Little Cherine Book 10 - BPost033

Vincent had brought from Earth enough meat to feed everyone and since they are meat eaters, that was a lot of meat! Much more space was taken up by the beer and cold drinks (from now onwards, only pure fruit juices). He did not forget the chocolates everyone loves. Perhaps because of what they had just seen, everyone acted with greater excitement and enthusiasm than they should have, but they instantly quieted and took a seat on the ground when Vincent put up the screen.

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“We call our ship Freddie. It was created by Robert, our husband. On the outside it looks like a big ball. Can you see the way it shines? That is because Robert made the walls of the ship from energy. What is energy? The fire that cooked our meat, that gives off energy. The wind that blows, it too has energy. You’ve all seen how wind can make the grass bend over. Water has energy. He collected energy, used his mind to squash it until it was solid, like a rock. Inside the ball you see is another ball. Between the outside ball and the smaller one inside, he filled the space with water. That water is what we drink, wash with and it flows in rivers into lakes for us to swim in.

As you see in this picture, he also split the ball in half with a floor of energy. On top of that floor he put a lot of rocks and soil and then he planted trees, grass and hundreds of kinds of plants. The inside of Freddie, the land we live on, is maybe five times bigger than both the lands of the Orati.” The picture showed the land, hills, valleys and the variety of plants. She smiled. “It is amazing to think that one man did all that by himself, isn’t it? I’m going to tell you something that will amaze you. Robert was only able to do what he did because he thought he could. Very wise men from tens of worlds have examined it and told us it is impossible for even a whole world of people to create Freddie. That is his power, if he thinks he can do something and he is not shown by the wise people that it is impossible, he can do it.

You will now hear a voice explaining to you all you’ll see. The voice belongs to Freddie, for Freddie has a mind just like ours and he runs the ship for us. Enjoy the show.”

The next morning was taken up by private meetings with Gifexa and Kinestasi. They had both been changed by their experiences and took what she said far more seriously than they had previously. She promised both of them that she and Efineh will be visiting them on a regular basis. Efineh was prompted mentally by Sam to speak now and then and she was pleased to see they both listened to her. They could not just be returned. The Orati elders and both families accompanied them home.

Gradually everyone settled down to their routines. Sam wisely sent out Efineh to deal with the Orati, mostly spending her time thinking of what she would say at the next lesson. After they’d been there for about ten days she told Efineh she will be busy and asked her to handle the lessons that day on her own. She brought her into her mind, shared what she had prepared, exchange kissed and once they were both in their own bodies she hugged her.

“You saw what I intended saying. Do not try to use my material exactly as I would. I want to share with you afterwards to see how you used your own mind.”

“Where are you going?”

“I decided I needed a day off so I’m going to visit my gorilla family.” She ended up with most of the Cherinians going along, even Haven. She has not been busy as none of the ex riders have come to her for training.

Haven returned with a rapturous look, determined to find a different gorilla family to adopt her. Her rapture had little to do with them being animals, as it was to a large extent from sensing them within Sam. She could sense the immense strength of the male and she was enamoured of his gentleness and his determination to protect his family, even Samantha. She insisted we must allow the Akiard kids to share the experience or else, experience it themselves so that they see how even nature has created non sapient Cherinian warriors. I’ll skip to the future and tell you from now that when they shared from Haven, they were affected just as she had been.

During this time Sebura and his men just lounged around, eating, drinking too much and sleeping. They regained some of their confidence and tried to have affairs with some of the women, but they were rebuffed. If none of the family were present they would joke about the others who were working or studying. Finally the others could not hold in their anger and spoke to Sam. Sam was amused. The men described them as being like women, doing nothing to earn their keep. The women ignored the men and made their own complaints.

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Sam sat on the ground with elbows on knees, so they had to mimic her or else feel bad about standing over her. “I don’t understand why you are complaining, so give me a moment to think about it.” They looked at each other in confusion as she closed her eyes. “They do no work, eat what you have sweated to produce. They drink too much and become a nuisance. They sleep in the shade while you all work or study. Is that it?” They nodded. “What makes a human being? What is an Orati? Is it not a man or woman who does the work that must be done? Is it not the person who tries to learn so as to open his or her mind to grow and become wiser than they were? What about your horses, do they do the same? Don’t they just stand around all day, eat as much as they can and play if you do not need them to do certain work for you? Do they choose to do the work? Do they listen as we talk so as to learn?

