Weathering Storms

by Taborri Walker

  “To the window!” was the bellow, so Beulah and Grace took the lead there, Sara and Florence behind them. They looked out the low-grade glass pane, not bothering to open it. They could hear well enough and to see the men somewhat distorted lent the bit of levity so desperately needed at that moment.

  “Foul women of uncleanliness, take heed,” it was the Reverend. “The scripture sayeth ‘But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.’ Being as the Lord hath sent us the fair Lakin; that without thy assistance she might be mortal, we obey God the Advocate who doth say ‘For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.’ Following,” the Reverend took a deep breath and the women groaned; this was preaching mode when they needed to be tending Sesha!

  “Thus doth the God of All Comfort say ‘that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean. Thus thou all shalt not leave the room. The pot is for bodily waste; thou shalt place it outside the door when full after securing the cover upon it. Touch not anything uncovered; sleep upon what is there. Call out what is needed from the window and it will be fetched. There be a bucket and rope within, thou shalt lower it out the window and thy goods placed therein. At the end of your Flowers, extra cleansing shalt be made. Doth swear on God’s Word to be duteous and obey?”

  Sarah left the window suddenly and after a moment so did Florence, so Beulah and Grace turned to see and turned back even as the man kept spewing his preaching, repeating questions in different ways.

  “Most Holy Lord Reverend!” Beulah cried out as Grace had to go to assist, “We swear, and thou mays’t continue to preach an’ Sesha will die or thou cans’t allow us to nourish the child so she see the Glory of God’s Mercy!” With that she too whirled, just as the seizure Sesha had was ending.

  Turning towards her patient, Beulah saw her eyes were open and for a moment, was positive she saw a look of victorious exultation on the young woman’s face. Startled, Beulah turned to see if any other woman had seen, and when she swung back, Sesha’s eyes were closed, her breathing choppy.

  “Let us tend the child, then,” she sighed and they set to work.

  15

  Can’t stay an invalid forever, Shni reminded Sesha when they were outside. Weather was cool lately with spots of rain so she really was colder, but threw the bonnet off constantly, pulling the blanket wrapped around her over her head.

  Okay, my back is feeling a lot better, comp says the disc is mostly in place, the swelling is down significantly but not gone yet.

  You’ll be truly unsteady for a while, dear. Ham it up some, but the crowd is getting a bit restless with this sermon about being unclean… mostly women, but men too in certain cases. It’d be a good time to distract.

  He, he, Sesha answered, and patted the side of the young man assigned to push her around to get his attention. He was about 13 years, he’d told her when she asked about him and he regaled her with made up stories as they were taken around. He bent in front of her.

  “Where?” the whisper was so soft.

  “Wan’ up,” Sesha tugged at the lad so he moved in front of her. “Han’s, pees.”

  Still not completely understanding her intent, he held out his hands and Sesha put hers in his.

  “Puh,” she said, and he frowned, so she rocked forward. “Uh-p,” was reiterated.

  Seeing the young woman trying to come close to him he stepped back, a bit panicked, and in doing that, did what Sesha wanted, drawing her to her feet. She yiped a second, wobbled significantly and alarmed, the boy gripped her upper arms and held her steady. She still shook, her knees trembled, but,

  “Thou be standing, Miss Sesha!” the whisper was louder than intended, by the boy, that is, but it caught the attention of the back of the crowd who turned, faces breaking out with huge smiles, seeing the ‘miracle.’ A wave of poking went through the crowd until Beulah was alerted and seeing Sesha on her feet, broke away and hurried back just in time to catch as the girl’s legs gave out.

  “’Tan yup!” she chirped, mixing her language into it, excited.

  “Stand up,” Beulah praised, easing Sesha back into the chair. By now the Reverend’s concentration had been broken and he looked up as someone starting clapping for joy. His mind worked fast, hands beat hard on each other to overwhelm the one and the congregation started applauding Sesha’s accomplishment.

  Truly the Reverend was angry that he missed ‘the’ moment, but acted as if he had not. “A hymn of Praise, Monitor Japheth!” The boy had a good singing voice.

