The Bridge Home

by Matthew Williams

  Nassor and Farajii sat quietly for a moment before Nassor took a few small berries and popped them in his mouth.

  “Let the boy have some,” Lael said.

  “Are you sure sir?” Nassor asked.

  “He will need to be rested for our trip to the market, a few berries will surely put his mind at ease.”

  Nassor plucked a berry from the pouch and handed it to Akiiki, who cupped the small dry husk with both hands. Akiiki hesitated for a moment and looked around the fire at Lael and his men.

  “Go on. You think we would poison you after risking so much to keep you alive? Stupid boy, poison is a coward’s tool. If we wanted you dead, we would simply cut your throat,” Farajii’s voice pierced the cold night.

  Akiiki thought for a moment before popping it into his mouth. He struggled against its bitterness as he swallowed the dry berry. They passed the water around and Akiiki worked to get the last of the bitterness out of his mouth.

  Lael look at his men. “Now rest. We will begin our travels before first light.”

  Farajii and Nassor laid down with their backs to the fire. Akiiki laid facing the fire and quickly fell asleep.

  ***

  The next morning, Akiiki awoke to a dull pain in the back of his head that made him wince as he rubbed his eyes. He stood up and tried to walk, but with his first steps, he staggered in the sand and fell to one knee. Chaos gripped his mind as the world spun around him. He closed his eyes to quiet the disorder in his head but was haunted by the image of Zikomo’s dead body. As his thoughts raced, he realized the lifeless body he pictured in his head was not Zikomo’s but his father’s. He imagined his father’s empty lifeless eyes for a moment before he lurched forward with a gasp and vomited in the sand. The pounding pain in his head worsened and after a few more heaving attempts, his mind blackened as he fell into the sand, the world slowly disappearing around him.

  A far-off voice faded into his awareness. “Wake up boy!”

  A wooden cup was placed on his lips, and as he drank, the water filled him with a new strength that he used to slowly open his eyes.

  Lael stood in front of him. “Good you are awake. You have already cost us precious time. Perhaps it is my fault, to think that your sheltered mind could handle an Ochi berry. In the brush we use them to escape from the reality we wrestle with daily, but they can also break weaker minds. Help him up.”

  With surprising ease, two hands on his shoulders pulled him to his feet. “Now keep up. We have a long walk and we cannot waste any more time.”

  Lael and his men began walking away, and with his eyes trained on the sand in front of him, Akiiki stumbled after them.

  The faint glow of dawn broke over the horizon, tempting them as they walked. They made their way through the early morning sunrise and into midday, where off in the distance, waves of rippling heat danced across the sand and played cruel tricks on their eyes.

  Lael drank from his pouch and tipped it upside down.

  “That is the last of the water,” Farajii said quietly to Akiiki. “The market is our only hope now. No one survives without water in the brush for long. I pray Lael knows what he is doing. Sharing our water with you was a risk, one that put all our lives in jeopardy. If we cannot make it to the market in time, Lael will also have our deaths on his conscience.”

  Up ahead, Lael stopped. “There it is, the travelers stone. The market is close,” he pointed off into the distance and Akiiki squinted his eyes as he looked out across the horizon.

  A long black pillar rose from the sand. Unnaturally straight, it seemed oddly misplaced in the barren sand. As they approached the pillar, Akiiki saw it was made of the deepest black stone he had ever seen. The square base tapered gradually at the top into a point with a small groove running from the top all the way down to the center where it ended in a small basin.

  When they reached the stone, Lael used two hands and scooped some water from the basin into his mouth. One by one they all quenched their thirst.

  “The travelers stone means the market is within a day’s walk,” Lael said as he looked at his men. “Remember, we do not have time to waste. Every moment we linger will draw more attention towards us and the boy, attention we do not need.”

  Lael turned and eyed Akiiki. “Do not leave my side boy. Remember, as long as you stay with me you are safe but if you run there is no telling who will catch you.”

  A chill crept down Akiiki’s spine as he nodded.

