by Linda Jordan
She was getting restless. Which was never a good thing.
2
Evangeline
Evangeline stood in the grassy meadow with thirty-one people. Her new students. These people spent their days cooking, cleaning and tending to the rest of the village. None of them were fighters and all of them were soft. They weren’t used to being attacked. Both Morrigu’s and Roosevelt’s guards had been trained to respect the staff who cared for them.
Evangeline wasn’t sure the same could be said of the new recruits who were slowly trickling in. She’d already had words with a pair of them who’d gotten too aggressive with one of the young women who was trying to learn how to weave. She’d been gathering wool to spin and they’d come upon her and pushed her into the barn. Evangeline just happened past, trying to contact everyone about her class, and heard the scuffling. Those two men would be in pain for days to come.
This was the second class she’d given and the first one filled with people. She’d only told a few people about the other class. Just to get a feel for teaching again and to let word of mouth spread. She wanted motivated students even though everyone who wasn’t a soldier was required to be here.
She’d arranged for two of Roosevelt’s, now Morrigu’s, guards to entertain the complex’s children tonight. One of them had kids, so Evangeline hoped the younger ones were being well taken care of.
She’d create a special class for the kids, too. Start them young and get their attitudes right. Fighting was for war or defense. Talking was a better strategy.
The class had gone through the stretching and strength exercises already and Evangeline could smell their sweat when the breeze shifted. It was still warm she’d been told, but she could sense the moisture on the wind. The weather would turn soon. Having spent her whole life in the tropics, the weather here was still a mystery to her.
“All of you are here to learn how to fight. To defend yourselves. I want you to take this seriously. We’ll be having a lot of new people join us in the future. People who have different ideas about how to treat others. While Morrigu will not tolerate dissension among her people, it’s going to take some time before new recruits learn that. Some of them will learn faster than others. Some won’t learn at all. I don’t want any of you hurt. And there’s no guarantee that once this war begins, we won’t be attacked again, by ground troops this time.”
She hesitated to make sure everyone was listening.
“Today, I’m going to teach you how to repel an unarmed attacker. I’ll let you practice, but for today, move slowly and be gentle with each other. In the future, I’ll show you how to disarm an attacker. But we need to get basics down first. During the upcoming weeks, I’ll be talking about being clear about your boundaries. We come from a culture which hasn’t always stressed that women need to stand up for themselves. If a man moves into your space and wants to fondle or grope you and that’s not what you want, you need to be clear about that. And if that means tossing his sorry ass to the ground, that’s the way it is.”
Evangeline saw several women in the audience nodding, including the one who’d been attacked.
“That doesn’t mean it only happens to women. Or that the person overstepping your boundaries is always a man. But communication people. It needs to happen. Sometimes you can dissolve the tension that might lead to a physical confrontation. Humor is a great first defense. Talking is always the first choice. Nobody gets hurt that way. I’m here to show you what to do when the attack is imminent or underway and talking will get you nowhere. Everyone choose a partner for today.”
She watched as people paired off. A new woman, Maria, was left over. She’d come to the village with a man who wanted to join Morrigu’s army. She knew how to grow food, which was a welcome addition to the village and made her popular with the cooks.
“Maria, come and join me,” Evangeline said.
The tall muscular woman came forward and stood in front of her.
“I’m going to demonstrate what several different attacks look like. Maria, you don’t have to do anything. I won’t hurt you. Just stand there and relax.”
“Now, if someone comes at you from the front, here are some things you can do. Maria, pretend you’re going for my throat, slowly.”
Maria lunged forward her arms out as if to choke Evangeline. Evangeline moved to Maria’s side, grabbed the girl’s upper arms and slid around behind her, moving her own hands at the same time. Evangeline winced from a stab of pain in her back. She shifted her own arm into a chokehold, bending Maria backwards into submission. Then she quickly released the startled girl and stepped back, letting Maria regain her balance.
That simple move hurt. Evangeline had tweaked her back during her normal training early this morning. She’d need to baby it for a few days till it recovered.
“Now, all of you will have different things you can do well, depending on your weight, height and strength as well as those of your opponent. There’s more than one way to repel such an attack. Here are a couple more, then I’ll pick on someone else.”
She showed them two more defensive moves, but didn’t put Maria on the ground like she normally would have with an opponent. None of her students were at that skill level yet. She needed to teach them how to fall. Next time.
“Now, I want you to pair off and decide who will attack and who defend. Go easy, in slow motion. We’re just getting a feel for this, so baby steps. You don’t want to hurt your sparring partner. I’ll have you switch roles in a bit.”
To Maria she said, “Walk around and watch people, see what you can learn. Then go take Jackie’s place with Angie. Be the attacker.”
Maria walked around the edges of the group. Evangeline went the other way and took mental notes of who knew what they were doing and who was hopelessly lost. She stopped a couple of pairs and showed them better ways to do what they were attempting.
