Prelude - @Short Story

Prelude - Part 6

Prelude                                                           

by sloanranger

Part  6

At the stream, Simza had slapped the last blouse against the rocks and wrung out the last skirt. Her trembling was slightly abated but not entirely gone. 

A piece of clothing got away from her then and while chasing it downstream, one of her normally nimble feet stumbled and turned on a slippery, moss-covered rock.

She let out a small scream. Before she knew it Anayus had come, bent and leaned his shoulder into her waist and picked her up. Carrying her that way, over his shoulder, he sat her down against the very same tree from which she'd watched the fish lines, the day before.

"Let me see," he said. "May I?"

"But Papa's shirt...." She said.

"It will snag somewhere downstream. I'll get it. Is your foot badly hurt?"

"It's my ankle," she said, pulling her skirt up slightly. "It is only turned, I think."

The boy could see it was already swelling. When he made as if to touch it – the girl started – whether from electricity or pain she didn't know.

"I'll carry you back to camp."

"You will not sling me over your shoulder again like a sack of potatoes," Simza said.

Anayus laughed then and when he did, something went through her. Some wave of electricity or warmth went right through the entire upper part of her body.

She almost spat into the stream for the nivasi.

"All right," he said. "Then you must let me wrap it. You can hobble back to the fire using me as support." He hadn't any socks beneath his sandals but he did have a colorful sash around his waist to assist holding up his trousers. He used that for a bandage.

He was very gentle but he managed to bind it. He said: "Ready?"

At her nod of agreement, he took her hands and pulled her upright.

When she placed slight weight on her foot, she almost fell and he swiftly put his arms around and under her and lifted her from the ground. Warmth radiated from her back and beneath her thighs where his arms supported her. He sat her down slowly against the tree and as their faces brushed, both cheeks screamed with fire and color.

Their lips were inches from each other. The boy touched her ankle without taking his eyes from hers and whispered, "Does it hurt badly?"

Simza's heart was pounding so hard that she felt as though it would burst from her chest. She could not speak and answered his question by nodding slightly. His lips were close enough for their breath to mingle. She was melting.

The boy had hold of both her arms. His fingers slid down to her left wrist and he took her hand into his own. Turning it face up, Anayus stared into her palm.

"What are you doing?" Simza said sharply, though she knew.

The boy looked back at the girl. He pulled her arm towards him until her face was brought very close.  

"I'm looking at my wife," he whispered into her mouth, just before  he touched it with the sweet fire of his own.

The End