  “Sir, is it a good idea to take the boy? One of us could take him and wait for you outside the market so he does not bring us unwanted attention,” Nassor said.

  “Bringing the boy is a risk, but one I feel we must take. The royal guard will surely make their way to the market in search of the boy. We must stay together in case they happen to find us.”

  Lael reached into his pack and pulled out a few old rags. “Change into these,” he said as he tossed them into the sand at Akiiki’s feet.

  Akiiki looked down at the pieces of cloth and picked them up. After studying them for a moment he looked at Lael, who sighed. “Wrap one around your waist and the other around your face. I swear do your servants do everything for you? What kind of life is it if you are not even forced to dress for yourself?”

  “H..Here?” Akiiki stuttered.

  Nassor chuckled. “I think he is embarrassed.”

  “Is that it boy?” Lael asked. “Do you want your own room to change in?”

  “I..I just…”

  A swift fist to the stomach collapsed Akiiki to his knee.

  “We don’t have time for your embarrassments or your explanations. When I tell you to do something, you do it.”

  Gasping for air, Akiiki looked up at Lael.

  “Do you understand?”

  Akiiki nodded.

  “Good. Now get dressed. Farajii, bury his robe. We cannot leave any clues as to who he is.”

  Using one hand, Akiiki unbuttoned his robe and struggled to pull it up over his head. As he stood naked in front of the men, vulnerability numbed him to the pain of his stomach. He winced, and tears blurred his vision as he struggled to wrap the long piece of cloth around his waist. When he was finished, Farajii dug a small hole in the sand and dropped Akiiki’s old clothes in before kicking sand over them. As the clothes disappeared under the sand, Akiiki felt the last remnants of his old life slipping away from him.

  “Good, now the other one,” Lael said. “Around your face, like this,” Lael took another small rag out of his pack and wrapped it around his face until only his eyes showed through a small slit.

  Akiiki fumbled with the cloth until it was tied tightly around his head.

  “All right. Let’s go,” Lael said as he made his way past the traveler’s stone. Akiiki, still doubled over in pain, hobbled after him.

  They continued to walk through the desert until the market appeared upon the horizon. Once they were close enough to hear the low droning sound of voices, Akiiki’s heartbeat quickened. Lael paused in front of a building and looked at Akiiki before making his way into the market through a small dark alley with large walls of dried clay on either side. Nassor grunted and pushed Akiiki forward into the alley.

  Akiiki followed Lael as he stepped out of the alley and into the open market. The sights and sounds of the market made Akiiki’s head spin as people walked past him without so much as a glance. He followed Lael through the market, past small shops, where people yelled and pointed as they sold clay pots and cloths decorated in extravagant colors and designs.

  Children shrieking with laughter, ran through the streets, while women with large baskets balanced on their heads, walked calmly through the commotion. The life and energy of the market was unlike anything Akiiki had ever experienced and lost in wonder, he bumped into Lael who had stopped at one of the small shops. Lael turned and gave him a menacing glare, before turning back towards the shop.

  An old man sat behind a small wooden table covered with bo
wls of fruit and spoke with Lael in a language Akiiki did not understand. Lael said something and the man shook his head. Lael paused before addressing the man again in a voice that made Akiiki shiver. The shop owner looked side to side, eyeing Lael and his men before turning his attention to Akiiki. He nodded reluctantly and picked a few pieces of fruit out of the bowl and put them in a cloth bag that he handed to Lael. Lael grabbed the bag and handed the man his water pouch. The old man shook his head as he filled the pouch with water from a large jug. Without a word, Lael took a small coin out of his pack and handed it to the man. As Lael turned to leave, Akiiki noticed a hardened look of resentment on the man’s face.

  They had made it only a few steps before a loud voice from behind shouted something in their direction. Suddenly, a flash of movement by his side startled Akiiki, as a man rushed past him and stood right in Lael’s path.

