Day 10

Nicolette Sintonarta woke Fiona up. They got dressed into their well smoked clothes and quietly packed their things up. The guards and Shrew woke up while they were packing. Shrew had pushed his luck with Tẽra and been sent with Nikki on a hiking trip. Fiona tagged along so she wouldn’t have to resolve her issues with Ranger.

Fiona wanted Ranger to make grand gestures yet even if he did it wouldn’t be enough. Her pride was hurt. She had put herself out there and he turned her down. She had not been prepared for that kind of rejection.

Nikki loved extreme sports. Pushing the limits and trying new things. This world had opportunities for extreme sports and she planned on trying them all. Having Shrew and Fiona tag along was not part of the plan but it could be worse. At least Fiona spoke English. So, she had some companionship on her trip. But hearing the real-life soap opera of Fiona’s life was not what she had expected.

The guards seemed a little disappointed that the ladies were dressed already. They really enjoyed the show last night.

Shrew was doing what he usually did, gathering information. He was a pit of gossip, and he sold the gossip instead of repeating it if free. He had an ‘information is power’ view on life. He had no idea Tẽra, had sent for a Viden and that one had already arrived during his absence. He had carefully arranged for the last Viden to offend the queen so his head was… removed.

Shrew also did not know that Tẽra was not the real queen. Or that she had told the generals she would step down as queen if the lost heir was found.

It would be a day’s journey back to the castle.

“How do you feel about ditching these guys and making our way home without them?” Nikki asked.

“Sounds like a plan, but how do we get home?” Fiona asked.

“We’ll figure it out.” Nikki said not worried.

Fiona thought about it. The guards were making her uncomfortable.

“Sure, let’s do it.” Fiona replied.

“Great, so we travel with them. When we stop for food and water, we act like we are coming back but we keep moving. My guess is we’ll have about a ten minute head start. We will have to make those ten minutes count. So, eat a good breakfast now and carry light.”

The woman had a plan. They walked and talked like usual. They were oohing and aahing at the scenery. Like usual keeping up normal appearances as if this was just a trip home. Then Fiona was like normal…

“Is there a guy you like back home?” she asked.

“No”

“Nobody?” Fiona asked.

“That’s what I said.”

“How sad.” Fiona said.

Nikki’s eyes got big

“Sad?” she said surprised and almost horrified

“Sad that I am not revolving around boys?”

“Sad that you don’t have someone.” Fiona was oblivious to Nikki’s outburst.

Nikki glared at her.

“Have you ever just done something for you? Without having a guy in mind?”

“Yes” Fiona said.

“Tell me about it” Nikki asked hoping for a story without a guy in it.

“Well, I became a pilot for me. I like flying and it’s a family career. We are all pilots, we kind of like that about us. We are all awesome!”

This was not what Nikki had in mind but there was potential.

“I got my license when I was sixteen. Had my first boyfriend then too.”

Nikki rolled her eyes.

“He also became a pilot. My parents paid for him to get his license. It’s not an easy thing.” Fiona added.

She was telling her story

“But then we broke up not long after he got his license. Became to… clingy. I needed freedom, me space and he was now everywhere.”

“Me space?” Nikki inquired.

“You know a place where you can be alone, with your friends and just get your head together. I have this old plane my father and I fixed which I fly when I need to clear my head. Sometimes Romi my friend comes with me. She doesn’t talk much. But she understands my problems. She’s very into math and things. Looks like a real live librarian from a movie. Wears those old-fashioned clothes that one sees rich old ladies wearing. The once I went shopping with her. She only bought things from Grannies- R –Us. I was like, girl you need real clothes. So, I got her this sundress… Are you listening?” Fiona asked.

“Yes, but” Nikki replied “What other friends do you have?”

“Well…” Fiona thought

“My one friend from high school, well we aren’t friends anymore. She made out with my boyfriend. So, I was like, you two deserve each other.”

“Maybe a current friend?” Nikki pressed.

Fiona looked at Nikki

“What about your friends?” Fiona asked Nikki.

“I have the best friend in the world. She’s Inuit which means she had all this history in her family. How they started ice fishing, and bear skinning for clothes. They know how to use every part of the animal, no wasting, even the bones have a purpose. She works with me at the adventure camp. We are always coming up with new ideas to make the camps better and more fun while still learning.”

