The Gorge (The Others Book 1)

by Joe Zeigler

  The Sun has returned him. It is truly a miracle. Praise the Sun.

  Then his eyes found Liùsaidh, and a hint of a smile appeared briefly before his usual calm returned. She moved slowly toward him, climbing the slope, picking up speed as she began to clamber on her hands and knees up the steep embankment to him. Reaching him, she stood and grasped him in her arms, and she locked her lips on his. To Liùsaidh’s great relief, he responded as he always had, by reaching both of his arms around her and grasping her buttocks. Then he fed her. As the protein laced with acid flooded down her throat and filled her stomach, joy filled her heart. She sensed, rather than saw, that the clearing below the ledge was filling with people, who were looking upward in awe at their returned leader and his acceptance of Liùsaidh. As her shock wore off, she realized, this is working out better than I had hoped.

  She dropped to her knees in front of Danijel, demonstrating to all below that he was her man. There was perfect silence in the clearing below and across the river. All trading had stopped as, even from one hundred yards away, people sensed that something important was happening. As Liùsaidh knelt, the People continued to gather in the clearing between Danijel’s campsite and the river below. Finally, Danijel shuddered and lifted her to her feet, raised his right arm, and made a swirling motion with his hand—the signal to move. Then, grabbing Liùsaidh by the hand, he turned and walked to his shelter. He had not spoken a word to greet them, explain where he had been, or tell them his plans, but his intent was clear.

  Ohad stared in disbelief. He hadn’t imagined that Danijel would return and spoil his plan to assume the leadership position or at least a position of influence. It was unimaginable that those on the ship would allow Danijel to return. To these people, it was a resurrection, proof of divine intervention and much more intervention by the Jah then was permitted. We are supposed to be anthropologists, to study and observe; we are not to interfere. Well, we do interfere—a little. Influence in the right direction is permitted; just to help people. But, this…unbelievable. He was shocked, angry, and scared. Na, Danijel wouldn’t find out. No one would tell him. After all, Ohad had just been trying to help folks. It’s my nature.

  The People moved purposefully to their individual campsites and began preparing for departure the next morning. Even Ohad, forgetting about his plans for Micaela, started to think of preparations. He knew he had too many furs and too much other bulky inventory that would be hard to pack over the trail. He had planned to convert these items, at a profit, to smaller items such as knives, arrows, spearheads, and jewels, but he had never imaged they would be moving so soon.

  Seeing Micaela standing at the edge of the clearing, he shouted, “Micaela, get to work. Pack up. We’re leaving.” People froze, turned, and stared as Ohad realized that no one was talking. He had injected his shout into total silence, and it was shocking.

  He saw Glooscap staring up at Danijel and Liùsaidh, his expression varying between anger and disappointment before moving toward resignation.

  Ah, Ohad thought, Glooscap is alone again and was never good at supporting himself. I’ll hire him to pack out some of the wares. “Glooscap,” he shouted, again forgetting the silence and inviting another round of stares. Regardless, he now had a mission, so he pressed on. “Come here, Glooscap. I have a proposition for you.” Glooscap looked toward Ohad angrily, then shrugged, shook his head, and walked slowly toward him.

  Micaela, along with the others, moved into the tall pines along the river where they had set up their campsites and started to organize everything other than what they would need for one more night. She would even pack all the cooking paraphernalia, as the last meals before leaving were always a simple, shared affair prepared with communal utensils. With the yellow daisies accenting the rock-strewn floor of the pine forest and the sound of the river flowing below, this lovely spot had thrilled Micaela when they arrived. Now, she was anxious to go and to leave behind bad memories—but not her resolve.

  From across the river, the Traders watched the preparations and were pleased. They had made all the profitable trades they could with this group. The sooner they moved on and vacated the camp for the next group, the better. Gedeon was especially glad to see Ohad leave after his abortive attempt to come to a long-term trade agreement with Micaela. He feared Ohad thought they had come to an arrangement, and Gedeon did not trust his temper if Ohad pressed the matter. He was sorry to see the girl leave. Micaela is lovely, with a pleasing manner. I would like to spend time with her. She appears to be fatigued, tired indeed. She has dark circles under her eyes. He worried that Ohad was treating her badly. He had heard stories. Well, perhaps we will meet again.