Do not envy them, this life is their turn if they choose to remain useless and ignorant for as long as they live. Perhaps in their next life they will be hard workers and try to learn while some of you take your turn to do nothing and live off them. Life is a circle, we all take turns to be the worst and the best we can be. I watch them and pity them, not you. For they are wasting this life while you are making the best use of it that you can.”

One of the men had listened and passed on to Sebura what was said. The next morning they gathered in an empty field and started training. Everyone felt just that little bit happier, but Efineh saw Sam biting her lips so she knew something was about to happen. She was puzzled as the days went by and nothing did. On a day they had trained hard and Sebura had praised his men, Samantha walked into their group.

“You are pleased, they are improving?”

He answered arrogantly, “Yes.”

“Hmm, okay.” She left without saying anything further and Sebura stared at her retreating form with a worried frown.

Sam announced that we would be showing an episode of the lives of her family on the screen the next evening and invited everyone to come and enjoy a story that would frighten them. She warned them that no children should be present during the next day and evening.

The next morning she waited as they trained and just when they felt they were at their peak, she projected and ran to them. Everyone screamed in terror, certain a demon had appeared and they ran away, only stopping to watch from a distance. Sam had projected as a Gnolat! She controlled herself so her claws and teeth only tore and maimed without killing. She did not leave even one man standing, apart from Sebura. Him she left untouched. As she walked away the family rushed in to heal.

A message was sent to Sebura that all his men must attend the screen showing that night. Nobody was surprised or considered them weak when they arrived already half drunk.

“My friends, from the early days, when Robert and Cherine first loved each other, to the present, we have faced many dangers. The worst of all the dangers still lives in our memories and none of us have not had a few nightmares about it.

Robert found a beast that lives in space. He called it the fire-world, for it is as big as our moon. It travelled in space looking for planets that have people who can think. They might not look like us, but they are humans just like us. For reasons I’ll explain another time, we could not stop the fire-world from killing people on thousands of planets. When it had finished killing we killed the fire-world and ever since then we have been bringing back to life those worlds we saw it kill.

We had seen a world where the people there looked like sweet little teddy bears.” She grinned. “Sorry, I forgot, you don’t know what bears look like. You’ll see them on the screen just now.

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What was special about these bear-like people was that we sensed they have some of the gifts us Cherinians do. We only felt friendship and love among them and saw no fights or anger. We chose to return to them as soon as we could to bring them back to life.

The screen will show what we saw the first time we found them and their deaths. We will take a break for those who need to use the toilets or get something to drink and then we will show what happened when we returned to bring them back.”

Even though the Orati do not have pets, they were enchanted by the teddies and grieved when they saw them dying. They had their break, which they mostly spent talking among themselves about what they’d seen. Then they spent an hour watching a shortened version of how they were brought back to life. Then they watched as the family landed on planet to meet the teddies.

The next two hours were the most terrifying experience they had ever watched. They moaned and even screamed at times and some hid their faces when they could not bear to watch. The screen darkened with the torn face of Robert showing his desperate need to save his family as he rushed through the emptiness of space.

Those who were capable of thought had realised by now that the demon of that day had been one of the family. They waited to find out why it had happened. Samantha stood up.

“What you saw, it really happened. Robert still has nightmares about them. We managed to kill the Gnolats by changing them back into teddies in such a way that they can never become Gnolats again. Why do we still have nightmares about them? What if one Gnolat escaped us?

I had a reason for showing what you saw, just as I had a reason for appearing as a Gnolat today. I was not a Gnolat, I only looked like one. I was not as powerful nor was I as fast. A strong man who kept his wits could have killed me. Do not be afraid by what you see now. It is only a pretend, like this afternoon was. The wounds you’ll see will be real. Haven, prepare yourself, get two knives to fight me.”

“Samantha…” Before she could finish her protest Sam charged. Everyone rushed to get out of the way and Haven was left standing on her own. Sam rushed in and ‘almost’ killed her. As Haven was healed Sam changed her face so that she could speak.

