A Woman's World

by Lynne Hill-Clark

  “Vicaroy? It’s me.”

  He didn’t look at her. The vacant look in his eyes chilled Baya’s entire body.

  The thrill at finding him alive vanished. She placed a hand on his shoulder. “Vicaroy. I thought you were dead. … How did you survive the river?”

  Nothing but a blank stare at the fire.

  Baya! Is that you?

  She jumped at the sound of the familiar voice. Her focus had been entirely on Vicaroy.

  She felt a tickle moving up her leg. She picked the insect up and held him close to her chest. “Doba! You’re alive!”

  Can’t … breathe.

  “Oh. Sorry.” Baya loosened her grip. “I’m so happy you’re okay …” She held Doba out so she could look at him. “What’s wrong with him?”

  Doba lowered his head and all four eyes closed. I don’t know. He’s been acting odd ever since we fell into the river. He took a nasty hit to the head.

  “Where?” From what she’d been able to see, he appeared to be fine.

  He must’ve hit his head on a rock while we were tossed around in the river.

  Baya’s heart jumped into her throat threatening to strangle her.

  Doba scurried along her arm and secured himself to her shoulder and waist. The normalcy of the gesture gave her strength. It felt right, which made her think that everything might be okay, somehow. At least she was able to take a deep breath.

  Baya gently moved Vicaroy’s overgrown curls to the side. He didn’t flinch away from her touch. The fact that he didn’t acknowledge her at all caused her chest to tighten.

  Above his right ear was a terrible crescent-shaped gash. Baya inhaled sharply through her teeth. The wound was a deep blue, yet clean, most likely from the river. It appeared to be healing well even though it would leave an awful scar. She inspected him carefully. Aside from some healing bruises, and the pink scarring on his arm from the animal attack, he appeared to have no other injuries.

  “How did you get here?”

  Vicaroy didn’t so much as blink at her question.

  So Doba answered, Thankfully he wakes most mornings mumbling about heading east. So we made our way out of the canyon and down the mountain. I’d hoped the fire would guide you to us. I pushed the fire stones over to him and stacked the kindling. He eventually lit the fire.

  “At least he was able to do that? That must be a good sign.” She scratched under Doba’s chin. “You smart little critter, you.”

  Doba clicked with affection.

  Baya studied Vicaroy. “Head east, huh?”

  “Go east.” Vicaroy recited in a monotone voice.

  “That’s right.” Baya lit up. At least he had spoken! She knelt down in front of him and took his hands. “You’re correct. We are heading east to find people. You and me and our animal companions, remember?”

  Only a blank stare.

  “You remember me. I’m Baya.”

  Nothing.

  Tears ran down her cheeks. “What’s wrong with you?” She rested her head on his chest and let the tears fall freely. “I thought I lost you. Only to find you … like this.”

  No response.

  Baya was not sure how much time passed before Vicaroy lay down and fell fast asleep. No bedding, no clothes for a pillow. He sprawled out flat on the dirt.

  He sleeps odd hours now, Doba said.

  He had only a mostly empty pack. Baya gently put it under his head. His bow and quiver were gone. They must have been lost in the river. The short night would be over soon.

  Where’s that wild beast? Doba asked.

  “I’d better go back for her. Tara’s sleeping no more than a length away.”

  Oh, I’d hoped —

  “Doba, how dare you? We all need each other. It would be terrible to be alone out here in this strange world that we know nothing about.”

  The insect shuddered at the thought.

  “Speaking of alone. We found some other creatures that looked like you. Well … sort of.”

  Where? Doba’s dark eyes suddenly glittered in the firelight.

  “Right here in the desert. They burrow underground.”

  Doba scanned the ground intently.

  When they made it back to Tara, it looked like the ground around her was moving. “That must be them — the others like you.”

  They live in the sand? Doba’s voice was full of disgust.

  “Maybe that’s where your kind is supposed to be. They probably came up looking for food again.”

