by Avery Kloss
“Where is paradise?” I asked, thinking it might be behind the great mountain, where Ronan and Enwan wished to journey one day. Had they gone there already?
“Paradise is where we go when we leave our bodies in death. It’s the final resting place.”
“Have you ever been there?”
“No, child. You have to die to see it.”
I chewed on my lip, still feeling ill at the sight of so much blood. “It would be nice to find paradise now. Why do we have to die first?”
“I don’t know,” she whispered miserably. “What a sad day.”
“Woman!” shouted Magnon. “Where’s supper? The men must eat.”
Kia’s shoulders slumped. “We need to prepare the meal. They’ll have to bury the body at daybreak. Magnon will be saddened to hear of the loss.”
“I’m not so certain,” I murmured, speaking in my native tongue. “He only cares for food and mating. I don’t know why you find him so appealing.”
Her look darkened. “You’re lucky you’re my daughter. If you weren’t, I’d beat you for speaking so.”
She would never lift a hand to me; I knew that, the threat as empty as my belly. “Let’s butcher the cat. I’m hungry.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
In preparation for the colder season, the men hunted with renewed dedication, taking game big and small, creating a never-ending pile of pelts needing to be scraped and prepared. The women wove clothing, making all manner of skirts and capes, with braided leather to tie around the wearer’s neck or waist. Having the luxury of a cave, the fire open in the center, we worked well after the sun went down, the days growing shorter.
Ola found a new mate with Toba, having lost Yulla, his body buried in a shallow grave not far from the cave. These people cared little for the ceremonial aspect of burial, forgoing flowers and offerings to the deceased. They simply dug a hole, placed the man inside, and filled it in again, going about their business as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Ola had not formed an emotional attachment to the man, like Kia had with Magnon.
It pleased her to carry his child, the pride evident in the way she walked with her head held high. I knew she wanted to have a baby of her own, Ara and I having come from different parents. At times I wondered about my birth family, curious about who they were and why I had separated from them, but nothing stirred in my memory, that period in my life blank.
“Here you are.” Kia handed me a cooked portion of meat.
“Thank you.” I spoke the language of her people now, although I continued to talk the old way with the women, because they struggled to learn as quickly. Even Ara spoke fluently now, as did Bena. Hanna tried her hand at the white man’s language, having picked up words here and there.
We often played games after supper, sometimes Magnon holding up his hands, the shadows of his fingers filling the wall. Penua sat in Hanna’s lap and eyed the moving shadows with interest, his eyes bright. After the cold season, the cave would be filled with babies; even Hanna was pregnant again. Five babies … the thought boggled the mind. I adored playing with Penua, the boy walking and running now, joining us on foraging trips and learning to spot berries. Kia’s people were mostly left-handed and near-sighted. They called upon me when they wished to see where the herd was in the valley, and I guided them in the right direction.
Having finished making her basket, Bena approached. “I’m tired.” She settled on the pelt, the fur around her shoulders. “What are you making?”
I had carved small pieces of wood, filing down the edges to make little balls. “A beaded necklace for Penua.”
“Oh.”
“I’ll find some clay and dye the wood red. It might be pretty.”
“I want to make one of those.”
“It’s not that hard, but it does take a long time.”
I glanced at Kia, as she sat with Magnon, working a wooden comb through his messy hair. She groomed him nightly, fussing about him. When he tired of this, he would pull her onto his lap, his mouth connecting with hers.
“You carved that figurine.” I pointed at the statue of a woman with breasts and a big belly. “Where are the legs, though?”
“They fell off,” she giggled. “Penua threw it and broke it.”
“That’s too bad. It was finely crafted.”
“I’ll make another. What else is there to do when we can’t forage?” The wind whistled in the open doorway of the cave, the night bringing a chill. The fire kept us warm, as did the pelts. We would not be at the mercy of the elements during the cold season.
