What Tomorrow May Bring

by Tony Bertauski

  It wasn’t difficult to find Sara; they just followed the trail of broken branches, trampled undergrowth—and blood—until they found her, crouched behind a rotting, fallen tree trunk.

  Sara waved them down, signaling for silence as they approached. Sigrid peered over the thick, green moss that covered the trunk. She caught a glimpse of the wounded, furry creature as it limped off ahead of them, disappearing into the thick underbrush with Sara’s own makeshift spear sticking from its furry rump.

  “I got it good,” Sara said. “Let’s go.”

  She led them out and the girls followed, moving with a swift, soundless grace. They tracked the wounded animal up a steep hill and along a narrow, muddy trail. Far below, they could hear the river rushing by, rumbling and growing in volume as the canyon they skirted narrowed and deepened.

  The trail led out onto a rocky outcropping on the side of a cliff. Water rippled freely down the rock-face making the ledge slick and their footing precarious. Sigrid slipped, stumbling and teetering on the edge, but Suko caught her with a steadying hand, easing her back against the cliff wall.

  “Thanks,” Sigrid said. She gulped as she looked down. They could all see the steep pitch that ended in a sheer drop plunging deep into the canyon as the river roared its way over the swirling rapids—the sound was deafening.

  “My pleasure,” Suko said, relaxing her grip once she saw Sigrid was safe.

  The trail they were on came to an abrupt end, revealing a gap in the rocks that led into a cave. The three girls looked at one another, not sure what to do.

  “Do we go in?” Suko asked.

  As an answer, Sara immediately made her way inside. She’d taken two steps when they all heard a low, bawling moan—then the elk thrust its head out of its hiding place. Sara was completely startled and jumped back, her foot slipping on the rock. She teetered briefly on the cliff edge, her arms flailing. Suko grabbed for her, catching her hand, but Sara’s momentum was already carrying her over and she only ended-up pulling Suko with her as the two girls tumbled backward down the steep slope.

  Sigrid had a brief glimpse of the animal tearing away down the path, but her eyes were glued in horror as she watched Suko tumble helplessly down over the loose mud and rock. Suko lost her grip on Sara. She managed to slow herself, spreading her arms and legs out as she descended face first. Sara fell backwards, doing several spectacular somersaults.

  For a terrifying instant, Sigrid thought they’d both go careening over the precipice ahead of them, but Suko came to a skidding halt a few meters from the edge. Sara was saved as well, but only because she slammed into a tree—Sigrid heard the smack as Sara’s head hit the trunk.

  Without a thought for her own safety, Sigrid scrambled down the slope as fast as she could, skidding, sliding, grabbing onto the branches that lashed at her legs and face. Gripping a tree-branch with one hand, she reached out and grabbed Suko’s ankle.

  “I got you!” Sigrid hauled her away from the edge, grabbing onto her belt and hefting her back to her feet. Suko’s shirt was torn and she had several scrapes on her nose and face.

  “Thanks.” Suko said; she had to shout over the din of the thundering river below.

  Getting to Sara proved more difficult. Sara sat with her back to the tree at the very edge of the cliff. She looked dazed. Sigrid could see the blood trickling from both of her ears.

  Grasping hands with Sigrid, Suko reached out to Sara, but she was too far away. “I can’t reach her!”

  Inching very carefully, Sigrid crouched as low as she could, grabbing onto one of the many roots that stuck out of the loose earth. It seemed secure enough, and she eased her weight onto it, but when Suko leaned forward, it gave way, uprooting itself a good two feet, sending both of them skidding closer to the edge. It held though, if just barely. Sigrid caught her breath.

  Suko turned back to her, her eyes wide.

  “Sorry,” Sigrid said—Suko gulped and nodded.

  Suko reached down again, stretching out—her fingers still inches away from Sara. “You need to reach up!”

  Sara looked up at her, struggling to focus. “I hurt my head.” She laughed, then, looking at Sigrid, her eyes narrowed. “I don’t like you very much.”

  Sigrid rolled her eyes. “Really? Now?”

  “Take my hand!” Suko ordered.

  Still groggy, Sara looked down and saw the drop and the rocky riverbed below. Suddenly panicked, she flailed, reaching for Suko’s outstretched arm, pulling hard, and scrambling to her feet, but the loose earth gave way and her feet slid out from under her, dangling over the cliff’s edge.

