Civilization

by Stephen Drake

  Declan looked at her with a questioning look. “Honestly, I don’t know. I’ve been out here so long I’m not sure I’d know how to act. Is it something that others vote on?”

  “Our leader listens to all the people you have been helping, but the leader makes the final decision,” Emily informed him.

  “So, I can be voted out as well?” Declan asked. “I’m not sure I’d like to live with that, knowing that someone gets upset with me for something and I get voted out.”

  “It doesn’t work that way,” Emily tried to explain. “Once you’re in, you’re in. Issues derived from the interaction of people in close proximity are settled other ways.”

  “Let me think about it,” Declan said as he handed Emily some of the cooked fish.

  Emily accepted the fish and picked at it for a while.

  “Is there something else?” Declan asked between bites after a long silence.

  “If you accept, I hope we will remain friends,” Emily said with a touch of sadness in her voice.

  “We’ll always be friends,” Declan said with a grin. “Will I meet your leader?” he asked after a short pause.

  “I’m certain of it,” Emily said, perking up a little and started to eat.

  “I suppose I would, considering the small number of people in your camp,” Declan said around bites of the fish. As he looked at Emily, he got the feeling that there was more to it. “What is it you’re not telling me?” he asked finally.

  “I’m the leader,” Emily said quietly after a long pause.

  Declan was shocked and had to fight back the feeling of being deceived. Emily hadn’t given him any reason to distrust her.

  “How much of what I told you did you tell the others?” he asked somewhat petulantly.

  “I told them nothing,” Emily said quietly. “I assumed our conversations were confidential and have kept it to myself. As the leader, I couldn’t allow someone untrustworthy into the camp and had to rely on my own assessment of your motives.”

  “What did the others say?” Declan asked in a surly tone.

  “They said you were weak and they didn’t want you around,” Emily answered meekly, “then they got to know you and you changed their minds.”

  “And you?” Declan asked warily.

  “I had no preconceptions,” Emily stated. “I didn’t know you and you never did anything to me when you were on the council. That first night I brought you something to eat, I needed to know more about you. I got to know you and we became friends and I wish that friendship to continue.”

  Declan looked at her and could see that she was being honest with him. He thought about all that had transpired over the last month and finally smiled at her.

  “When you’ve finished eating, we can leave for your camp,” Declan said with a smile.

  “Are we still friends?” Emily asked, concerned.

  “Is our friendship contingent on entry into your camp?” Declan asked.

  Emily hung her head a little. “No, you’re welcome even if you can’t forgive me for keeping some things from you.”

  “I meant what I said, Em,” Declan answered. “We’re friends. I understand that you had the others to think about and did what you had to.”

  Emily brightened significantly and ate the fish heartily. Declan had already finished his and was dumping water on the fire.

  “Is it far to the camp?” he asked as he stirred the coals to make sure they were out.

  “Not far,” Emily said finishing her portion of the fish. “Less than a mile, I think.”

  #

  It didn’t take Emily and Declan long to get close to the encampment. As they approached, a guard stopped them. After Emily identified herself, they were allowed to pass. It was dusk, but Declan could see a series of ladders and suspension bridges directing them to a cave entrance in the side of the ridge. They were stopped only once more as they approached the base of the first ladder. Again, Emily was identified and allowed to pass, with no regard given to Declan.

  As the pair climbed toward to cave entrance, Declan could hear wood creaking and ropes tightening. They passed two more guards, but weren’t challenged. As the pair crossed a heavy wooden bridge to the cave, two guards appeared from either side of the entrance. Once they were satisfied that it was Emily, the pair stepped off the bridge into the huge cave. Declan could see a few fires and noticed the smoke went to the ceiling and passed out the entrance. Emily led Declan to the rear of the main room. As they walked, Declan saw all the smaller rooms off the main. At the back of the cave, Emily took Declan’s hand as she started down a smaller tunnel.

  “This tunnel gets a little treacherous, so watch your step,” Emily cautioned Declan as they started down.

  Declan heard her, but was trying to take in as much of what he was seeing as he could. At the bottom of the smaller tunnel, Emily stopped and both carefully stepped down on a wooden step, which surprised Declan. As the pair walked the length of the room, Declan was glancing around at the smaller rooms, trying to not look inside them. At the end of the room, they turned again and down another small tunnel.

  “Where did all this come from?” Declan asked as they entered the bathing room, as Emily called it.

  “We found it,” Emily stated. “We added the wooden steps and the wooden bridge, but the rest is pretty much the way we found it.”

  Declan walked over to the first good sized pool and put his fingers into it and found it to contain hot water.

  “I brought you here, first, so you can take a bath,” Emily said quietly. “That is one the stipulations to you joining us.”

  “What are you saying?” Declan asked good-naturedly with a little chuckle.

  “I’m saying you need a bath,” Emily responded in kind.

  “You mean, now?” Declan asked looking around for some privacy, but found none.

  “Yes, now,” Emily said with mock sternness.

  “I’d love to,” Declan said, “but I need a little privacy.”

  “Why? Are you hiding something?” Emily asked playfully. “Besides, I need a bath, too.”

