Redemption

Three

“Feels like this day has been a long time coming,”

Hands under his arms, she supported him slowly getting to his feet. His muscles protested the position, twitching with pain as he forced himself upright. Jaw tight, spine stiff to hold his shoulders back, he told himself it was not nearly as painful as it could be. For weeks he’d been on his back, his companion not allowing him to do more than occasionally sit up. Today was a milestone.

At his side, her arm gently stayed around his waist as he took his first step. Though he swayed a little, his legs were steady. Going some eight feet before he had to lean against the trunk of a mangrove tree, exhausted. His heart was pounding with the exertion, pain making sweat break out along his brow. Despite that, he was very pleased. Progress had been made and from now on, he would only get stronger.

“I think I’ll stand for a short while if that is acceptable to you,” he gently teased his companion.

He had been harassing her for days about being made to lie still. Though she did not smile her expression was pleased and she nodded happily.

Go ahead, she seemed to say.

“Though it makes conversation interesting, my making up what you mean is a little one-sided,” he commented. “Somehow, we are going to have to find a way to communicate.”

She tilted her head, her right eyebrow arching as she looked back at him.

How? Was her expression.

“I’ll tell you how,” he leaned against the trunk, turning to face her. “Body language, hand gestures, I’ll even teach you to write if I have to.” Once the words were out, he wondered if he even knew how himself.

She pondered that for a long moment, as if trying to picture in her mind what that would be like. Spoken language had been impossible for years, but if they began to communicate without speaking… The idea appealed to her and she nodded her head slowly, a faint smile flickering across her mouth.

Yes, okay yes.

“Well, I suppose that just leaves us with the hard part, figuring out how to start.”

She was no longer listening to him though, her mind turning to the past. Would he understand?  Patting his arm to get his attention, when he looked at her, she tapped her forefinger against her head as she nodded.

“What?” Watching her closely, he frowned. “You have an idea?”

Yes. She nodded enthusiastically.

“Great, let’s see it,” he grinned at her.

She left him for a moment, returning with a basket of fruit, the water flask, a rock, a log, and the sling. She settled onto the ground at his feet and laid out her items neatly in a row, gesturing for him to join her.

Sit down, here. She indicated the place opposite her.

Keenly interested, he settled to the ground and intently watched her. She picked up a finger lime and gestured slowly, her eyes locked with his. Bringing four fingers to her mouth fingertips touching her thumb, she brushed them against her chin, just below her bottom lip.

“Finger lime,” he said, but she shook her head.

No. Try again. That sign was understood by her finger tapping her head then pointing to him. She repeated the gesture.

“Fruit?”

No, try again.

“Not fruit, not lime, “he pursed his lips for a moment. “Food?”