by MJ Schutte
‘What if you have too much vegetables or milk?’ she asked.
‘Then you give it to people who don’t have any,’ he replied.
It always worked this way in Four Mountains. Everyone shared their goods. Carmen was unsure of how to explain it to him when she noticed her worn sandals. She asked him to make her a new pair. He thought about it for a moment and said that he couldn’t but that they should ask someone in town. The next day she sent him to town to ask for sandals.
He returned very angry.
‘I saw a lot of sandal makers but nobody would give me a pair for you,’ he shouted.
Carmen picked up a bushel of vegetables and told him she would be back soon.
She returned wearing a new pair of sandals.
‘How did you do that?’ he asked in amazement.
‘I traded the vegetables for the shoes,’ she explained.
She could see the concept started to make sense to him.
Brighton started trading their surplus goods for things they needed. He even started keeping an inventory of what they needed and what was surplus. He always knew exactly how much food they needed to keep and how much they could use for trading purposes.
One of the first things Brighton traded for was a new dress for Carmen. When he gave it to her, she buried her face in the material and cried softly.
Seeing her cry made him worry that there was something wrong with the dress or the colour, so he offered to take it back. Carmen cried and laughed at the same time, hugged him tightly and told him the dress was perfect.
Brighton decided that women were very strange creatures.
He also got some wood and tools. This was used to build a porch and new chairs so Carmen would have somewhere comfortable to sit.
‘You’re the kindest person I know,’ she once told him.
Instead of happiness, she saw a flash of pain cross his face.
She never asked about it, she knew it would be related to his past.
It was a day much like any other. Three years had past. Brighton walked around the vegetable garden. There was nothing for him to do except wait for the plants to grow but he still checked every morning for weeds.
Seeing none, he decided to check on the goats. None of them showed any signs of illness or injury.
Brighton went to the house, picked up his bow and said to Carmen, ‘I’m going to see if there are any deer around.’
He shot one three days ago and there was still plenty of salted meat but Carmen didn’t say anything. She knew he wouldn’t kill anything unless it was to provide them with food.
Brighton walked out the door and headed for the river. He never went to the place where all the town folk got their water and washed their clothes. Upriver there was a much better place only he knew about.
It was a small clearing right next to the river surrounded by big oak trees. There was no path leading to it, if you didn’t know where it was you would never find it.
Brighton strolled leisurely, there was nothing rushing him.
As he was about to enter the woods a strong sense of extreme danger washed over him. Something was in the woods.
The feeling of danger intensified, whatever was in the woods was moving towards him.
There was also a strange familiarity about the feeling.
Brighton waited.
A big black panther emerged from the trees followed by a slightly smaller one. The panther spotted Brighton, froze for a moment, and then charged. As fast and strong as Brighton was, he was no match for the speed and strength of the cat.
The panther knocked him over with ease. The bow and quiver went flying. Brighton was flat on his back expecting the panther to go for his throat.
White-eyes looked down at him. The cat started licking him in the face.
‘Mischief! Stop it!’ Brighton shouted.
He wriggled free from under the cat and stepped back.
‘Dear angels, you have grown,’ he said to Mischief.
It was easily the biggest panther Brighton had ever seen.
He looked over to the other cat.
‘Velvet!’ he called to her.
She just stood looking at him.
‘Come here, girl,’ he encouraged.
Slowly she came towards him. She was limping.
Brighton rushed over.
‘What’s wrong?’ he asked.
Velvet sank to the ground.
Brighton had a good look at the cat. A deep gash ran from her left shoulder blade halfway down her leg.
‘What happened here?’ Brighton asked.
He tried to part her thick black fur to get a better look at the wound. Velvet let out a yelp.
‘I’m sorry girl but I have to see how bad it is,’ Brighton soothed.
Gently he parted the fur again.
Velvet was shivering.
‘I’ll carry you home and clean this up,’ Brighton said to her.
As he picked her up Mischief started growling in a low menacing way.
‘I feel it too boy,’ Brighton said.
He sensed several people approaching so he put Velvet back on the ground. Mischief took up a protective position in front of his mother. Brighton retrieved the bow and nocked an arrow.
A man burst out of the tree line two hundred paces away. Another followed, then two more. The four men each had a hunting spear in the right hand.
‘There it is,’ shouted the leader pointing to the cats.
‘Don’t come closer!’ Brighton shouted at them.
Mischief’s muscles were tense, his tail flicking through the air. A low growl came from deep within his throat.
‘Easy boy,’ Brighton soothed.
‘Listen mister, I don’t know what your involvement is with those beasts but it’s best you run home now!’ the leader shouted. ‘Those beasts stole our deer. I was about to take it down when that thing jumped out of the bushes and killed the deer right in front of our eyes.’
‘But at least you wounded it!’ one of the others shouted.
All of them laughed and hooted.
‘You wounded the panther?’ Brighton shouted at them, rage building in him.
‘I sure did and if that big one didn’t distract me we would be eating panther meat now. We’ve been tracking them for three days.’
