Sub Terra: Et Reditus

Twenty-Eight

Gus

I trudged on over the thick, dusty ground, trailing behind Danny. That thing I felt, he felt too. It definitely was not some normal, primal fear you get after seeing something horrifying. Yes, the sight of those two dead donkeys certainly made me feel uneasy. But the chill I felt was not the kind felt in order to stay on guard for something, or some things, that could've been the cause of the donkey's deaths. This... was an entirely different feeling. It was like something, an actual living thing, was trying to warn me of something, and it sure was not friendly. I stayed close to Danny, as his presence somewhat comforted me. As we made our way through the many pathways connecting the village, a hand slapped itself on my shoulder.

I let a yelp escape me as I whipped around to see what had touched me. I tried to not fear the worst, and thankfully, it wasn't.

"Ooh, sorry for startling you, Gus. Didn't mean that. I guess it's not too surprising with all the tension going on in the village, no?" a male said.

"Driss... I'm- I'm alright," I said, as seeing his face signaled my body to return to a state of normalcy. "Yeah, that stuff is just creepy. Did you come to tell me something?" I asked him.

"Yeah. I know it's getting dark, but..."

"You need help?" 

"Exactly. Maman needs some help, and I tried getting some of my boys to do it but they are too distracted by what just happened. You're a cool, calm kid. I just happened to see you and Daniel walk down the river, and thought I could have you over. You're great for the job, you know."

I looked over at Daniel, who had been paying attention to our chat.

"Sure, but make sure someone can see you at all times, got it? Bring him back home when you're done."

"Yes, I'll make sure of it. Thank you, Daniel." Driss said humbly.

At Madame's house, I spent an hour standing on the front steps, holding a pencil and clipboard. I waited as Driss and his friends intermittently brought barrels full of water, flour, spices and nuts from different areas of the village. I was essentially cataloging everything that was coming in. It was all in preparation for Amir's engagement party. There were so many barrels that it certainly would've been able to feed the entire village, and maybe some more. I guess celebrating the engagement of the son of one of the most loved people in the village was that big of a deal. 

My legs started to hurt, so I was let inside while Driss and company were finishing up their work just outside the house. Madame wasn't at home; she was at the numerous locations Driss had gotten the barrels from, probably paying for them. I guessed she wouldn't have minded if I paid Asa another visit. I'd been doing it nearly everyday since Danny and Devi went camping.

I scurried up the stairs to the Styrofoam wall, still a bit paranoid of the situation in the village. It wasn't like I had the power to run away from it, anyway. But it made me feel more calm.

I pushed the wall enough for me to squeeze myself into Asa's room, then I closed it. I was able to recognize the song playing on her radio this time. It was 'My Song' by Labi Siffre. I remembered having to do an analysis assignment on it for school the year prior. It was a good song, but the monotonous nature of the assignment made me dislike the song by extension.

"Asa, guess who's here?" I asked, sitting down in front of her.

"Show me." she smiled.

As was practically ritual, I brought my face close to hers. I took her wrists and put her palms against my face. I expected her to tell me my usual mood, but this time, things were different. For the both of us.