Unusually small

Chapter 27: The Storm

Instantly as soon as the chief finished his soapbox speech, everyone cheered.

And the teenage woman scurried over to me and Nina, they looked at Kyle as if they were asking a question.

"Podemos tenerla?" One of them said.

Wren leaned into Kyle, "they're asking if they could hold her." He translated.

"Oh uh..." He eyed the ladies skeptically, then glanced down at me.

I balled my hands into fists and forced myself to nod, (dab) keeping my head down as I was exchanged from Kyle to one of the young ladies. I kept my head low, the experience from that creep on the plane ignited some anxiety in my gut. As I was placed on the foreign hand.

The young woman holding me shifted her fingers uneasily, speaking Spanish to the others nervously. One of them spoke to Kyle.

"¿Está lista para ser adecuada para el ritual?"

"They're asking if she's ready for the ritual." Wren translated.

I slowly looked up at Kyle, his hazel eyes like a field of gold and green, wavering with anxiety. He looked at me longingly, then nodded. I nodded back in understanding, this may be our last goodbye.

I saw a glimmer of a tear in his eyes appear for a split-second, before he turned away.

Then I felt a fingertip touch my chin. I turned my head towards the owner. All of the young ladies were staring at me, their eyebrows raised. They all smiled.

"Parece que ella tiene un novio!"

"Es tan lindo!"

"Ojalá tuviera amor como ese..."

Then the one holding me patted me on the back with their pointer finger;

"No te preocupes, lo verás de nuevo." She said. I wish I knew what anyone was saying.

They brought me to a hut with several brushes and leaves, stacked like they had an important purpose. The girl holding me got straight to work, she got out a string and began to measure me, telling the other girls what to bring. I mean, I thought she was telling them what to do, she was pointing at herbs and dyes like she was commanding them to do stuff.

Soon there were small leaves and a bowl along with a brush and a needle looking stick, sitting near me. I eyed the needle suspiciously, trying to push the thoughts away of what they were going to use that for.

Then I felt a more than light tap on my back, and I turned to see the tribe woman that measured me. She pinched my shirt between her fingers and began to pull it off me. I pushed her fingers away and scooted backwards, fear rising in my gut.

She retracted her hands, a look of surprise and a bit of hurt written on her face. She stared at me confused, then realized her mistake. Her expression changed into a surprised and sorry look, her eyes widened and her hands on her mouth.

"¡Lo siento! ¡Lo siento mucho!"

She ordered someone something, and they walked out of the hut. Then, she ordered the other people in the one room building. To come sit here. And they did, they began to craft what seemed like a mini leaf skirt, and a small flower crown, to fit me.