  Liùsaidh lay beside Danijel in the shelter and sighed in relief and pride at her foresight in preparing and maintaining the leader’s campsite all these days. So far he had not asked her any questions, and she had asked none of him. Certainly, she had more than a few—starting with, “Where have you been?” Her fear that he would ask her what she had been doing or question her about Glooscap overshadowed her curiosity. She didn’t want to go to that subject, and apparently, neither did he.

  Better to let sleeping dogs lie, she thought. Damn, he hasn’t asked about his dogs, either! She wasn’t sure how he would take the news that she had eaten one of his dogs and run off the other. She had already organized their possessions for their departure in the morning so it would not be necessary to arise before him. The mornings together were always best.

  Possessions! The thought was a shout in her head. Danijel had not asked about the People’s treasure—the only thing Liùsaidh had taken with her after he had disappeared. She would present these to him in the morning—at least, the ones he had known about. Fortunately, they were still separate from her private treasures. That would reassure him as to her loyalty and put aside any embarrassing questions. Relieved, and with a plan in mind, she laid her arm over her man’s broad chest and gave herself over to sleep.

  ***

  After dinner, as Micaela cleaned up, she overheard Ohad speaking with someone at the edge of the campsite, just out of the light of the fire. “Ohad,” he was saying, “you have taken my payment, as well as the others’. Now is the time for you to deliver.”

  Ohad took Akule by the elbow, gently turning him, and led him farther back into the darkness, where no one could overhear. Micaela wondered what was happening but was too busy to pay more than a passing thought to whatever it was.

  “But we are leaving tomorrow—there is much to be done—and she must be rested in the morning to carry her load. I have many personal items, comforts for my old age, which I transport,” Ohad said, avoiding calling attention to the loaded inventory. “I need her to carry them.”

  “No matter,” Akule replied. “I’ll send my youngest son, Uggla, in the morning, if necessary, to help transport your belongings. That we’re breaking camp in the morning is all the more reason for us to consummate our agreement tonight—especially an arrangement for which you have already been paid. Otherwise, you must return our payment now, immediately, as well as ten arrowheads for our trouble and disappointment.”

  “A boy will be of no help!” Ohad objected. “The load is heavy! And what if Micaela is damaged by your attentions?”

  “Don’t concern yourself. My Uggla is thirteen years of age, large, and strong. If this solution is not acceptable, I demand repayment!”

  Refunds were not part of Ohad’s stratagem, and he resisted. “The next time we make camp for more than one night, you three may have free access as soon as Sun permits. Think—anticipation will make the experience sweeter.” Ohad grinned broadly.

  “A refund plus penalty it is, then,” the man growled. “I’ll not leave nor let you from my sight until I have it in my hand. Refuse, and you’ll have the working end of my staff.”

  “All right, all right,” Ohad said, accepting the inevitable. “You and your friends come tonight before moonrise. Wear masks as at the Breeding and be sure that the first thing you do
is gag her. I do not want to raise an alarm in the middle of the night—especially with Danijel having just returned.”

  “Done,” the man replied, his smirk hidden by darkness.

  ***

  The next morning, Micaela was curled into the fetal position, nursing her wounds. Last night she had fought, anger driving her as the men came in the night. But there had been too many, and she had been overpowered, blindfolded, and gagged.

  She remembered Ohad speaking to her about ensuring the Breeding with elders of excellent bloodline and understood what had happened the previous night. She remembered being told that this was a positive thing—and how she had tried to believe it. They said the Breeding was her last chance to escape becoming an old maid and to contribute to the group. Ohad had explained that if it failed, she would be an outcast.

