Sky Child (20 page)

35

Flot and I prepare for Jet to be buried. I look at my clean clothes, but wearing them doesn't seem right. I decide to put on my suit of armor, because I want to honor Jet for being a hunter, even if it wasn't what he really wanted to do with his life. I hope it will also show the other hunters that I am strong, and that I will still fight for them, and treat them well. That I will honor them if they die.

Flot notices me putting on my armor, and decides to put his on as well. It is not normal for people to wear their armor when someone is buried, but I am not worried about what people might say or think.

I help Flot with his armor, tying the pieces together the best that I can. In return, he helps me tie the last few straps on my new armor.

"Thank you, Flot."

Flot hugs me. I hug him back.

"The others are probably starting to gather outside. We should go," I say.

"Okay."

It seems like the walk to the mouth of the cave is the longest walk I have ever taken. I don't want to go outside, because once we do this, Jet will really be gone. We will never see him again. But I know that we have to do this, and that I have to be here for Flot.

When we reach the entrance to the Crag, everyone is there. I see the other hunters, and every one of them is dressed in their armor. My knees weaken, and I swallow hard, because no one has ever had this many people turn out for their burial before. Normally, a hands worth of people will bury a person. It says so much about the kind of person that Jet was, that everyone would come. I am also struck by the fact that the hunters are all wearing their armor. I could never thank them enough for that.

I look around, searching for Sickle, Scythe and Chaff. They did not come to the burial, which was wise of them. I wouldn't doubt that there are many people who are wanting to kill them for what they have done. It also makes me wonder if some of the people have shown up just to see a fight. To see what I might do to the people that killed Jet. I realize that Chaff and his son's aren't the only evil people in the Crag, and that a fight would be their only reason for coming.

I ignore those thoughts though, push them out of my mind, and hope that everyone is there because of Jet. Because Jet was good, and decent, and respected by people. I do believe that about most of the people that have showed up. Many people in the Crag are good. But those that are evil, are truly evil.

I look for Pyre and see him outside, standing in the sun. It is warm and beautiful, and the blue sky seems endless. The world seems so filled with life. Inside my heart though, I am filled with pain and sadness, and my thoughts are of death and loss.

Next to Pyre are his assistants, Tomb and Eulogy. Tomb is big like Helm and Mast, and Eulogy is beautiful in a different sort of way. She has hair as black as night, and pale skin like the moon. Eulogy is a quiet person, and only leaves the Crag when a burial happens.

In front of them is Jet, wrapped in a blanket. He rests on a stretcher made of straps and tree limbs. Pyre has used the colors from plants to make Jet look more like he used to. His skin seems pink and alive. Pyre notices me and Flot. He then asks Tomb and Eulogy to pick up Jet's body and follow him. The entire Crag follows behind, as we go away from the Crag to our cemetery.

A place for Jet has already been dug out of the ground. Tomb and Eulogy carry Jet over to the hole and set him down next to it. They lift him up by the blanket he's been wrapped in and carefully lay him inside. The crowd moves around the grave, circling it. Flot and I make our way to the front, as Pyre also comes to the front of the crowd. He speaks to the people of the Crag.

"Jet was a hunter, a good person, and a brother. He has died too young, having only seen a few snows past being a new one. We are less as people, because he is no longer a part of our lives. We are sad because we miss him, but he is somewhere better. He is with the Sky Gods now, resting, and we put him to ground and cover him in a blanket of grass and clover, so that he will rest peacefully."

Pyre nods to Eulogy and Tomb. They start covering up Jet with dirt, then handfuls of grass and clover. Helm speaks.

"Hunters, salute."

I look around the crowd as the hunters place their fists over their heart then slide them downward. I have been trying very hard not to cry, but tears stream down my face. Flot and I both do the same, placing our fists on our hearts and moving them downward. Flot turns around and wraps his arms around me. I watch as they place the last handfuls of grass and clover on top of the grave.

The crowd slowly makes their way back to the Crag. Till and her mother Leaf both stay behind to talk to us.

"Flot, I am sorry about Jet," says Till.

"I am sorry too," says Leaf.

"Thank you. Life won't be the same now. He was more than my twin brother, he was my best friend too. I almost never went anywhere without him. I feel like I've been cut in the middle, like a part of me is gone forever," says Flot.

"I feel a part of my heart missing," says Till. "It's like I can't feel the part of my heart that is filled with love and happiness, like someone took it away from me."

"Someday it will heal, Till. Someday you will find someone to put in your heart again," says Flot. "You may not feel about them the same way you felt about Jet, but you will love them in a different way. I know Jet would have wanted you to be happy again. He would want all of us to be happy again. We need to try to be happy, for him, so that he can rest with the Sky Gods. Otherwise, he will spend all of his days up there worrying for us."

"I will try," says Till.

