by M J Porter
She turned to check on the snow she had now placed near the fire, heat infusing her cheeks and not from the fire, and then handed the now melted and slightly tepid water to him,
“It must be getting hot in here. That took no time at all.”
Again, a happy grin lit up his face as he reached to take the cup from her. He let out a sudden cry of pain and Sereh had to grab back the pot to prevent it toppling over. Erann collapsed back onto the furs and Sereh rushed to him in concern. His face was sheeted in an icy sweat and she gasped as she touched his forehead because it felt burning hot? What was the matter with him?
His eyes had closed in pain, or rather his open eye had. The bruising on his face had made it almost impossible for both eyes to open. His breathing was ragged. She felt a stir of panic within her stomach where a moment before there had been only excitement. She knew that people could be hurt inside and that everything could seem fine on the outside. What if Erann had injuries that couldn’t be fixed? They were alone in the middle of Vatna Jokull. There was no one she could ask for help. She stared at him in concern, running both her hands over his face and the top part of his body as she did not know what else to do with herself; somehow she hoped this small act would give reassurance.
When it didn’t she looked about frantically, at Arrow, at the back of the cave, out onto the destruction caused by the avalanche. Then she felt her hand being gently but firmly gripped. Her head shot back round to glance at Erann and although his eyes were still closed and sweat still beaded his face, he had enclosed both of her hands within his and the small, tight grin was back on his face.
He opened his lips to speak and his voice sounded strong,
“Sereh, please stop panicking. I am okay. Well, that’s not true. I’m not, but I will be. I think I’ve damaged my legs. The pain is, quite frankly, excruciating. Will you check for me?”
His eyes remained shut but Sereh felt the grip on one of her hand slowly release. The other was equally slowly released and the second her hands were free she pined for the strength that his hold had given her. Something so small as his hands on hers had calmed her racing heart and made her think instead of panic. His touch had however left hot patches of heat on her hands. She needed to be gentle and focused whilst she checked his legs, not thinking about holding hands.
She gently lifted the furs which surrounded his legs and heard him gasp quietly in pain. She glanced at him in horror and fear and he opened his eyes to smile encouragement at her. The smile made her smile slightly as she returned to the task at hand. When she had bought him into the cave she had not been overly careful in her placement of him, more concerned to have him warm and covered up than anything else. She hoped desperately that she had not made any injury worse.
She pulled all the furs free from where they had become entangled around his legs and immediately discovered the problem. One leg had a piece of bone sticking through the skin. She inhaled sharply as she went on to examine the other leg. It appeared fine but when she rolled up the fur leg covering she was greeted with a patchwork of purples and blacks. It was extremely badly bruised. She knew that Erann’s eyes were again closed as he fought against the pain her slight activities were causing. His breathing was uneven. She was relieved that he could not see her face. Whilst his injuries were not life threatening, they would take time to heal and out here it was difficult to know what to do for the best. They would quickly run out of food, and Sereh was worried that there would soon be another avalanche. There had been further booms and snaps the entire time she had been awake, watching Erann.
She re-covered his bruised leg and sat back to think about what to do with the broken one. Erann let out an exasperated sigh,
“Well, are you going to tell me or just sit there?”
His voice sounded strained but amused and she looked up to see his intense jade eyes gazing at her. She felt herself flush from the intensity of his look and quickly looked down. She mumbled her reply,
“Your left is broken below the knee and your right is very badly bruised”.
“Well, that explains the pain then”, was his short and matter of fact reply. Sereh quickly went from fear at his injuries to bemusement. He didn’t sound anywhere near as traumatised as she’d thought he would.
“I’ll look around for something to use as a splint and get your leg tied up. It doesn’t seem to be bleeding, not any more at any rate”.
As she went to get up she felt a pressure on her arm and turned to see Erann’s eyes on her again,
“Thanks Sereh” he whispered, “really, thank you”.