In the morning, I woke to the sound of someone coughing, Lorro emerging from the fur he and Anna shared. He stomped around the cave with feet blackened from wandering around without protection. Tossing a log into the fire pit, the coals still hot, the wood smoked first, and then flames began to flicker around the edges. Penua fussed, the cries resounding, until his mother soothed him. I snuggled further into the bedding, sleeping with Ara and Bena, the girls snoring softly.
A loud cough woke me again, the smell of smoke lingering, along with other odors, the men needing to wash. Ara stood with Kia, having a discussion, while Toba and Shaam sharpened stone, making scraping sounds. Leaving the comfort of the pelt, I ventured to the doorway, intending on relieving myself outside. Scrambling down the rocky ledge, I did not go far, squatting by a rock. Having draped a pelt around my shoulders, I shivered, the cool air caressing my bare thighs.
“We go soon,” Magnon said. “Prepare for the hunt, men.”
I paused at the threshold, the sight before me familiar. The clan slowly roused with the sun, the first streams of light emerging in the distance. I planned to help Kia with chores, but, casting one last look at the vista, I thought I saw something. Worried it might be a predator or an approaching herd, I observed everything carefully; my eyes focusing on what I thought looked like men. The smoke from our fire escaped from the doorway, white tufts drifting into the air, the wind carrying it away. They would see us.
Who are they?
“Don’t just stand there, Peta,” said mamma. “Come over here and help me, girl.”
I remained rooted to the spot, watching as the men changed course, the group moving fast, running in a single line across the lower portion of the valley. They wore furs over their shoulders and around their feet. I knew in an instant they were my people, the people I came from. A sense of excitement flittered through me.
Ronan!
Could it be Ronan and Enwan? Had they come to find me?
“Peta?”
“I see men.”
“What?”
“I see men in the valley. They’re coming here. They’ve seen the smoke.” My having spoken in Magnon’s language, the men soon joined me, filling the entranceway and gazing at the prairie with startled eyes.
“I see them,” said Shaam, pointing. “They’re not us. They belong to the white tribe.”
“This cannot be good,” said Toba. “How many are there?”
“Too many,” muttered Magnon. “But, we’ll defend what’s ours. They cannot take it.”
I had been shoved out of the way, falling to my knees. I crawled towards Kia. “Do you think it’s Ronan and Enwan?”
“You’ll never see them again, Peta. You know that. No, I don’t believe that’s who comes. It’s something else.” A stark look entered her eye. “You should hide with the other children in the small cavern.” We had found a tiny room behind a loose rock, but the opening fit only a very small person, the gap snug. “Take what you can find and go!”
“What are you saying?” asked Ara. “Why are we hiding?”
“Take whatever tools and food you can find, and do as I tell you!”
“What is this about?” asked Ena. “What’s the matter?”
“Men come. I want the children to hide for their safety.”
Hanna overheard this, having gone to the doorway to see what the commotion was about. “If they’re not our kind, we’re in danger. They�
��ll kill us all.” She approached with Penua in her arms. “Take him. Keep him as quiet as you can. I just fed him.”
Bena grabbed as many things as she could, tossing tools and toys into a basket. “It might not be a fight. They might be friendly.”
“We can’t take that chance,” said Hanna. “I’ve seen this before. It’s how I became separated from my tribe. We were set upon by a band of marauding savages. They killed everyone.”
Chaos erupted, the men springing into action, grasping at spears and stone tools, most with sharpened rock affixed to the end, some looking like heavy axes.
“They come!” shouted Toba. “Prepare to fight!”
Kia’s expression remained stern, her jaw set. “Get into the little room now, Peta.” She gave me Penua. “Now!”
I would not argue with her, Ara shoving a pelt through the opening. Stunned by these developments, my chest pounding with fear, I did as I was told, squeezing through the entrance and sitting in a darkened room that smelled musty, dust tickling my nose. Several baskets tumbled across the cold, stone floor, someone having thrown them in.
“Go!” shouted Kia.
Ara scrambled in, followed by Bena. I held the baby, the boy beginning to fuss. “Oh, no, little one. We have to be quiet.”