  Into Thy gracious hands I fall,

  And with the arms of faith embrace;

  O King of glory, hear my call!

  O raise me, heal me by Thy grace!

  Allway hurried to the back to bend over Sesha as well, while squirming with the pain from the strain was still ecstatic, her language flowing rapidly, face shining.

  Beulah whispered to her assistant, Michael, and he ran off to the Infirmary and Allway scooped up Sesha’s hand. She jerked a moment, startled, then managed a smile at him.

  “Sweet Sesha, thou are approof that the God of Mercy doth listen to our advocation! As the Scripture sayeth, ‘Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body,”

  Sesha pulled her hand away, looked at him in confusion and said “eh?” Another long stare and she shrugged, turned away and pointed. Without thinking, Beulah began to push her lightweight, easily maneuverable, rubber-coated wheeled chair in that direction.

  “The lass doth not comprehend yet?” Allway’s tone was unpleasant, to say the least.

  “Sesha… be like one of our Peats. Must start simply, teaching more as understanding doth grow. Alas, lord, but betimes the Lakin seemeth to be diffused e’en with simple words. Still the lass doth blench with certain moves even we women make; she doth abhor all but two of thy Monitors and weeps after one e’en looks at her, lord. P’ra’ps the blow to her head,”

  “Doth cause slowness of the mind,” Allway filled in, and then a three-toned whistle interrupted the couple’s talk.

  “Bwoo-tus!” Sesha cried out, seeing the dog and his mate trotting along the outer edge of the encampment.

  The huge dog halted, causing the one beside him to stop too, and Sesha whistled again, then called him to come in the Okeela language. The dog’s tongue fell out of his jaws; he gave a goofy bark and rushed at Sesha, the second dog falling into step exactly beside him.

  Allway flinched back but Beulah kept still. When Brutus reared up to put his paws on Sesha’s lap, the female hound was hauled up as well and she went into full defensive mode. Before anyone could register a thought, Sesha snatched her ear with one hand, grinding into the sensitive nerve as she had with Brutus originally, snarling the same words while her Gem arm lifted the beast’s jowls, the computer pressed firmly against the under neck.

  “Get the animal off --” Allway started but Beulah shook her head. They watched as the bitch calmed down and then her tongue joined Brutus’s to wash Sesha’s face.

  Get that connecting collar off, Sesh… it’s too tight.

  I’m on it. Her fingers were undoing the strap, first on the female, then Brutus. She rubbed their throats and they shook their heads, relieved, and set to kissing her again. They feel dehydrated.

  They are… not only that but the female is pregnant and the WeeLa’s are seriously malformed. Momma’s bones are getting porous too, the bits are draining her of nutrients.

  Won’t live long?

  Most likely born dead. Would be better to abort them now.

  Do it then, Shni. Here come some more, we need to advance this. Again Sesha whistled and startled, Beulah released her grip on the handles. The weight of the dogs in front dumped the chair over and Sesha shrieked, she couldn’t help it. The new pair of dogs rushed in, scruffs up, teeth bared but Brutus stepped
in front and held them off, snarling back while the female licked the involuntary tears off Sesha’s face then laid down in front of her.

  “Monitor Ho,” Allway started to bellow, but Beulah clapped her hand over his mouth, for the two newest lifted heads to look at him now.

  “Send one of those watching in alarm for the man,” she hissed. “This be beyond our control, stay calm.”

  “If one of those beasts harms the comb – the lass, thou shalt be responsible, wife,” to which Beulah turned cold eyes on her husband. She knew he almost said ‘combinate,’ which meant ‘betrothed.’ It was how Peter Allway thought of Sesha; his wife-to-be.

  Sesha managed to whistle again between sniffles and Brutus walked the new pair to her, where she blew breath at them and spoke in the odd language of growls, clicks and other noises. These two didn’t need the ear pinch and shortly Sesha was reaching up clumsily to take off the torturous collars, so the pair laid down to make it easier. She had released the male and was fumbling on the females when a voice roared out.