The intensity in his voice bought a flush to her cheeks, unbidden, and she got up a bit quicker than she intended and then stumbled over the furs which she had pulled to one side when she uncovered his legs. She didn’t trust her voice to answer and as she walked away from him, she glanced back and noticed that his eyes had shut again. The pain he was in must be unbearable and yet, somehow, he still had the ability to make her feel like this. She shook her head in wonderment.
* * *
The pain was intense and unrelenting. Closing his eyes seemed to help. But then, they kept opening of their own regard, to look at Sereh. She had just walked from the cave in search of a splint for his leg, and he had watched her walk away with a hunger that he had never felt before. It seemed to override the pain he felt. Maybe he should keep his eyes open after all.
They shut of their own accord as soon as Sereh was out of sight and he gratefully sank into semi-consciousness. In this state he could feel the other presence in his mind of the eyes that he had seen as a flash when he first regained consciousness. He couldn’t honestly believe what he had seen, and yet somehow it all made perfect sense and had an unassailable logic. He had always known that his people were not alone on this planet, and now he had the proof. Although it appeared that only he could see the, whatever it was. In his pain wrecked mind he knew that what he had seen was important beyond measure.
He felt the strange presence penetrate his mind. It was not uncomfortable, simply odd. He didn’t know how, or why, but welcomed the release from the pain that it gave him. The presence should have felt wrong and alien, not comforting as it currently was. He welcomed it despite its strangeness. It was not overwhelming or uncomfortable. It was just … right.
It was only when he felt Sereh’s gentle hands on his leg that he appreciated how much pain he was in, and how much the presence in his mind was diluting the pain. It had been a beautiful agony when Sereh had first examined his leg. Her touch; so soft, the pain; so intense. Now he could just feel her hands on him and no pain at all. He hoped that his friend wasn’t somehow feeling his pain instead of him. He felt a gentle pressure in his mind and knew in that instant that his friend was not in pain at all.
Belatedly he became aware that Sereh’s hands had stopped touching his leg and he opened his eyes, slowly, to see her gazing at him in fear, her light eyebrows twisted in concern. He cracked a small smile, his mouth currently too dry to say anything. She needed reassurance. She smiled in return before turning back to the fire and lifting the pot of water. He raised himself gingerly on his elbows and gratefully drank the slightly warmed water she passed to him. He sank back on his makeshift bed and spoke the words, “Thanks”. The noise that left his mouth surprised him. He croaked and sounded about a hundred rotations old. She smiled at the sound and he felt himself transfixed by that smile. He was in intense pain and yet he was not. He had discovered in his darkest moment of aloneness that he was not alone, and that nor were his people. An astounding discovery, on top of which he felt things for Sereh that he had never felt before. Was this what it was like to fall in love? And if it was, why did it have to be now?
He had vaguely understood the images conveyed into his mind by his new friend and that he was leaving for a short time. He had not appreciated the onslaught of pain that had gripped him the minute his friend was gone. He had screamed in pain and Sereh had rushed to him, her hands fluttering, totally unsure
of what had caused this new wave of pain. He could not explain, she would think him crazed. Neither could he come up with a plausible reason – the pain was too great for him to even speak. He blacked out. His last thought was a hope that his friend would return and that Sereh would not panic, too much.
He now understood the sensation of his dreams as his friend soared through the air with an aerial view of his homeland. As he hung in the darkening sky he felt no pain.
He noticed things as he glided; the still pristine landscape, the tiny dots of people. Nowhere did he see land that was green or brown. Nowhere did he see the rushing purple of a river. It was as if the land still slept under a white blanket. He knew it was wrong, whilst at the same time revelling in the sheer majesty of it all.
As he flew through the purple shield he had seen some days before, he did not think his flying friend saw it or felt it. He did and it surprised him. How it seemed to envelope his friend quickly and then release him slowly, almost unwillingly, leaving a trail of green sparks when he happened to glance behind him.