Fiona was giving Nikki a wide-eyed look

“You are weird” Fiona said.

“What!?” Nikki said.

“Your life is about nature and teaching kids.”

“We also have adults.” Nikki said.

Fiona pulled a face.

“Sure, when they are dropping off their kids and picking them up again.”

“You’re rude.” Nikki said.

“What!?” Fiona said.

“Yip, I listened to you going on about boys for days. But my story is not exciting enough for you so you call me weird! That’s rude.”

“At least my stories are interesting.” Fiona said.

Nikki shook her head “No, they are not. You sound like a boy crazy teenager that falls in and out of love with every change of clothes.”

“Now who is being rude!?” Fiona said annoyed.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

Nikki couldn’t believe how only three years age gap seemed so much bigger. It did occur to her that the age difference was not the problem but rather they were just very different.

The silence between them was thick. A feel-able awkward. Nikki wanted to be the bigger person, but not hearing about her ex-boyfriends or Ranger was nice.

She gritted her teeth, the words came out as if they were painful,

“I do not want to offend you. But rules of respect need to be in place. My interests though different are just as important as yours. We do not have to be the same. But respect of my differences is required.” Nikki said trying not to sound in pain.

“I am sorry for calling you weird.” Fiona said.

“I am sorry too.” Nikki apologized.

“I just don’t understand your lack of interest in men?” Fiona said

“And your wish to be a real live adventurer.” She added.

“It makes me happy.” Nikki said.

“I am going to ask please don’t get upset. But have you had a boyfriend?”

“No” Nikki replied.

Fiona tried not to look horrified.

“How old are you again?” She asked.

“Twenty-two” Nikki was bracing for more insults towards her ‘lack’ of a love life

But Fiona said nothing.

Fiona was trying not to offer to help her get a boyfriend. The urge was there. But maybe it wasn’t boys she liked.

Fiona tried to discreetly ask

“Do you prefer girlfriends?”

That came out wrong!

Fiona quickly said “Sorry, that came out wrong.”

“No, I do not have girlfriends. I just prefer doing things for me. Having a guy around cramps my style.”

“How would you know?” Fiona asked.

“I have watched my friends become miserable, and tell themselves and others how happy they are. While no longer being true to themselves. They stopping doing the things that they enjoy.”

“Oh”

Fiona smiled and nodded. She finally understood. Nikki had never been in love. She didn’t get it because she had never experienced it. But finding a guy on an alien world that one could have true love with would be hard. But this big task was a challenge she welcomed. She was going to help Nikki find love.

They stopped walked and settled for something to eat and drink. This was the opportunity they had been waiting for. They implied they were going to sit by the tree but really this was their ditch the soldier’s plan.

They walked over to the tree not looking behind them once nor walking fast. They drank while walking. It seemed normal. Once they were at the tree, Nikki looked to see if anyone was looking. One of the soldiers were. So, she looked at Fiona. Then Fiona looked no one was looking.

“It’s clear but not for long.” Fiona said.

They ran as fast as they could to the cluster of trees. Looking behind them to see if anyone was looking. When they got to the trees Fiona realised, she had left her jacket and water bottle.

“Clever leaving your jacket and water bottle now they will think we are coming back.” Nikki praised.

Fiona scowled

“Thank you.” She said half-halfheartedly.

“It wasn’t on purpose?” Nikki asked.

“It worked out.” Fiona said.

“Come let’s go.” Nikki said.

They ran for a while, fortunately both women were fit. They couldn’t hear or see the men anymore.

It started to rain. A soft light rain, like sea spray. It drifted onto everything. The world around them sparkled as light shone through the droplets.

They walked on, the consistent wet was getting into everything and making them cold.

“Let’s run until we find somewhere to make camp. Maybe a town or village?”

“Do you have money?” Fiona asked.

“No, but I have a bag of gold” Nikki said.

“How?”

“Tẽra gave it to me before leaving for just in case.”

They followed a path made by people walking. It led to a massive river. The path followed the river’s edge. As they got closer a massive lake was before them. The sea spray had turned into large cold, heavy, soaking rain. They could see a small wooden cabin near the lakes shore in the distance.