“Feel which methods work for you. Which ones you’re too short or too tall to use effectively. Find which type of attacks your opponent’s strength or weight puts you at a disadvantage. This is what experienced fighters do unconsciously. We’re always weighing choices in a second’s time. You’ll need to think about these things until they become ingrained.”
She spent a little more time going around and helping people.
“Switch,” she said after while.
Some people were distinctly better at attacking, others at defending. To be fair, she hadn’t taught them how to attack, but it was always this way in any class she’d taught. Here the divide was simply more apparent. Some people had never learned to stand up for themselves. They needed more encouragement.
Jackie had switched out with Maria and was standing around, watching all the others. She was strong and fit. And aggressive enough to attack and defend.
Evangeline let them work for a while longer. When Angie began to flag, unable to defend herself, it was clearly time to stop. They’d had enough of a workout tonight.
“Great work everyone. Let’s stretch out a bit to cool down and then go clean up and rest. You’ve all done well. We’ll meet again the night after tomorrow. Be kind to your sore muscles until then. Stretch them out before they start hurting.”
She led them through a set of stretching exercises and then released them to go. She answered a couple of questions from people and once everyone had left, Evangeline walked back to the center of the village alone. She moved quietly through the tall trees, reveling in the scent of fir needles. The evening air had become crisp and was on its way to feeling cold.
Even though it would get even colder when winter came. She’d only come to this part of the world last spring. Fall and winter were unknown to her.
The massive golden leaves of big leaf maples dropped around her. They were larger than her head and not yet crunchy like the layers of browned fir needles beneath the trees. How long had this forest stood here?
People told her this whole region had been a city. Paved over and studded with houses and other bui
ldings. A few large big trees in people’s gardens, but nothing like this forest. Had this forest been here before there was a city? No one had been able to tell her.
After the big quake and the pandemic, the city had emptied. Most of those who survived the quake didn’t survive the flu. Afterwards gangs and looters took much of what was left.
So did nature. Global warming melted the polar ice caps and Seattle became the Islands of Seattle as Puget Sound met Washington Sound and they swallowed up huge chunks of land. Somewhere in there, this forest planted itself, grew and thrived.
What lay beneath the tree roots? Collapsed buildings covered with layers of soil? Parking lots? Homes? Humans buried by nature and mourned only by her?
Evangeline entered the center of the village and saw Damon at his table. He was stacking all his papers in a pile. Trying to keep control of the world, or at least his small part of it.
“How did the class go?” he asked.
“Good. They’ve got a long way to go, but they’ll get there.”
“Do I need to tell Morrigu about those two new recruits?”
“No. I think they learned a lesson. It wouldn’t hurt if she gave a talk now and then about respecting everyone’s rights and boundaries here in the village. That the support staff are the soldier’s equals. That no means no.”
“I’ve given them that talk.”
“The Goddess needs to do it too. She’s the final authority here.”
“I’ll ask her to do so.”
“How’s life going here, with you?” she asked.
“I’m worried. One of the groups looking for animals isn’t back yet. It’s been two weeks now. I need to send another group, heavily armed, out to search for them.”
“Take Anna with you. The new woman who got attacked. She’s got tracking magic.”
“Really?” asked Damon. “I thought that didn’t exist.”
“It’s very rare, but once Anna found out I’m a sorcerer, she told me it’s part of her magic. Anna came here to get away from her family. They kept telling her she was evil once they found out about her gifts.”
Damon shook his head.
“People can be so stupid.”
“I know, old prejudices die hard. There’s so much ignorance in the world.”
“I’ll talk to her. See if she’s willing to go. And round up a good solid group. I don’t like this. It feels off to me,” said Damon.
“Well, trust that. I know you don’t need me to tell you that though.”
“No. I should have sent someone after them earlier. It might be too late now.”
“Who went with that group?” asked Evangeline.
“Jack went as negotiator. The guards were Morgan and Enrico. The two other people were Talia and Kassim. They were to learn how to take care of the animals and acquire seeds and the knowledge to grow them.”
“So, five people. Only two of whom could fight.”
“It’s all we could spare two weeks ago.”
“Well, I hope they’re found safe. Loaded down with animals and seeds.”
“My wish also,” said Damon.
“How’s the power situation coming?”
“Slowly. Martina assures me that in a few days we’ll have power to every house in the village. Then she and Carlos will be working on getting more refrigeration units up and running. After that, they’ll focus on building heaters for all the houses.”
“So, my hot bath is a long ways down the line,” she said.
He laughed.
“That’s why there’s a stream over there,” he pointed.
“Not hot though.”
“I’ll put it on the list,” said Damon, laughing.
“Do that,” she said, walking towards her house. Her scalp itched again. Without hot water it was difficult to properly clean her braids. Everything here got completely covered with dirt. It was time. Tomorrow she’d have Jackie or Angie cut her hair short. And then she’d throw her long braids into the water, offering them up to Yemaya as a symbol of letting go of her past.
The sun had set and dusk began taking the forest. By the time she reached her door, it was dark.
Evangeline spent most of the next day with Jackie. First thing after breakfast, Jackie took a pair of scissors to Evangeline’s hair. Angie stood and watched.
