That don’t please me none.
“Is she okay?” I say, worried by Finn’s words. I remember how I felt now at that time. I remember all the hatred, all the anger and how my only thought was to snap her neck...to kill her. I ain’t ever felt like that, never, my whole life and it scares me.
“She’s bruised and battered and her pride is a little damaged but otherwise she is alive. You didn’t kill her if that’s what you are fearing.” Tater’s words ease my panic some and I relax. The next words I hear however, from a voice I don’t recognize, fill me with dread.
“You are probably going to wish she had killed you though.”
Still sitting, I spin around, and realize there’s another occupant of the wooden cage imprisoning us. A young man, leaning against the thick bars of the cage, arms folded and regarding me with such a hostile look I reckon he must be one of the raiders.
“That’s Jax,” Finn says answering my unspoken question. “He was captured just like us.”
He’s a captive like us? So why’s he looking at me like I just stole the last of his berry bread? I get to my feet. I don’t like having to look up at him. He’s not much taller than me but he’s all sinewy muscle like he’s been used to working hard his whole life. He’s got short cropped spikey black hair, sun darkened skin and a smattering of stubble covering his lower jaw. But it’s his eyes that capture my attention. They are a sky blue, so light in his dark face that I find it nearly impossible to look away. I know pretty ain’t a word you would use to describe a man, but his eyes...they were so damn pretty. If you could get past the fact that they were staring at me right now like I was his worst enemy.
“I...ah...” I stutter a bit. “Why...why would you say such a thing?”
“Oh geez, I don’t know...let’s see. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that you just nearly killed the daughter of our captor and severely pissed him off.”
His voice is low but filled with fury.
“They were planning on taking us to Littlepass to sell, make a few pieces of iron for themselves. That wouldn’t have been a problem...any fool can escape from Littlepass. But thanks to your stupid little stunt earlier, I heard the big guy tell the guards they are taking us directly to Skytown…to the Prezedant. You, apparently, are more valuable then they at first thought.”
His words ain’t making any sense. I look to Tater.
“What’s he talking ‘bout? I ain’t valuable to nobody.”
For the first time since I’ve known him the half man remains quiet. He actually drops his eyes from me and I prompt him again.
“Tater? What’s he talking ‘bout? I ain’t of no concern to the Prezedant...why are they taking us to him?” I say, my alarm at the strangeness of Jax’s words making me more insistent this time.
“Tara....” it’s surprisingly Finn who answers me. “When you attacked the Raider girl....something real strange happened to you. Not only were you so strong none of the men could budge you but your hair....those white stripes...they were glowing like there was some kinda light inside of you. It scared most of the raiders, they backed off, some of ‘em even ran away they were so scared. They was calling you a name. They was calling you a new blood....least I think that’s what they was saying.”
A what? I don’t know what Finn is talking about. It don’t make a lick of sense.
“Finn that’s just craziness!” I say a little harsher then intended. “My hair don’t glow with no light. You were scared is all and you imagined that. Right Tater? And I don’t even know what a..a new blood is but I sure as hell know I ain’t no such thing.”
A harsh laugh from this “Jax” brings my attention back to him.
“It’s bad enough that I am being included in your group of misfits and herded off to Skytown with virtually no chance of escape but to be captured with a new blood who’s too stupid to even realize what she is.....that is damn bad luck indeed.”
I don’t recall moving but I find myself nose to nose with Jax, my arm pressed tight against his throat and that now familiar red hot anger burning through me.
“Stop calling me that! And if you don’t want your neck snapped you better not call me stupid...ever again!”
If he’s scared by me he don’t show it. He merely stares back at me with his strange hostile eyes.
“Tara, let the boy go,” Tater says calmly, his hand on my arm. I ignore him at first but just as quickly as it came my anger is gone. I drop my arm and step back, suddenly overcome with such weariness I just want to curl up in a ball and cry. What is happening to me? This anger? This hatred? I nearly killed someone...would have killed her if I hadn’t been stopped. What am I? I look at Tater, my eyes demanding the truth.
