SABIS the SURVIVOR

Chapter 8: Probed to the Bone

Chapter 8: Probed to the Bone

Large beads of sweat dripped from his brow and his long hair as he repeatedly called out his name and mission forcefully and repeatedly, "This is Sabis the Survivor! I am here on an errand of mercy." His throat felt raw from his chant but his soul felt free. He was on the verge of contacting another human while on his quest. This possibility made him forget all of his worries. He felt as if he could fly away from his former life, to a place that he had never seen before, and spend the rest of his days exploring.

"If this is what freedom feels like, then sign me up."

From now on, he vowed to live a life free from the restrictive and oppressive trap of loyalty to his fears: Of the unknown, of failure, and of living up to a standard that he thought his father, may his bones and spirit mingle with those of the Ancients, would have wanted. No more fear of being alone. Instead, there would be more joy in his life, a greater spiritual connection to other living beings, and hope for love.

As he called out for the other cavern occupant to show himself, he was also calling himself out, urging his inner self to show itself:

"Show yourself now, I am ready to find you. Show yourself please, we can help each other."

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Claris began to perspire. Her left arm felt numb and heavy as did the rest of her body. With her throat feeling parched, she could only manage to croak out a feeble plea:

"Come here please!"

Concentrating on her right hand, she willed it to move up and down against the drum skin. After a dozen raps on the taut hide of the drum, her right hand had turned red and emitted a heat that warped the drum's sinewy cover.

She wondered if her tribal drum melody had been heard.

"It must have been heard. How could it have not?"

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Lewis and Maris had been discussing their relationship. Claris had just arrived home from school. She observed the pots, bowls, and utensils still piled in the sink and the kitchen chairs knocked over. She heard her father's shouts from her parents' room.

"I don't want to discuss it, Maris. This is not open for debate."

"You always pull that warrior secrecy crap on me, Lewis. It's not enough that I don't know where you're going most of the time! But what about Claris? Doesn't she deserve to have a father who is there for her, as much as possible? What's going to happen to her when she marries?─She is going to think that it's normal for her husband to leave on warrior business and hardly ever be home. Then our future grandchild will grow up with only one full-time parent, if that, since you know that Claris wants to do her own thing as a botanist."

"Maris, I already told you that I can't discuss where I'm going. Please let it go."

As Claris eavesdropped on her parents, she bumped into one of the chairs and almost fell over. Her mother then whispered, "Lewis, that's Claris! Do you think that she heard us? She must have heard us arguing."

It's too bad Daddya, that you can not hear what I have to say about your absence, she thought. Now that I know you will be leaving us again, I feel like I have to protect myself from hurt, or else my heart will be ripped to shreds.

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I never understood how mother dealt with the loss of father. Evidently, she had her own way of moving forward─taking each day as a fresh start in life, new eggs to crack, so to speak.