Theia Duology

Chapter 9

"No more talk of leavin' Okay?" Solskine nods towards Malum as they approach the library.

"Okay, that'll be our little secret," Theia says. "Friends share secrets, not keep 'em from each other." She jumps into the empty wagon as Solskine pulls to a stop.

Malum waits on the library steps with Cam sitting beside her. They are chewing on something brown that resembles flattened, mushy twigs. Cam closes his eyes and sways his head. Malum's eyes look expanded from a surprise.

"I want more of these 'shrooms, Cam. Solskine can help you load some on top of the other payment for the avocados."

"This ain't four-twenty, Malum," he says, standing up. "Don't got much for us - mostly sold already to the Vics, just what I show you. Iffen you take it, we ain't got no drugs left if someone sick."

Malum walks to Solskine, rubs the dirt off his shirt. Theia slides off the wagon onto the ground. Looks away, pretending to be curious about the library. The decrepit steps look older than the building, as if they were made in a time before. Out of the corner of her eye, Theia watches Malum caress Solskine's buttons near his collar. A collar that Theia wants to shake to make him see how urgent it is for them to leave this place. Solskine shrugs out of her reach.

"Oh, Cam," Malum says in a sing-song voice circling Solskine like a cat on a rat, looking for a soft spot to bite. "That's not my problem. I gave you all the avocados I had. Just grow more. That's what I do. Oh right, you don't know how to graft, or self-pollinate, or irrigate. Maybe it's best that I take all your drugs. Population is too big for you to feed on your own with your Durian fruit, so if a few die I'm doing you a favour." Malum shakes her head at Theia as if it's her fault. "I watched most of my classmates die, Cam, and good thing too as we would've starved to death."

"I've heard your sob story before, Malum. Harper and you were two of the few that survived, but that was thanks to your Mom. She saved you from flood sickness. We weren't so lucky."

"Yes, for once Mother left my precious older sister in the Lost City long enough to save me. Mother showed me how to turn avocado pits into trees after the apple trees rotted, how the avocados could feed us all. But, it was me who saved Slag from the Vics, made them trade with us rather than just taking what they want. You can thank me, Cam, for your safety, for order."

"Water takes our land and us frequent enough," Cam says. "Don't need no Vics to do that. These 'shrooms ain't easy to grow. It swamps and tastes salt. Your land's high enough for dry. That's why you fleek."

"Actually, I call the shots because I'm smarter than you," Malum says, patting Solskine's arm, squeezing it and letting go before joining Cam again at the base of the stairs. "Remember when the lights went out? How frightened you all were? Well I figured out how to get lights again for the orchard. Water is destruction, but it can be power too. While you freeze in the dark, we live in the light."

"My people elect me. I don't have a buncha kids to do my work." Cam stands, puffs his chest and juts his stubbled chin out.

"Your people chose you because your family down the line were in charge, but your father drowned like most of the rest of your kin. Maybe you need to move or learn how to swim. Your people chose you unwisely because they're too stoned to care."

"Still chosen."

"People make silly decisions when they're desperate."

"You'd know."

"Shut it, Cam, unless you want no help the next time you flood. Or no avocados."

Malum pats Solskine on the cheek. He pulls away.