Brighton could see that these men would not back down. Violence was the only language they understood. Brighton pulled the bowstring to his cheek.
‘Leave now. Last chance!’ he shouted.
The leader dropped his spear and held up his hands.
‘Please don’t shoot. We are all very scared of you!’ he shouted mockingly.
The others laughed and hooted some more.
‘That bow cannot reach here. Come on, take your best shot!’ the man shouted still holding up his hands.
An arrow went through his right hand. Brighton already had another nocked. Instantly the men were silent. The leader looked at his hand in shock.
‘Please leave!’ Brighton shouted, ‘I do not want to kill you!’
‘Get him!’ the leader shouted.
The men charged forward. The distance was too great for their throwing spears so they had to get closer.
An arrow went through the first man’s upper right arm. Another found the exact same spot in the second man’s arm.
Both of them dropped their spears and howled in pain. The third stopped dead in his tracks when he saw another arrow was already nocked. For a moment, the men stood staring at Brighton and then they slowly retreated into the woods.
Brighton sensed them moving further away. He slung the bow over his shoulder. Gently he picked Velvet up and carried her towards the house. Mischief followed close behind them.
When they reached the vegetable garden Brighton shouted, ‘Carmen!’
‘CARMEN!’
‘What did I tell you about shouting?’ she said as she came outside.
She went as stiff as a board. Brighton saw the fear in her eyes.
&nbs
p; ‘I know these panthers. We’re friends. They won’t harm you,’ he assured her.
‘If you say so,’ Carmen said in a trembling voice.
‘Please get some cloth and clean water,’ Brighton asked as he put Velvet down on the porch.
Mischief lay down just in front of the porch on the grass.
Carmen retreated into the house.
She came out almost immediately with a cloth and a bowl of water.
‘Oh, by the way, this is Velvet,’ Brighton said, ‘and the big one is Mischief.’
Carmen was speechless. She knew Brighton was a very special person but this was far beyond her wildest dreams.
‘Go say hello to Mischief. He won’t do you any harm,’ Brighton said.
Carmen trusted Brighton but she was not about to touch the most dangerous animal known to man and most certainly not one as big as that.
She had seen panthers before but none even close to Mischief’s size.
As if the big cat understood what Brighton had said, he got up and walked over to Carmen. He rubbed against her arm, purring softly.
‘Go ahead, scratch his belly,’ Brighton said as he continued cleaning Velvet’s wound.
‘And if he bites my arm off?’ Carmen asked slowly.
Brighton laughed.
‘I never thought you would be scared of anything,’ he said.
‘Have you seen how big this panther is?’ Carmen asked sarcastically.
She looked down.
‘Brighton, have you seen his eyes?’ she asked, her fear forgotten.
‘Yes,’ Brighton said absently, his mind focused on Velvet.
‘This wound is not that bad. It’s deep but I can’t see damage to the bone or muscles.’
He scratched Velvet behind the ears.
‘You’ll be fine girl. Just rest here for a few days and this will heal nicely.’
‘WHAT?’ Carmen shouted, ‘No no no! We are not having panthers live on our front porch,’ she said wagging her finger.
‘Inside the house then?’ Brighton asked.
‘NO!’ Carmen shouted.
She thought for a moment. It was no use arguing with Brighton about it.
‘Ok, on the porch is fine,’ she agreed.
Brighton got up and gave Carmen a light kiss on the cheek.
‘Thank you,’ he said.
Over the next few days, Velvet’s wound healed quickly.
Within four days, she was walking without a limp. The next morning the cats were gone. Brighton was a little sad but knew that they were wild animals and could not stay with him.
They belonged in the wild.
Chapter 7
MORE DAYS WENT by and soon it was six years that Carmen and Brighton were living near Avarya.
Carmen stood on the porch and shielded her eyes from the bright sun with her hand. Brighton was working on the far side of the vegetable garden next to the road.
He had grown another half a head in the last six years and his shoulders were also broader than before. His muscles were well defined and there was not a hint of fat anywhere on his body.
Even though Carmen had lived with him for six years, she never quite got used to the sheer size of the young man. He still looked like a giant to her.
‘Brighton, lunch is ready!’ she shouted.
Brighton seemed not to hear.
‘And he calls me old. It’s his hearing that’s not good anymore,’ she muttered irritably to herself.
She hiked up her long purple skirt and walked down to where Brighton was working.
‘Didn’t you hear me?’ she snapped at him.
‘I did,’ he replied.
‘So why do you ignore me?’ she demanded.
‘It’s rude to shout at someone. You should walk over to them and speak in a civilized manner,’ Brighton replied.
Carmen burst out laughing. Her irritation was instantly forgotten.
‘Yes, you’re quite right,’ she agreed. ‘I’m glad you remember the things I teach you.’
‘What is it that you wanted to say to me?’ Brighton asked innocently.
Carmen punched his rock hard shoulder and said, ‘You already know. Now come, I don’t like eating cold food.’