“Shelter.” Nikki pointed at the cabin.

They both ran towards it leaving the path. Off the path was treacherous thorns grip and rip their clothes cutting their flesh as they ran. Fiona tripped and fell tumbling through the thicket of thorns.

“Ouch! Oueeee!” Fiona wailed as she got up.

Nikki also fell and got caught on the face by a bunch of thorny vines growing along the ground.

“Maybe we should have stayed on the path.” Nikki said.

“It would be sad if the path led to the cabin.” Fiona groaned.

They looked terrible, coved in mud, bleeding with torn clothes. Soaked to the bone, freezing and shivering they made it to the cabin. They knocked on the door. No one answered.

Nikki called and banged on the door again. Still nothing.

Nikki opened the door. It was dark inside and it was empty. They woman walked in and lit the firewood in the fireplace. It was lived it but whoever lived they wasn’t home.

The fire lit up the two rooms enough to see everything. There was the main room with the fireplace a table, two chairs and a large barrel of clean water with a plank covering it. A large ladle in a bag was on top of the plank. A shelf along the wall had a large pot with two wooden bowls and spoons. A grill was near the fire place, also a large hook was inside the fire place as well.

“It looks like this fireplace is for cooking.” Nikki stated.

Fiona was looking in the other small room. A hammock with animals’ furs hung in the middle of the room. A trapdoor was open in the floor she could see the water swishing about below.

“No real bed, or toilet.” Fiona said.

Nikki looked for food. A wooden cupboard had meat hanging in it. With what looked like a sack of salt.

Nikki took some salt in a bowl and added some clean water.

“We should clean our scratches. Infection would be bad.”

They cleaned their scratches and grazes with salt water. It stung and they didn’t feel brave while doing it.

Nikki hung her clothes on the chair in front of the fire. Keeping her wet underwear on.

Fiona followed in suit.

“I wonder who lives here, and if they have food?” Fiona said scratching in everything.

“Nope!” she exclaimed

Looking at some fish drying on a hook.

There was a draft that came through the cabin making them shiver.

“Where is that coming from?” Nikki said.

“The room” Fiona remembered the trapdoor.

They went into the room to close the trapdoor, but as they entered a thing with an illuminated face, shoulder and hands was climbing in through the trapdoor. Its blue eyes stared at them. Its skin shimmered like fish scales as the water ran off it. Its hair like stuff on its head, glowed blue, a strong police car bright light.

Nikki looked for something to hit it with, but there was nothing. Then she remembered she was standing in her underwear.

She screamed, weather from fright or embarrassment or both.

Fiona ran into the main room and grabbed the ladle as a weapon.

Glisson looked at the two woman who were cut up and bleeding on his floors.

“Why my home?” he asked the universe out loud.

“It speaks.” Fiona shrieked.

Nikki tried to hide behind the chairs with their clothes on it. She tried to get her wet clothes back on but it wasn’t working.

It carried a big knife, The blade was black not silver like most.

Glisson eyes the woman. They were terrified.

Escaped slaves he presumed looking at the cuts on their bodies from presumably being whipped.

“Girls, you can’t stay here. I don’t want trouble.” he said.

He could see the confusion in their eyes. They didn’t understand him.

“He speaks” Fiona said standing in her underwear holding the ladle.

“He?” Nikki said worried.

“It looks like a man of sorts.” Fiona said “Big glowing shoulders, strong glowing jawline. And I am sure those are glissoning pectorals.”

Nikki rolled her eyes. Of cause Fiona noticed it was a man of sorts.

“What if it’s a sub species of….?” Nikki voice faded.

Glisson went into his room. He took the furs and brought them out to Fiona and Nikki. He said nothing revealing they spoke a different language. Seeing they were cold and naked he did the decent thing and gave them something to cover up with. Nikki had one leg in her pants and battling with the other. The fur was appreciated. After wrapping herself she pulled her leg out of her pants.

Where are the slave traders getting people from? he wondered.

He went outside in the rain got some fresh fish from the barrel and brought them in. He ignored Fiona with the ladle which she gripped like it could protect her. He prepared the fish and then put it on the grill in the fireplace.

