Dustborn

by T. W. Piperbrook

  “We’ll make this trip as efficiently as possible,” Neena reiterated.

  Among the scared, dirty, and hungry, no one murmured. No hands rose in the air to offer their help. The people were afraid of starvation, but they were even more afraid of the monster, and every day apart from the colony deepened their terror of it.

  “It is not an ideal situation,” Neena tried. “But our inaction will lead to our deaths.”

  She let the words hang over the room, staring from one face to the next, hoping to provoke a response. A few quiet conversations echoed and died. A few people shifted, but no one spoke up, out of fear of being nominated.

  Finally, a man repeated, “Why can’t The Watchers take trips, like they’ve been doing?”

  A few looked over at The Watchers, expecting them to continue taking the burden of danger.

  “It would take a long time to do all the digging that is required,” Bryan reiterated, “and making one trip instead of several will reduce our risk.”

  “With each moment we wait, the food is spoiling,” Darius reminded them.

  Neena’s eyes roamed over the people. Eventually, her stare settled on the bearded man, who shifted uncomfortably. This time, instead of directing her speech at the crowd, she directed it at him.

  “Do you have children, sir?” she asked him.

  As one, the colonists swiveled to look at him.

  “Yes,” the bearded man said, gruffly. “A boy and a girl.”

  “Where are they?”

  The question was rhetorical. Of course, everyone knew the children were in the Right Cave, where they were staying during the meeting. The man gestured to the eastern wall of the chamber.

  “My brothers are there, too,” Neena said, looking from his face to several others. “Most of us left them there to protect them, so they do not have to bear the burdens of this discussion. All of us would do anything for the children in that room. But if we do not act now, they will die, just like we will. Instead of perishing in the mouth of the monster, we will all suffer slow, withering deaths.”

  The bearded man looked at the ground.

  “What is your name?”

  “Ed,” the man said.

  “You would do anything to protect your children, wouldn’t you, Ed?”

  Ed nodded.

  “It is for that reason that we must make this trip now.”

  Feeling the intensity of the staring crowd, Ed dithered.

  Putting all her persuasion into a question, Neena asked, “Will you go with us?” She arched her back, putting on the strong expression that gave hunters respect when they walked through Red Rock.

  Sensing his manhood in question, Ed puffed up his chest. He stuck out his chin. Of course, he would go, when his other choice was to look weak in front of a woman.

  “I’ll go,” he said.

  A small relief flooded Neena’s heart.

  “How about the rest of you? Can we count on more of you to help us?”

  Feeling the need to reinforce his decision, Ed looked around the room, catching the attention of several of his peers.

  After a long pause, one hand went up, and then another. A slow wave of hands appeared, as people drew strength from Ed and their neighbors.

  “It’s settled, then. We’ll leave in the morning.” Neena blew a slow breath. One part of her plan was done. But that part might be the easiest.

  The hard part was yet to come.

  Chapter 7: Neena

  “Neena!” Samel rushed over to her, embracing her in a tight hug.

  Warmth went through Neena as she looked over his shoulder to find Raj also waiting. Elsewhere, Kai, Darius, and Amos greeted a few of the other people in the Right Cave. She looked around, watching some people trickle out to the ledge to return to the two other caves, while others stayed, rejoining their families.

  Over the past two weeks, Neena had gotten to know most of the people in the Right Cave. Most were people who had followed her, Darius, and Kai into the cave on the day of the Abomination’s attack. A few were neighbors she knew from Red Rock. Others she was getting to know better.

  They ate together, slept alongside one another, and woke at the same times. They shared the same stories and fears. They lived under the light of the same torches. In a strange way, they felt like a new, bigger family.

  Neena missed the privacy of her family hovel, but she didn’t miss the long treks out into the desert, wondering when she’d see her brothers again.

  “You’re back,” Raj said, taking Samel’s place and greeting her.

  Raj patted her shoulder, but he didn’t hug her the way Samel did. It seemed that every time she saw him, he changed in some subtle way.

  “We survived the meeting,” she said, smiling.

  For a moment, she allowed herself to feel the relief that came with getting a task done, even though another, more dangerous one awaited.

  “What happened?” Raj asked.

  “I’ll tell you the plan over dinner.”

  Neena unrolled a blanket, cushioning the hard floor. Over the course of weeks, the people had cleared out most of the rocks, sweeping them into corners so they wouldn’t hurt their backs at night. Raj, Samel, and Kai sat nearby, while Darius settled slowly on his bedroll, making fun of his own age. Amos sat among another group.

  Neena noticed Raj looking over his shoulder a few times, glancing at a girl he’d met named Adriana. He’d been spending a lot of time with her.

  She thought it was cute.

  “So, what’s your plan?” Raj asked, unable to hold back his question any longer.

  “Tomorrow morning, we will head to the colony and scavenge through the rubble to find what’s left of the food,” Neena explained, reiterating the meeting’s outcome. “Some of the former Crop Tenders are going to assess our Green Crops. Later, we’ll figure out how to tend them. Hopefully that’ll keep us fed for a while.”