  But the things they did, the things they made her do. She did not understand. It had been violent and painful, not at all the bliss she had been told to expect. It came to her that this was her punishment for her ugliness and her failure to attract a male of her own. Perhaps she should reconsider her aloofness toward Maxtla. Too late now, she thought. She had seen the look of disdain in his eyes when they passed at the ford. It would be worse now.

  She didn’t care! The heat of her rage caused her to shudder. Never again, she swore to herself. Never again. They will never have my cooperation again. And with Sun’s help or without it, I will gather the power to stop all rape—the Breeding included.

  Hearing the camp stirring, she felt guilty that she was just lying there as the others were busy in preparation. None of this was Ohad’s doing. He was not to blame. He was just as taken in as she had been and only wanted the best for her. She would never forget how kind he had been after her mother’s death and how he had made a place for her in his home. Ohad was like the father she had never had.

  Putting aside her anger and ignoring her small scrapes and bruises, she gathered herself to prepare for the day’s journey. Then she saw Ederra approaching—sobbing.

  “Micaela,” Ederra said as she knelt down beside Micaela, taking her in her arms, “will this never end?”

  “Calm yourself, Ederra,” Micaela said, feeling like an older sister to this young girl. “It is not so bad. This is all God’s will. Look.” She gestured to the ledge above. “Danijel has risen. Is not God great?” She wasn’t ready to display her anger and resolve until there was a plan.

  “Praise Sun,” Ederra said sardonically.

  ***

  Ohad was up and directing Glooscap and the new boy in packing the inventory. Micaela was surprised that Ohad had not demanded his breakfast. Perhaps he was being considerate, knowing what she had gone through the night before. But, still…Later, as she packed the cooking gear, she noted that the leftovers from the night before were gone.

  Ah, she thought, good, he did get something to eat.

  There was now a serious chill in the air, as they had lingered too long. But this turned out to be good, as the only thing to be done with the furs was for everyone to wrap as many as possible around his or her body like a coat before assuming a load. If it were any warmer, this would be impossible and the load too much.

  Micaela recognized the boy who was helping them pack. He was the son of one of the community elders—Akule, a butcher, an old, fat bear of a man, hairy and beastly looking, with odd, unsymmetrical features. The ghastly beast who wanted to breed her. The boy shared his father’s build, and physically he was larger than Micaela. But, since he was younger, she considered him a boy and herself, a woman. What is he doing here? she wondered. But she was glad that he was, for there was a lot to carry, and she was weary and sore.

  “Here,” Ohad ordered, handing her a heavy fur. “Wrap this around you before you pick up your load.”

  She saw that the camp was already wrapped, packed, and heading down the trail. She struggled to do the same, but her body was sluggish and uncooperative. Finally, utterly burdened, she set off down the path. She was at the end of the group, almost the last person, and could see the long line disappearing into the pine forest below. Ohad came forward, unburdened, so his hands and arms were free to defend them if attacked by wild animals or, worse, Raiders. His eyes flowed nervously over her body as if checking inventory.

  “Move along, Micaela,” he ordered. “You have to keep up to please the Sun.”

  Micaela smiled and straightened her whole body, sore and bruised. Purposefully, she strode forward, walking as if she were bowlegged. Just before she entered the tree line, she glanced back and saw Gedeon standing on the ledge of Danijel’s encampment, his eyes following her. Even at this great distance, it seemed to Micaela that his eyes were locked on hers. The connection held for a long second, and then she staggered as her toe caught on an exposed root. When she glanced back again, he was gone, and she felt a pang of disappointment.

  As they moved downslope, the pine forest became thinner and the trees shorter. Gone were the majestic monsters of the canyon, replaced by widely spaced pygmies, the spaces between filled with a sparse carpet desert grass arranged in spikelets. As they moved farther down, even these poor plants would become scarce and finally give way to sage as they neared the desert.