  Emily started disrobing. Declan turned his back to her and started disrobing. He was trying to hurry so he could get into the water before Emily. He managed to enter the water first and heard Emily enter right behind him. Once in the water, he moved across the pool from her.

  “What’s wrong?” Emily asked. “Are you shy?”

  “Somewhat,” Declan responded self-consciously. “I don’t want to presume on our friendship.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” Emily said dismissively. “I’m usually shy as well, but not with you. It’s rare to find the baths empty so you’ll have to get over it, I did . . . somewhat. While we are on the subject, you’ll be sleeping in my chambers for the time being. Are you okay with that?”

  “That’s something I hadn’t anticipated. Are there no other rooms available?” Declan asked as he felt his face flush.

  “None, all the rooms are taken by various combinations of people. Privacy is at a premium,” Emily informed him. “Usually, all the people bunking together get permission from all those involved on a daily basis. You could spend one night with two or three people and the next night be sleeping with a whole new set. Who you sleep with doesn’t seem to matter around here. Most people just sleep in the same room.”

  “So, do I need to get permission from someone else to spend the night with you?” Declan asked. He saw Emily get pensive.

  “Just me,” Emily stated. “My second-in-command was sleeping with me for a few nights, but has found others to bunk with.” As they talked, Emily had moved closer to Declan and noticed that he didn’t move away. “There are times that I need to cuddle and no one is available,” she said quietly.

  “I don’t want to intrude on you or take advantage of the situation,” Declan tried to assure her.

  “I understand,” Emily stated flatly. “Now, come over here and wash my back and I’ll return the favor,” she said as she turned her back t
o him.

  Declan said nothing and moved closer to wash her back. When he was finished, he turned around and she washed his back. When they were done, Emily had moved closer and both were quiet, reveling in the soothing hot water. She did notice that Declan didn’t move away from her. When they were finished bathing, they both got out and dressed.

  “Where do you sleep?” Declan asked as they climbed up from the “bathing room”.

  “I’ll show you,” Emily said quietly. As they entered the main room, Emily took the lead once more and led him to the room closest to the wall across from the tunnel to the “bathing room”. “This is it!” she said cheerfully. “Not much furniture, yet, but it’s out of the weather.” She was trying to be as cheerful as she could.

  “I am a little tired. Would you mind if I went to sleep?” Declan asked quietly.

  “I don’t mind. Do you want company or would you rather go to sleep alone?” Emily asked. “I can always join you after you’re asleep.”

  “I have trouble sleeping in strange places,” Declan started after briefly thinking about it. “I think I’d be more comfortable if you joined me. I am, after all, very comfortable with you.” He saw Emily’s expression lighten as he spoke.

  Declan found a spot on the floor and lay down. He moved around a bit to get as comfortable as possible on the bare stone floor. Emily got on the floor next to him, laying her head in the hollow of his shoulder. Her back was against him. Declan placed his free hand on her hip.

  “Comfortable?” Emily asked quietly.

  “Very,” Declan responded quietly into her hair.

  Emily took his hand from her hip and pulled it to her chest, their fingers intertwined. “So am I, now.”

  #

  It had been a month since Freeman had been killed. At the transport pod, the men would harvest fish and then spend the majority of the night beating and raping the women. While the men were gone harvesting fish, the women would spend that time tending each other’s cuts and contusions.

  It was daylight and the men had gone downstream. Kimberly and Heather were doing their best to bring Phylicia back to consciousness after an unusually brutal night. Kimberly was trying to rinse some of the cuts on Phylicia’s face. She could see that Phylicia’s eyes were swollen shut and the bruises on her cheeks were a deep purple.

  “We have to do something about the situation,” Kimberly said to Heather. “I don’t think Phylicia can take much more of this.” She could see Heather’s bruises and knew her own were probably just as bad.

  “What can we do?” Heather asked with a disheartened tone. “Phylicia brings it on herself. She needs to keep her mouth shut and let them do as they please. Her talking back is what angers Palmer.”

  “It’s the only way she has of resisting,” Kimberly explained.

  “Maybe, but Palmer will either break her or kill her,” Heather said. “Maybe both,” she resumed after looking sadly at Phylicia’s damaged face.

  “We have to do something,” Kimberly insisted.

  “I’m open to suggestions,” Heather retorted. “We can’t carry her and I see no way of escaping. The men don’t leave us alone long enough to even let us recover. So, I see no way.”

  “It’ll probably be worse if one of us is out of commission,” Kimberly said resignedly.

  #

  While on their way home, Murdock telepathically relayed to Mei Lee what Beron had told him about the Elder Oomah. He felt her sadness as if it were his own.

  “We have to be ready to go to the rite at a moment’s notice,” Mei Lee responded telepathically. “Any insight on what the rite entails?”

  “I got no hints from Beron on the subject,” Murdock replied. “Did Bridget say anything to you about it?”

  “Not a word,” Mei Lee responded. “Our only alternative, as I see it, is to be ready for anything.”

  The rest of the trip home was uneventful. Once at the cabin, Mei Lee, with the help of the older children, got the younger ones bathed and in bed while Murdock emptied the cart and brought in enough wood for the night. Mei Lee fixed Murdock and herself something to eat while the older children went to bed, since they had bathed with their younger siblings. After eating, the couple bathed and went to bed.