  Lael came to a stop as the man screamed at him. He was younger than Lael, with light brown skin that matched the color of the clay buildings around them. As the man berated Lael, the flow of people in the market crept to a halt as they stopped to watch the scene unfold.

  Lael stood calmly before the irate man, casually watching him with unworried eyes. The man reached into his pocket and took out a coin and threw it at Lael. The coin hit Lael in the chest and fell into the sand at Lael’s feet. Lael’s calm demeanor only made the man more upset, and he stepped aggressively toward Lael, who took a small dagger out of his pack and held it by his side. The man mumbled something under his breath, and pointing at Lael, shouted to the crowd. After a timid response, his eyes filled with tears as he yelled at Lael. The passion in his voice seemed to resonate through the crowd, and he was rewarded with the loud whooping of support. He stared at Lael as his chest heaved with deep breaths.

  The cheering crowd quieted as Lael looked from side to side and spoke in a deep voice that thundered towards the man in front of him. Though the words were foreign to Akiiki, the threatening tone in which he spoke was all too familiar. When he was finished, Lael gripped the dagger tightly in his hand, and smiled as he looked around the crowd.

  The defiant energy of the crowd melted into a low bubbling nervousness that simmered through the silence.

  Then, out of the air, a large rock landed at Lael’s feet. Akiiki held his breath as Lael looked down at the stone and then back up at the crowd. Someone yelled as another rock was hurled towards them, hitting Farajii in the shoulder. The crowd stirred restlessly and, in a blur, the man in front of them screamed and charged Lael. As if given some silent cue, the rest of the crowd surged forward until they had completely engulfed Lael, his men, and Akiiki.

  Everything happened so quickly that Akiiki was left no time for thought. The man reached Lael before the crowd and swung wildly at him with closed fists. With flawless precision, Lael dodged the attack and blood spurted onto the sand as Lael’s dagger sliced across the man’s stomach. As the weight of the crowd bore down around them, Akiiki felt a hand grab his arm and pull him against the flow of people. As he was dragged into the oncoming wave of bodies, his eyes met Farajii’s. A look of panic spread across Farajii’s face as he screamed and tried to follow Akiiki through the crowd, but he was quickly lost amongst the sea of commotion.

  Akiiki turned his attention away from Farajii and towards the arm that guided him forward. After a few agonizing seconds, they broke out of the crowd of people.

  “Quickly, we must hurry,” the man said as he let go of Akiiki’s arm and headed down a small alley. Akiiki stood helplessly as fear and shock gripped his body. The man rushed back to Akiiki and put a hand on his shoulder.

  “We don’t have much time, if you don’t come with me you will be on your own until Lael finds you.”

  Akiiki relaxed slightly at the man’s touch and began to follow the man through the market.

  Eventually they stopped in front of a small makeshift tent in between two large shops. Akiiki followed the man into the tent and watched as he gathered a few small belongings into a pack that he slung across his shoulder. They exited the tent and walked quickly through the wide empty street as people rushed past them in the direction of the fight. Once they reached the edge of the market, where nothing but open desert awaited them, the man turned and stared at Akiiki.

  “Do you trust me?”

  Something in the man’s eyes drew Akiiki’s attention and captured it.

  “Yes,” Akiiki said hesitantly.

  The man nodded as he turned and made his way into the desert. Akiiki paused before the thought of Lael and his men drove the doubt from his mind and he began to follow the man into the warm sand.

  Chapter 4

  AKIIKI’S LEGS BURNED from the exhausting pace the man set as they trudged through the sand. Night had fallen by the time the man finally stopped and dropped his things in the sand.

  Akiiki sighed quietly in relief.

  “The night should protect us now,” the man said calmly, no hint of struggle in his voice. “I’m afraid tonight we will have to sleep without the blessing of fire. It is too dangerous.”

  Akiiki studied the man as he stood in the shadows. He was an older man, older than even Akiiki’s father, but he was alive with a bustling energy that Akiiki had never experienced. Tall and lean, with black skin and long black locks that hung down his back, he looked at Akiiki and nodded.