It seemed as though little time had passed when he felt the gliding sensation slow and then stop completely. His friend landed with a soft thud on a snow-covered ledge and someone Erann did not know stepped out from the mountain that sheltered the ledge. Erann realised he could somehow hear what his friend heard but her words were muffled so that Erann could only make out the rise and fall of the tone of her voice but not the actual words. Instead he concentrated on looking at her. She was tall and beautiful but impossible to age. Her eyes flashed kindly as she spoke to Greeneyes. She disappeared and then returned and there was some complicated discussions that Erann did not understand. Erann drifted into a more natural sleep.
* * *
She had panicked, completely, when Erann screamed in agony before passing out. She had flapped her hands in panic and felt useless as the sweat had cloaked his face. She didn’t understand what had caused him to suddenly cry out. She had done nothing, and Erann had not even moved. The only thing that had happened was that Arrow had let out a slight growl as a deep boom had reverberated around their small shelter. That was it, nothing more.
Only when Erann had reverted to a normal breathing pattern as he slept had she relaxed. Then the exhaustion of the day had overtaken her. She had wrapped herself in furs, careful not to touch Erann and had slept the minute she lay down, Arrow acting as a buffer between them.
* * *
He had hoped that finding Erann alive would have been enough. His extensive injuries and isolated condition and the astounding knowledge that Erann, one of the Others, not beholden to his kind, was actually able to see him, was so momentous that he knew he had no choice other than to continue to help him. He also realised that he could not help him directly. He would have to bring one of his Others here – someone skilled in herb lore and with the ability to lie convincingly. Whilst Erann might see him, the girl could not, like most of her kind. He needed to keep it that way whilst he worked out what this all meant. He needed to seek out Emma.
He sought out Erann’s mind with his own and felt a jolt of recognition. He projected images of someone coming to help Erann and hoped that he understood his intent. With a sharp snap of his wings he took to the air. Erann’s injuries were not life threatening at the moment and he felt comfortable leaving him for a short amount of time. It was the extreme cold and lack of food that worried Greeneyes.
He turned his attention to the task ahead. He needed to get one of his Others here and he was unsure how to accomplish any of it. How could he get them here? How could he convince them to leave their safe haven? What did they need to bring? What could they say to Erann and the girl to explain their presence? As he flew he did not see the varying shades of white which sparkled beneath him, focused only on the task ahead.
He arrived home as the deep violet of night was spreading across his land. How many days had passed since the sun had first appeared over the horizon? He was unsure but felt certain as he slowed his momentum that it had been over a week now and wondered why the ground beneath him was still covered in snow as it flashed beneath his wings and now registered amongst his scattered thoughts? The thaw should have begun in earnest by now and the land should have been a myriad of growing greens, muddy browns and rushing streams. So why wasn’t it?
He landed with a soft thud on the wide ledge of his home. He could hear the scurrying of the Others who were leaving in the wake of his arrival. He was not yet aware of them as individuals and so could not differentiate their individual thoughts. Instead a whirl of fear rushed up to greet him. Emma alone remained and walked into his line of sight. He was impressed that he had been able to pick out her calm mind amongst all the rest.
“Greeneyes, you have returned much sooner than anticipated. Were you successful?”
He briefly wondered how she knew where he had been, but laid the thought aside, too intent on his purpose now that he was finally home. Her tone sounded oddly formal after their conversation of only last night. He wondered if she now regretted her candour, whilst hoping that she did not. He needed her help now. He was tempted to ‘see’ her thoughts; decided against it. He could respect Erann’s thoughts and he found that he wanted to.
“I was successful, thankfully. He is safe now and free from the avalanche. However, he is gravely wounded and I can not move him further. The girl is looking after him. Her care though, is not total, I fear …. I worry …. I am afraid for him.” The images rushed out of his mind almost incoherently in his desperation to convey his great need. He saw her eyes lighten as his worry won through into his silent voice,
“Have you come for help Greeneyes? Is that why you are here?”