“What about you?” cried Ara. “What will you do?”
Kia’s face appeared in the opening. “I’m going to be fine. Please don’t worry. You keep out of sight until they’re gone. I'm going to slide the rock into place.”
“It’s so dark,” said Bena. “I’m scared.”
“You be brave, children,” said Kia. “The gods are testing us today. We mustn’t fear, because all is as it should be.” A man shouted behind her. “I’m moving the rock now.” A scraping sound occurred, followed by darkness, although light seeped in around the edges. Once my eyes adjusted to it, I could see Ara and Bena and the baby.
I crawled towards the rock, peering through the gap. The men stood at the entrance holding their weapons, blocking whoever might want to enter.
“What’s happening?” asked Ara.
“Nothing yet.” It stunned me to think that just moments before, I had been safe and warm in the bedding, the pelts lying before the fire. “They’re waiting.”
“Waiting for what?” asked Bena.
To die.
“I don’t know,” I said miserably, praying the baby wouldn’t cry.
From this angle, I could not see the women, assuming they sat towards the back of the cave. The men guarded the door, but not for long, the first incursion happening a moment later. Shouts rang out, as spears flew, one thrown with such force it hit the wall where we hid with a loud thump. Lorro wielded an ax, cutting at a man who sprang at him, his height far greater. The strangers were my people, tall and lean and muscled, their expressions fierce. Some wore braided hair and leather around their wrists with fur upon their feet.
“What’s happening?” asked Ara.
“They’re fighting.” I swallowed back the urge to vomit, my belly not feeling well in the least.
Magnon left the cave, while Toba and Shaam fought valiantly, a spear suddenly slicing through Toba’s neck. He fell to his knees, the weapon sticking out from one end to the other. A breath later, he collapsed. Women screamed then, Hanna and Kia’s voice among them.
“What now?” whispered Ara.
“Toba’s dead.” I felt oddly numb, my voice sounding as if it belonged to someone else.
Why would men attack without provocation? Could they not greet these people in a peaceful way? Pressing an eye to the gap, I watched the room fill with strangers, none of them Ronan and Enwan. Some wore paint, while others had shorn hair. The man I assumed was their leader appeared, his height making him stoop within the cave. The men deferred to him, looking at him for direction, his expression authoritative.
“Is that all?” he said. “Only four men and these women?” He walked out of line of my sight, but I could still hear him. “We’ve no use for the dark ones. I won’t mate them. Take the others. We need women. Make sure they’re dressed well. They’re no good to us dead.”
“What’s happening?” whispered Bena.
“Shush!” I placed a finger to my mouth, fearing exposure. It sounded as if they were going to take Anna, Ola, and Ena away. I did not wish to go with them. Bena held Hanna’s baby, the child mercifully quiet. He rested his head against her shoulder, a thumb in his mouth. “It’s almost over.”
The leader stomped through the cave, kicking at the pelts to uncover them. His eyes—watchful and cunning—missed no portion of the space, my heart sinking.
He’s going to know we’re here …
A tingling began in my fingers, my throat suddenly dry. I feared fainting, feeling so odd …
“Take whatever useful item you can find,” he said. “We need to make shelter before nightfall, and we’ve a great deal of ground to cover.” He strode towards the doorway, a dead man at his feet. “This makes a good shelter, doesn’t it, Zendi?”
“It does.”
Two of his men dragged Ena and Ola out, the women wearing fur upon their feet, with pelts over their shoulders. “How did you come to be with these men?” The leader asked. “Who are you?”
“Our clan … perished in a flood,” said Ola. “We’re all that’s left.”
“The men you killed took us in,” said Anna. “They were kind to us. They offered shelter and food. You had no right to kill them.”
The leader smiled slightly, his hand moving aside her pelt. “I see they’ve left their mark on you.”
“They’re all in this condition, Greggor.”
The revelation did not surprise him. “No doubt. It doesn’t matter. Any spawn will not breathe for long after birth.”
