Tauren Tale

Chapter 16: Kazbo

The days were a blur.

There was hot sun on her back.

The smell of rich, dark soil in her nose.

The feel of the antler-bone digging tool in her hand.

Her nails ached. Her back ached. She had never been so tired, so confused in all of her life.

She slept a lot. She cried a lot. She couldn't manage the strength even to stand.

It rained once. Or perhaps twice? She couldn't remember seeking shelter.

Sometimes it was hard to tell if she was asleep or awake. Perhaps it was all just a horrible, terrible dream.

There was a light, tender touch on her face. A familiar voice.

“Are you okay, Sanja?” Kazbo asked.

She opened her eyes again and was thankful that the light was dim. She didn't know if it was morning or evening. She didn't care. She closed her eyes again.

“I found Theodore at the campsite,” he whispered. “What's left of him, at least. There were these huge vultures...”

He resisted the urge to ask.

Kazbo swallowed a lump in his throat. “Where's... Jorga...?”

She opened her eyes once more and ran her fingers slowly across the mound of soil she had been hugging with her arm. The Gnome stared at the dirt and dried blood caked on her fingers.

“I'm sorry,” he whispered.

“I promised my Mom...”

“I know.”

He tried to put his arms around her and she nearly smothered him with a hug. She held him like a drowning swimmer clinging to a log.

Then they were both crying.

“He hurt my brother... and I couldn't find anyone to help us. I tried. I tried so hard. But Jorga just... kind'a... faded... I held him in my arms the whole time, but I couldn't do anything.”

“I'm so sorry, Sanja. I should never have left. This is all my fault! I will never forgive myself.” Kazbo cursed himself repeatedly. “I wish that I had never tried to help that rogue. I was so damn proud of my balloon and he was so charming. I should never have listened to him. I should have seen what sort of monster he was. If I hadn't tried to help, he never would have met you. He never would have hurt Jorga.”

“He hurt me too... I told him to stop. I did. I told him. But that only made him do it harder.”

She was wailing and shaking. She was so dehydrated that the tears would no longer come. She squeezed the little man until he saw stars behind his eyes.

“Why did he do that? Why did he do that to me? What did I do?”

“I don't know, Sanja. I don't know.” He sniffled hard. “I suppose he hated himself so much that he just wanted to hurt everyone. You didn't do anything wrong. You didn't do anything.”

# # #

“Eat this, please,” he whispered and put yet another soft piece of fruit in her mouth. Her lips were so parched that the sweet juice burned them. “You need your strength... Have you eaten anything since I left?” She could hear the tears in his voice.

She chewed slowly, but refused to open her eyes.

“I need you to come with me,” he whispered when she finished.

“No! I promised...”

“You did. You took care of him. There's nothing more you can do for him now.”