  As they approached Tara the ground went still. There was no sign of them.

  The first sun of the day was on the rise. Baya was barely able to wake a very grumpy and very tired Tara. “I know. The nights are too short this time of year. But we have to get back to Vicaroy.” She rubbed behind Tara’s ear.

  Tara’s eyes widened at the sight of Doba. You found him! Tara put her front paws on Baya’s chest and gave Doba a long lick across his upper body.

  Doba hissed his greeting. Disgusting! Don’t let that thing near me. He weaved his way up onto Baya’s head to get as far away from Tara as possible.

  What are you feeding that thing? It’s huge.

  Baya hadn’t really noticed, other than the fact that she couldn’t carry her anymore. “Apparently, her kind grow fast.”

  Tara bounded around them, propelled by her powerful back leg. Where’s the man?

  Baya’s shoulders sagged. “Let’s go get him.” She rolled up her bedding.

  Chapter 63

  Baya and her companions found Vicaroy already awake and heading east, carrying nothing but the pack in one hand. She had to jump in front of him to stop him.

  “Vicaroy. We need to go back to the mountain to get more supplies. You can carry more than this bag. We have to take as much water with us as we can.”

  “Head east.”

  “I know. We will head east but look what we have to cross.” Baya gestured to the endless brown that lay before them.

  With a blank stare. Vicaroy sidestepped her and continued eastward.

  “Vicaroy, please. We need more water. You don’t even have a bedroll.”

  Nothing.

  She looked back to the mountains in the distance. Only a day’s walk. She glanced back to Vicaroy. “I’m going to regret this but I won’t lose him again.”

  Tara’s four eyes blinked up at Baya. What’s wrong with him?

  “I don’t know. I wish my calling had been that of a healer. Maybe then I could help him.”

  I’m scared.

  “Me too.” Baya whispered.

  Maybe Tara’s not as dumb as I thought, Doba added. It’s wise to be afraid when we are heading off into a desert with few supplies.

  They followed Vicaroy deeper into the wastelands.

  Baya watched Vicaroy as he stared blankly at the night’s sky. She practically had to feed him, putting dried meat in his hand and reminding him to eat.

  “What matters is that we’re all together again.” Baya rubbed under Doba’s chin while he made himself comfortable on her lap. He didn’t move as smoothly as he once had. His legs used to flow in a graceful even pattern. “Doba! I’m so sorry. You were hurt too.”

  Only a couple of legs missing. I have plenty to spare. They don’t hurt anymore. He wiggled a section of his legs, tickling Baya.

  “I’m glad you’re okay. You’re both alive and I’m grateful for that. We have to find people as quickly as possible. They may be able to help Vicaroy.” … she hoped…

  There’s no hope for him. Doba hissed. The man you knew is gone.

  Baya frowned. “I refuse to believe that.”

  Baya woke to the familiar clicking sound of an agitated Doba. The ground around them moved in snake-like waves. A couple of the brown Doba-like insects were making their way to Baya’s pack.

  “There they are, Doba. More of your kind. They must only come out at night.” Baya rose to her feet and picked up her pack to keep it out of their reach.

  The heads of a couple of beady-eyed
insects popped out of the ground. Doba hurried down Baya’s body to greet them. His shiny black body was in stark contrast to their dull brown ones that blended in perfectly with the desert. These insects were smaller than Doba as well, yet otherwise they looked and sounded very similar.

  The insects blinked at each other for a moment before the clicking and hissing began.

  Baya caught the gist of it. It was an all-around loathing.

  Doba retreated quickly, making his way back up Baya’s leg.

  The creatures soon gave up on finding food and headed back underground.

  “I take it that didn’t go well?” Baya said.

  They are pathetically primitive. They can’t possibly be my kind, Doba replied.

  “Hmm, so there is no hope of finding a mate with them?”

  A shiver ran through Doba’s long body. They are terrible, wretched creatures. Doba hung his head.