“Is what the boy saying true?” I ask.
Tater nods. “It is indeed. It was quite the impressive show. I have never in my life seen a bunch of grown men run off like little old maidens wringing their undergarments in their hands. It was quite the amusing sight to behold. Why I...”
“Tater! Did something...happen to me like Finn said?” I interrupt the half man’s rambling words. I need to know if this strange occurrence Finn was talking about really happened. I know what I had felt...the strength... the hatred...I have never felt that intensity before. The pounding of my blood, the buzzing in my ears...it had been like my body wasn’t even my own anymore. Like it had been taken over by some other being. Something real strange had definitely happened to me. I need to know what.
At first he don’t want to answer, I can tell, but I prod him some more.
“Tater...what happened to me?” I say. “What were they calling me?”
The half man rubs his mustache, curling up the ends nervously as if he don’t want to tell me anything else but finally he takes a deep breath.
“Finn was not mistaken. The raiders, unfortunately for us, did recognize you for what you are and for what I suspected you to be. A new blood.”
I don’t understand.
“What the hell does that mean? And what do you mean...you suspected? You knew something...all this time?” I say accusingly. He nods.
“As I said, I suspected. The unusual hair coloration is associated with new bloods, but not always. And there have been no reports of true new bloods for years now. And I never imagined I would ever meet one in person! I wasn’t sure, not until the night of our conversation in the woods. When I told you your kin were gone for good. You became angry, distressed, and your hair it...well you had this aura about you, just as Finn said. Then I knew for certain.”
I stare at Tater in silence, trying to process what he is saying. I want to believe he is lying to me. Surely none of what they are saying can be true…can it? But then I remember the look on his face that night in the woods...the shock and surprise, and I know deep down that he ain’t lying. That he did witness something. That he truly believes I am what he says I am.
“What is it....a new blood? What the hell is it? What is happening to me?” I know I must be sounding desperate, pleading with him to ease my fears but I cain’t help it...it was how I felt. Desperate and completely terrified. I glance at Finn who is still regarding me with awe like he had just watched me turn sand to iron instead of almost kill another person. “Am I dangerous...to others?”
“No, no girl...it’s a glorious thing, a wonderful thing indeed. New Bloods are a true marvel of the gods.” Tater’s expression is one of wonder and amazement and I know he believes his own words. I can feel my fear easing some. If my...condition were dangerous or evil Tater would tell me wouldn’t he? He would be afraid of me. He don’t look afraid. Maybe it was okay. But then another harsh snort from Jax makes my stomach clench and I feel like I wanna retch all over again.
“Tell her the truth old man. Tell her what she truly is.”
As if the venom dripping from his words ain’t proof enough I can see the hatred and disgust in his eyes. It seems wrong somehow to see such things of beauty marred by this ugliness. I hear Tater’s gasp and I know I don’t w
ant to hear what Jax is about to say but I cain’t look away from his eyes.
“A freak of nature.....a mutation. A danger to everyone around her. A carrier of death to anybody she’s ever come in contact with.”
Jax’s words are spoken softly but they cut deeper than any knife could have done for I know in my gut he’s speaking the truth. It had already happened had it not? Rivercross....gra’da....everyone, gone because of me. Deep down I had always suspected it...I had always felt that I was the reason for the metal machines attacking Rivercross... I just wouldn’t admit it to myself.
“Shut your mouth boy!”
Tater tries to stop him but it was too late. The damage had been done. We keep looking at each other, me and Jax, his light eyes staring into mine as if he was looking into my very soul. I find I cain’t draw a breath. It’s as if all the guilt and grief I’ve been carrying around inside of me is bared...laid open for him to see. Something shifts in his expression and he looks away from me as if he cain’t stand the sight of me anymore. I find myself gasping for air, like I suddenly remembered I had to breathe.
Finn comes to my side and grabs my hand.
“You don’t know shite about Tara Jax! She ain’t no freak! And she ain’t a danger to nobody but them raiders!”