“Fine, you’ve shown them why the men today lost. Now get your knives and fight.”

Everyone gasped again and again as Haven ducked, twisted, whirled and twirled, the claws barely missing as she feinted and stabbed, drawing blood. Sam caught her once with the tips of her claws, tearing her chest. Soaked in blood she appeared to be exhausted and Sam came in for the kill. Haven twisted aside, her knives flashing as she cut off the claw stretched out at her. With a silent scream Sam collapsed, her emoting of pain felt by all. She lost her projection and it was seen that her hand had been cut off. She fainted.

Aganthi was instantly by her side. She grabbed the hand, used her gift to cleanse it and pushed the bloody end to her stump as every healer present worked from inside Sam’s body. Sam came half awake and whimpered from the pain until a healer deadened her nerves. Awed and frightened, everyone stood watching and there was a sigh of disbelieve when they saw the hand healed, the scar quickly fading.

Efineh was cradling her head on her lap and as Sam opened her eyes she looked up at her tear-streaked face. Wryly, amused but also serious, she whispered, “Don’t go to such extremes, I’m not a good example.” Efineh bent down and kissed her.

Sam stood staring at the crowd as they shuffled their feet silently. “That was not fun!” Ataxia burst out in laughter and some of the others chuckled. “I hated paying such a price, but I do not mind now. I had a lesson to teach and I hope you have all learnt something. Haven was able to beat me and she is but a young female. Any brave and agile man here could also win. You were paralysed by fear because of the unknown, you thought I was a demon.

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The lesson is, even a demon can be beaten if your heart is strong and true. Never give up, always fight to save yourself and those you love. That is part of the training Haven was offering.”

Apart from Haven, everyone was confused and frightened. Why would Sam want such men to become as capable killing machines as Haven? Some wondered, what brave deeds did she plan for them? Was she about to send them elsewhere to fight for her? The Cherinians knew it was not so and suspected, but none of them saw the full truth. All they needed to do was think of the training of the Akiards. Haven was flattered not only by the confidence shown in her, but by the fact that Samantha did not even hint at what she wanted, just trusting Haven to know.

Samantha handled herself well until the guests were gone. Nobody realised she was still in shock and only when she lay down to sleep and started shaking and then crying did their empathy wake up. Efineh rushed in to be one of those who held her. Sam fell asleep and half an hour later woke up screaming from a nightmare. Efineh called for Samuel. He held her, rocking her in his arms while the girls rushed in to her mind to try and heal her from there.

All of them had forgotten Vincent. The combatants were both his primes and Sam had ordered him not to interfere, warning him there would be some wounds that they could heal easily. He had not realised Haven was about to cut off Sam’s hand and moved to save her only as the knife sliced through. As soon as he saw her hand rejoined and Sam conscious, he jumped to Freddie. In a physical body he was not in time to stop himself and he threw up. Hunched over he moaned.

His sudden appearance and the pain he was emoting panicked everyone. Both Robert and Cherine dashed to his side to hold him.

“I failed her.”

“Share.”

They entered his mind and he let them see. As Cherine saw Sam holding out the stump of her arm she violently tore out of his mind and back in her body again she threw up. Now even Freddie was in a panic.

Robbie shut his pain, burying it in his need to be there for those who need him. He’d seen Aganthi reattach her hand so it was more urgent he stay to help. He could sense Cherine, so he knew it was more important he help Vincent. He returned to his body.

“What do you think you are doing coming here like that and panicking everyone? It is not the first accident our loves have suffered and it will not be the last. Did anyone think to check on Haven? She must be in hell.” He explained to the crowd that had gathered, “Samantha and Haven put on an exhibition to show the Orati riders how to fight more efficiently and Haven cut off Sam’s hand by mistake. She has been healed and is well.”

“How could Haven do that, she adores Sam.”

His look was grim. “Sam projected as a Gnolat, wounded Haven and was about to kill her. She cut off the claw reaching for her. I’d say they both got carried away by the roles they were playing. If you’ll excuse me, I have to go to them, everyone is concentrating on Sam, forgetting how Haven must be feeling.”

He arrived to find Sam in Samuel’s arms while she also held Haven to her. Haven looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears. “I hope this is not what it looks like.”

