Sand Red

13

I began to run in earnest. The twins were hard at my heels and I raced them to the mass of Old World buildings ahead. Reaching it, I stopped, panting, resting my weight on my thighs.

'Madan!' Yul hollered from behind me. 'It's us, it's us.'

I looked up. Ahead was a scout dressed in rough brown, a gun pointed at our faces. He stepped forward uncertainly.

'Od?'

Od moved towards him slowly, thirstily, his tongue almost hanging out of his mouth like a dog. 'It's me.'

He turned the gun on me. 'Kun,' I identified myself. He peered closely at my face, then apparently satisfied, he put the gun down. 'You're early. Everybody behind?' He started to tread towards us. I was about to open my mouth when Od spoke.

'Water, first. Then we'll tell you the tale.'

My insides squirmed at his easy words. Tale? The death of our people a tale? And one to be put off? I stepped forward. 'They're dead,' I said simply. Od jerked his arm and looked up, startled at my disobedience. Madan looked at me, then back at Od anxiously. 'What does he mean?' Maybe he thought I was delirious. Maybe he still didn't trust me.

Od said nothing and vaguely shook his head.

I took another step forward. 'We were attacked,' I said in my rough, water starved voice. 'They killed every last one of us. We got away. With Jordan,' I added. 'He's dead now, too,' I said matter-of-factly.

Madan stared at me uncomprehendingly. 'I'd best get y'all some water,' he said in the end, stepping away from us with that fearful look in his eyes that I knew so well. He turned around. 'Follow.' He thought we were mad, he thought we were infected. Perhaps he imagined we were dreaming.

Even the promise of water was not enough to sway me. I didn't move. 'No,' I said firmly. It seemed incredibly important that he heard me and understood me and that he knew.

'What're you doing?' Water starved Yul hissed.

Damn him. Damn Od. Damn them both to cinders. 'I'm not delusional. They're dead. I'm sorry.'

Madan stopped dead in his tracks like he had been shot in the back. His shoulders tensed and he turned to look at Od, slowly, afraid of his answer. 'Is it true?' he asked simply

Od struggled with himself for a moment, then looked at him painfully. 'Yes. I'm afraid it is.'

Madan stumbled back from us as though we were the killers of his people. 'You couldn't say it?' he burst out after a short silence. 'What did you think, this isn't important? That you would keep me in the dark while you quenched your thirst and I anxiously awaited the news?' he shouted at Od. He swallowed, and looked at me. 'They're all dead?'

'Yes,' and no one could have told how much that word pained me.

He sat down on the dirt heavily. He wouldn't meet our gaze. 

'I don't think any of us is infected,' Od told him as though that would help. 'We haven't seen any sick in some time.'

'I don't believe you would have come if there were a chance you were sick,' Madan answered, still not looking at us. 'They're all gone?' His voice broke.

'We'd like some water now,' I said emptily. I turned to walk past him towards the concrete. The twins hesitated before following me. Flesh didn't lie. We were more thirsty than we had been in our lives. Sanam met us at the first building.

'Kun? The twins?' She hurried out of the sagging shed.

'We need water,' I told her.

'It is you!' she exclaimed almost accusingly.