She had taken the words right out of his mouth and he was incredibly grateful. He had never asked for help before, not even from his own kind, and to ask one of Erann’s kind would have been harder than he could have imagined.
“Yes, yes. I have come to see if one of you will come with me, with food and supplies and medicine and help nurse Erann back to health”.
Emma smiled with a real warmth to her face. Greeneyes was pleased that his request had been received so well. Her next words shocked him, for all they were said in a friendly enough tone.
“It is impossible, I am afraid. We may not leave here. Surely you were aware of this. It has ever been the same.”
Greeneyes was dumbfounded. He had not realised. He had never given it any thought. If these people could not leave here then they were truly slaves to his kind. The thought unnerved him. Had he already begun to see his Others as more than just slaves and more than the convenience they certainly were? He realised just how differently he was feeling towards those traditionally thought of as his enemies. The thoughts no longer scared him because he knew he was acting in a way that had been foreseen, as Emma had taught him last night. He marvelled at what had made him so different to his ancestors whilst he worried about Erann. He had assumed that someone would help Erann. It now appeared that they could not. What was he supposed to do now? He couldn’t risk Erann not when he held the key to everything.
He turned his gaze to look at Emma and noticed she had gone. He did not seek her mind. He just stood there, unmoving, whilst he frantically thought. He wondered if there was some way to bring Erann here. Forget about the girl – it was Erann that was important. Perhaps he could somehow carry Erann in a large basket? Anything to just get away from the desolate place he was now in. He was so lost in his thoughts he did not realise that Emma had returned. She stood quietly, not wanting to disturb him, waiting for him to realise she was there.
Greeneyes took so long to notice her that eventually she coughed and shuffled her feet over the crackling ice. With a start he looked at her, wondering briefly if he had imagined her leaving. She appeared to be in exactly the same position that she had been in earlier. Then he looked closer and realised that she was wrapped in a midnight black fur and that she had a basket at her feet full of food and also a pack full to the brim
of supplies that she and her kind needed. He looked at her quizzically and she returned his look with a small smile, not daring as such, more defiant than anything else. She spoke,
“I’ve never done this before and I’m sure that you haven’t either. I assume that if you let me sit on your back, between some of your ridges, or on your neck if you prefer I may be able to get comfortable whilst you fly”.
In his mind he thought back, somehow coherently,
“How, how can you come with me? You said it was impossible.”
Her tight smile appeared again,
“It was, until you asked. Now we’ll just have to wait and see”.
He looked at her and felt hope rise again. He did not fully understand her words and was just pleased that his way of helping Erann was going to work after all.
Or at least it looked like it would, until they both realised that there were things that neither of them had considered. How should Emma get on his back or neck? Once she was there, how was she to hold on? How was she to hold on, and hold her basket with the precious supplies in? In the end it was a scramble. Emma managed to perch on his neck, with the basket in front of her and the pack on her pack. It felt uncomfortable for both of them and Greeneyes worried that he would not be able to manage with the extra weight. Only the desire to help Erann made him persevere. He was unsure of Emma’s motives. She seemed serene in her resolve, whereas moments before it had all been impossible.
By the time everything was in place half the night had passed. The stars were sparkling crystalline above their heads and the shadowy planet was chasing towards dawn. They were in such close proximity to each other it was difficult to avoid Emma’s thoughts and try as he might stray images kept entering his mind. A recurrent thought was about a man he did not recognise. A man with dark brown hair and ancient deep jade eyes, that smiled at her in a tired way.
He shook the image away from his mind as he sprang from the ledge with a sharp crack of his wings. He needed to concentrate on what he was doing. He had never had a passenger before. He was vaguely aware of a long, seemingly endless noise that only ceased as he gained his flying height. As he levelled out he realised what the noise was. It was Emma screaming in fright, or joy. Her thoughts were too incoherent for him to decide.