  “Don’t give up. Maybe … there are others out here who are more like you. Perhaps you’re not a desert dweller. I would venture to guess that you won’t find any insects as smart as you. You have spent your life around people, remember. You’re always going to be a bit different than other insects. Maybe you shouldn’t be so picky.”

  Doba hissed at her.

  As soon as the first sun’s rays lit the sky, Vicaroy was up and heading east. Baya felt like she’d hardly slept. “The nights are too damn short in this season.” She rubbed her puffy eyes and scrambled to pack up camp and catch up with Vicaroy. “Well at least he’s headed in the right direction.”

  He’s insanely driven, Doba thought.

  “Or ... he’s been driven insane.”

  Or both.

  By the fourth day they were almost out of water. Baya gave only a sip to everyone in the morning. She tried to block out Tara’s incessant complaining about being thirsty.

  Shut up. We’re all thirsty! Doba snapped.

  “That’s not helping, Doba.”

  Only Vicaroy appeared unaffected by the heat and the lack of water. Their skin blistered and their lips were so dry that they cracked and bled.

  Baya did the best she could to keep the sun off them. She covered Tara’s back with a cloth, and she kept a hood pulled over her head, shading Doba as well. Vicaroy’s hood kept slipping down. Baya continually had to pull it back up.

  The fifth day they walked with no water. There was not a drop left. Baya sucked on dried fruit to keep some moisture in her throat.

  At least the complaining had stopped. “I’m afraid we won’t make it another day without water.”

  As the day dragged on and they plodded along in silent misery, figures appeared far up ahead. “Are those people or some type of animal?” Baya asked no one in particular.

  Doba narrowed his four eyes to get a better look. They are too short and too crooked to be humans.

  Baya was beyond hot and tired and too thirsty to worry much about what lay ahead. She made no move toward her bow as she trudged onward behind Vicaroy. “They are not moving. They must not be people or animals.”

  Strange plants, different from anything Baya had seen before came into focus. They were gnarled and knobby with bright orange bark. Tufts of sharp pointy leaves, or at least Baya thought they were leaves of sorts, stuck out in every direction at the top. The extreme heat and lack of moisture must mangle the poor plants.

  The number of plants increased and they found themselves moving up a gradual slope. But there was no sign of water, nor of an end to the desert.

  “This area must get at least some rain if it can support any plant life, even these ugly things.” Baya tried to glean some sliver of hope from the slight change in scenery.

  Out of desperation, she focused on an empty water bladder. She gathered all the power left inside as she tried to transform the air inside into water. The bladder remained deflated. She felt her power trying to draw moisture from the air around her. But there was none. Even though she had never created water before, she knew that if there was any moisture in the air, she would have been able to get some of it into the bladder.

  Baya let out a frustrated yell. “I’m useless here. I can’t make water … and I can’t fix Vicaroy’s mind.”

  Chapter 64

  The following morning Baya woke with a start. The voice of the female who had guided her east continued to ring in her head. Baya suspected that it was the same voice who pushed Vicaroy to move eastward as well.

  “The plants are the key,” Baya mumbled, repeating the message from her dream. She let out a curse. “What does that mean?”

  Vicaroy was already up, relentlessly heading east, as always. She was too weary to move and every muscle ached. She felt as if they might collectively dry up and blow away in the hot breeze. She wanted to surrender herself fully to the dry earth. It was calling to her.

  “I’ll try to catch up later … or maybe not.” She pulled a blanket over her head to block out the brutal sun.

  “The plants are the key.”

  Baya bolted upright, turning to Vicaroy who had only gone a short distance. He was digging at the base of one of the orange plants. Those were the only words he had uttered besides, Go East. Now Baya was sure that the same voice was guiding them, helping them on their journey.

  “Vicaroy?”

  He ignored her as usual.

  “The plants! They must have moisture in them — in the roots. Tara! Help us dig.”