  Sara clung desperately to Suko’s hand. “Don’t let me fall…”

  For a sickening moment, Sigrid felt Sara’s weight pull all three of them downwards, threatening to drag them all over the edge; the river now loomed fully in Sigrid’s view, some thirty meters below. Sara looked at her, desperation in her eyes, fighting to keep her grip as much as she fought to stay conscious. She scrambled madly for footing, but found none.

  Sara’s thrashing wasn’t helping any and the tree root Sigrid clung to tore free. Suko stared in horror, helpless. “Sigrid!” she called out, but there was nothing she could do.

  Sigrid dug her heels into the earth, but Sara’s weight pulled them forward. Gravity reared its ugly head, and Sigrid’s vision filled with the sharp rocks of the riverbed. They were going over.

  In an act of desperation, Sigrid surged forward, grabbing Suko around the waist, pushing with all her strength and leaping as far as she could out over the cliff. Suko screamed, and Sigrid thought she might have screamed along with her, as the two girls fell headlong into the canyon below.

  For a terrible moment, all Sigrid saw were the rocks rushing up to meet them, but her desperate push had been just enough, and the two girls landed, not on the rocks, but in a deep, swirling pool at the side of the river. They hit the water hard and plunged deep below the surface. Sigrid felt the strong current swirling them about, pulling them even deeper until her feet found rock, and the river swept them both along on the bottom.

  Sigrid’s grip on Suko never faltered. She pushed off the bottom, kicking and swimming as hard as she could. The pull of the river tugged at them, trying to drag them back down, but Sigrid fought it, finally breaking the surface.

  The sound was deafening, and the surge of the whitewater completely disorienting. Suko thrashed in her arms and they both fought for air, swallowing large gulps of the water that crashed over their faces. Sigrid lost her hold of Suko as they both went over a huge, sweeping rapid, and for a terrifying, heartbreaking moment, she feared Suko had gone under. But Suko emerged a few meters away downstream, reaching out to her, kicking hard with her feet to stay above the water.

  Sigrid swam to her and got an arm back around her. The river widened here, still strong and fast, but Sigrid was able to float along, holding Suko up and keeping her head well above the spray. They drifted along, letting the current carry them. The walls of the canyon were steep, stretching high up above them on all sides. Sigrid scanned the banks for a safe spot, finally kicking toward a flat mossy rock to the side. Exhausted and dazed, they dragged themselves out.

  Suko coughed up a considerable amount of water and collapsed on her stomach, panting. “You’re one crazy girl, Seeg. But you saved my life.” Suko rolled over and took in their surroundings, deep in the river canyon. “I think.”

  Even Sigrid had to chuckle. They were safe, they were alive, but where were they?

  Suko sat up, suddenly. “Where’s Sara?”

  Sigrid shook her head. “I don’t know. I didn’t see her.”

  Both girls were shivering and they huddled together, holding each other. “You’re bleeding!” Suko said.

  Sigrid hadn’t even realized; she’d lost her boots and socks, and somewhere along the way she’d cut her foot. The gash ran from the ball of her foot to her heel, bleeding bright crimson and leaving a widening trail that spread out over the wet rock on which they sat. “Uhgch�
��” she said, sickened by the sight.

  Suko took the knife from her belt clip and cut a long strip off the bottom of her shirt. She wrapped Sigrid’s foot as best she could, tying the wet bandage tight.

  “Can you walk?” Suko asked.

  Sigrid looked at the vertical cliffs of the canyon that surrounded them. “I don’t think that’s an issue here.” Across the river, about fifty meters away, was the other bank. The cliffs seemed to drop much lower on that side.

  Suko followed her gaze. “We’re not going back into that.”

  Sigrid saw the fear on her face, but she couldn’t see any other way out. “The camp’s on that side. We’ve got to get across.” Sigrid waded into the shallows, wincing as her injured foot touched the freezing water. She turned back to Suko and held out her hand. “Come on. It’ll be okay.”

  Suko took a step away from the river.

  Sigrid’s voice softened. “Do you trust me?”

  Suko’s eyes were fixed fearfully on the water, but when she took Sigrid’s hand, she nodded. “Yes.”