“You sure about this?” asked Jackie.
“Absolutely.”
“Cause I don’t want you to kill me after this is all done.”
“I’m sure. Half an inch, all the way around.”
“Okay,” said Jackie.
Evangeline could feel the scissors cutting off braid by braid. Jackie handed her each one as it got cut off. Cool air touched her scalp in places it hadn’t in years. She’d probably need a hat this winter.
Then when all the braids were off, Jackie fussed, trying to get the remaining hair even. The braids lay heavy in Evangeline’s lap. Her head felt light. Free.
“I can’t believe how heavy all that hair was,” said Jackie. “Now you’re really going to be able to fight.”
“And yet, I’ve given it up. That’s always the way of things.”
“Given it up? Why?”
“I’ve changed. I’m fine with teaching others. But I want to concentrate on learning how to heal people, not kill them.”
“So, that’s your interest in plants. Well, if this war goes forward, you’ll have plenty of opportunities,” said Angie.
After Jackie was done, Evangeline took her braids down to the water.
She said, “Yemaya, I pledge myself to the work you’ve given me. Here is my sacrifice of the past. My old life gone, I step into a new one.”
One by one, she threw her thick unadorned braids as far out into the water as she could. Feeling a release as each one left her hand.
Walking back to the village, she rubbed her head. Her hair felt soft and fuzzy. She liked the lightness and felt as if a huge psychic weight had lifted from her.
After Jackie finished the morning clean up, she led Evangeline through the nearby forest and into a sunny meadow, pointing out various healing herbs. Jackie was gathering herbs for cooking.
“This is lemon balm. It’s in the mint family. The leaves are good for making tea out of. We’ve been using it a lot. My mom used to use it to calm us kids or when we came down with a bad cold. Since it’s a mint, it’s good for helping digestion,” said Jackie.
Evangeline took one of the leaves and smelled it. There was an overpowering lemony fragrance from the slightly hairy, glossy leaf.
“We cooks sometimes put it in with other salad greens or chop it into a salad dressing or sauce. The flavor is wonderful. Imagine a fish roasted with this and onions. Divine.”
Jackie picked several stalks and put them in her basket. Then she moved on. Stopping again at a tall evergreen with soft needles.
“This is a Douglas fir. In the spring, the new needles are wonderful to add to a salad. They’ve hardened a bit over the summer, so we don’t use them now. Although, they could probably be used in a tea. A woman in our village used to make a resin from the tree bark. She used it in a poultice on burns or to help heal broken bones. It’s an antiviral. An infusion can also help stop heavy bleeding when a woman’s on her blood. This tree’s abundant around here and useful for more than just those things too.”
They kept walking through the tall, dried grass. The pale yellow seeds stuck to Evangeline’s dark pants and she realized that was their purpose. The grass wanted to be spread around the world and it used whatever living creature the seeds would stick to.
Jackie stopped at a clump of green herbs.
“This is oregano. You know it from the food we’ve been cooking. It’s best picked early in the year before it flowers. Mom used to dry big bundles of it. But since us Zoo folk just moved here, we’ll have to do with substandard oregano. Dried flowers and all.”
Jackie picked several large bunches of the abundant herb, shaking off the brown, desiccated flower heads. Then stuck them
in her basket.
Evangeline could smell the pungent oily scent. The image of tomato sauce smothering pasta came to her mind and her stomach growled.
Jackie continued, “I know oregano can be used to help digestive problems and colds. Also, cramps for a woman’s bloody time, but I’m not sure how. Maybe a tea, maybe an infusion. It’s probably the oil in it that holds the healing properties and I don’t know best how to extract that. We’ve lost so much knowledge that people used to have. So, it’s all experimenting. And sometimes we find old books like the one you have.”
Evangeline said, “It doesn’t go into detail about how to actually make medicine from any of the plants. Just general stuff on what they could be used for. We need a manual on how to make the medicine. And how much to use and when.”
“That’s going to be hard. What works for one person won’t always work for anyone else. Bodies are so individual, even though we’re all made of the same blood, bones and muscles. You can write down what seems to be effective most often. There was a woman in the village I grew up in who did that. She talked to everyone who used herbs and wrote it all down. Don’t know if her work is still around. It took her years, the whole time I was growing up. It was her mission in life.”
A bluejay sat in a tree above them, its raucous squawking broke the quiet of the morning. A squirrel chattered back in response.
Evangeline said, “I’m tired of the world always having to reinvent the damn wheel.”
Jackie laughed. “It does seem that way, doesn’t it. We’ve had to relearn how to cook over wood fires. People are learning how to weave cloth, like it was the first time. And spin wool into yarn and thread to weave it. Carlos and Martina are inventing a whole new electrical system, so they can then reassemble computers and other tech. And somehow hack into the surviving internet and get information to all of us. And our medical knowledge is worse than when people lived in tents out on the plains and migrated with herds of animals. I’m tired of it, too. I really liked living at the Zoo with all its luxuries.”