  Baya joined Vicaroy. They dug at the hard earth until their fingertips bled. Thankfully Tara helped, she was a much better digger than her human companions. When the large root ball was exposed it felt cool and moist compared to the dirt around it.

  Baya began cutting shavings off the root, giving them a good squeeze. A drop of water fell to the earth. She was tempted to lick the ground where it had fallen. Shaving more of the root she gave a handful to Vicaroy.

  He expertly tilted his head back, raised his arm and squeezed the root shavings in the palm of his hand, letting the moisture run down his thumb and into his mouth.

  “How did you …” Baya vaguely remembered having seen the gesture in her dream. “Ameris is with us. She is showing us the way, while we sleep.” Baya crushed some of the root shavings in her palm and let the water run down her thumb and into her mouth. It felt wonderful even though it burned her scorched throat on the way down. “I should have listened to the voice sooner.”

  When no more moisture came from the handful of shavings, she cut more off the root. “Your turn, Tara. Hold out your tongue.”

  Tara eagerly did as she was told, licking Baya’s thumb clean when no more water came.

  “You can have more. But it’s Doba’s turn.”

  They drank until there was not much left of the root. Baya gave them all food and they headed east once again, feeling better than they had in days.

  Over the next couple of days, the vegetation grew more dense and more diverse. They began to see some small animals and birds, which allowed them to have their first fresh meal since they had entered the desert.

  It was partway through the following day when Tara burst into a run almost knocking Baya over. That was when she smelled it too — something they needed. Something they hadn’t smelled in a long time — moisture. Another hundred yards or so and she could hear the faint trickling of water. She pulled at Vicaroy’s sleeve. “Come on!”

  They burst through the shrubs to find a south-bound stream. It was small but that didn’t diminish their joy. Tara was completely wet as she bounced through the water.

  Baya threw her arms around Vicaroy in celebration. The gesture was not returned but even that couldn’t dampen her relief at finding fresh water. They let the crystal-clear water rush over them and they drank their fill until their stomachs distended.

  The vegetation continued to grow more lush with each passing day, accompanied by more streams and wildlife. Baya thought she would go mad with only the two animals for companionship as Vicaroy showed no sign of improvement. He said nothing and would only
stare blankly to the east as they sat around the campfire at night. By day he led the way — ever driven eastward.

  The more welcoming lands also meant that predators would be out in full force. Baya was careful to set burning torches around their camp at night. She only dozed briefly as the sounds of nearby animals were all too common. Even during the day, she found herself on high alert. She carried her bow in hand instead of having it slung over her back. “Do you feel that — like we’re constantly being watched?” Baya spoke to anyone who would listen.

  Yes. Doba and Tara said in unison.

  Baya tightened her hand around her bow.

  Other than small game and distant herds of strange animals, they didn’t see any predators. Yet Baya knew they were there ... waiting for their chance. Waiting for them to fall asleep without a fire or a protective spell. “I won’t give them that chance.” Baya mumbled to herself.

  Another week passed. Night no longer came, as they reached the height of the warm season. There was always at least one sun in the sky. They topped a hill — the view stopped Baya in her tracks.

  What is that? Tara asked.

  Baya couldn’t answer. Her mouth hung wide open — incapable of forming words. There was an unrealistic fear that if she spoke, the vast city that lay before them might disappear … somehow. She didn’t even want to blink because the city might not be there when she opened her eyes again.

  The wide river valley below glistened. Every inch of it appeared to sparkle as if it were filled with stars so bright that they could shine during the day. The countless buildings below appeared to be largely made of glass. Tall stone walls surrounded the city. In the center stood the tallest of the buildings. Ten sharp-pointed crystal towers rose high into the sky around the palace. Baya — still unwilling to blink — scanned the mighty river that ran through the middle of the city. It was nothing like the raging river that had created the mighty obstacle; this river was wider — slow and lazy as it made its way south.