by Ava D. Dohn
* * *
Thunder rolled down the valley and the pouring rain lashed against the taxi, blowing water through the canvas windows, soaking everyone inside. The driver leaned forward, pushing his nose almost to the windshield. He complained about the storm hiding the road. Suddenly, the little auto jumped and bounced and then its right side slumped as the machine skidded to a stop. A broken tree limb had been washed into the road from a flooded ditch and the taxi snapped an axle hitting it.
For some time, the little party remained inside the vehicle, sheltering themselves as best they could from the violence of the sudden storm. When the rain eased, the driver - a short, potbellied, mustachioed man, wearing a leather driving coat and floppy cap - pulled himself from around the steering wheel and exited the door. He wandered to the other side of the machine and sank down beside it. Treston and Ishtar heard the man angrily cuss the limb, using expletives strange to their ears.
A moment later, the driver came back and complained about their helpless situation. In his thick, slow speech, he told them he would have to go back down the road to find someone who would be able to return them to Selcuk, or call someone for help. He offered to have them come along or remain, saying they might be there all night if they did.
Treston crawled from of the back seat, stretching his legs as he did so. He then assisted Ishtar. She stood, crying out in pain as she did. “Something snapped and bit my backside!” The girl then reached up and fussed with some kind of wired undergarment beneath her dress, complaining how much it constrained her and hurt her back. The driver, somewhat embarrassed, turned away and looked down the road.
Treston thanked the driver for his offer, but told him that he thought they might be near a spot of interest and wanted a look around. He reached into his pocket and pulled more silver coins from it. “Here, take these. It may help cover the cost of the accident. I feel somewhat responsible for what happened here.”
The driver’s eyes bulged as he exclaimed. “Colonel, this is too much! These coins are worth another taxi.”
Treston shrugged. “Must be someone wants you to have one.” He closed the man’s fingers around the money and again thanked him. “We’ll look around while you’re gone for help. We’ll be fine.” He patted his sword.
The driver thanked Treston for his kindness and told him he would return shortly. He extended his hand. “You are a good man, Colonel…an honest and fair man.” He then shook Ishtar’s hand as well. “And you are a lucky woman to have found such a good husband… er.”
Treston smiled. “Dianna.”
“Dianna?” The driver grinned. “Dianna!” With that, he quickly ambled down the road in the direction from where they’d come.
When he was out of hearing distance, Ishtar asked, “How much money did you give him?”
Treston, who was watching the man, quietly replied, “I don’t know. Every time I’ve had to pay someone today, I just gave ‘em what I found in my pocket. Figured that was what I was s’posed to do.”
They chatted about little things and some of the previous day’s events. When it was felt sufficient time had passed for the driver to be far enough away, Treston suggested they cross the road and take a grass-covered path heading away to the west.
At that moment, Ishtar heard the noise of another machine coming from up the road ahead. The two stopped and waited, not wanting to be seen running away from the taxi. A dilapidated truck screeched to a stop and a younger, bearded man poked his head through an opened window. His attention fell upon Ishtar and a big-eyed grin grew on his face. Then he glanced at Treston and his face fell pasty with a glint of fear showing in his eyes.
Treston hurried over to the truck, lowering his head to peek in. Beside the young man was a woman who looked to be little older than Ishtar. She was nursing an infant, and a little toddler was next to her, jumping on the seat while he cooed some baby song. It was obvious from the family’s appearance they were quite poor. “May I be of some help, officer?” The man asked, in a voice filled with growing trepidation.
Treston was becoming frustrated with all the fearful respect he had received today. It was a chilling reminder of just how cruel humans could be to each other. He held his personal feelings in check and, putting on a kindly smile, answered, “Thank you, my wife and I are fine, but our taxi is broken and the driver has headed back to town for help. Would you be willing to assist him?” He paused. “We want to look around here some, so we’ll wait until you come back.”
The young man nervously said he would help. He looked at the woman sitting next to him. She showed the same look of concern, finally daring to speak. “My lord, this machine is not ours, but belongs to the village mayor. We were making a delivery for him. There is little fuel still in the tank and we have no…”
“Wait!” Treston reached in his pocket. Sure enough, there were more coins there. He pulled them out and handed them to the man. “Here. This will help with your expenses.” He stood back grinning. “And your fat cow of a mayor will never need to know the difference.”
Astonished, the couple thanked him, asking, “So you know our mayor?”
Treston laughed. “No! But I have met many like him.” He smiled at the young woman, and asked the man, “Is this your wife?”
The man frowned and mumbled in the negative. The woman spoke up. “The priest must be paid and we have no money. So we wait.” She offered a sad half smile. “One day...”
Treston could see the embarrassment growing on the man’s face. He patted the fellow on the arm, replying, “Good things come to honest people.” He reached into his pocket and sure enough, he felt more coins. “Take these and pay the priest.” His eyes furrowed in anger. “Tell him, for me, if he does not give you a splendid ceremony, I will come with my troops and burn his church and hang his carcass on a light post!” It did his heart good, recalling the feeling of power.
The man’s eyes showed shock and utter disbelief in the colonel’s words. Upon seeing it, Treston added, “Tell him he won’t be the first useless pig I’ve skewered! It is not wise to anger a man who has stood next to God. And let him know I will be watching to make sure he does as I’ve commanded.”
“Y…y…yes sir.” The man stuttered. “I will do what you say.”
The woman leaned across and rested her hand on Treston’s, a huge, open smile growing on her face. “May God bless you, my Lord. I will name our next son after you.”
Treston was taken aback. After regaining his senses, he shook his head. “No. No. Name your next daughter after my wife. Call her ‘Dianna’. She’s a goddess.”
Ishtar, who had been standing close and listening, interrupted, “Wait! The lady needs better clothes to be married in.” She rushed past Treston and stuck her head back into the taxi. Pulling out an old blanket, she ran to the other side and, out of sight, tore off her dress and other garments, letting out a loud sigh of relief as she did. She put the garments in a neat bundle, and wrapping herself in the blanket, walked back to the truck.
Treston was speechless. What fool thing was the child doing now? She poked her head in the window of the truck, shoving the bundle in and dropping on the woman’s lap as she did. “I won’t need these where we’re going. They’ll do you better.” Standing back, she watched with satisfaction the faces of the two stunned people in the truck. Then turning to Treston, she confessed, “You’ve been giving to people all day. I thought it was my turn.”
Treston finally nodded his acceptance. The two looked at the still very much surprised and shocked couple in the truck, wished them a happy future and said their goodbyes. They watched until the machine disappeared over the rise.
“Quick!” Treston exclaimed. “We must get out of sight before anyone else arrives. I can’t afford to be a do-gooder anymore today. We have things to accomplish before nightfall.” Off they ran, up the grassy trail. Ishtar giggled to feel the warm mud s
queeze between her naked toes.