To my surprise, Till moves in close to Flot and kisses him on the cheek. It looks like Flot is just as surprised. It is very sweet of her to do, letting Flot know that she appreciates his kindness. I hope that Flot never loses that: his good heart.

Till takes her mother's hand, and they walk back to the Crag. Flot and I stay for a while. We eventually walk over to the stone that marks Jet's grave. Eulogy has stained a large rock to look like Jet's face, so that we will know him when we come visit him. It looks like him, very much. Once our eyes are dry, we walk back to the Crag.

36

On our way back, I see that Ebb is waiting for us. She comes up to Flot and gives him a hug.

"I'm so sorry Flot. I very much liked Jet," says Ebb.

She turns to me.

"If there is anything I can do, anything at all, please, let me know."

I was about to give her a simple 'thank you', but I consider her words.

"There might be," I say. "Flot, can you catch up with Till and Leaf, and make sure that they reach the Crag safely?"

"I can do that."

I wait until Flot is far enough away that he can't hear us talking.

"Ebb, I have a plan. You are the only person I really trust right now. Flot may be too filled with anger and sadness to make good decisions. I trust Mast and Helm, but I don't know that they would be able to help."

"I am willing to do whatever I can," says Ebb.

"I need a distraction. I need Chaff to leave his room when there is no one else around. There is something inside that I need."

"What is it you need?"

"I am trying to learn how to grow vegetables, so that Chaff won't be in control anymore."

I can tell by the look on her face that she is both surprised and excited.

"And you think the secret of the harvest is in his room?" asks Ebb.

"I do. I snuck in while he was asleep from beer, and I searched everywhere I could think to search, except for one place. The only place I couldn't look while he was asleep."

"Where?"

"Underneath him. I think he keeps a page he'd stolen from the Book of Knowledge under his sleeping mat."

"That's clever," says Ebb.

"Chaff is smart, but hopefully not smart enough. If he sees through our trick, we may not get another chance. He has kept his secret this long, and it is difficult to keep secrets in the Crag," I say.

"So what is your plan? How can I help distract him?"

I think for a moment.

"Do you think you could lure him out with beer?" I ask.

"I don't know. He has as much beer as he could ever drink," says Ebb.

"Can you think of another way?"

Ebb is silent for a moment.

"What if I made him think that I want to join with him?" says Ebb.

"No."

"Sam, I won't actually join with him, if that is what you're worried about. I could make it seem like I'd had too much beer to drink. He will follow me."

"How do you know?" I ask.

She just smiles at me.

"I don't like it," I say.

"Sam, please let me do this. There is no way I'll let him hurt me, or even touch me. And you know that I can defend myself. I will lure him outside, in the dark. Then I'll come back to the Crag."

"But what happens if he tries something later? Asks you about it the next day?"

"I'll just tell him I was so full of drink that I don't remember any of it."

It makes sense, and I can't see any other way.

"I don't want you to risk your life," I say.

"It is my life to risk. I will do this for Jet, and for Flot... and for you. I will also do this for the Crag. If we succeed, we will be rid of Chaff forever."

"I just realized something. Maybe
yo
u
are the Sky Child," I say.

"Maybe I am," says Ebb. "When do you want to try?"

"Tonight. The sooner we do this, the better chance we have."

"Then I will rest during the day, so that I will be ready for tonight. We can meet after everyone is asleep, just outside the mouth of the cave."

"Thank you, Ebb."

We make our way back to the Crag.

37

When I get back to the room, Flot is waiting for me.

"I think I'll spend some time with Till and Leaf. They wanted to teach me about the harvest," says Flot. "Till could use someone to talk to, and I could too."

"Okay, Flot. Whatever you need. Just be careful," I say.

"I will. And I'll make sure to stay away from Sickle and Scythe. Leaf and Till said they will meet me near the Great Fire to talk. I don't think Sickle and Scythe go there much."

"No, they don't. I have never seen them there, other than to dry themselves. I don't think that they believe in the Sky Gods much," I say.

Flot leaves our room.

I try to get some rest during the day. I'm able to sleep some, but not much. Helm stops by our room to check on me. I get up and go to the entrance of our room to greet him.

"How are you feeling?" asks Helm.

"Sad and tired," I say.

"I am as well, Sam. Are you planning to lead the hunt today? We are running low on meat, because we haven't hunted in many days now."

"I don't think I can," I say. "Helm, will you and Mast lead the hunt today? I know that the hunters trust you, and will listen to what you tell them."

"I will do that for you. Are you sure that you don't want to go? It might help," says Helm.

"I am sure. And Helm, thank you."

"You are welcome, Sam."

Helm leaves.

I'm finally able to get some sleep. When I wake up, I can hear people coming back to their rooms from the feast. It's okay that I missed it, because I'm not very hungry. I start to put on my clothes as Flot appears. He's carrying a bowl of food.

