Race to the end

RaceTTEnd 7

The list was decided. It was to be me, Ribo, Rasha, Tamu, Raffy and Fino were set to go. The last three were part of the opposing team. Though they weren’t as core as some of the others. I hoped that they would work with an open mind, and they were all good listeners. We stood at the edge of the hub, bags packed with necessities.

I had developed a new pop up tent and cooker set. The others were packed full of easy fold clothes and food. We would stay out for three days. If we didn’t find Embri in that time then we would return and discuss what to do next. I hoped we found her.

I took the first step out into the uncharted grey sand land. We had said goodbye to the other members of the hub. I had left History in charge. I trusted her. I hoped they had no troubles while we gone. Ribo came up behind me, the others dispersed into a long line.

We had set off.

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It was an hour after we had set off. We were all feeling the effects of the sun. It burned our backs and made sweat trickle down our faces. We had set up camp. The tent and cooker system worked easily and we unpacked, then sat down to discuss what to do.

“We split up into three teams” I motioned with my fingers three. They nodded slowly. “We go out for an hour, if we find her or any clues we come back and wait for the others” I took six small squares of metal out of my pocket. “These are tracking devices, I pulled up a screen next to me “If anyone gets lost come back here and check where they are” They all nodded as I passed them the trackers. “One last thing” I indicated with a finger “These are a device that will drop pellets into the ground, in a specific colour” I handed them round keeping one for myself “This way you can find your way back” Fino smiled at me lightly.

“You got the idea from ‘Hansel and Gretel’” I nodded and smiled back.

“Thanks to you” His face turned pink but he hid it by ducking his face examining the tracker. “We meet back here in one hour” They all nodded. Standing we split into our teams. Me and Tamu, Ribo and Raffy and Rasha and Fino.

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Tamu and I had been walking for twenty minutes; we had found no sign of Embri. We talked lightly, nothing of real interest coming up. We found a large boulder resting in the sand and made our way over to it. We sat in its shade, hiding from the sun. I passed Tamu a bottle of water. He drank deeply and then passed it back. I sighed against the rock. In twenty minutes we had to head back.

“I’m sorry about what I said at the hub” I turned to Tamu and saw him looking, embarrassed, at his fingers. His eyes lifted to mine that held a clear question. “I should not have said it, it was how do you say, the heat of the moment” I smiled lightly at him trying to ease the mood

“Tamu, it’s fine, you had every right” I took a deep breath “I haven’t been the best leader, but I try to do what is right” I bit my lip. He watched me carefully and then took my hand. Looking me straight in the eyes he spoke

“You are a great leader. People never truly appreciate what they have till it’s gone. It’s the same with you; if you left then we would never be the same. Our whole ethos would crumble” I felt touched by his words and smiled at him, the familiar heat filling my cheeks.

Tamu did not let go of my hand. Instead came closer to me. I froze slightly, feeling the all-too-familiar actions. He pulled me closer to him so that our noses were touching. His breath washed over my face. I looked deep into his eyes, and his stared back.

The heat from his lips surprised me. They were warm, but not hot. The sun had not changed them. They felt soft against mine, and his breath filled my mouth. In seconds it was over, and our lips parted. I drew in a breath, my cheeks felt like hot coals. Tamu was flushed, but excitement danced in his eyes. He smiled at me, I smiled back. He was about to kiss me again when we heard the drums.

A steady rhythm beat through the ground. I looked around and past Tamu. My eyes rested on a small crater in the grey desert. There the sound eminated causing sand particles to bounce. I stood up, the shock showing on my face. Tamu stood with me and we exchanged glances then we made our way towards the crater.

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We crept to the edges and looked over the sides. Inside were people. Like us, but not us. They were green tinted, instead of blue and looked more animalistic. I glanced at Tamu, a worried expression etched on my face.

The crater was bigger than I had thought and there were many ridges inside it. People sat crammed into the ridges and were chanting out of time to the beat of the drums. People near the bottom of the crater had big booming drums that they played mercilessly. The people wore little clothing mainly a loincloth for the men and sashes for the girls. The sashes covered their shoulders and chest and wound around their stomachs to cover their thighs. They all wore red face paint in many different patterns.

Down near the drummers sat a man with green leaves strapped to his head. He raised his arms and spoke to the people around the crater

“The great Embrini will now speak to us all” Everyone shouted and cheered, banging on the floors of the ridges. A teenager stalked forward to the man in the leaves. He whispered in his ear and the man in the leaves left. The teenager spoke now

“Embrini is finishing up. Being the goddess she is, she has elected to choose a human consort” The teenager bowed to the audience and loud whoops filled the small space. “She has chose me, the son of your Machi as her consort” More cheers and shouts filled the room, so much so that Tamu and I covered our ears. Just then a hushed silence filled the space and everyone waited with anticipation. The teenager turned and then bowed deeply as though to a leader. “The Great Embrini!” He announced people were hushed, and gazed longingly at the figure walking towards them.

She wore a green sash of leaves like the females in the crater. Berries were piled on top of her head and she was bare foot. She padded to the middle of the stage and lifted her head upwards. The red paint swirled over her face. If she had not spoken I would not have recognised her.

“Thank you all” She yelled. I gasped my hand covering my mouth. The sound echoed around the crater and caused everyone to stir. They all looked upwards and spotted us. I stared horror-struck at Tamu as we stood up and ran from the crater. The people followed us quickly, shouting after us. We ran as fast as we could, but not fast enough.

They caught us easily. Then under the orders of their Machi, we were taken to see Embrini.

Or as we knew her, Embri.