Samuel blushed as he let the girls go. Samantha looked up at him with love, saw his face a bright red and giggled. Robert held out his arms to Haven and she flew into them, bursting into tears as she felt him hold her tightly. Aganthi smiled for the first time as she stood in the kitchen preparing coffee for them. After they’d been soothed by his arms and listening to his heartbeats for a while, Samantha shared with him the entire day. He deliberately misunderstood her.

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“Are you planning on having all those savages cut pieces off you?”

She giggled against his chest. “They’d love that. I’ve had my fun, now it’s Haven’s turn - but they might be too scared of her now.”

“Do you recall the conversation we had about dentists pulling out teeth? Are you better able to empathise now?”

“Oh god yes!”

“Sam, I think you’ve given Haven an impossible job. How can she turn them into Cherinian warriors when they don’t believe in the same values we do? Surely they must learn to empathise first?”

“She’ll manage, she’s smart.”

“Here’s a suggestion for the two of you to consider. Send Sebura and his men to Freddie.” Sam felt an unreasonable fear fill her at the thought of Sebura in Freddie. She could not point out logically why she felt that way, but she also felt she should not ignore her feelings.

They all felt Sam’s reaction and waited for her to give her reasons. When she did not, Aganthi softly suggested, “I have a better idea. Send them all somewhere where there are no women or children. Let them grow to understand how important having a family and belonging to a community is. It will not change Sebura, but a lot of his men will drift away from him. He has chosen the youngest to follow him but if they mature he’ll lose them.”

Robbie nodded. “Except for a few. I can search for a large but uninhabited island.”

“Another reality would be better Robbie. They can stay there for a year or two and be brought back within a few days. Some of them have wives and children, it would not be right to keep them apart for those years by keeping them on this planet.”

“And Sebura?”

“Leave him here. I want to see what he’ll do on his own.”

Robbie teased, “You’re a masochist!”

She grinned. “He’s my rat, I’ll take care of him. Can Freddie move to the reality you take them? Somebody must watch over them.”

In the morning they were surprised to see the elders had returned. They told Sam that they had been worried about her and needed to understand why she had taken the actions of the previous day. They showed their approval of Robert’s presence.

“I was being childish. I wanted Haven to teach them the same lessons Samuel teaches, that they must think of their enemy as being human beings, men with the same needs, fears, good and bad points they have. Robert pointed out I had set Haven an impossible task. We have decided to take the men to a distant place. The land will be theirs, but there will be no other men or women. Perhaps there they will understand that power means nothing if you do not belong to a community and do not have children to continue after you. I’ll explain more fully once I return them. Sebura will stay here, I do not want him to continue influencing them.”

“Would it not be better to send him alone? As you said, the men are young and will settle into good riders without him around.”

“And keep Sebura there for the rest of his life? I cannot do that, it would be cruel.”

“We do not see what you want Samantha so we will not argue, he is yours to do with as you wish.”

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When it was announced, a few young women, some with babies or toddlers, rushed to cling to their men, weeping with their grief.

Sebura came to Sam, filled with anger. “You must take me with them.”

“No Sebura, you will stay.”

He looked as if he was about to forget himself and try to strike Sam. She took a step closer to him and stared up into his eyes. He backed off.

“You risked all for the sake of power. What is power Sebura? What would you have gained? Think about it and we’ll meet to talk whenever you wish. Your men are about to leave, you have half an hour to speak alone with them. Try to find the words to make their exile more bearable by showing them there was a reason for all that happened. I promise I will not monitor what you say.”

She knew she’d placed him in an impossible position and watched for a moment as he went to his men. They withdrew to give him privacy.

They felt the sudden sharp pain and looked to Sam. She made no move, holding Haven to her. Haven did not like what was happening. “Sam, we must protect him.”

“No, let him suffer a little. His dignity will be wounded far worse than his body, Vincent will not allow them to kill him.” Vincent rushed out to keep an eye on Sebura and gentle any damaging blows.

Cherine warned Sam, “If the day ever comes that he finds a way to cause you harm, he will have no mercy. His hate of you is stronger than his ambition ever was.”

