Scattered Ashes

by Megg Jensen

  The sand whipped at her bare skin as she sat naked on the sand.

  "Where are we?" Rell said aloud. "My body will die out here if I don't find clothing or shelter. Everything you did to help us escape from the tark may have been in vain."

  If we are alive, there is a chance we will make it. Stop whining, human. Persevere.

  Rell dragged herself up, standing barefoot on the scorching sand. She began to walk away from the sun, in the general direction of Hadar, doubting she would ever see the tower, or Torsten, again.

  14

  "What is that smell?" Rutger pinched his nose with his thumb and index finger.

  Torsten stood over the vat Malia and Tatsuru had dragged into the inn’s common room. "It's rank, whatever it is."

  "This is leftover fat from the intabas I've cooked over the years." Tatsuru stood proudly, his hands on his hips and a smile on his face.

  "I still don't understand." Torsten waved a hand in front of his nose.

  Tatsuru gripped a large metal spoon, dipped it into the vat, and pulled out a lump of goo. "If we put this in the fuel tank of your scout, it will super-charge it."

  Rutger burst into laughter, doubling over and hugging his middle. "I've never heard of such a thing."

  "Not every invention comes from that precious tower of yours." Tatsuru dropped the goo back into the vat. "We simple grounders have ideas sometimes, too."

  Torsten shot Rutger a dirty look. "I think I know something about this. Back on Earth, people sometimes used plant and animal fats to power their vehicles. But how did you think to try it, Tatsuru?"

  "I can read as well as you can, boy. The defenders allowed us some books. They aren't all hiding up in that sacred tower." Tatsuru ladled three globs of the goo into a bowl. "We'll add this to the fuel tank. It makes a difference. Trust me. We'll reach places in the desert no other human has."

  Tatsuru tucked the bowl in one arm. "Coming?"

  Torsten followed the old man out the door. It was worth a try. Anything was.

  Rutger unscrewed the cap to the fuel tank. Tatsuru angled the bowl toward the hole. Globs slowly dripped out of the bowl and into the tank, landing with a disgusting splat.

  "Now what?" Malia asked.

  "Start the scout." Tatsuru opened the passenger door and slid inside. "The heat will cause the fat to melt. It will mingle with the fuel and deliver better performance."

  Malia turned the scout on. The engine turned over, gurgled for a moment, and then revved to life. "Get in, boys!" she called.

  Torsten climbed in. He reached down into the foot well for his bag. Opening it, he checked for the dragzhi. It was still nestled in the bottom, not showing any signs of life. He cinched the top again, settled back into his seat, drew the seatbelt over his chest, and clicked it at his waist. Malia punched the gas, taking off at a jolting speed. Torsten glanced back, watching Hadar quickly disappear behind him. It wasn't long before the desert sand appeared. He faced forward again, leaning into the front seat.

  "How far do you think this will take us?" he asked.

  "On a good day, these vehicles can travel one hundred kilometers. In the sand? Far less. I'm going to keep an eye on the tank. As soon as we hit the halfway point, I'm turning around." Malia tapped the dash. "Of course, that's assuming we don't hit a snag. Maybe we should turn back at three-quarters of a tank."

  "No," Torsten said. "We go to half tank. At the least. I'd rather range farther and have to walk part of the way home than leave Rell out there any longer than necessary."

  Rutger laid a hand on Torsten's shoulder, pulling him back. "We don't even know what we'll face out there. It's better to have more fuel in case we need it. If we have to, we can try again every day. Range a bit farther. Rell can take care of herself. You know that."

  Torsten slumped against the seat. They were both right, of course. Rell could take care of herself, just like Leila could. None of the women in his life needed rescuing, still he had to try. Torsten had a responsibility to think of all of his friends: Rutger, Malia, and Tatsuru, and not just Rell.

  Torsten kept an eye on the desert, searching for any movement that might indicate Rell's presence. If they had been in the jungle, tracking her would have been much easier. A flattened plant or a broken branch would indicate someone had traveled through there. In the desert, the ground was constantly moving and shifting. The sand was a living decoy, throwing them off the trail. It was the ultimate disguise and made finding Rell nearly impossible. Either they would happen upon her, or they wouldn't.

