Walking Dollar Bills

Chapter 14: Generational Gaps and Philosophical Fissures

The dry heat of the desert stings Zala's throat every time she inhales. Her eyelids are slightly ajar as if they can't decide whether it's best to be alert or asleep. She doesn't attempt to wrestle around because Toure has a firm grip on her.

Toure eyes an ascending wall of redbed and gracefully slings Zala off of his shoulder and into the coarse sedimentary rock.

"Ack!" grimaces Zala.

Toure wraps his tail around his spear and stabs it into the rock mere inches above Zala's head. A mixture of pebbles and sand crumble over Zala's hair.

"This should be far enough. Now tell me, where is the Viper?" says Toure.

Zala peers into Toure's eyes, but his sharp scowl only pierces her soul.

"They left. They could be anywhere. Who are you?" says Zala.

Toure snears.

"That answer isn't good enough, Hornet!"

Toure's face softens for an instant as he looks off into the distance.

"I am Toure. What do you mean by they?" he asks, turning back to her.

"Amara and Earl. They left me with Granny, while they looked for her grandson" says Zala.

Zala gazes up at the spear above her, and studies Toure's tail.

"They were supposed to help reunite Granny and her grandson. Then Granny was going to give us the queen's nectar, and then we were going to find Gumbo, and then go back home, and then..." Zala's voice trails off.

Toure opens his mouth to speak, but Zala interjects.

"And then you killed Granny" Zala finishes.

Toure scoffs and pulls his spear out of the redbed. More rocks and sand tumble over Zala's head.

"Death is an inevitability. You shouldn't harbor resentment over something so natural" says Toure with a glacial tone.

"Even though you have a tail, you're nothing like Earl" says Zala.

"Earl? Oh, that must be the name of the Viper I'm looking for. The one who stole the divinity pills" says Toure with a smile.

"Earl is gentle and really nice. He always makes sure me and Amara are happy. He always put us first" says Zala.

Zala's words strike a chord inside of Toure's chest. He runs his eyes over the Hornet with pure disgust. Saliva has become venom as he snaps his head to the side and hocks into the sand.

"He sounds like a slave to me" says Toure.

Zala's jaw drops as she squints at Toure.

"What?"

"That other girl, Amara, was she a Human or a Hornet?" asks Toure.

"Human. Why?" says Zala.

"You don't think there's something wrong with a Viper serving a Human and a Hornet? I bet he was at your beck and call, huh? Was he allowed to think for himself? Did he ever make a decision that didn't directly involve you and the Human?" asks Toure.

Zala shivers as Toure's tone causes chills to run down her spine. Something is off. She feels as if a switch has been flipped, like Toure's entire demeanor has altered.

"Earl is my friend," says Zala.

"Earl is a Viper. Just. Like. Me." Says Toure.

Zala giggles. She responds to Toure's malice tone with a brilliant smile.