  “All right.” Sigrid guided Suko slowly into the water until it was swirling around their hips. “Just relax and think floaty thoughts.” She turned Suko so her back was half-facing her and wrapped her left arm around Suko’s waist. “Okay, now just lean onto my hip—like you’re sitting—lift your feet.”

  “Oh—kay…” Suko lifted her feet, and immediately began to thrash her arms in the water to steady herself.

  Sigrid tightened her grip. “Just sit back—don’t try to swim—relax your arms.”

  Suko forced herself to relax, and found that she was indeed floating—well, sitting on Sigrid’s hip. Sigrid pushed off and began side-stroking across the river.

  Sigrid could feel Suko tense up as they moved deeper into the river, but she didn’t fight her. Sigrid tried not to think of the sound of more rapids and falls further ahead, and concentrated instead on the shoreline in front of her, still so far away. The current was dragging them downstream, faster than she’d expected.

  The cliffs dropped lower and lower—the rush of the rapids ahead became ever deafening. Sigrid snagged a rocky outcropping, but the swim had left her too weak to climb up. Suko had to hoist her up onto the edge of the bank. Cold and exhausted, they lay panting on the muddy ground, shivering and clinging to each other.

  “How far away from camp do you think we are?” Suko asked.

  “I don’t know, but it’s that way,” Sigrid said, pointing upstream. Getting back on her feet took some effort. With the cut on her foot and having no boots, Sigrid had to lean heavily on Suko. “This sucks.”

  They’d walked for perhaps an hour when Sigrid needed to stop. Both her feet were raw and her injured foot throbbed like merry hell. Sigrid still didn’t know how much further they’d need to go. It was well into the evening and the sun had nearly set; it would be dark very soon.

  Suko helped Sigrid sit down, leaning her back against one of the wide redwood trees and carefully unwrapping the sodden dressing on her foot. She tore off another strip from the bottom of her T-shirt, wadding it and applying pressure, using another strip to tie it in place.

  “You need to stop bleeding,” Suko said. “I’m running out of shirt.”

  “You? What about me? I gave mine to Khepri.” Sigrid said, looking down at her bare midriff; all she wore now were her shorts and athletic bra. They both laughed.

  “We shouldn’t walk anymore,” Suko said, sitting next to Sigrid.

  The temperature was starting to drop and Sigrid shivered. “I just need a break.”

  Suko put an arm around her and pulled her close.

  Sigrid was exhausted and felt herself relax into Suko’s arms, resting her head on her shoulder. “Much better. Let’s just stay here for a bit.” Her eyelids felt heavy, and Suko’s body felt warm against her. I’ll just close my eyes for a second, she thought.

  She realized she’d fallen asleep only when she awoke much later, cold and shivering. She felt a surge of panic when she realized Suko was gone. It was completely dark—she couldn’t see her anywhere. “Suko…!” Her voice croaked; her throat felt raw and sore.

  She heard a rustling in the brush behind her, and footsteps. “I’m here!” Suko called to her, rushing back. “Sorry—I had to pee.” Suko slid back next to her. Both girls were freezing, and their arms wrapped around each other, hugging for whatever warmth they could get. “We can’t stay here—we’ll freeze.”

  Sigrid nodded and tried to rise, but she couldn’t put any weight on her foot.

  “And you can’t walk,” Suko said, looking at her with concern. “Come on—hop on.” Suko bent her back lower, offering it to Sigrid. “I’ll piggyback you.”

  “You can’t carry me all that way.”

  “We don’t even know how far it is. We might almost be there.” Sigrid looked doubtful. “Come on, Seeg. We can’t stay here.”

  Sigrid surrendered to her friend’s logic and climbed on her back. It was the first time she’d been grateful for her small size. Except for a few stumbles in the dark, Suko was able to carry her with little trouble. Both girls had remarkable night-vision, and thanks to their enhanced strength Suko was able to keep a consistent pace, even up some of the steeper pitches. They both knew that if they followed the river long enough they’d eventually reach the camp.

  Sigrid’s arms and thighs throbbed where she clung to Suko’s back, but she dared not complain—not with Suko doing such a valiant job carrying her. Still, she could feel Suko’s legs growing more unsteady beneath her, and her gait was beginning to falter.

  “We should rest,” Sigrid said.

  No further prompting needed, Suko collapsed, and both girls tumbled to the ground.

  “Good idea,” Suko said, exhausted and panting. She lay on her back, staring up. “I am so hungry.”

