Sand Red

17

A few days later, I collapsed, panting, onto the thorn that we had stamped to ashes after a particularly strenuous match with Enya. I had won, but by a very small margin. She grinned with pride and offered me a hand to get up. I clasped it with pride. EnyaI had been teaching to exploit her stamina. She was the best runner among the children and hence top hunter in Charlotte's lessons. She wasn't much for skill with wielding, but she was quick and so I had coached her in tiring her opponent out before slashing down on them. She worried me, however. It was a clever combat strategy, but it wouldn't work in every situation. It was well and good that she had mastered it, but she would need to learn skill. I wavered on the sand.

'What next, Kun?' Niger asked.

I recovered my composure. 'You with Alek'- Niger's face fell- 'Sanam with Enya.' Sanam had not recovered from her grief. She had internalized it, and it had become her power. I rolled off the list of instructions before moving a little distance off and sitting down beside Yul, who had been helping me out with training the past few days.

'Enya really beat you, huh?' Yul grinned cheekily.

'They're doing well,' I said with pride.

'Training harder than we ever did!'

I nodded. 'They are.'

'Why don't you go take your ration quick? The meeting's in a few minutes. I'll call it for the day after this match.'

'Want me to bring you yours?'

'I ate.'

'Thanks.' I smiled at him gratefully and stood up.

The shed was nearly deserted and I only had to wait behind two campers before receiving my ration. Niger grinned at me as I came up. He was a tiny boy, about eight, skin as dark as Aida's. He was no good at fighting, but he was the most eager to learn. 'Enya nearly beat you, Kun!'

I nodded at him solemnly. 'She did. You'll beat me real soon, you know.'

His little face perked up. 'You watch, I will!'

'Aye.'

He handed me my ration carefully.

'Thanks Niger.'

'Y'welcome Sir.'

I waved goodbye to him. He waved back as excitedly as only a child can. He must've been younger than eight.

I ate quickly in the shade of the next hut and then sped to the room where the meeting was to be held.

I seemed to be late, the room was bustling with talk and everyone sat cross legged as before. I apologized quickly and sat down beside the twins. Our relationship had improved dramatically in the past few days for some reason. Just the ups and downs of friendship.

Charlotte was speaking about the progress she had made hunting with the children. It was true, our meat stocks had increased and we ate better than earlier. The gathering of food had gotten tougher and it seemed we had been wrong about this land being fertile in its Old World days. Funny how it's always the agricultural land that's exhausted by growth. We ate mostly meat these days; wild tomato and the odd grain and coconut had gotten scarcer.

'We have to venture further and further. It gets more dangerous each day.'

'We're malnourished enough already. We need fruit,' Madan said.

'I know,' Yul said. She lifted her head. 'We have to access the Internet.'

There was silence. 'How?' I asked.

'In the first century of the Internet, mankind used machines called computers,' Aida said. 'I know how they work. With the right help, we could build one.' She looked around at us.