Robert felt his heart sink at Cherine’s words. He knows our Sam too well. Even Cherine was dismayed as Samantha lit up. “That’s a wonderful idea, thank you.”

Samuel frowned. “Whatever it is you are planning, it better be a hoax. Don’t even consider giving him real powers.”

They had been speaking in Greek so that they would not be understood and the elders were filled with curiosity as they saw Samantha jump to her feet, filled with obvious excitement. Ashema understands her the best (because he has grown to love her?) for he was the only one uneasy, something warning him she is about to take a risk.

“It is a pity none of Maria’s children are old enough to create a full bubble. Dad, I need a Candy world designed to my requirements. I don’t want it to be within a mind, we must experience it in our bodies - he must not return feeling it was a dream.”

“Share with us.”

“No, I’ll try to explain. A super being, like the old man who took you, should appear. He will tell Sebura and I that we both need to be taught a lesson. He will take us to another world, in our bodies.” She giggled. “He’ll have to change our bodies so that both of us are sexless, that will blow his mind!” Nobody laughed. “The atmosphere of the planet will be like inhaling fire if we are not protected. I will have the power to change the air around us, for about five metres, so that we can breathe. Apart from that power, I will be weak, unable to provide myself with food. If he does not keep up my strength and beats me or does not provide me with food, my power weakens and we both suffer. We will be told that the day we both learn to work together so that we each strengthen the weaknesses of the other, we will be brought back.”

“I don’t like it Sam.”

“But don’t you see dad? We do both need to learn a lesson.”

Aganthi asked, “What if one of you dies?”

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“Then we both die and the old man brings us back. If that happens, then I’ll know there is nothing I can do to change him and he is sent into exile - unless I was the one to blame.”

By now all the elders could see and sense the reaction of all Cherinians to what Sam proposed. They looked to Ashema to speak for them.

“There is a problem? Can we help?”

“Nothing…”

Robert cut in, “Samantha is putting us in an impossible situation. To force Sebura to change she wants us to allow her to suffer and die.”

“Robert! That’s not fair!”

“It is Sam. If you are to suffer, then they should know. If we can do what you ask, then we will put it on the screens for all to see.”

“That wasn’t what I wanted.”

“If you expect us to help you, then those are our terms. I don’t know how we can create the environment you want so I’m not promising anything.”

Ashema nodded. “Robert is right, all Orati should know, even the Feshidi should be brought to share. We still think you should allow Sebura to die by trial of combat as an Orati rider should, but we know you will not allow it. Robert, we know of Samantha’s willingness to die to help others, but maybe Samuel can take her place again?”

“No!” She laughed. “It would not work Ashema my friend.” Even Robert was amused by the idea of Samuel having to play her role.

Cherine’s voice was soft, but they heard the pain in it. “It is her idea, none of us may take her place. My Samantha is not a coward, she would never allow another to suffer for her.”

“This is like the debt your daughter placed on us. It is too heavy Samantha.”

“But don’t you see? If the experience can change Sebura, all will benefit! Not just your people, my beloved Orati. All humans, all Cherinians will know that there is never a need to turn our backs on people like Sebura. Robert, what if you could do this to Campbell! Would that not bring you joy?” Her voice turned husky from emotion. “What of all the Richards? Is the Avenger a better solution? Can you imagine all the Wendys with fathers who are capable of loving them?”

They all resisted her arguments by closing their minds to her, except for Cherine. As she thought about it they felt as if she glowed within their minds. Robert submitted to the inevitable. “God, how do we ask Vincent to agree to this?”

Vincent had followed the arguments while administering to Sebura’s superficial wounds. He saw to it that Sebura was safely left in a room with some ale and returned to his family.

“It can be done, but not in reality. Samantha, if the mind world is detailed enough it will be real. What if the bodies are changed here and when the old man takes the two of you they are transported into the mind world. It could be done fluidly enough for it to feel real. When returned he would experience his body changing back, so to him it will not be a dream. There is one point I wish to make Samantha and this is important to me. Why do you wish to make me suffer? Do you not know that whatever you suffer, it will be worse for me? Allow me to take your place. I will go as Samantha.”

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She took his hands in hers. “If I was doing this, willing to suffer just to help him, I’d agree. Vincent, I was not lying, I will learn from the experience also. I have a suggestion you might find acceptable. Come with me, perhaps you too will learn?”