He took a deep bow.
‘Yes, my queen,’ he teased.
Carmen started walking back to the house but turned around again.
‘Where is Velvet?’ she asked.
‘She left this morning. I think Mischief was close so she went to him.’
He didn’t tell Carmen that he sensed Mischief in the woods earlier. Although the cats visited often, Carmen was still slightly scared of Mischief. Carmen turned and started walking towards the house again.
‘I’m just going to wash up,’ he called after her.
She wagged her finger in the air.
‘Don’t shout at your queen, young man.’
A water barrel was standing not far away. Brighton was glad he filled the barrel earlier. If he had to go to the river to wash up he would certainly be late for lunch.
That would not please Carmen.
As he walked to the barrel, he took his shirt off and tossed it on the ground. Immediately he scooped it up again and glanced towards the house to see if Carmen had noticed.
‘Almost made a lot of trouble for myself,’ he chuckled.
He hung up the shirt on a tree branch nearby and walked to the water barrel.
People were constantly travelling to and from the river for water. Previously it bothered him always feeling their energy but, over time, he got used to it. Now he just ignored it.
He felt the presence of another person passing but did not take any notice. Bracing himself for the cold water, he was just about to dunk his head when a small voice behind him spoke.
‘Bri?’
Brighton froze. Only one person ever called him that.
She died six years ago.
Memories of Lilian flooded back.
‘Bri, is that you?’ the soft voice asked.
Slowly Brighton turned around.
She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her long blond curls, decorated with small pink ribbons, reached all the way down to her bottom. Her blue eyes seemed to shine in contrast with her fair, perfect skin.
She wore a white dress with pink trim around the edges.
His mind could not form a proper thought. He staggered back knocking the water barrel over.
‘Lilian?’ he whispered.
Perhaps he was in the sun too long and was seeing ghosts he thought.
Lilian stared back at him with those deep blue eyes. She too had trouble forming an intelligent thought. Tears started streaming down her cheeks.
‘Please tell me it’s you, Bri?’ she pleaded.
‘Lily?’ was all he could get out.
Suddenly his mind started working. Lily was standing right in front of him! He believed her to be dead but here she was.
‘Lily!’ he screamed and scooped her up in his strong arms.
She flung her arms around him and buried her face in his neck.
‘Oh Lily, I thought you were dead!’
‘I…thought...the…same...of...you,’ she stammered through her tears.
They hugged fiercely for a long time before Brighton put Lilian down. He stepped back and looked at her.
‘You’ve grown since I last saw you,’ he observed.
‘So have you,’ she replied, her eyes travelling over his muscular body.
Although she grew a lot she was still very petite and far shorter than Brighton. If he put his arm out straight, she would fit under it.
‘I see you’re still as short as ever,’ he teased.
‘I’m not short, it just seems that way to you giants,’ she teased back.
Brighton looked at her dress.
‘And still wearing dirty dresses,’ he said.
Lilian looked down at her dress and pulled a face.
‘It was clean this morning. That’s what a girl gets for huggin
g dirty giants,’ she teased.
‘So it’s my fault?’ he played along. ‘I’m so sorry princess. How can I ever make this right?’ he teased.
‘Wash my dress,’ she commanded playfully.
Brighton got a sly smile on his face.
‘As you wish,’ he said.
‘Oh no, I know that look,’ Lilian said as she started to run away.
Brighton caught her easily, picked her up, and flung her over his shoulder.
‘Bri! NO!’ she shouted, pounding her small fists on his back.
‘You don’t even know what I’m going to do,’ he said as he started walking towards his private little spot next to the river.
He grabbed his shirt as he walked past the tree.
‘I know exactly what you’re planning,’ Lilian screamed.
‘And what might that be?’ Brighton asked innocently.
‘You’re going to throw me in the river,’ she replied.
‘Clever girl,’ Brighton smiled.
She continued to protest all the way down to the river.
Brighton acted as if he was deaf saying ‘What?’ every so often.
They reached Brighton’s spot. He put Lilian down.
‘I won’t do it if you don’t want me to,’ he said. ‘I was just teasing.’
Lilian looked at him for a moment. She turned and ran for the river.
‘Last one in is a stinky old goat,’ she shouted.
‘Wait!’ Brighton shouted but it was too late, Lilian was already almost waist deep in the river.
‘Not fair,’ he said.
‘I smell a stinky old goat,’ she teased.
Brighton tossed his shirt away and charged into the water. Lilian let out a yelp and tried to get away but his big arm circled her waist. He picked her up and fell backwards into the waist deep water. Both their heads disappeared under the water. They came up spluttering and laughing.
‘Is this old goat still stinky?’ Brighton asked.
She stepped closer, put her head on his chest and her arms around his waist.
‘No, not at all,’ she said softly.
Brighton’s arms snaked around her and he held her close. They stood hugging in the water for a while. Brighton became aware of her firm smallish breasts against his body.
This caused an unfamiliar stirring in his groin. He released Lilian and stepped back.