By this point he was dry. His skin looked golden brown with blue hair. The kind you get from a bottle but it was perfectly even. His blue eyes even looked more normal now that his face didn’t have markings that shone. His shoulders looked normal, he looked normal except for the blue hair but that didn’t bother Nikki as she had blue in her hair. She liked having fun colors in her hair.

But she did keep it from her parents.

He looked like a man, two arms, two legs, fingers and toes. No extras either.

“I don’t think he is planning to hurt us” Nikki said to Fiona and herself.

Fiona gave her a look.

“Rather safe.”

“Is that how you felt about Ranger?” Nikki asked still looking at the man.

“No, I just knew he was good. I could see it.”

“Ahhuh” Nikki replied.

Fiona couldn’t believe it. Was Nikki checking out the blue guy? She was looking at him with intensity.

“What if he eats our brains while we sleep?” Fiona asked seeing if Nikki was paying attention

“Gross man.” Nikki gave her a ‘you’re sick in the head’ look.

“Now you decide to be trusting.” Fiona objected.

Glisson listened to them as they whispered to each other behind the chair.

Unfortunate girls, he thought.

He looked at the rags hanging over chairs.

Maybe they know how to clean, he thought.

But looking at the blood they dripped everywhere, he doubted it.

Maybe they can cook? he pondered.

He doubted that too.

Slaves that get beaten like that are usually not good at stuff.

The rain was so heavy it looked like night yet it was afternoon. The thunder rumbled and rolled across the sky. Lightning flashed and lit up the room.

Nikki watched as Glisson slid planks of wood over the windows. Even though the wind howled he seemed unfazed by it.

He put fish on a plate of wood which he offered to Nikki and Fiona.

Both ate, they were hungry.

“Maybe he is not so bad.” Fiona said eating.

“Now that your belly is fill.” Nikki stated.

Glisson slowly approached the girls. He had a metal bowl with an orange goo in it.

With his finger he put some orange goo on his hand. He indicated it was for their wounds.

Fiona eyed it.

“It smells a lot like that stuff Ranger put on us.”

“Did it help?” Nikki asked looking at the gross stuff.

“Yes, it really did.”

“You get cleaned up first. I’ll keep an eye on him.” Fiona added.

“No!” Nikki objected.

“You can put it on me. I not having some stranger touch me!”

Fiona laughed “Here I thought you didn’t dislike him.”

Nikki glared at her.

She took the bowl from Glisson and passed it to Fiona.

“Be gentle.”

Fiona put stuff on her cuts and grazes. It didn’t burn or hurt as Nikki had expected.

“Ok your turn.” Nikki said once Fiona was done with her.

Nikki put on Fiona.

He smiled. His white straight teeth looked perfect.

Nikki gave him back the bowl. Fiona sat down in front of the fire.

Glisson started cleaning up the blood they had dripped everywhere.

Nikki tried to hide her smile. She pulled her lips in as part of her effort not to smile.

Once he had cleaned up.

He gave them what tasted like rotten milk to drink. Neither Fiona nor Nikki drank it. Instead, they poured it out into the rain while he was in the room getting animal skins for them to sleep with. He set up a space in front of the fire. Put a grill up so nothing could fall out after adding more wood. Then he left through the trapdoor he came in by.

“How odd.” Nikki said.

“It seems most people here are nice.” Nikki added.

Fiona pulled the furs up to her chin.

“Goodnight.” She mumbled.

“Goodnight.” Nikki said.

There was silence for maybe two minutes then Fiona asked

“Do you like blue guy?”

“What?!?” Nikki’s surprised voice exclaimed.

“You heard me. Do you like blue guy? You seemed to be sure he wasn’t going to hurt us. You even brought Ranger into it when defending him.”

“You are seeing things. If he was going to make us leave or hurt us, he would have done it when he had the knife. Instead, he got us something to cover up with and made us food. It was obvious.”

“Ahhummmm” Fiona replied.

“Just because you want me to have a boyfriend doesn’t mean he’s it.” Nikki said “Maybe on earth you can find me a great human to go on a date with.”

“Oh, I will and you won’t be able to get out of it. I will hold you to this.” Fiona said.