  “If we are to be travel companions, I suppose introductions are in order. I am Obasi,” he moved closer and reached his hand out towards Akiiki.

  Akiiki shook the man’s cold rough hand in silence. His grip was reassuring and after a moment he said. “I understand if you are not quite ready to talk. It must have been difficult, a boy your age traveling with Lael. Perhaps after a night of sleep you will feel more like talking. Of all the travel companions I have had, one who doesn’t talk will surely be the most disappointing,” he smirked. “But, nonetheless, having another person to listen to my ramblings will be plenty.”

  Obasi took a blanket from his pack and unfolded it onto the sand. “This blanket has helped me through many cold nights. It’s not much, and without a fire, sleep will not come easy, but it should be enough for you to get a few hours of rest. We must get started early if we are to keep ahead of Lael. There is no doubt that if Lael survived, he will be searching for you. I will stay up and keep watch.”

  Akiiki eyed Obasi suspiciously before he made his way to the blanket and laid down. Even though the events of the day were still fresh in Akiiki’s mind, sleep fell upon him easily.

  “My son.”

  Akiiki awoke to a nudge on his shoulder.

  He struggled to open his eyes against the comfort of sleep.

  “My son. It is time to go.”

  After another nudge on his shoulder, Akiiki reluctantly opened his eyes. The sky was still black with night, without a hint of the rising sun. Still fighting sleep, he slowly rolled over and got to his feet. While Obasi folded the blanket, Akiiki yawned and rubbed his eyes.

  “Are you ready?” Obasi asked quietly, once he had the blanket packed away. Akiiki looked at him and nodded.

  “Alright, let’s go,” Obasi said as he began to walk.

  After they had walked for a while, Obasi paused and searched through his pack. He pulled out a pouch, put it to his lips and then handed it to Akiiki, who took a long sip. The water had a sharp taste to it that made Akiiki grimace.

  “Don’t mind the taste, it is meant to keep our hunger at bay,” Obasi said.

  With his thirst satisfied, Akiiki’s mood lightened and he handed the pouch back to Obasi.

  “Thank you.”

  Obasi regarded him warmly and smiled. “So, you do talk. I was beginning to get worried. Tell me my son, what is your name?”

  Akiiki hesitated before unwrapping the scarf from around his face. “My name is… Akiiki,” he said quietly.

  Obasi stared at him intently. “I see. So, it is you. I heard rumors of the tragedy at the palace and when I saw you wit
h Lael I knew something seemed off. Are you hurt?”

  Akiiki shook his head. “No, I am all right.”

  “Lael has always been foolish with his bravery but I never would have expected him to attack the palace,” Obasi looked at Akiiki. “I’m very sorry for your ordeal. There are those in the world whose misplaced courage and conviction can lead them down a dangerous path. The strife against your father was unavoidable during a drought, that he had to pay with his life is a tragedy.”

  Akiiki stayed silent, as the agony of the memory worked through his mind and into his chest.

  Obasi cleared his throat. “Enough talk of such matters. We should cover as much ground as we can before the sun rises,” he tucked the pouch into his pack and they began to walk again in silence.

  Many hours later, as sweat dripped from Akiiki’s brow, Obasi stopped and dropped his things into the sand.

  “I suppose this is as good a place as any to rest.”

  Using small sticks from his pack, Obasi propped the blanket up into a small makeshift tent to block the sun. When he was finished, he motioned to Akiiki, “Come, the midday sun is too strong. The key to any great journey is knowing when to rest.”

  Akiiki sat next to him in the small cramped tent, and in the shade, away from the brutal rays of the sun, he felt his body relax. Obasi took a few small sips from his pouch and passed it to Akiiki. After a brief pause, Obasi said.

  “We should be safe for now. Not even Lael and his men could travel in this heat. Anyways, I am sure they are still recovering from yesterday’s ordeal.”

  Akiiki handed the water back to Obasi.