  Threading the Virgins

  To the novice, the desert looked featureless. But the experienced guides followed the steam rising from the distant mountains to reach the two sand mounds. They knew once they passed between them and continued due south, they would come upon a small, spring-fed pond. This course placed them between two identical and diverging ridges that eventually blended into the foothills of the Highland and the mountains. To some, the ridges resembled the spread legs of a woman lying on her back. The old men called the route “threading the Virgins.”

  About midmorning, Micaela caught up with Ohad’s new boy, who was apparently suffering under his load. Not of the best stock, Micaela thought, feeling bad for him. They stopped for a few moments, and Micaela relieved him of one basket, which she would carry balanced on her head.

  At dusk, she and the boy caught up with the main body of the group as they made camp for the night. Micaela set down her baskets and worked her way out of the rawhide harness after detaching most of the load. Then she unwrapped herself from the fur robes and began to organize the camp. Ohad would be hungry soon.

  “Lady, can you help me?” asked the young boy. Micaela saw that he had become hopelessly entangled in his harness, having attempted to take it off without detaching the larger pouches. The weight had caused the straps to twist and tighten on his body.

  “Be still,” she ordered. “I’ll have this straightened in a moment.” And she did. The boy lay back with his head on one of the bags, totally exhausted. Not of the best stock, Micaela thought once again. She would have been dismayed if she knew that she might be pregnant with his brother.

  As they had not quite reached the desert, firewood was available. Micaela quickly gathered some to start a campfire, both for cooking and for keeping back the chill that would come later in the evening. While the fire was building, she set up the shelter, and laid out fur blankets, and the necessities of an overnight stay. She knew already, from talking to others who had been ahead of her in the line, that this was just an overnight encampment. They would be on their way once again in the morning, and they would continue to travel every day until they reached the adjacent pine forest and the land of the Smoking Mountain Cliff Dwellers. The desert had little to offer, and Danijel planned to move through it as quickly as possible.

  Micaela unpacked the fresh deer meat from the hunting party the day before. With the desert before them, it would be the last of the fresh meat—other than lizard—for at least six days. She had prepared for that also by trading for two large packets of smoked meat. It would be good for a year or more if they found other sources in the desert, or it would get them through without hunger.

  As she finished her chores, Micaela noticed Danijel crouched on the sandy, narrow riverbank, with four of the young h
unters gathered around him. She could not overhear the conversation, but she watched for a moment as Danijel gestured, pointing first to the north whence they had come, then to the south, toward their destination. She wondered what plans were afoot and caught herself thinking about what would have happened if Danijel, rather than those selfish, old men, had come to her. A dirty thought that she quickly banished from her mind. She instead set her thoughts on preparations for Ohad’s dinner. As she labored, a picture of Gedeon formed in her mind. She was surprised that she could have such visions—an image of Gedeon on top of her as she spread wide to receive him—after what had happened to her. Forcefully, she banished these thoughts from her mind, too, and concentrated on preparing Ohad’s meal.

  What is wrong with my mind, to be full of these lewd thoughts? Shaking her head, she wondered if she was expected to feed Glooscap and the young boy.

  ***

  Iccauhyah, an older man whose mate had died long ago in fruitless childbirth, had twisted his ankle just before the group halted to make camp. Şule—who had been carrying many of his belongings because he had so much—put up his shelter and organized his campsite. They were not together in a sexual way. Şule found him too old and unappealing, rejecting his physical advances so often that he had long ago given up, happy enough that she stayed with him and did the chores.

  For her part, Şule was an orphan, a tall girl, wonderfully proportioned, with large, high-volume breasts, a narrow waist, and hips capable of passing a large child. Her large dark eyes and full lips completed the picture that had driven Iccauhyah to pursue her so doggedly, in vain. That they had a relationship of any kind spared her from the Breeding but also from the advances of young men, a fact about which she had mixed feelings. Today she wore a rough skin with a hole cut for her head, scrapped and tied tight to her slender frame with a long strip of hide. During the warm season, she wore strips of scrapped fur around her chest and another, slightly wider fur around her buttocks. It was a sight that caused the young men to circle and Iccauhyah to lament.