  Samel and Raj nodded, but she could see they were nervous.

  Hoping to reassure them, Darius said, “Kai is going to meet with the volunteers and make sure everyone knows the precautions. Everyone will be safe.”

  “What if the monster comes back?” Samel’s question hung in the air.

  Of course, he spoke everyone’s deepest fear.

  “We will be more prepared than last time,” Neena said. “We will have plenty of places to seek shelter, if we need to. And Kai will teach everyone how to stay quiet—even those who haven’t hunted before.”

  Raj and Samel looked between Neena, Kai, and Darius. Neena didn’t need to hear their thoughts to know they were envisioning more death.

  “Are you going, too, Darius?” Samel asked.

  Darius smiled and shook his head. “I’m staying here.”

  “With us?”

  “I’ll mostly be keeping guard on the cliffs with some others, but I won’t be far.”

  All around them, people dug into their meager stores. Some retrieved pouches of dried meat, while others sipped gingerly from their flasks.

  Raj sat up straighter, clearing his throat. After a quick glance over his shoulder, he asked, “Can I come with you to the colony?”

  Darius and Kai looked over at Neena.

  “I want to see our old hovel,” Raj said, sticking up his chin and projecting bravery. “I’m old enough. I’ll listen to Kai’s rules. I’ll learn.”

  Neena watched her brother for a moment. Long ago, she’d accepted her role as both a parent and a sibling. But that didn’t make saying ‘no’ any easier.

  “It’s too dangerous,” Neena said, finally.

  “But I can help. You said you needed more hands to dig in the rubble. During the last storm, I helped pull that woman out from underneath the bricks. I did as much as any of the rest of th
em. I’m strong.”

  “I know you are. But we need you here.”

  Looking over at Kai, appealing to him instead, Raj said, “I’ll be fine. I’ll follow Kai’s instructions. Won’t I, Kai?”

  “It’s your sister’s decision.” Kai shifted uncomfortably.

  “I’m sorry, Raj,” Neena said. “I can’t let you go.”

  Seeing he was making no headway, Raj looked over at Darius. “Maybe I can help you on the cliffs. I have good eyes. I can spot a bird from a klick away. Even Samel knows it.”

  Darius adjusted. He stroked his chin. He did anything but answer.

  “I’ll make sure all of you are safe, with the others.”

  Saving Darius from a reply that might cause some ill will, Neena said, “I don’t think so, Raj.”

  “Is it because you don’t trust me to stand on the cliffs without falling?”

  “No.”

  A heavy silence followed. Picking up on her unspoken thought, Raj glanced at Samel.

  “You don’t need to say it,” Raj finished, biting his lip. “You need me here to watch out for my little brother. You need me to watch out for him while everyone else goes off and does the dangerous, important tasks.”

  Silence fell over the group.

  All eyes hung on Raj.

  “That’s it, isn’t it?” Receiving no answer, Raj stood angrily, kicking the ground with his boot. “You always say that one day, I’ll be old enough to do the things you do. But that day never comes. I don’t think it ever will.”

  “I—” Neena had no good answer.

  “When will I be old enough to do something worthwhile? When I am married and gone? Maybe I’ll die before it happens.”

  Without another word, he stormed from his bedroll, weaving around some other, sitting people, walking to the mouth of the cave a hundred feet away. Neena watched him stop and lean against the wall, backlit by the glow of the torches. A small gust of wind blew his curly hair behind him.

  “Raj—” Samel called, starting to stand.

  “Don’t bother him.” Neena reached out and kept him seated. “Let him have his time alone. When he cools off, I’ll go talk with him.”

  Chapter 8: Raj

  Raj stood at the mouth of the cave, turning a pebble in his hand. About fifteen feet of ground stood between him and the drop off, but he didn’t throw the stone over the edge, nor did he step out past the entrance. He knew better than to alert the monster, even if Neena didn’t think he did. For a while, The Watchers on the ledge regarded Raj closely, but soon, they accepted that he was in a mood, and left him alone. So did Neena, Kai, Darius, and Samel.

  Until now.

  “Raj?”

  He turned to find Neena coming toward him.

  “Is it okay if I stand here with you for a few moments?” Neena asked.

  Raj didn’t reply, but he didn’t shoo her away, either. He looked at the pebble in his hand, running his thumb over its ragged surface. For a long moment, they stared out from the cave in silence, regarding the tops of the distant hovels.

  “I’m sorry,” Neena said, finally. “For everything.”

  Raj nodded, but he didn’t look over.

  Neena struggled for the right words. “I guess I’ve been so occupied with my burdens that I haven’t had time to look at anyone else’s. That isn’t fair.”

  Raj looked down at the stone.

  “In a lot of ways, you’ve been Samel’s mother and father, while I’ve been out hunting. He appreciates it, and so do I.” Neena sighed and averted her eyes.

  Raj bent, scraping the ground for another stone to hold.

  “One day soon, we’ll go out in the desert and I’ll teach you to hunt, like Dad taught me.”

  Breaking his silence, Raj asked, “When?”

  “Once we figure out what the future brings,” Neena said.