“There would be three of us?”

“No, you will be part of me.” She grinned at him. “Robert has threatened to absorb you so many times, why not let me do it? Not as my subconscious, more like a mental parasite, sharing my thoughts, physical feelings and emotions.”

He frowned at Robert. “Are you behind this? Because I tortured you for having a non-existent parasite, you have planned this to have me relegated to a parasite?”

Cherine grabbed his hand from Samantha. “We are all parasites! Which one of us, Cherinian or Normal, can live alone? Do we not all need each other to survive? That is the purpose of Sam’s plan, she wants to teach Sebura he is not a world on his own, he too must be a parasite if he is to be a healthy human.”

Robert shook his head. “Somehow each time Samantha gets a crazy idea that makes us suffer, we all end up learning. I wish she would stop teaching us!” They all laughed. “We need the entire family here so that we can share with everyone, not just show what is said and done on the screens.”

“That would embarrass both Sebura and I.”

“Nonsense! If we are suffering with you, whatever either of you say, do or feel, how can you be embarrassed?”

Haven asked, “Do we take his men first or afterwards? I’d like them to share.”

“Afterwards.”

They called a meeting for the departure of the men. Sebura was forced to join them, placed next to Samantha. He saw this as her way of belittling him in the eyes of his men, giving them the impression he had switched sides because of their attack on him.

Most of those present had only eyes for the family that stood behind Samantha and Sebura. Only Cherine and Meli were not present, for Meli was helping Cherine create an imaginary world within her mind. Cherine sensed Meli chuckling every now and then and wondered what she was doing. Meli returned to her body.

Alki, after he’d calmed down, agreed to play the role of the powerful old man. As Samantha stood up to speak, he appeared before her. He spoke softly, more in sorrow than anger, but all heard him, everyone understanding his words, as Claudia was on planet.

“Samantha, daughter of all Cherinians, what you are about to do is wrong.”

Sam bent her head. “I need to help them, what else should I do?”

“You must learn to look deeper in the hearts of those who anger you. Why are you punishing those men while keeping with you the one who turned their minds with promises and dreams that do not belong to any Orati?” Samantha stared at her feet without answering. “This is how it will be. I will take you and Sebura to a planet, a world different from this one. Samantha, I will take all your powers from you, leaving you only one. The world you go to has air that burns like fire and kills. You will have the gift of changing the air around you so that both of you can breath it. If you are weakened, in mind or body, your power will fade. If you stay too long in one place, more than ten hours, your power will fade. If one of you dies, so will the other.

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Sebura, you go as you are, with the powers you have here. You shall carry a knife and with the strength of your arm and the sharpness of your mind, it will be your duty to keep both of you safe and to secure food for your survival. Grow so that you both understand why you were sent there or die. Samantha, you shall not be female in body. I will change you so that you have no sex. The same shall be true for you Sebura. You are not going there as man and woman, just as two people who have lessons to learn. When I decide it is time, you will be returned - if you are still alive.”

A glow surrounded Sam and Sebura. He cried out as he felt his body changing. He felt a knife in his hand and with a scream of rage he tried to leap at Alki. His body quivered at his effort but he could not move. Robert formed a stasis shield around the bodies as their souls left and they disappeared from view. The old man turned to look at the people and they cringed as his stern eyes passed over them.

“Stay to watch the lessons of Samantha and Sebura. Robert, place a screen for all to share and all you Cherinians, use your powers to share the thoughts and feelings of the two so that all know and learn what the two learn. If they fail, their failure will be the failure of all of you.”

He disappeared, returning as Alki behind the girls.

As they arrived, Sebura saw it was a world of yellow skies and the mountains in the distance were a purple red colour. Forgetting the rules (he’d not really listened) he thought he was free to move so he stepped away from Sam, out of her sphere of influence. As he inhaled he screamed. Even as he collapsed to his knees, Sam moved closer.

“You must stay close to me or else you’ll die.”

As he struggled to breath through nostrils and throat still raw, he struggled to his feet, shrugging off her hand. She stepped forward. “Drink from the stream, it will soothe your throat.”

