Evander spoke, “The sound is so distinct, but I can’t recall.”
A male creator drudge asked, “Should we be alarmed?”
Our weapons were poised for a possible ambush, unsure of what was crashing and roaring in the distance. The wind increased in velocity and howled in an unsettling way. Zander’s loud deep voice was nearly lost in the intensifying gusts.
He announced, “I don’t know. It is kind of a soothing sound. It’s calming, repetitive.”
We approached greenery so dense, one could not travel onward without struggle. We had to tread sidewise and squeeze through. Lamont was having a cumbersome time hunching his large frame between the sparse open spaces. For once, my petite body gave me the advantage. I moved with ease and was the first to maneuver my way out of the tangled maze. A marvelous sight met my senses. The scenery caused staggering motions from being overwhelmed with astonishment.
Water! Sparkling water was everywhere, as far as I could see. It was absolutely breathtaking. The rolling sounds we heard were coming from huge walls of water as they rose and fell. The walls of water would slam and flow into the rocky and smooth sand. Some of the waves were bigger, making roaring noises. Other waves were smaller and sounded less powerful. The water moved with different shades of blue and white foamy ends. Gasps filled the air, as more drudges and Jude made their way through the thick shrubbery. The picture before us was dreamlike. The happy, peaceful, beautiful dreams...which were a rarity due to life in Starosa.
Evander announced, “Ahhh, it’s the ocean. In the Previous Sphere it was one of my favorite places to visit. I cannot believe there is a beach near Starosa.”
Ocean, beach…the names given for this dreamlike scenery. It was easy to determine why it was once one of Evander’s favorite places to visit. It was going to be difficult for me to leave. Andrea and Jace ran hand in hand and splashed merrily at one another. You could tell by Andrea’s loud shriek the water was most likely freezing.
I gradually approached the wet sand and the water was icy cold. There were areas with gathered rocks and the places constantly hit by waves appeared polished. The sand near the water was as smooth as the firstlings’ clothing, which they called velvet. It moved softly in and out of my hands. I made my way to Evander as he reached the shallow section. He seemed contemplative.
I asked, “What are you thinking about, Evander?”
He responded, “Not too much. I was wondering if we are on an island.”
The term was peculiar to me so I asked, “What is an island?”
He grinned at me.
“An island is a body of land completely surrounded by water. Usually the water is called an ocean.”
The idea of being encircled by this beautiful water was astonishing.
He shrugged and asserted, “Although, it would require quite the expedition to discover if we are actually standing on an island or not.”
I motioned my head in quiet agreement. We camped on the beach overnight. It was nice to have the rolling waves block my unwanted thoughts. I was confused. Jude ignored me for most of the day. For someone who supposedly cared, his actions hurt. Zander also disregarded me, but I expected as much from him. If I was being honest, I did not attempt to talk to them either. For some reason, having them both near all the time, made it incredibly uncomfortable to talk to the other one.
The loud ocean helped impede the grief I constantly endured for Old Jake. I missed him so much; my whole body hurt. Especially my heart, and the anguish upset my stomach. I pushed aside jumbled and pain filled memories. I let the sound of the waves carry them elsewhere. Hopefully, far away for the night.
The next morning, we enjoyed wild animal and berries. One of the drudges was exceptionally skilled at the bow and arrow. She was the reason we had been eating so well. This expedition was not the first time she handled the weapon. She undoubtedly snuck the bow and arrows to practice while we were still in Starosa. Zander admitted doing the same with his knife. Secret acts of treason were apparently abundant in the community.
It was soon discovered ocean water is extremely disgusting, and salty to the taste. Evander encouraged us to try some with assurances. He promised it would be satisfying. His frail, hunched form moved in spasms of uncontrolled laughter as we scrunched our faces and spit out the revolting liquid. Afterwards, everyone burst out laughing. Evander tricked us good. Fortunately, we discovered flowing streams along our journey and were able to consume and store plenty of drinkable water.