  It made Torsten sick. Whatever that child was that had taken Rell had the upper hand. It probably knew that, too.

  Maybe it didn't know Torsten wouldn't give up until he found Rell.

  "I see something ahead!" Tatsuru tapped his finger on the windshield.

  Torsten squinted into the hazy sun. He’d been staring at the same landscape for hours. Then he saw it. An orange flag flying on a pole. "That's the marker. The farthest point humans have traveled in this part of the desert. We need to take the flag with us and reset it wherever we stop."

  Malia slowed the scout, and Torsten's stomach felt as though it was dropping. He hadn't realized how fast she'd been driving until that moment. He swallowed, pushing back nausea.

  Rutger removed a scarf from his bag. "I'll retrieve it. No need for all of us to get covered in sand."

  Malia pulled to a stop. Rutger flung his door open and leaped out. A small whirl of sand floated to his seat before he could close the door. With one arm over his eyes, Rutger trudged through the sand toward the flag. He yanked it with one hand, but it wouldn’t give way. Rutger waved at the car.

  "I'll help him." Torsten didn't wait for a response. He'd already tied his scarf around his neck. Pulling it up over his nose, he ran to Rutger, his boots slipping on the sand.

  Torsten tightened his scarf, grabbed the pole with both hands, and closed his eyes. Rutger counted to three, muffled under his scarf. They yanked at the same time, but the flag refused to budge.

  Rutger tapped Torsten's shoulder. He let go of the pole and rested a hand over his eyes. Rutger motioned for Torsten to back up.

  Rutger spun, then kicked the pole with the sole of his boot, snapping the pole in two. He picked up the flag, and the two ran back to the car.

  Torsten slammed his door seconds after Rutger closed his. He pulled the scarf down to his neck, sand raining all over his clothes.

  "Got it!" Rutger said, laying the pole in the foot well.

  Torsten moved the dragzhi so the sharp end of the broken pole wouldn’t impale it.

  "Let's keep moving," Torsten said.

  Malia looked back at them, a nervous smile on her face. "You know we're about to go where no human has ever gone?"

  "Thanks to Tatsuru's vat of congealed fat," Rutger said. "How much gas is left in the tank?"

  "We're at just over three quarters. We can go bit further. We'll use the flag to mark where we stop and try to move farther on tomorrow’s attempt." Malia gripped the steering wheel.

  Torsten hoped there wouldn't be a next attempt. He wanted to find Rell on this try. Every day she was gone put her in more danger. If she was even still... Torsten shook his head. Thinking like that wouldn't solve anything. He would find her, no matter what.

  The scout lurched forward, spinning for a moment in the sand before finding purchase. Torsten gripped the door handle, staring out the window. He wanted to see something, anything, that would indicate Rell's position, but the desert stretched on endlessly.

  Malia drove slowly for hours. The sun rose to its zenith and began its journey toward the horizon.

  "We're at half," Malia said, barely above a whisper.

  "Just a little farther," Torsten said. "Please."

  "We don't even know what direction she went, Torsten." Rutger clapped his friend on the shoulder. "We should head back, and try a different path tomorrow. Maybe angle more to the south?"

  "The barge went this way." Torsten gritted his teeth. "I watche
d until it completely disappeared from view. We're headed in the right direction."

  "How do you know it went due east?" Rutger pressed. "It could have turned at some point. It could have done that just to throw us off track. It's a big planet, as big as Earth was. We occupy only a small portion. For all we know..."

  "Fine!" Torsten couldn't look at his friends. He knew exactly what expressions were on their concerned faces, and he didn't want to see them. "Head back."

  "We should plant the pole out here first," Rutger said. "We may need that marker tomorrow."

  "I'll do it." Torsten pulled his scarf up over his face, blowing out the sand that settled on his lips. He yanked his door open and trudged through the sand.

  Kicking sand to the side, he cleared out a small spot to thrust the pole into the earth. Dropping the pole, Torsten knelt. Using his bare hands, he cleared away even more sand, trying to make a decent hole to hold the pole. If it fell the moment a strong gust came by, it would be completely useless. He looked out into the endless desert, his heart full of hope. He’d come this far. He couldn’t turn back now.