  “Nay! Stop, wicked child! These beasts be none of your concern,” Monitor Hosea pushed through and reached for the bitch – to find his arm in Brutus’s teeth, firmly enough to pinch, but not bleed.

  While he yelled, suddenly afraid, Sesha pulled off the collar and said “no! Bah, bah!”

  “Ba-d,” Beulah corrected softly.

  “Ba-d! No, no!” and she looked up to see another pair of linked animals slowly approaching, unsure of what was happening. “Bwoo-tus!” speaking in Okeela, Sesha motioned and turned back to her newest pair while another two were held back.

  It was a few more minutes before all ten animals were there; the crowd had backed up some more, all children below the age of ten were being held in case fleeing was necessary. Sesha, still on her side on the ground was getting damp and cold from the drizzle but kept working with the animals.

  “Why doth she puff air upon the beasts?” Allway asked.

  Hosea shrugged, still rubbing his arm. He had imprints but no broken skin. “Perchance in some pagan land it be the way to make one known to another,” but he didn’t move until the fifth collar actually hit his leg when Sesha flung it.

  “Wa – ter,” she spoke and raised her hand to her mouth.

  “For you? Thirsty?” Beulah now crouched beside her and laid a hand on her forehead, feeling the chill.

  “Me ann’a Okeelas,” she pointed all around. “Dwy,” she touched her tongue.

  “The dogs,” Hosea heavily pronounced the word and added anger, “are watered when fed, one time per day.”

  “No!” Sesha struggled to get on an elbow and failed. Beulah, despite the semi-muddy ground, sat and lifted her onto her lap. The girl ticked off on her fingers, then said. “One ‘wound,” her arm swept in an approximation, “wa-ter. One, wa-ter. O, uh, du-og no dwink,” she shrugged. “Wa-ter now, now.”

  With a snapped order the cruel man sent several lads scurrying. All the dogs but Brutus’s mate were lounging around Sesha and Beulah; Allway didn’t dare move but several others had been inching up and copying Sesha’s breathing on them, were soon petting what used to be fearful monsters.

  “Se-sha,” she laid a hand on her lower neck, “Be-lah,” pointing, “Peter,” then to the dogs. “Bwoo-tus,” and she pointed to another. The Monitor, now joined by seven others, told her the names. They were just finishing when the female laid down, whining, rubbing her belly on the ground.

  “What?” Monitor Hosea and Titus hurried to the paining bitch but she snarled and snapped at them.

  “Me, me!” Sesha pulled at Beulah, who began to rise.

  “Lady Sesha, I ask thy permission to help,” Monitor Japheth was there too and she nodded. Between Beulah and the lad Sesha was carried over and sat down by the dog, who put her head in Sesha’s lap and whimpered.

  Sesha’s hand went straight to the animal’s belly, fingers digging in some, then her eyes widened. “Shee – weelas!” moving her hand in an arch over her belly, Sesha sputtered, then spat out “be-bees!”

  “The bitch be childing, then? ‘Tis too soon!” Again Monitor Hosea tried to approach and this time had a phalanx of angry dogs blocking him. “Down! Down! I be thy Master, not the stranger! Back to thy kennels!”

  The children arrived then and were guided around to the other side where bowls went down, water poured in. Sesha took a bowl and started hand-feeding it to this dog, named Bruna. The Monitor liked to keep his partnered animals names almost alike for easy memory and keeping them paired.

  “Be-lah, he’p,” so the woman knelt now and they eased Bruna onto her belly. Sesha kept her Gem arm under the animal.

  Shni, have computer give her a jolt to get her chemicals going to deliver these!

  Already doing it. Press into her belly to help push; she’s so damn dehydrated it’s a miracle she hasn’t collapsed yet.

  I’ll keep her with me for a bit; they’ll let me.

  You a precious Princess, Shni mocked with a grin.

  Everything was forgotten for the drama here; in short order the bitch had pushed out five tiny pups, only one alive. Snatching up her skirts, Sesha used her teeth to rip the petticoat and tear off a chunk, exposing her legs to one and all. Acting as if she didn’t hear the gasps and sudden motions of turning away, she used Beulah to help her get on her knees over the bloody puddle. The drizzle was slowly turning into a soft rain, but all still stood and watched.

