him for it.”

  “I’m so sorry,” Skylar gasped.

  “It was a long time ago. I wish I could’ve saved him, but it was out of my control. The same is true for Edgar. You’re good friends for helping me realize that.” She smiled.

  “Let’s go inside and relax for a while. I’m sure you could use a nap,” Blane suggested.

  Xiomara nodded. Blane put his arm around her and walked with her to her hut.

  “Where are you, Maria?” Skylar called.

  “I’m over here looking for some rocks to put over the grave. I don’t want any animals to disturb it,” she called from a small patch of brush. She emerged with a large stone and dropped it onto Edgar’s resting place.

  “Good idea.” Skylar walked over to Julio’s hut, picked up the broken concrete block in front of it, and laid it on the grave. “Whatever we can do to keep the buzzards and coyotes away.”

  “Julio won’t like that. He calls that thing his ‘step.’”

  “He can get by without it,” Skylar replied.

  “I guess he’ll have to jump into his house now. He sure wasn’t blessed with height.” Maria smiled. They giggled.

  “How’s she doing?” Skylar asked when she saw Blane approaching.

  “She’s sleeping.”

  “Good, she was getting too worked up. The constant lack of sleep is taking its toll,” Skylar said.

  “I can’t say I blame her. Burying your friends shouldn’t be a normal part of your life.” Maria stood and wiped her hands on her jeans, then stared at her hand. “I think an insect bit me. My hand is tingling.”

  “Let me see.” Skylar shined her flashlight on Maria’s hand. “It’s red. Does it hurt?”

  “It feels like I’ve been shocked.”

  “Maria, I think a scorpion got you.” Skylar furrowed her brow. “Their stings tend to feel like mini bolts of lightning. Trust me, I know.”

  “Oh, shit!” Maria gasped.

  “Come with me.” Blane put a hand on Maria’s shoulder and guided her towards Xiomara’s hut. Skylar followed.

  ***

  “Hey, everybody get out here! Come see what we’ve got.” Maria looked through the window to see Julio triumphantly holding a snake. Xiomara blotted her forehead with a damp rag. “Where are you guys?” Julio called. Joshua shrugged.

  “I’ll let them know.” Skylar ran from the hut.

  “Check it out, Skylar. One of the cans in the ground was half-full of water and I killed a snake. He thought he could hide from me, but I outsmarted him. Are you hungry for some snake meat? Your husband can cook this thing, can’t he?” Julio grinned.

  Skylar looked worried. “You guys need to come to Xiomara’s,” she said.

  When they walked into Xiomara’s hut, Maria was sitting on the bed panting and sweating. “Lie back.” Xiomara put a pillow behind her.

  “I don’t want to lie down. It makes it harder to breathe,” Maria said.

  “Drink some water. It might make you feel better.” Skylar poured a glass from Joshua’s container and handed it to her.

  “What’s wrong?” Joshua asked.

  “She’s been stung by a scorpion,” Xiomara replied.

  “Can’t we have just one good day?” Julio groaned.

  “Is she going to die?” asked Paola.

  “Of course not, sweetie. Most scorpion stings are harmless,” Xiomara said.

  “Then why is she breathing like that?’ Paola said.

  “She may just be having a reaction to the venom,” Xiomara replied. Maria’s vision started to blur. A burning pain shot through her body. She buried her face in the pillow and blacked out.

  “Come outside with me, Xiomara,” Joshua whispered. “I don’t want to have this conversation in front of Paola.” Xiomara followed him outside. “Do you think she’s going to be all right?” he asked, a worried look creasing his brow.

  “It’s hard to say. Judging by her symptoms, I don’t think it was a Striped-tailed scorpion that stung her, which is good because that can be an especially nasty species. It’s possible she’s having an allergic reaction to the venom. It might not be a severe reaction, but her breathing problems concern me. Now that I think of it, the thing was probably a bark scorpion.”

  “What the hell is that?”

  “They’re the little brown scorpions. I know you’ve seen them before if you ever watched the nature channel on TV. Their venom usually isn’t fatal but it tends to cause adverse effects, like severe pain and nausea.”

  “So, it could kill her?”

  “It’s rare for an adult to die from a bark scorpion. It’s most toxic to children and pets. I’m worried about her throwing up, though.”

  “What can we do?”

  “She needs t
o see a doctor. At the very least she needs medicine.”

  “Well, you know we can’t get her to a doctor.” Joshua kicked at a rock on the ground in frustration. “We can ask the Purifiers for medicine when we see them. I doubt they’ll oblige.”