  As if on cue, Sigrid’s stomach produced a loud growl, making both girls laugh. “Me too.” They were both shivering again and held on to each other.

  “I’m just glad you’re here,” Suko said.

  “Me?” Sigrid said, through chattering teeth. “I’d rather be back in camp around a fire, thank you very much.”

  “I’m serious. If I have to be stuck out here with someone, I’m…well, I’m just glad it’s you.”

  Sigrid raised her head up, looking at Suko—Suko, who always protected her and stood up for her. Suko who was always there for her. “I’m glad you’re here too,” she said, then kissed Suko softly on the lips. Suko kissed her back, holding her hand tightly before resting her head on Sigrid’s shoulder.

  When Sigrid awoke, the sun was just cresting the tops of the hills to the east; she felt Suko stirring at her side. Both girls were numb and sore—the blood on Sigrid’s bandaged foot looked black, but at least it wasn’t bleeding anymore.

  “Shit a brick…” Suko said, sitting up.

  “What?”

  “Stupid, stupid, stupid…”

  “What?”

  Suko pointed at the hillside by the river bank, and Sigrid recognized it immediately; she could just make out the edge of the clearing where they’d set camp, perhaps less than a half kilometer distant—and behind them.

  “We walked right by it,” Suko said. Her look of disgust turned to a smirk and she laughed.

  “Crap,” Sigrid said.

  Suko helped her up; Sigrid still couldn’t walk, and she let Suko carry her the rest of the way back to the encampment. When the other girls saw them, they came running forward shouting their names—obviously worried and glad to see they were okay. Two girls whisked Sigrid off Suko’s back and carried her the rest of the way.

  While Mei cleaned and put a proper dressing on Sigrid’s foot, Sigrid told the girls what happened. Sara hadn’t come back; Sigrid did her best to describe where they’d fallen from the cliff. She hadn’t seen Sara fall, but after the incident that she described, no one was hopeful. Mei sent two groups of girls to search for her, but no trace of Sara was found.

  “We’ll keep
looking,” Mei said. “If she’s out there we’ll find her.”

  Few girls shared her optimism—they definitely feared the worst.

  Sigrid noticed a few of Sara’s cronies eyeing her suspiciously. “Do…do they think I killed her?” Sigrid whispered to Suko when they were alone.

  Suko shook her head slowly. “I—I don’t know…”

  The other girls had managed to finish the shelter, which comprised little more than a small makeshift lean-to, barely big enough to fit all of them. The next night was still cool, but much more pleasant, spent under cover and warmed by the presence of the others—and Suko, who kept her arms wrapped tightly around her.

  “I can’t breathe!” Sigrid said. They both giggled when Suko held her tighter still. Sigrid didn’t really mind; she was warm and felt safe in Suko’s arms.

  After another full day of rest, Sigrid’s foot had healed enough to walk and she joined Suko and some of the other girls in a hunt. Already growing tired of fish, the girls were determined to catch something more substantial. It took a great deal of time and patience, but six of them eventually tracked and cornered one of the elk. It was Sigrid who managed to spear it, landing the killing blow. Slaughtering the beast was a hopeless and bloody disaster, leaving many of the girls green. But when it was done, Sigrid was presented with the first cuts, cooked over the roaring bonfire. The girls teased her playfully, referring to her as, ‘Our Great Provider’. Sigrid found it both ridiculous and delightful.

  When the transports arrived ten days later, Rosa was greeted by the sight of thirty-one ragged and bleary-eyed girls, who seemed far from pleased with him. He was impressed by the size and fortification of their shelters, even more so when he’d been presented with the trophy of the elk antlers. But when told that Sara was missing his face took on a grim, solemn look. He acknowledged the news with a simple, curt nod. Two Kingfishers, and more transports from the school, were dispatched to look for her, but days and nights of exhaustive searching failed to turn anything up. There was no trace of her. Sara was gone.

  Once the shelters had been dismantled and the area cleaned, the girls piled back into the remaining transports for the trip back to the school. The sight of the Academy had a strange effect on Sigrid after her days in the wilds. The thought of her soft, dry bed, and warm food served to her by the attending staff didn’t excite her, as much as it felt ostentatious and unnecessary. How had she ever thought of this place as austere? The school was a virtual resort, her dormitory a palace.