Loyal Finn. I squeeze the little hand gripping mine, close my eyes, too overcome for words. Why was all this happening to me? I cain’t understand what I did to anger the gods so much. And am I truly the reason for the fate of gra’da and Rivercross? I ain’t given much time to ponder everything I had just heard though ‘cause the sound of crunching rock underfoot warns us of someone’s approach.
“Ah, the new blood is awake.”
I open my eyes to the raider leader. He appears even bigger then I remember if that were even possible. He crosses his arms across his massive chest and looks me up and down.
“And looking no worse for wear I see....good. I would hate to have to deliver such precious cargo as damaged goods.” He gives me that brilliant smile. “A new blood in my possession...how fortunate indeed. You, my dear, are going to make me a very rich man.”
I try the dumb approach. And since I still really had no freakin’ idea what was happening to me, the dumb approach was all I had.
“I don’t know what you’re talking ‘bout. I ain’t no new blood....don’t even know what that is.”
“Hah!” His burst of laughter is genuine. “Don’t try and lie to me girl. I just watched you nearly strangle my daughter with your bare hands and scare the life out of a dozen or so of my best men. Men who have faced devil cats and wolflings with nary a blink but one look at your Chi was enough to send them off screaming like young’uns.”
“My what?” I say, not knowing that word. What was Chi?
He studies me for a bit, then...
“You truly are unaware of what you are. Fascinating. A new bloods Chi is a sight to behold. Never thought I’d see the day when I would witness such an event again for you and your kind are a dying breed.”
Tired of his gibberish and fed up with the whole situation, I lash out.
“I ain’t a breed of nuthin!” I say angrily. “Let us go right now!”
I shake the bars of the cage in frustration. How dare he keep us locked up like animals!
“Let us out now or...or else I’ll use my Chi,” I say, repeating his word. If it were enough to scare his men....but he don’t fall for my threat. He just laughs even harder.
“A new blood you may be but a babe at that. You cannot control your Chi no more than I can control the wind. No, I do not fear you baby new blood but I do respect you. That is the reason I return this.”
His hand too massive to fit through the bars, he dangles my flower in front of my face on the other side of the cage. Fearing a trick I reach for it slowly, expecting at any moment to have it yanked away. But he is true to his word and I snatch it quickly from his grasp before he changes his mind.
“Why?” I say.
He shrugs. “It is yours. You fought for it valiantly, it must be very important to you. Meela had no right to take it.”
This from the leader of a band of thieves....somehow it don’t seem right.
“If you respect me then let us go,” I say again.
“Ah yes,” he sighs deeply. “Regretfully I cannot do that for as much as I respect your kind I respect riches even more. The Prezedant has placed a high bounty on the heads of new bloods, I cannot resist. If I do not turn you over then someone else shall, so why should it not be me who reaps the rewards?”
He shoots me the toothy grin again. “As we speak my messenger is on his way to set up a rendezvous with the Prezedants men. So rest up...all of you. We will have an early start in the morning.” He starts to walk away but turns back. “Oh by the way if you get to thinking you can escape my men have been ordered to shoot to kill....everyone but you of course.”
As if to drive his point home two raiders appear to flank either side of our wooden prison holding those massive iron shooters. One of them is the same who stole Taters hat. He’s still wearing it but he ain’t looking at me all cocky like no more. He’s regarding me more now with a look of fear almost. What did they see? What did I become? Is Jax right...am I a freak, a monster? I lay my head dejectedly against the thick bars of the cage watching him walk away. All is quiet behind me. And then...
“Let us go now or else.....” Jax’s voice is high and shrill in his mimicry of me. “Brilliant plan...don’t know why I didn’t think of that.”
I have had just about enough of this jackass! Whirling around I snap at him angrily.
“Aye... well I can see your plans have worked out great for you so far you moron...how long have you been captured now? I can tell by your whiskers you been here a few days at least...you must be real good at escape plans!”
He takes a couple of paces towards me so we’re almost nose to nose.
