"Be comin' to dah safety spot now." Marika put her hand on Jericho's shoulder and gestured with the other towards a winding path up the side of the cliff.
"The safety spot?" Jericho asked and Marika smiled. He didn't think her sun leathered face was capable of looking so soft and feminine. "Okay."
He stood up and she led the way. As they walked higher, Jericho marvelled at the glistening ocean. He tried to think about the last time he was so high above sea level and it made his stomach churn so he stopped.
"Where is this 'safety spot'?" Jericho asked and Marika pointed forward.
"Up'n over."
Jericho looked toward the crest of the cliff and wondered what must be up there. They passed several small huts and Jericho asked, "do you live in one of these?"
Marika shook her head. "I be livin' down dah beach. Safety spot bein' for dah peeps, 'tectors 'n' leads down dah beach."
"Huh?"
"Oncea wasa time, 'fore Cap'n, safety spot bein' for dah 'tectors 'n' leads. Peeps bein' down dah beach. Cap'n come-a-long'n change and such. Dangersome place bein' down dah beach, Cap'n say peeps bein' import. He say dah job'a 'tector mean we needa give dah safety spot up. I and I be agreed." As Marika said this she touched her forehead and her chest.
"So. . . If you're on the beach are you a protector, or a lead?"
"'Tector, through 'n' through."
"I'm assuming Cap'n is a lead." Jericho said and Marika nodded. "So Delgen is?"
"Mumbo jumbo genie man." Marika waved a hand in the air and Jericho got the impression she didn't like to talk about Delgen.
Finally, they reached the top of the cliff and Jericho was robbed of his voice. The cliff appeared to be the lip of a small crater, which was filled with green plants and sparkling fresh water. Marika led him down towards a cluster of huts and he heard whispers all around him.
"Peeps be hearin' dah rifter catcha bein' spesh a spesh las' night." Marika placed a protective arm around Jericho and brought him to a hut which was just big enough to fit a leafy bed on the floor. "You be here fora time."
"Thanks. . ." Jericho looked around, then grabbed his stomach. "Is there anything I can eat?"
"Good eatin's bein' down dah square." Marika turned to leave the hut and Jericho rushed to keep up.
"He bein' near bald! Hair's all short any such, and notta whiska on his whole face!" Jericho heard the sound of Ty's voice and he smiled to himself. He broke away from Marika and poked his head into the shadows behind a particularly large grass hut.
Ty stood in front of a group of a dozen young children with her back to him. She stood on her toes and reached a hand onto the air as she said, "he bein' pro'lly dis tall, bein' called Jeri-cho, I be knowin' him like Jeri o' course." She sounded so smug as she explained to the children how much more than them she knew.
"Hello, Ty," Jericho said and the young girl leapt into the air as the other children giggled. "Telling nice stories about me I hope."
"Jeri! Can't be sneakin' on a story tellin'! I and I bein' scared outta I's sense!"
"I'm sorry, Ty, that wasn't what I meant to do." He stood beside her and she beamed out at her friends. "Who are all these fine looking people you're story telling to?"
"Friends 'n' fans." Ty's smile grew even wider. "I bein' dah bestes' story tellin' 'round."
"I don't doubt that." Jericho laughed, but then heard Marika's stern voice from behind him.
YOU ARE READING
The Rift
Science Fiction"Maybe we'll start with the day the sky split open. There was this sound, like a vicious explosion that shook the building and threatened to split our eardrums. I was the first to my feet, I raced the others to the deck and we gawked at the scene be...