  Torsten scrambled to his feet and jumped back into the car. "She's out here. We're close. We have to be."

  "Maybe we should go back and bring more vehicles. How much of that intaba fat do you have, Tatsuru?" Malia asked.

  "I have an entire room full of vats!" Tatsuru smiled. "I always hoped it would come in handy."

  "We could recover Rell sooner than we thought," Rutger said. "Good work!"

  "You should go back," Torsten said. "I'll stay. There's a tent in the trunk. I'll camp here for the night."

  "What? No!" Rutger said. "You can't stay out here alone. You'll die."

  "And what do you think is happening to Rell right now?" Torsten asked. "I won't go back. Not when I know she's close."

  "Fine," Rutger said. "I'll stay with you. Malia and Tatsuru can go for help."

  Torsten reached over the backseat into the trunk. He seized the tent and pack with his provisions. Then he hoisted the bag with the dragzhi over his shoulder. "Ready?"

  "No, but let's go anyway."

  Torsten got out of the scout, moving a few meters away. Tatsuru waved to them as Malia sped off, kicking up sand in their wake.

  Torsten began walking. He would find Rell, or he would die trying.

  15

  Torsten trudged through the sand, his pack growing heavier with every step. His eyes were open no more than a squint, an arm shielding them from the stinging sand.

  Rutger nudged Torsten with the barrel of his rifle. Torsten came to a stop, standing as close to his friend as possible.

  "We should camp." Rutger's voice was muffled by the scarf over his mouth.

  "No." Torsten pointed in the distance. Something loomed out there. A rock formation of some kind. They might be able to find shelter under it.

  Rutger pointed toward the ground. "Here."

  Torsten looked to the west. The sun was setting. "Fine. There isn't much daylight left. Tomorrow we head for those rocks."

  Torsten carefully set down the small bag holding the dragzhi. He shrugged his pack off his back and onto the sand. It only took a few minutes for the two men to erect the shelter. Then they were safe inside it, finally away from the blowing sand. Rutger tied the knots at the bottom of the entrance flap tight. Sand seeped in, but it was a far cry from actually being outside in it.

  Rutger shook out his scarf in the corner, leaving an impressive pile of sand. "I think we should head back tomorrow."

  "No. We go east, toward those rocks. Maybe they took shelter there." Torsten removed his boots, dumping them on top of Rutger's pile.

  Rutger rested a hand on Torsten's shoulder. "Rell was kidnapped, Tor. It's not like she’s lost out here. You have to think about it differently."

  "Don't remind me." Still, Torsten wanted to believe Rell had already gotten away from the thing that had taken her. That, she, too, was wandering the desert like them. Maybe they'd stumble upon each other.

  "It's better if we wait for reinforcements." Rutger lay down, closing his eyes. "In the meantime, we need to sleep. I don't know about you, but my muscles are aching."

  So were Torsten's, but his concern for Rell overshadowed any pain he experienced. Still, Rutger was right. Eventually, Torsten would crash, whether he wanted to or not. They could argue over the direction in the morning.

  Torsten lay down on the other side of the tent, listening to Rutger's breathing. He'd already fallen asleep. Torsten tried to do the same, but his mind wouldn't stop racing. Flashes of Isobel spiriting Rell out the tower haunted him. The look on Rell's face was one of utter confusion mixed with a dash of anger. He knew she'd do everything she could to free herself. She was smart and resourceful. Still, he refused to sit back and wait for her return.

  If Rutger wouldn't head east with him tomorrow, then he'd go alone. He refused to sit back when Rell might need his help.

  Torsten rolled on his side, facing the tent. He could see through the translucent fabric to the outside. Sand swirled around the tent. He squinted, trying to focus on something in the distance. Through the fabric, it was only a dark form. Still, it seemed to get closer and closer.

  Torsten reached back, smacking Rutger with one hand, not taking his eyes off the thing outside. "Wake up."

  "Come on, man, I just fell asleep!" Rutger mumbled, pushing Torsten's hand out of the way. "I know you're pining over Rell, but I'm no substitute."