"You need to eat," says Flot.

"I'm okay," I say.

"If I were the one that slept all day, you would make sure that I ate something."

It's true.

"Then I will try to eat some," I say.

Flot hands me the bowl. It isn't very warm, but it doesn't bother me. I barely notice. I scoop some of the soup into my mouth. The soup has fresh meat in it. Deer meat. Helm and Mast must have had a good hunt without me. It is good to know that I can rely on them if I ever need to again.

"How are Till and Leaf?" I ask.

"Till seems better. I think I cheered her up. Probably because I remind her of Jet," says Flot.

"I hope she knows that you are very different people," I say.

"I think she does."

"Is Leaf okay?"

"She seems sad, but I think she's mostly worried about Till," says Flot.

"A mother always worries about her children," I say.

Flot just nods at me. He looks so tired. His eyes are dark and sore from all of the crying. It isn't normal to see someone so young look so empty of life. I hope that soon he will be full again.

"I'm going to try to sleep now," says Flot.

"Okay."

I pretend to rest. I wait until I don't hear any footsteps outside of our room, and then I wait some more. Once I am sure that everyone is asleep, I sneak out of our room.

I follow the tunnels to the mouth of the Crag, making sure no one sees me walking around. Outside, I can barely make out Ebb, who is waiting for me. She's wearing her normal clothes, and she's carrying a large cup that is half filled with beer.

"Are you sure you're okay with this? Because we could always think of something else," I say.

"Sam, you know that this is the only way. I will be fine. You worry too much," says Ebb.

"Worrying has kept me alive. So far."

"And your..." she trails off.

"My... what?" I ask.

She won't answer me. But I think I know what she was going to say: my brothers. Only that isn't true anymore. I know she didn't mean anything by it, but it still cuts me inside. I should have thought about them more. I should have had someone protecting them.

I need to stop hating myself for what happened. I didn't kill Jet. It's not my fault. It's not my fault. I keep thinking that, over and over again: it's not my fault. Maybe someday, if I think it enough times, I might even believe it.

"I'm sorry," says Ebb.

"Are you ready?" I ask, ignoring her apology.

Ebb stares at me for a moment.

"Yes," she says.

"When you're done, meet me back at my room."

She nods.

We walk down the twisting tunnels until we reach Chaff's room. His glowing stick is still on fire, and we can hear him snoring. I find a dark shadow and hide.

I watch as Ebb takes a drink of the beer. She walks into Chaff's room, pretending to stumble. She spills some of the beer on her shirt, and onto Chaff's face.

Chaff is startled awake. He looks up at Ebb, who is bent over, looking into his face.

"Oh, I am so sorry! I thought this was my room!" says Ebb, loudly.

Chaff rolls over and sits upright. Ebb slowly moves back. I can see in the light that her shirt is now clinging to her body.

"It's okay, beautiful," says Chaff, an evil smile on his face.

"I think I've had moo touch beer. I mean too much beer!" says Ebb.

She takes another drink.

"Hey, you're cute," says Ebb.

Chaff's evil smile gets even wider.

I watch as Ebb slowly walks backward, keeping her eyes staring right into Chaff's. Chaff stands up and follows her down the tunnel.

I look around to make sure that no one sees me, and then go inside. I head straight for the sleeping mat and lift it up. It's there. Oh, thank the Sky Gods, it's there!

I pick up the missing page, and I try to find the meaning of 'seed'. It takes me a moment, but I find it:

See
d
–
a flowering plant's means of reproducing; develops into another plant of the same type.

So vegetables must have seeds that make them grow. And it sounds like they are part of the plant. I wonder what they look like.

I think about keeping the page, but I realize that all I need is the information. I don't need the actual paper. I put it back exactly how I found it then move Chaff's sleeping mat back into place. I leave Chaff's room excited, because there is now reason to be hopeful.

I make my way back to our room. Flot seems to be sleeping, but I think he's having nightmares. He moves in his sleep, making noises, saying words that don't make any sense.

I stand near the entrance of our room, waiting for Ebb to appear. She finally does, and her shirt is still soaked.

"Are you okay?" I ask.

"Yes. It worked very well," says Ebb.

"I'm glad that you're back safe," I say.

"Me too. So did you get the page?" asks Ebb.

"I read it, but I left it there."

"Why'd you do that?"

"So that Chaff wouldn't know someone had been there. I need to use what I've learned to show people I can grow food. They might not believe me otherwise. I don't know how long it will take to grow it, so Chaff can't know that he's been tricked yet," I say.

"He seemed so full of drink, I doubt he will even remember me," says Ebb.

"That would be even better, but I think it would be hard to forget you."

"That's sweet," says Ebb.

I smile a nervous smile.

"Will you watch over us tonight?" I ask.

"There's no place I would rather be," says Ebb.

I take off my clothes and slide into bed.