He looked sideways and saw Sam was also drinking. “We should both drink, I do not know this world and there might not be water everywhere.”

As they both came to their feet he saw his knife in his belt. He drew it and thrust, barely stopping his hand as the point pricked her throat. With satisfaction and a feeling of power he gloated as he saw blood seep down her skin. “I can kill you!”

“You’ll also die.”

“It would be worth it. A thousand deaths to see you die and I would still rejoice.”

“I will not resist, do as you will.”

He hesitated. “What was that demon?”

“A creature of great power.”

“Maybe he brought us here for me to kill you.”

“I don’t think so. If you are to kill me, do it because of your own hate, do not try to pass on the responsibility.”

He turned his hand and hit her chest with the knife handle sticking out of his fist. She cried out at the pain, staggering back a few steps. He followed. He put his knife in his belt.

“I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time.” He swung an arm and hit her face with his fist. Blood gushed from her torn lips and nose. Sebura hardly noticed the sting as he breathed heavily. His fist swung again and Sam collapsed, unconscious. At the same instant Sebura screamed and collapsed, his lungs on fire.

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Sam raised her head, saw him writhing and pulled herself closer to him. As his breathing changed she lay her head on the ground, resting while she recovered from the pain. Sebura blankly stared at her swollen lips and nose, hardly aware of her as he waited for strength to return to his trembling limbs. Sam crawled a few inches and placed her face in the water. She did not dare touch her face and allowed the rushing water to wash the blood off.

They both sat on the ground staring at each other. “How long must we stay here?”

“Don’ know.” she mumbled through torn lips. She put a finger to her lips. “Ow!” Gingerly she felt her nose and understood why she had to breath through her mouth.

He got to his feet and looked around. The land was a blood red and the plants were red, brown, yellow and a certain kind of bush was white with pink leaves. He grabbed her arm and dragged her with him as he walked over to a tree. He felt the bark and it was soft, spongy. He pulled at a branch and it broke off. Pink sap flowed. He put a finger to it and barely licked at his finger. He gave a grunt of surprise. It was sweet. He brought the broken end of the branch to his lips and sucked on it. He felt how his body filled with energy. Sebura was not sophisticated enough to realise that since this was a different ecology, it may be poisonous to him. His ignorance saved Sam from having to convince him to eat. He tried chewing on a leaf and found it was pleasant. He moved on, trying a taste of each kind of plant they saw and kept a mental note of what he thought was edible - basing his decisions on taste only.

“A man cannot live on plants, I need meat.”

Sam admitted, “I don’t know anything about this world.”

“You are slowing me down. I must search for real food.”

“My head hurts and I’m dizzy.”

“I don’t care. Keep up with me or else I’ll hit you again.”

“Then your lungs will burn again. Maybe next time I’ll stay away from you and let you die.”

He slapped her and she fell over. Falling to his knees so that he could breathe, his face over hers, glaring, he said, “You will do as I order without talking. The only reason I’ve allowed you to live is because I need you for the air.” Sam decided she would not talk again until he asked her to.

The ground sloped slightly downwards for a while and just where it started rising again they found another stream. Sam knelt to drink and was knocked over. “You wait until I have finished drinking.”

They walked uphill and as it grew steeper and rocky he had to adjust his pace for her to keep up. She kept on tripping as her head swam and she felt faint. He saw there was no point in hitting her again and grabbing hold of her arm pulled at her. As they reached the top he saw a valley before them with the mountain rearing high into the sky just behind. He saw a wide river and a small town. He dropped to the ground, pulling her down also.

He watched for a couple of hours without moving. He was looking for signs of riders and weapons. What he saw was a town surrounded by farms and people moving about without weapons. With surprise he realised the people could breath. He formed the theory that down there he too would be able to breath and could then kill Sam. Roughly he smacked her. “Get up! We’re going into that town.”

Next [Book 10] - Post 034

I hope you enjoy reading this story of fantasy, adventure and love - and should some of it be true for our reality, I hope you will love our Cherine.

Αλέξανδρος Ζήνον Ευσταθίου

(Alexander Zenon Eustace)

• posted: 29th April, 2020
  
  
  
  
  

  If you wish to read from an earlier book, from Book 01 to Book 10, use this link button to open the LC Book Index: