Prey

Chapter 4 - Safe

Chapter 4.

Safe.

“Wow mother, that cream you used must really work”

Those were the first words I heard in my new found free life, nothing revolutionary, or profound, just plain simple words from a child.

With those simple words I found comfort and drifted back into the darkness of sleep.

Once again I found myself drifting back into consciousness, the soft straw filled mattress cradling my body while the heavy sheets were weighing me down from the sweat they had absorbed, it took me a while before opening my eyes and seeing a face I had never seen, a woman, tanned dark from regular exposure to the sun and deep dark eyes to match, her hair would win no prizes, tied back into a casual but practical plat.

She was watching her hands intently as she wove a basket, and as if she were going to lose her place she repeated “Over, under, over, under”

“If you’re wondering, I repeat it, because you don’t know catastrophe until the bottom falls out and you find yourself rummaging through the dirt for your harvest”…

I hadn’t said that out loud had I?

“No, you didn’t, but once we got the gore washed off and your wounds cleaned, your face is noticeably a readable one” she proclaimed as clear as day. It practically send a shiver down my spine thinking the woman had read my thoughts.

“Y-y-you got me out of there”? I stammered, it seems with all my previous exertions my mouth still required some recoup time.

“I did, you will be grateful too, the carrion eaters were circling which is what led me to you, their eating habits may be foul but they themselves are fantastic when roasted just right” She said this with a gran slowly crossing her face and a dreamy look in her eye.

Her face went sour, “But guess what buddy, you now get to help with the harvest, because of me having to carry your pathetic weight back to camp I had no room left to bring back a carrion eater, and Jezzie was so looking forward to it too…” Now you could almost feel the heat radiating from her eyes and burning into mine. “Oh, and the shirt I had to rip for your bandages” I looked at my wounds.

“Yeah? What about it”? I replied in an mellow tone as I could muster.

“You owe me a shirt…” and that was it, she stood and went to leave the tent, she turned just before lifting the flap of a door,  “Oh, before I forget, there’s corn bread on the table. You’ll need your strength to keep up with the other boys here, your to be in outside in an hour” and she proceeded to leave the tent.

As I peered around, I could see that this was no ramshackle encampment these people were firmly planted into this area. Legitimate heavy furniture built from scrap metal, nothing matched, but it all served a purpose. Directly across from where I lay were a cast iron wash basin and the table fully set with all the trimmings, corn bread, roasted Shackle nuts even a pair of Cannis roots…” these guys know how to eat”! I said aloud, and began to sit.

My gut ached like nothing I had ever felt, as I stood the sheet crumpled and fell from my body, only then did I notice I was as naked as the day I entered the world.

Rapidly I scanned the room for something to wear, hanging on an old rusted chair next to the table was a plain old dress, and well beggars can’t be choosers I guess. I turned from the tents opening flap while slipping the dress over my head.

“Well this shit won’t do…” I said out loud

Bending down I reached out for the dresses rim ripping two strips front and back, almost enjoying the ripping sensation of the fabric, I tore it until the rips reached halfway up my thigh then tying the front to the back strip and the front to the back around my ankles forming rudimentary trousers.

“Well I guess I owe her a new dress too, shit ay…”

I stuff two slices of corn bread into my mouth savouring the flavour. How long has it been since I ate real food anyway? I wonder as I stuff another few slices into the crude pockets of the dress.

As I wonder over to the door my finger once again feels the cold touch of the steel around my finger that Zed had given me. I whisper a quick thank you to him and exit the tent.

“Sun! Now you I miss old friend” I say to no-one in particular, although this did draw the attention of several large men hauling some salvaged metal scraps across the camp communal area, immediately followed by wolf whistles and lip smacks…

“Damn girl! You looking fine”!  An older fella yelled across the length of the camp drawing all remaining attention to my stylish new attire.

Before I know it my head has dropped staring intently at my feet. “I seriously have no luck at all” again to no-one in particular.

Some girls in the background began to chuckle, my face felt hot, that was all I could stand of the taunting pivoting on my heel’s I re-enter the tent allowing the heavy cloth to close behind me, returning and to my solitude, embarrassed.

The sounds outside was as busy as ever, hammering, cry’s from one man to another barrels being loaded into an iron cart presumably for trade with a nearby settlement.  Then it all came to a standstill, no noise, no bickering or jovial laughs, silent enough you could hear the cockroaches crawl through the dirt if only they dared break that intense void of sound.

I made my way to the to the window flap, my feet barely touching the floor. Lifting slightly the heavy lower corner trying to sneak a peek at what could cause such a lack of disturbance.

I gazed about with limited vision both from the sun being directly in line with the window and the windows edges, severely limiting my sight. The people I could see didn’t seem scared or to be in any form of panic, just standing there motionless, when from the peripheral I saw her, the woman that had saved me, arms and legs covered in gore carrying two large carrion eaters over her shoulders. Alongside her was a little girl bearing no resemblance, but a look of utter admiration and love was worn on her face.

As she walked the other villagers followed in her wake, falling almost into a rhythmic step, once she had arrived at the centre of the encampment they all halted as one. I watched in awe as she sucked in air, puffed out her cheeks and hefted the carrion eaters off of her shoulders and into an iron drum.

I had seen people go mad over small servings of meat, it was such a rarity to obtain, apart from the occasional fish or one of a multitude of edible insects, but never have I seen such a large group act with such a hive mind.

She crammed the legs deeper into the pot to place on a lid once the lid was in place the masses erupted into cheer! What had just happened?