  Sesha scooped up the fetal pup and held it in her hand, anger and grief on her face and she held it to Bruna’s nose to sniff as the pup died.

  “Wa-ter, mo’e, mo’e, mo’e! Ss-twong um, doggies! Bay-bees!”

  “Hast told thou, Hosea,” Monitor Caleb rounded on the Number One, “that the animals must be watered oft and fed twice, bitches bred three, four feedings! Thou believest thy way be the only; now wilt thou reconsider? All these be the pups brought in the Year One, there hath been no litters from any!”

  “The mindless beasts must be kept angry,” Hosea snarled, “else wild animals and malcontents o’er-run us! Well-fed be soft an’ tame! Wilt have none of it!”

  “Then wilt have no offspring,” Caleb walked away, up to where Sesha was laying the pup on the torn cloth. She patted his leg over the huge knife they carried and he unstrapped it. As the rain picked up, Sesha used the blade to scoop the dead bodies and placenta off the dirt, into the cloth, then wrapped it up.

  “Go bed now?” she asked pleadingly and Beulah nodded.

  “To the house,” Allway ordered, but she shook her head and pointed to the Infirmary. Beulah and Sarah lifted her into the chair, but she put her arm down.

  “Bwoo-nah,” and spoke Okeela to the female who rose and followed her. Hosea managed to set the dogs back on their runs, but minus the collars. They still paired up as before, Brutus alone. When Hosea tried to take the animal, Sesha shrieked in fear and Bruna snarled at him, so he backed off. Soon Sesha was tucked down on her tummy, ready for a back rub and Bruna laying on a folded blanket by her left arm, where Sesha could touch her frequently. She was almost asleep when Allway came in.

  “The lass dids’t touch the carcasses,” while trying to keep his voice soft, he was still sharp. “’Tis unclean till the even, woman, thou and anyone who dids’t touch the lass. Thou knowest the rules,”

  “Wah – ss,” Sesha said, sleepy. “Wah-ss, bub-ba’s, wah-ss, dwy, han’, han’, d’wess’a socks,” she often lumped clothing names together.

  “My lord,” Beulah had to fight to keep from smiling even a bit. “the lass does not know our ways… she will not understand what will be done. And since I am here with her, come the even t’will be clean.”

  “And Sarah?”

  “Be tending Sesha as well; at the moment hath the clothing we all wore in the wash room. She is away from others an’ shalt stay the night.” Allway left then, forced to be satisfied with that.

  During the night, though, there was a soft commotion that woke her enough to listen.

  “She be
very ill, Beulah… a fever is beginning, she uses the draught seldom and eats and drinks less than a child of 2. Her head hurts muchly, tells me of aches all over. Anna came in long before the crowd scattered and collapsed before reaching her bed. I tended her there until the City was at it quietest.”

  Beulah bent over Sesha, who laid still, breathing steadily. “Be asleep, Bruna too and the dog hath stopped her bleeding as well. I can leave for a few minutes,” a soft kiss was laid on her patient’s cheek and the room fell quiet again.

  Shni, can we hear?

  Not very well… seems to be more than one room over. But it’s Anna, the girl we saw beaten the first day here.

  Damn, Shni! Something has to happen here or she’ll die!

  Chance we have to take, dearheart. I hate it too, just keep doing what you can. Unhappy with that, Sesha went back to sleep, truly tired out and hurting. Her back was better but the impacted area always ached. And never having had pain worse than mild headaches in her life, this was doubly wearing to the girl.

  The weather was nice the next day and Sesha pressed for more time standing up, as if – and she was – impatient to be on her feet. It took extra effort to keep her from overdoing, including Shni.

  Sesh, this is a primitive era! You can’t just expect to hop up in a day or two at a hospital in the Alliance, that fall on the grid floor did damage! While it’s beginning to heal it’s so tender that another hard sit-down will reinjure you, probably worse. And you really have to relearn walking dear… so cool it! That was the image of Shni, as large as she was, bellowing it in her face. It worked; she paid attention to her caregivers.