Saving the Monster

Chapter 56

Wordlessly Ben and Rey had agreed that she would take the bed and he would take the sofa and Rey had busied herself unpacking the few belongings that she had, whilst Ben took blankets from Lando and laid them awkwardly onto the sofa cushions, turning back the top one slightly in an effort to make his makeshift sleeping area look more like a bed and less like a couch. Rey guessed that this was the first time that Ben had had to make do and it made the corners of her mouth tilt up to see him struggle with such a simple task.

Lando had prepared lunch and they sat at his table in silence eating the grassroot stew that he had served into plain white china bowls, just the sound of their spoons sliding across the crockery breaking the silence.

"How is the princess?" Lando asked finally when no one else spoke.

Bens eyes dropped to the table top and Rey, like a protective mother, rushed in to save him, mumbling her words through a mouthful of stew, "She was good, strong and good"

Lando nodded, "And Chewie?  I didn't get much of a chance to catch up with him"

Rey laughed, "Chewie's Chewie, he's good"

Lando smiled and scraped the last of his stew from the bowl, before standing, "Since you're both here, I need your help with something"

Rey nodded, eager to repay him, "Anything"

Lando laughed so hard that even Bens sullen gaze rose up from the table, "You might change your tune when you hear what it is"

**********************************

Rey's eyes were wide as she took in what the older man had said to them, "You want us to help you catch a Carsung?  You must be crazy!  I've seen those things, they can be ridden but...."

Lando held a hand up, "Precisely!  They can be ridden!  I could do with one to get me from A to B, I'm not getting any younger"

Ben, who had been sitting silently, snorted then, "You'll never find one, not on Pasaana, my father spent hours here hunting them"

For the first time since they'd sat down to eat, Lando looked at him, "That's where you're wrong.  I've seen one, just beyond the Lathingham dunes.  It's a male and feisty but with your help...."

Rey glanced at Ben and then inhaled deeply, "Ok, take us to him".

They pulled on their cloaks and headed out of the cave and into the blinding light.

"This way" Lando said, leading them away from the town.  Soon a small cluster of trees came into view, the vast dunes stretching out behind them.  The going was tough, their feet sinking into the deep sand, Lando stopping periodically to mop his brow, Ben silent again.

Finally the dunes ended and a clear, vast plain came into view. 

"There", Lando pointed and Ben and Rey squinted through the shimmering air.  A Carsung stood stock still, its ears swivelling, "We skirt around it, take it by surprise"

They did as they were instructed, moving slowly around the rocks, their eyes on the beast.  "On my count we lunge, surround it, Rey you've got the rope, loop it around the neck"

Ben narrowed his eyes, "And then what?"

Lando opened his mouth and then clamped it shut again.

Rey sighed, hot and impatient.  Suddenly, shaking his head, Ben strode out past Rey, crossing the sand towards the creature before Rey could even react.

Next to her Lando gripped her arm and they both watched in silence as Ben walked right up to the creature, his hand held out, his lips moving, whispering words Rey couldn't hear.  The Carsung didn't run, or lift up on its back legs as Rey had seen them do back on Jakku, instead it sniffed his hand and allowed Ben to stand so close to it that he was able to run his other hand along its flank.  He turned then, triumphant and Rey felt her heart swell.  This was no monster, this was a lost boy, a manipulated and trapped man, made to believe that everything was dark and hopeless.  She sensed that in that moment Lando saw it too because their walk home, with Ben leading the Carsung, was far less tense.