  “I know,” she sighed. “It’s not right that she has to suffer like this. Why don’t you and Blane get a fire going and cook that snake? I’ll stay with her.”

  ***

  Everyone but Maria sat around the fire and enjoyed their meal. Xiomara took a little food to Maria and Joshua went to check on her after dinner. She was in a deep sleep when he arrived. She was snoring and her thick eyelashes fluttered. “She didn’t eat much. She said her stomach was upset. I rolled her on her side and it sounds like she’s got a decent air exchange. It’s a good sign,” Xiomara informed him.

  “You said she needs medicine. Is there anything around here that could help her?”

  “If we had more water, I could clean the wound. There are certain plant oils that might ease her symptoms, but I don’t think you’ll find those types of plants in the desert,” Xiomara replied.

  “Write down anything you can think of,” Joshua instructed. “I’ll set out tomorrow before the sun is up.”

  “Be careful, Josh.”

  “I’ll let Paola stay at my place for now. Try to get some rest.”

  ***

  A faint light glowed in the eastern sky when Joshua gathered his supplies and crept out the door, relieved that he didn’t wake Paola. She stayed curled up on her straw mattress on the floor. He was in no mood to argue about why she couldn’t come along. To his disappointment, it was already much warmer than the day before. It was going to be a risky and dangerous trip, and he asked himself why he was making it. I don’t know if I’m brave or just a fool, he thought. He flung his knap-sack over his shoulder and headed north, his flashlight leading the way. He thought a lot about Maria during his long, quiet walk and realized his fear of losing her was much greater than his fear of ending up like Edgar.

  He dodged a scorpion as it scurried across his path. “This is your fault,” he grumbled. He shined his flashlight in the direction of some cans he placed in the ground several weeks ago. He lifted the rocks from the small plastic sheet covering the cans and took his supplies out of his knap-sack. He pried the cans from their shallow holes and emptied their contents into his container. “That’s about a third of a cup,” he sighed. “Not good enough.” A faint hissing sound to his right made him drop his container and freeze.

  What the hell is that? It was too dark to make out even a silhouette. He grasped his flashlight and turned ever so slowly. An angry Gila Monster flicked its purple tongue. “Oh, shit! I didn’t mean to step onto your turf. I’ll just be on my way now,” he whispered. The lizard took a step back and dug its nails into the earth. Joshua slowly hauled himself up and took a few steps backward. The Gila Monster hissed again and crawled under some rocks. Joshua snatched his belongings and hurried away. He walked several yards before stopping and wiping his brow. That was way too close. I hope there aren’t any more nearby. He shined his flashlight around. He’d never heard of anyone being killed by a Gila Monster, but he knew how painful and debilitating their bite and venom could be.

  The sun began to peek over the mountains. He used to love the sight of the western sunrise, but now it just seemed ominous. He glanced to his left and almost let out a cry of joy when he saw a shack several hundred feet away. I don’t remember seeing this hut before. He closed his knap-sack, walked cautiously toward it and peered in. A skeleton lay on the floor. Empty water cans were strewn around.

  Joshua tore the hut apart but found no supplies of any kind. The man’s only possessions were a straw mattress, some empty wicker cupboards, and the clothes on his back. He searched the dead man’s pockets and pulled out a picture of a smiling woman with dark hair and emerald green eyes. The Purifiers dumped him here with a few cans of water and left him to die just like all the rest. Joshua felt his anger rise.

  “I hope you’re with her now,” Joshua murmured as he tucked the picture back into the corpse’s pocket and walked outside.

  “Josh, you’re drenched in sweat,” Xiomara said when he staggered to her hut half an hour later.

  “Here, this is all I could find.” He handed her the water container. He went back to his hut and collapsed on the floor, then crawled over to his water cans. He couldn’t hold back. He drank three days’ worth of water rations.

  “Josh, are you okay?” Paola asked.

  “I think I really screwed up this time.”

  Chapter Three

  Where the hell am I? Dirt and debris were all around him. Did I pass out on the ground? He sat up. He’d fallen asleep on the floor of his hut. His eyes burned and his throat felt like sandpaper. The wind howled outside. Dust blew through the crevices of his poorly constructed home and covered the floor. He stumbled outside and caught a whiff of smoke. He made his way over to the ruins of a small garage near the camp. Xiomara, Skylar, Julio, and Paola were seated around a fire. Blane stood beside it, roasting a large hunk of meat.

  “Hey, you’re just in time for dinner.” Blane grinned.

  “What are you making?”

  “Julio caught a javelina,” he replied.

  “How did you even find a lone javelina? I thought they traveled in packs.” Joshua said.

  “I don’t know. I was sitting on the roof with my binoculars and I spotted him.” Julio smiled.

  “Good eye,” Joshua said, amazed by his friend’s hunting abilities.

  “Here. This is for you.” Skylar handed him a tin cup.

  “What’s this?” Joshua sat on the ground between Julio and Xiomara.

  “We each donated part of our daily water rations to you,” she replied.

  “You shouldn’t do that.”

  “I can tell by looking at you that you’re dehydrated. We needed to do something. We weren’t about to let you waste away,” Xiomara said.

  “Just don’t do anything stupid like that again,” Julio said.

  Joshua stared at the gray cup in his hand.

  “Drink it! We can’t lose you, Josh. You’re too important,” Paola said.

  “That’s sweet, but I don’t think I can be the savior you all need.” Joshua’s gut clenched.

  “Well, you brought back water to save my mom, so you are a savior,” Paola declared.

  Joshua smiled. He was relieved the wastelands hadn’t destroyed all her innocence, but it worried him that they expected so much of him. “Thanks, guys. How is Maria? Is there any change?”

  “Not really,” Xiomara replied.

  “We just have to hope for the best. I think it might rain tonight. It’s so windy; it’s hard as hell to keep this fire going,” Blane said.

  “Rain sounds too good to be true,” Julio replied.

  “I think Blane’s right. Look at those clouds to the west.” Xiomara gazed through the large hole in the roof.

  “The air feels different. Something’s headed our way,” Skylar added.

  “We’re really going to get rain?” Paola sat up. “Do you think it’ll storm?”

  “Nobody knows for sure. Don’t get your hopes up,” Julio said.

  “That would explain why the animals were stirring this morning. I saw a damned Gila Monster and I usually don’t see them unless it’s going to rain,” Joshua mused.

  “When did you see a Gila Monster?” Julio turned toward him.

  “When I went to find more water and things for Maria.”

  “Why didn’t you kill it? That could’ve been our dinner tomorrow night.” Julio threw up his hands.

  “All I’ve got is a tiny knife. I wasn’t about to risk being bitten. Their bites are excruciating.”

  “It would’ve been worth the risk, man. I’m sure they make a good meal,” Julio said.

  “It doesn’t matter now. He can’t go back in time and slaughter it. We need to focus on preparing for rain,” Skylar said.

  �
��You’re right. We need to put some cups in place.” Joshua walked to his hut. He emerged with several cups and a flimsy, fraying rope. He looped it through the cup handles and tied it to the baseboard of his shack. Julio removed his shoestrings and did the same with his drinking mugs.

  “Who’s ready to try some javelina?” Blane cut into the animal with Julio’s knife.

  “Me!” Paola raised her hands. Blane scooped food onto their plastic plates while Skylar passed them around. Joshua savored the gamy taste and eyed the others as they devoured their meal.

  “I feel like royalty, having a roasted meal two nights in a row. Well done, gentlemen.” Xiomara smiled at Blane and Julio.

  “My pleasure, your highness,” Blane said with a chuckle.

  “Your cooking was as wonderful as always.” Skylar beamed at her husband.

  “I’ll take a plate to Maria.” Joshua tore a hunk of meat from the animal’s bones. “Special delivery,” he said as he stepped into Xiomara’s hut.

  “What is it?” Maria uncurled herself from a fetal position.

  “Julio caught a damn javelina.” Joshua sank onto the edge of the bed.

  “Is there anything that boy can’t catch?” She sat up.

  “Julio’s the reason I know Bigfoot doesn’t exist. He would’ve drug a yeti carcass home by now,” Joshua said with a laugh.

  “Where’s Paola?”

  “She’s helping Blane and Skylar clean up.”

  “I’m still so nauseous. It’s hard to eat.” She rubbed her belly.

  “I know, but you’ve got to keep your strength up.” He hated to see the misery in her eyes

  “It’s not bad.” She shoved a chunk into her mouth. “Sounds like the wind is blowing outside.”

  “It’s got an odd flavor, but Blane grilled it to perfection as usual. And yeah, we think it might rain.”

  “Oh, I hope so. Are the cups set up?”

  “Of course.”

  “I don’t think I can eat anymore.” She set her plate on the end table and lay down. Her face was white again and sweat beaded on her forehead. “I hate feeling this way.”

  “I know it’s got to be awful.”

  “I felt like this during my entire first trimester. Paola did a number on my stomach back then. My morning sickness lasted all day and night. Juan didn’t want me to take any nausea medicine, either. He said she could end up with an extra limb or something. He told me to suck it up and deal with it.”