  Raj shook his head dejectedly. “You’ve said that more times than I can count. I don’t believe it anymore. And hunting wouldn’t be as important as helping with the monster.”

  “I can’t let you do that right now. I wish I could give you a better answer.” Neena paused. “But you have to believe that things will change. Do you?”

  Raj shrugged. “The monster will keep coming back. It will keep killing. It will pick away at those who are left, until we are all dead. And then none of your words will matter.” His voice cracked with emotion. Embarrassed, he cleared his throat, looking away.

  Neena bit her lip. Once again, she was at a loss for what to say.

  They stared over the ruins of Red Rock for a while, until Neena said, “We are going to figure out a way to kill the monster, Raj, and then things will change. We will do what Kai’s colony was unable to do. You just need to give us time. I swear by the twin moons.”

  Raj looked at the ground.

  “Look at me, Raj.”

  Reluctantly, he turned toward her.

  “All I’m asking is that you hang in there.” Neena reached out for him, before pulling her arms back with a sad smile. “I’m sorry. I forgot you were too old for hugs.”

  Raj watched her for a long moment. He was still angry, and nothing she said had changed that. But if he didn’t say something, she would keep the conversation going in circles, and then he’d never be alone.

  Hoping to pacify her, he reached out sideways, embracing her. “Thanks.”

  He looked her in the eyes a little longer, hoping she’d get the hint and leave. Neena waited a moment, seemingly torn, before walking deeper into the cave. Raj reached for another rock, turning it in his hand until she was gone.

  “Is everything all right?” Adriana looked at Raj with concerned blue eyes.

  “I’m fine,” Raj assured her, sitting cross-legged and across from her.

  “I saw you over at the edge of the cave. I was going to go over and check on you, but it looked like you wanted to be alone.”

  Raj looked down at his flask, trying to act nonchalant. “I was getting some air. Sometimes it’s nice to have some time by myself.”

  “I understand. It gets pretty cramped in here.” Adriana smiled.

  Her beautiful face helped him forget some of his worries. Unlike Neena and the others, she treated him like an adult, or at least like a peer, even though she was a few years older than him. She held her flask with her pale, smooth fingers. Not for the first time, he thought about what it would be like to take her fingers in his. She caught his gaze, and he looked away, embarrassed.

  “Did you hear about Gideon?” she asked.

  Raj nodded. “I don’t think we’ll have to worry about him anymore.”

  Adriana sighed. “It is hard to fathom all the lies he told. If not for the things Neena, Kai, and Darius exposed, we would still know nothing.”

  “So, you believe them?” Raj asked.

  “It is hard to dispute anything, after what we all experienced in Red Rock,” Adriana said, furrowing her brow. “I’m not sure why some people question their stories. I think they are doing the best they can to lead us.” Her face flickered with worry as she looked at her bag, undoubtedly thinking of their limited rations.

  Following her gaze, a different thought struck Raj.

  Seeing his guilty expression, Adriana asked, “What is it?”

  “I was just thinking of the keepsake you gave me. I’m sorry that I lost it.”

  “You don’t have to apologize again. I’m just happy we both lived through that day,” Adriana said. She had never blamed him for losing the round, metal object, but each time he thought of it, he was ashamed. Of course, he hadn’t told her of the bullies who had taken it away. The details no longer seemed important.

  “I wish I could get it back,” Raj said somberly.

  “You don’t have to worry abo
ut that,” Adriana assured him.

  Smiling, she let go of her flask and reached over, touching his hand. Warmth surged through Raj as her smooth fingers graced his. His stomach clenched up in a way that he had rarely felt so strongly, in his ten years. He wanted to take her and hold on to her, the way he’d seen grown men and women do. Adriana deserved more than any of the others in the cave.

  She deserved the best things.

  All at once, he thought of a new solution to an old problem. He couldn’t get the relic back. But maybe he could make it up to her in a different way.

  Before he could realize what he was saying, he offered, “I’m going to get you something else to replace the keepsake.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Something more beautiful than you’ve ever seen.”

  Adriana’s face brightened. “Like what?”

  Raj smiled. “You’ll see.”

  Watching Adriana’s face, he knew he had to present her with something that would make her expression happy forever. He couldn’t get his mind off the glimmering object in the cave. He wasn’t sure what it was, but he was going to find out soon.

  Chapter 9: Gideon

  Gideon opened his eye to pain. Waves of it washed through his body, from his head to his remaining leg. With a groan, he reached beyond his bedroll, as if he might find something to alleviate the awful sensation, even though the healer had already given him his herbs.

  More than once, he looked down at the blanket, as if his missing appendage might reappear, even though he knew it was never coming back.

  It was so strange. Sometimes, when he first woke up, Gideon swore he could feel his leg, or even his eye. He even swore he could wiggle his toes, or blink and restore his full vision, if he tried hard enough. Occasionally, he’d reach up and gently touch around the empty eye socket, verifying that he wasn’t in some bad dream, or he’d use the last of his weak strength to reach down and touch his missing leg. He wanted to snap his body out of its paralysis.