“What will become of … Kia and Hanna?” Ena pointed to the women, who remained just beyond my sight.
The man named Greggor considered that, staring after them. “I’m not in the habit of killing women. They may stay, although, with the cold approaching, that in itself is a death sentence.”
Anna exchanged a look with Ola, the women appearing frightened and appalled, and yet, they would now be free to live amongst their own kind. I glanced at the baby, the boy quiet, which relieved me greatly. I did not wish to be taken away by these brutal murderers. The only reason they attacked the clan was because of how the men looked. Would they have done the same had they looked like them?
Chapter Twenty-Five
The stone scraped the ground, Kia appearing. “They’re gone.”
Tears streamed down my face, as I climbed out, wrapping my arms around her. “Why did they do that? Why?” We had been a peaceful people, having finally settled into this new life, and, yet again, the fear returned. “Why?”
She squeezed me, her expression stony. Then she put me from her, holding out her arms to Ara. They embraced, while Bena crawled forth with Penua, the baby fussing. Hanna took him, cradling him, while crying. The mood in the cave felt decidedly somber; the only sound came from the wind outside and the baby crying.
“I’m sorry if you wished to go with them,” said Kia, staring at Bena. The girl wasn’t older than I, with brown hair and dark eyes, but she was clearly not of the same people, her features like mine. “You might be able to catch them, if you run.”
“No.” She shook her head, tears flooding her eyes. “I don’t want to. I’ll stay with you.” She took my hand, hers trembling. “What will happen now?”
I eyed the bodies of the men near the doorway, the marauders having dispatched them. They lay in puddles of blood. “We don’t have the strength to bury all of them.”
Kia swallowed with effort, but the stony expression remained. I sensed the incident had hurt her deeply, but I could only guess at it now. She pointed at Bena. “Go get the things out of the small room. Bring everything out. Hanna, make the fire bigger. It’s cold in here.” She nodded at Ara and me. “We’re going to move the bodies. They can’t stay where they are. We’ll … take the
m down … somehow.” She let out a deep breath. “I don’t know what’ll happen now, but those things must be done at once.”
“We’ll help you, Mamma,” I said, the task daunting.
I doubted I had the strength for it, but Kia told us to move one at a time, dragging Lorro away from the entrance and pushing him down the rocks, where he tumbled to the bottom in a heap. Then came Toba and Shaam, the bodies rolling, some breaking bones in the process, loud snaps echoing. We found Magnon further away. He had fought alone, his arms and neck slashed, his body lying in a pool of dried blood. To my surprise, one of the other men lay a few paces away, his face turned away from us.
Kia fell to her knees. “Magnon,” she cried, the sound terrible. It reminded me of a wounded animal. Inconsolable, she wept, her shoulders shaking. I wanted to offer comfort, but she wouldn’t let me, pushing me away.
Confused about what I should do, I glanced at the man on the ground, seeing his hand move. Stunned, I got to my feet slowly approaching him. He had sustained a wound to the chest, blood trickling out at a steady pace. His men had left him, thinking him dead, but I stared into his open eyes, blue like the sky.
“He’s alive!” I shouted.
Ara approached cautiously, standing beside me. “Not for long. That wound is fatal.”
He groaned, opening his mouth to speak, but blood emerged, spilling from his lips. Kia left Magnon, tears streaming down her face. She had taken his spear, grasping it firmly. A look of rage distorted her features, the woman bent on revenge. She kicked the man, who grunted.
“Killers!” she cried. “Ruthless, soulless killers!” She held the spear over his face, the end sharp, cutting the skin of his nose. “I should kill you, but I won’t. I'm going to watch you suffer slowly, painfully. It’s what you deserve.” She did not sound like herself in the least, her voice low and rough. She spoke in his language, so he would understand. “You took everything from me. You killed the only man I’ve ever loved. You robbed his child of a father. And for what?” She spat. “Why, you heathen, why?”