“I had a great escape plan as a matter of fact but it’s all been ruined because I’m no longer being taken to Littlepass now am I? Because of you mutie I am being dragged off to Skytown! Do you know what the chances are of escaping from Skytown? Zero, nil, none! People don’t escape from Skytown freak...they disappear, never to be seen again!”
“Stop…calling…me...freak!” I punctuate each word with a shove so by the end of it Jax’s back is pressed against the other side of the cage but I ain’t finished. “I hope you do disappear never to be seen again...that would be a blessing to all of us!”
“Stop it, the both of you!” Tater worms his way between us and pushes me back some, holding us both at arm’s length. I’m simmering mad and I just wanna scratch Jax’s eyes out...punch him in the nose...something!
“He started it...” I say angrily but Tater ain’t having none of it.
“And I’m finishing it! Do you really think it’s wise to be yelling about escape plans when we have two guards watching our every move? Does that seem like a good idea to either of you?”
I take a couple of deep breaths and realize Tater is right. Both guards have moved closer to our cage and are watching us with much amusement. I glare at the one with the hat.
‘Whadda you looking at?” I snarl loudly and he backs off in a hurry, holding his shooter out in front of him like I am about to pounce on him. The other merely flicks the twig he was chewing on at the cage and wanders casually back to his post. Seems I don’t bother him at all. Finn approaches me with a quiet “Tara?” and I snap at him as well.
“What?” I yell and he takes an involuntary step back at my show of temper. Instantly feeling ashamed at scaring him I mutter a contrite “Sorry” but he only keeps staring at me in uncertainty. Jax by now has decided he is done with all of us and sits in the corner of the cage, legs crossed and his back to us. Which was fine by me. Tater clears his throat.
“Hmph....yes well I suggest we do as the giant said, get some rest. Night has fallen and we will think much clearer in the morning after we sleep.”
Don’t know who T
ater was trying to fool...none of us were going to get any sleep tonight, and I was too wound up to rest. Too full of anger...and burning with questions. But they were questions I needed to ask without Jax around to give his input. So since there ain’t nuthin else I can do I settle against the side of the cage as far away from Jax as I can get. Finn comes to sit hesitantly beside me and I take off the wolfling skin cloak, motioning him closer so we can both use it as a blanket. At first he don’t want to come any closer, I can tell.
“It’s okay Finn,” I whisper, giving him a ghost of a smile. “I ain’t gonna bite.”
Finally deciding I could be trusted again, he scoots closer and I settle the cloak around the both of us.
We sit there all quiet like, listening to the sounds of the raiders go about their business off in the distance. The smell of an evening meal cooking wafts by us and Finn squirms a little.
“That smells real good Tara,” he says.
“Aye it does,” I say.
“I’m hungry.”
“I know Finn.”
We are quiet for a bit more.
“What’s gonna happen to us Tara?”
I think about lying to the boy, to tell him there weren’t nuthin’ to worry about....that everything was going to work out just fine but before I can say a word a loud wailing not far from the camp reaches our ears. Finn bolts upright and out of the corner of my eye I can see our two guards jump to their feet and grab their weapons.
“That’s Cat!” he whispers to me all excitedly. “She found us.”
“You sure?” I say, scared for what that could mean. Hopefully she wasn’t about to attack the camp. We don’t need her getting fired on by the raiders.
“Aye that’s her all right....I know the sound of her bellyachin’. She’s letting us know she’s there and she’s waiting for us.”
He settles back underneath the cloak and I can feel his scrawny little frame strumming with happiness at knowing his beast was okay. I cain’t help feeling a little relieved myself although what the cat could do against an army of raiders I ain’t sure. But just knowing she was out there still gave me some measure of comfort. The wailing stops finally and our guards settle back down although I notice hat head keeps his shooter in his hands. Cat’s howling has rattled him...good, I think. I hope he’s as scared as we are. Finn stays quiet for so long I think he’s asleep, but then...
Awaken Page 11