We were going to travel east for a day’s journey. I gathered my belongings and sat on the beach, waiting for everyone to finish their preparations. I noticed the silver haired woman, the sustenance drudge, walking in the distance. She was basking in the morning sun. Her hair fell across her shoulders and the wind playfully tugged and pulled on it. She leaned her head back, taking in the moment. Watching her serene features and open satisfaction made me smile. I closed my eyes, lifted my chin, and did the same. I was at peace and content. For a brief second, I appreciated the viable freedom within our grasp.
The pleasant moment came to an abrupt and dreadful ending. A piercing scream and bizarre noises came from the direction of the silver haired drudge.
A man yelled, “Josephine!”
Her name was Josephine. I stood and swiftly made my way to her. What met my searching gaze was horrifying. Gigantic claw like pillars were protruding in and out of the ground. They covered a large portion of the beach and were positioned where Josephine was peacefully walking. The enormous pillars were shaped like swords. They were as thick as boulders near their bases and sharp as writing tools near their tips. There were hundreds of them. The terrifying objects were blasting in and out of the beach at an alarming rate. One of them punctured Josephine’s foot. She had walked into some kind of heinous death trap. Her distressed screams filled the air. The whirling wind and crashing waves could do nothing to dissipate the agony of her continuous, earsplitting wails. As a worker drudge reached her, the large spike piercing her foot resumed its original position in the sand. She fell chillingly forward.
Simultaneously, another pillar shot up and into her stomach. I halted, frozen in my tracks. I squeezed my eyes tight and looked away.
The worker drudge desperately strived to retrieve Josephine from the enormous spike. He dashed and dodged in an effort to evade getting stabbed, but he could not dislodge her. After a few moments, Josephine stopped crying out and she ceased moving. The enormous weapons of destruction, nestled back into the ground like they never made their awful appearance. The ghastly structures left Josephine’s unmoving body on the sandy shore.
Evander reached the frantic worker drudge. He put his frail, weathered arm on his shoulder.
He confirmed, “There was nothing we could do.”
We stared in silent shock and processed the appalling situation. Andrea vomited her morningtide meal. It took all the strength I could muster, not to do the same.
Josephine the sustenance drudge. The sweet lady who genuinely rested her hand on mine and offered heartfelt condolences for Old Jake’s death. The sustenance drudge, who moments before this horrible incident, was delighting in her freedom. She was enjoying the magnificent scenery of this beautiful day.
The spikes reappeared and stood erect. They were enormous and as tall as trees. Josephine’s crumbled form laid unmoving at the top. She was hauntingly unreachable. Beyond the deathly spikes, the mountains loomed threateningly in the distance.
We circled one another anxious and somber.
Evander asserted, “We will not head in that direction, ever.”
Tony’s eyes glistened with moisture and he asked, “What was that, Evander?”
Evander answered, “I’m not sure. Some kind of man-made machine, built to keep us away.”
My speech was broken with sorrow.
“Her death was so brutal. I can’t believe she’s gone.”
My hands were trembling and my body was shaky. My vision darkened in dizzying wisps. I sat o
n the beach and rested my head on bended knees. Tears surfaced uncontrollably. Someone settled next to me. They put an arm around my shoulders and pulled me into a strong, but gentle embrace.
It was Jude.
He whispered, “It was horrible. It is okay to cry, Ana.”
I could not hinder my emotions. Tears fell and sobbing sounds escaped my petite frame. Perhaps, part of my overwhelming grief and sadness was for Old Jake too.
I muttered, “I can’t stop.”
He held me firmly. This was the closest Jude and I had been in months. The real Jude, not the flesheater. My heart warmed at his comforting gesture. Finally, he was treating me like a friend, and not like a stranger he recently met in this bizarre wilderness.
Before I could stop myself, I softly admitted, “I’ve missed you, you know.”
I moved to look at him and his kind brown eyes glistened in the sunlight.
Jude gently wiped the tears from my face and in a hushed tone said, “I have missed you too. More than you could ever know. Being forced from you was unbearable.”
He held me tighter and I leaned my head against his shoulder. Zander coughed in an effort to break our moment. It was undoubtedly uncomfortable for him to witness. He secretly enjoyed the times Jude hardly glanced in my direction. Zander’s attitude was confusing.
Zander griped, “I know this is a sad moment. But we need to get going. It’s not like she would have helped our cause much anyways. She was older, weaker.”
Zander’s unsympathetic comment provoked angry excitement throughout our sorrowed group. His remark ignited a low, rumbling growl in Jude’s chest. I worried he would charge Zander. Lamont strode faster to Zander than I would have imagined possible because of his larger frame. He pointed a long, thick finger into Zander’s face.
Lamont shouted, “Do not be disrespectful, young man! She was one of us. Regardless of what you think she could have brought to the table. We will take a moment to mourn her death.”
For the first time ever, I witnessed Zander cower. Anybody would shrink under the pressure of Lamont’s massive being. He yelled in Zander’s face and spit flew from his fuming mouth. Everyone nodded their heads in agreement. Jude’s tense and aggravated frame relaxed. He was appeased with Lamont’s actions, and it calmed him.
Observing Jude and I together most likely stemmed Zander’s rude statement. This conclusion caused me to move from Jude’s side and stand. I was irritated, but would defend my friend with instinctive loyalty. His neck needed wringing, but I knew it was a challenge for him to control his lashing tongue.
I announced, “He didn’t mean it, everyone. It’s how he handles his emotions.”
Evander responded, “He needs to learn a better way to control them.”
The group grew silent and we returned to somberly mourning our loss. Evander encouraged each of us to say a few compassionate words about Josephine. We were unable to remove her lifeless body from the top of the massive spears. Josephine would be lost to us forever.
Chapter 28
Our scanty band of drudges and Jude, trekked the unknown wilderness for an entire day with little rest. The sun was setting behind the westward mountains. The sky was brilliant with various shades of red and purple from the falling rays. We reached the edge of the forest and arrived at a large desert clearing. The expanse of desert resembled the land where Starosa was established. Dispersed boulders, dry and rocky earth, and scattered trees. It was astonishing to see how close we were to the eastward mountains. Only a two day trip would be required to reach the base of the rocky slope.
We glanced at the sheer mountainous terrain. Undoubtedly, everyone was pondering the same question. What was on the other side? An answer to this tantalizing inquiry would have to be discovered on another adventure. This was as far as we would travel for now. The next day, we would journey back to the community and hopefully liberate drudges. It was nerve racking, but extremely exciting.
There were many streams of water and small animals in the wilderness. Otherwise we would have already perished. On our expedition, we discovered the beautiful ocean and this open space of desert land. The forest was to the west with edible foliage and berries.
When I recalled the astonishing beach and ocean, Josephine’s ghastly death clouded and darkened the experience. We discovered something horrible there, but our expedition had not been futile. There were places we could reestablish as a new dwelling. But if all went well in Starosa, we could claim an existing place of refuge.
The fire was burning and drudges were lying around attempting to sleep. Reaching our destination would require a demanding day of travel. It was essential to rest and ready ourselves for battle. We needed to be prepared to fight, for what should have already belonged to drudges. Our freedom and rights. The right to an education and to live equal to the firstlings. There was no doubt, I would be willing to sacrifice my life to attain this kind of liberty for my people.
Each night two drudges watched over camp while we slept. Being on guard duty was done in four-hour shifts. This way, even the defending drudges could rest.
Evander grinned with an array of wrinkles. He assigned first shift to Jude and I in a boyish taunt. Did he want us to be alone together? Technically, Jude was his grandson. Did he want his grandson to love a lowly girl like me? After Jude and I agreed to watch over camp, I impulsively sought out Zander. He was staring gloomily at the fire, unwilling to look at me.
Everyone settled for the night and tapered to sleep. Jude and I endeavored to stay alert and awake. He proceeded to be distant again, even after comforting me earlier. I sighed with disappointment as he traipsed from me. He sat apart from camp and peered into the shadows of the forestland. The open desert wasteland was to his back as it would not be cause for worry. Dangerous beings lurked in the darkness of the trees. I scanned the woodland as well. My ears were poised to anything straying from the crackling sounds of burning wood and the various noises of sleeping individuals. After an hour or so, I apprehensively made my way to Jude and nervously settled near him.
After departing from the blazing flames to this dimmer area with Jude, my eyes took a minute to adjust to the encompassing darkness. The air turned chillier as the fiery blanket of warmth was too far away and I was thankful to have my coat. I slightly shivered from the elements and uncertainty. Jude was not wearing an extra layer, but did not seem to need one. The flesheater virus must still be coursing through his veins, to not be even a little cold. He hardly acknowledged my presence and remained staring intently into the blackness. His taciturn demeanor increased the iciness of the air.
It was peculiarly frostier in the desert terrain, than it was in the forestland. You would think it would be colder in the shadows of the trees, with their countless branches of leaves overhead. This was not the case. The desert land constantly touched by the sun, and unblocked from the shade of trees, was inexplicably more frigid. The contrasting climates did not seem to match their terrains in a bizarre and troubling way.
I scooted closer to Jude and our shoulders touched. He was startled at my proximity, but eventually released the tension in his arm and relaxed. I was surprisingly warmer nestled close to his arm. He continued to sustain silence and would not speak. I removed the string from my hair and secured it around my wrist. I combed through the tangles with my fingers, aimlessly playing with a few strands. Eventually, I could not take the quiet any longer.
“Jude, why are you ignoring me?”
I faced him expecting an answer. The corners of his mouth appeared contemplative and miserable. He remained unresponsive.
I signaled exasperation and said, “I don’t understand you. You are not the same person you used to be. In Starosa you were quick to smile and laugh. You were actually happy to see me and enjoyed my company.”
I quickly stood and moved to leave. Before I took a step, he twisted in my direction. His voice was surprisingly unsteady.
“Please stay. Sorry, Ana.”
I warily sat, but did
not move closer to him. He shook his head in frustration.
Jude admitted, “I’m not sure what is wrong with me. Sometimes, I feel normal. Other times I am furious and mad. It requires exhaustive control to not boil over and lash out. I have to concentrate and painfully strive to calm myself.”
He exhaled cynically and continued, “It’s from the flesheater virus. It worries me. What if it never goes away?”
He looked at me with concern and sadness.
My heart lurched and I attempted to comfort him.
“Jude, it will go away. You will be yourself and soon. I know it.”
In agitated movements, he pushed the ground in front of him forcefully. He leaned back and supported his weight on his elbows.
Jude hastily murmured, “Yeah, but what if it doesn’t!?”
His short temper concerned me. I recalled Evander’s words from a couple of days ago and repeated them.
“You will learn to control it.”
Jude scoffed loudly and indicated disagreement. It was difficult to observe him so negative. The Jude I remembered was optimistic and I hated the change. A possible development tugged at my heart and made my stomach hurt. If the virus had altered him so profusely, it must have changed his feelings for me too. It would explain his mostly distant and emotionally sinking behavior.
I asked, “Why did you find it necessary to comfort me on the beach? Why go through the trouble when you clearly do not care anymore?”
Jude’s wounded reaction was much like the flesheater's hurt expressions from the past. Instantly, his countenance changed to annoyed questioning.
“What do you mean? Ana, I…”
He trailed off and my disposition plummeted. He did not counter my accusation. I proceeded to stand so I could leave him to his gloom. His voice halted my steps.
“Ana, I still love you.”
My heart leaped at the confession and I turned toward him.
Jude declared, “I’m no good for you anymore. Look at me, I’m a mess.”
The Forbidden Plan Page 22