  Torsten scrambled to his feet, pulling his boots on. "I'm not joking. Wake up. There's something out there."

  Rutger rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "What is it?" He reached for his belt of knives, securing it around his waist.

  "I don't know. Whatever it is, it's coming toward us." Torsten grabbed the sword he'd tossed to the side. He checked the pack. The liquid dragzhi was still inside.

  "Rell?" Rutger stood next to Torsten.

  "No, it's too short. Must be some kind of animal," Torsten said.

  "Desert animal? Wonder what it eats out here. There's not much life." Rutger shrugged, then sat down. "Let’s just keep quiet. Not attract any attention."

  Torsten focused on the blob as it came closer and closer, one step at a time. He could make out the body a bit better now. It moved on four legs and had rounded ears. Not something he'd ever come across before in life or research. They knew so little about the planet, despite living there for two centuries. Excitement coursed through Torsten. He was about to discover a new species.

  "I'm going to go outside and take a look at it." Torsten reached for the flap to untie it.

  Rutger pulled him back. "No, you're not. We don't know what that thing is. If it's hungry, it might try taking a bite of you. I'm not hauling you back in pieces."

  "And maybe it's completely harmless," Torsten said.

  "Don't be an idiot," Rutger said. "Stay here. Let it go by us. You can play explorer later."

  Torsten opened his mouth to argue with Rutger when the upper fabric of the tent collapsed on their heads.

  "Damn it!" Rutger yelled. "I thought you had this thing set up securely."

  Torsten's arms flailed against the fabric. "I did. I've set these things up a million times. We had one just like it when I was a kid. We camped a lot in the jungle."

  A high-pitched screech came from the outside, and both men stopped arguing.

  "What was that?" Rutger whispered.

  "It's probably the animal," Torsten said.

  The tent fabric ripped open, and something stood perched on top of the middle tent pole. Sand swirled around it in a fury. It had a rounded head, round ears, and brown fur, about the size of a human baby.

  "Aw, it's kind of cute," Torsten said, reaching up with a hand.

  The creature sniffed Torsten's fingers. It pulled back, cocked its head, and looked at him curiously.

  "How did it climb up there so fast?" Rutger asked.

  "I don't know." Torsten slowly pulled his hand back as the creature leaned down closer.
/>
  The side of the tent shook as a dark blob rammed into it. Then the fabric ripped, a long claw popping into the inside of the tent.

  "I don't like this," Rutger said as he pulled his scarf up over his nose.

  Torsten mirrored him. He grasped his sword with a shaking hand. "I think there's more than one."

  "Great. Just great." Rutger backed up, his shoulder against Torsten's. "We're going to have to kill your little discoveries if they come any closer."

  Torsten was disappointed. "I know.”

  The creature on top of the pole turned its head toward the two moons, shining brightly above the dark desert. Its jaw dropped, and a screech pierced the night.

  Torsten fought the urge to put his hands over his ears. His instincts told him to stay at the ready, and not be distracted by the creature's cry.

  The tent shook from all four sides now, as the creature at the top of the pole raised its hands toward the sky, four claws protruding from each paw. The sharp tips glinted in the moonlight. It looked down at them again, then bared its teeth in a grisly smile.

  It called out once more, and the tent began to shake again.

  "We need to get outside. We're trapped in here,” Rutger said.

  "Can't. The flaps are tied down. Unless you want to put down your rifle and untie them?" Torsten said, trying to keep the panic out of his voice.

  "Nope. Not me. Maybe that blob in your backpack could help?" Rutger said, a nervous laugh spilling from his lips. "The dragzhi seem to enjoy killing. Why's it hiding now?"

  "I think it's probably dead," Torsten said. "I'm carrying around a dead alien in my pack, and it's not going to help us. We have to do this ourselves."

  "I'll go for the one to my right. You aim for the one on your left. Then we'll come back to the center and kill the other two on the ground,” Rutger said.

  "And the one above us?" Torsten asked.

  "We hope it prefers to watch rather than fight. Ready? On one... two... three!" Rutger sprang to his right, shooting his rifle at the blob outside the tent.