  “Have you given any thought to Annie or Declan?” Mei Lee asked her husband as they lay in the darkened cabin. “I liked Annie and was getting used to having her around.”

  “Not recently, I haven’t. Beron is keeping an eye on Declan, to make sure he doesn’t get himself killed. Personally, I was thinking about making the rounds to all the newcomers to make sure they are getting settled and preparing for winter,” Murdock said quietly. He resituated himself to look at the top of her head. “Are you missing people being around?”

  “I sometimes wonder if we’re too isolated from others,” Mei Lee responded after some thought. “We do have children that will have to interact with other people, at some point.”

  “I’m not worried about having others around, for myself, but I do see your point about the kids,” Murdock responded.

  “We do have quite a few deer skins,” Mei Lee said after a brief pause. “Maybe the others would be willing to trade something for them. They are, after all, going to need them.”

  “Are you saying this should be a family trip?” Murdock asked.

  “I would like it to be,” Mei Lee responded, “but I will acquiesce to your judgment on the matter.”

  Murdock smiled. “Mei, I have never known anyone like you!”

  Mei Lee rolled over to look him in the face. “Nor I you, my husband,” she replied as she kissed him.

  #

  Emily awoke and found that Declan hadn’t moved at all during the night. She was still holding his hand and clutching it to her chest and found that she seemed to be more rested than usual. She disengaged her fingers from his slowly so as not to disturb him.

  “How did you sleep?” Declan asked quietly as she was starting to get up.

  “How long have you been awake?” she asked quietly. “I slept better than I thought I would.” She had rolled over to face him. He was shorter than she liked and thinner than she preferred, but he was, in her opinion, handsome. She knew he probably wouldn’t have any trouble finding a permanent mate amongst the other females, but the thought of that possibility made her a little jealous and she wondered at that.

  “Not long. I probably woke up just before you did,” Declan answered smiling at her. “I used to be a sound sleeper, but not so much anymore. That’s what sleeping out in the open will do to you.”

  Emily put her hand on his stomach as she rested her head in her other hand.

  “You didn’t move at all during the night,” she said. She could hear the others starting their daily routine. “We should get up so we can get the day started.”

  Without a word, Declan pulled her to him and kissed her deeply. Emily didn’t resist, at first. After a few seconds, she gently pushed him away.

  “Don’t do that unless you mean it,” she warned sternly. “I’m not one to be trifled with!”

  “I didn’t think you were,” Declan said in all seriousness. “I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy it!”

  “I didn’t say it wasn’t enjoyable or unwanted,” Emily responded seriously. “If I kiss someone that way, it means something to me!”

  “It meant something to me and it was meant to be taken seriously,” Declan said.

  “Excuse me, Emily,” Keith Roger’s voice came from outside the room. “We have a major issue that needs to be attended to!”

  “Be there in a minute,” Emily yelled back. “We’ll discuss this later!” she said sternly, but quietly, to Declan. It wasn’t long before she was up, rearranged her clothes, and out the doorway of the room.

  #

  Declan got up after he heard Emily’s voice retreat from the doorway. As he got up and stretched, he straightened his own clothes before emerging. He did get a few strange looks from others as he made his way to the upper level. As he wa
lked toward the cave entrance, he caught a few strange looks from more of the people. By the time he reached the entrance he was quite self-conscious. When he was about one hundred feet from the entrance, he saw a man talking to Emily. The man was a little older, of a larger build, and was a little shorter than he. Declan recognized him, Keith Rogers. As Declan was passing, Rogers gripped his upper arm and guided him toward Emily so he would be engaged in the discussion.

  “Is the hunting party back, yet?” Emily asked Rogers as Declan joined the conversation. To Declan, “Declan, this is Keith Rogers, my second-in-command.”

  “We’ve met,” Declan said as he offered Keith his hand.

  “No, they aren’t back yet,” Keith responded to Emily. He looked at Declan with a glare and didn’t take Declan’s offered hand.

  “Careful, Keith,” Emily warned, catching Rogers’ glare and feeling the tension between the two men. “Declan has done nothing, so you be nice to him!”

  “What’s this all about?” Declan asked.

  “Quite a few people have their nose out of joint over you being here,” Keith said tersely.

  Declan looked sadly to Emily. “You told me I was voted in,” he said and Emily could see he was disconcerted.

  “That isn’t what I said,” Emily defended. “The people you’ve been helping have said lots of good things about you and I did make the decision to allow you into our group.”

  “There is a faction, led by Raymond Tutt, looking for a reason to take away the leadership from Emily,” Keith explained.

  “For me, he can have it,” Emily retorted. “I’ve asked for very little and given a lot to this group!”

  “I know, Em,” Keith replied trying to calm her, “but Tutt having the leadership, at this point, would be a major disaster!”

  “Who is this Ray Tutt?” Declan asked. “That name doesn’t sound familiar to me.”

  “He was the contractor for the community building at the pod,” Keith said to Declan, “and he blames you for two weeks of nightmares. I think he’s being a superstitious ass.”