Iridescent: Chapter Twelve

Iridescent

Chapter Twelve

~Friends are Friends~

After the Fall

Zara and Miwa got to the edge of the city when a loud crash of thunder boomed overhead followed by a sudden rain. She looked up at the sky and swore. Rain was the last thing she needed right at that moment. Ahead of them was the plains, there was nowhere to hid under than the occasional tree. They could wait until the rain stopped but Zara was too impatient for that. The rain made little ting-ting noises on Miwa’s metal frame. He looked up at the sky and sat down.

“This is an unusual rain,” he said.

Zara looked at him, “Define unusual because I can tell you just by looking around that there are quite a few things that are unusual. In fact, let’s play I Spy: Apocalypse Edition!”

“I like Where’s Waldo better,” Miwa stated, “Still, this rain is caused by unusual circumstances.”

“Again,” Zara rolled her eyes, “Define unusual!”

“Oh, come on, let’s get going before I rust!” Miwa got up and started walking into the plains.

Zara paused, suddenly frozen. She looked over her shoulder back at the city she had grown to call her home. With a deep breath she pressed forward. She walked a ways after Miwa. The robotic companion frequently looked over his shoulder to see if she was following. Zara thought about their trip ahead. They had to cross the plains and cross the Gorge to go into the desert. Then they would cross the desert and find what Miwa said would get them off the Island.

They walked for several hours. Soon where ever they looked there were just miles and miles of brown grasses. When night began to fall, Zara looked around for any kind of shelter. Of course there was none. Zara shivered. It was going to be a cold night. Miwa and Zara made an open air camp and slept there for the night.

In the morning, Zara’s clothes were soaked through and through as the rain fell the entire night. She stripped off her shirt and hung in on Miwa’s back to dry. There wasn’t anyone around for miles anyway. Her only company was a robot dog who didn’t seem to care either way. Another day of traveling went uneventfully. The rain stopped and the sun almost came out from the gray hazy clouds that had hung over the Island ever since the Tower fell.

Another night was spent in an open air camp. With Miwa’s sensors, Zara could sleep relatively easily. The next day was much of the same. Zara’s shirt was dry and she wore it on their travels that day. She chewed lazily on a granola bar from her back pack as she followed Miwa. Often she wondered if he knew where he was even going.

Miwa suddenly stopped and his robotic ears perked up. Zara almost ran into him. She looked ahead and saw a figure in the distance. Zara looked down at Miwa.

“What do you think?” Zara asked.

Miwa shrugged, “I don’t know. He doesn’t seem harmful.”

“He?” Zara questioned, “It isn’t Chaud is it?”

“Noooo!” Miwa proceeded forward, “I say we press on. We could go on an elliptical path around him.”

“That means more walking, yes?” Zara followed.

“Yes,” Miwa answered.

“Let’s just cut through then,” Zara sighed, “I’m sick and tired of seeing nothing but grass. I need to see something else soon or I might go crazy.”

“We can’t have that,” Miwa agreed.

They walked toward the stranger. It looked like the stranger was standing still waiting for them. Zara kept a close eye on him, not wanting a repeat of what happened back in the city. Just in case things went bad quickly, Zara was keeping mental numbers of how much vials and ammo she had. The man waved to them when they got a little closer. There was something familiar about the way he carried his body. Then it dawned on her.

Zara ran toward the man. Confused, Miwa followed. Zara threw her arms around the man’s neck. He hugged her and swung her around in a circle.

He laughed, “Hey, girl! It’s been like forever!”

“It’s just good to see a friendly face for a change,” Zara let go and looked Deontay in the face, “Where have you been?”

Deontay shrugged, “Wandering. Got out of the city as fast as I could. Knew it wouldn’t be too long before the law was forgotten.”

“We just left ourselves,” Zara nodded to Miwa.

“Hello!” Miwa greeted.

Deontay laughed, “Still a dog I see.”

“Still getting used to it,” Miwa muttered.

“The robot and I are getting off the Island,” Zara said.

“Really?” Deontay didn’t seem fully convinced, “What about the others?”

Zara shrugged, “I don’t know where they are. You’re the first of the team I’ve run into.”

“Hope they’re alright,” Deontay muttered.

Miwa wagged his tail, “I’m sure they are! They’re tougher than they look.”

Deontay slapped Zara on the back, “How about you guys stay the night at the village? There’s plenty of food and shelter. Plus they seem to like me even though I have no idea what their saying most of the time. But at least then we can rest up before we head out.”

“We?” Miwa asked.

“You’re coming with?” Zara smiled.

“Someone has to watch your back,” Deontay laughed.

Zara nodded, “Yeah, and frankly, he isn’t very good at it.”

“Hey!” Miwa protested, “I so helped out last time!

Deontay looked at Zara, “Last time? Girl, what you been doing?”

“You know,” Zara tried to shrug it off, “the usual.”

<<<>>> 

On the day of the sudden rain, Vicky managed to scale the side of a mountain. When she crested the top she was surprised to see the rather steep drop down into a basin filled with water. In the center of the basin was a large tree. The whole scene was rather mystifying. Vicky tugged at the cowl of her hood. Kew nuzzled his way out far enough to see.

“Kew!” he exclaimed. His voice echoed inside the basin.

A loud crash of lighting struck down a few miles away from where Vicky was. She saw the massive bold drop down. The loud echo broke loose some rock under her feet and she fell into the basin. She tumbled down the rock unable to get a firm grip on any of the rock.

Vicky felt the cold impact of the water. It knocked the air out of her as she tried to swim to the surface. The basins water was unsettled because of the sudden pick up in wind and rain when she broke the surface she was pushed back down into the waters again. She tried to swim her way toward the tree knowing that if she didn’t she would find herself in the middle of the ocean. Vicky gasped for air in the dizzying currents. She struck the tree and managed to hang on. The water was pushing hard against her back as she clung to the massive trunk of the tree.

She looked up at the trek she would have to climb. Vicky grabbed ahold of her ice axe. She stuck it into the wood and pulled herself up. After that she leapt and stuck the axe into the wood again to pull herself up the tree. She continued until she reached a platform in the tree. Vicky pulled herself up into the platform. There was a makeshift roof over the platform and built a three way wall as well. Vicky huddled under it. She reached for her neck where Kew would normally be but she didn’t feel his soft white fur.

Vicky started to panic and looked around herself. The little neuw was nowhere to be found. With a sinking feeling, Vicky looked over the edge. She couldn’t see anything in the swirling waters.

“Kew!” Vicky called out over the roar of the waterfall and the swirling of the water below, “Kew!”

Vicky covered her mouth and fell back against the back wooden wall of the shelter. She wailed at the loss of the little creature. She had traveled alone before and hated it. After Kew decided to join her in her travels she had had a partner and friend. She didn’t want to be alone again. Kew gave her something to look forward to every morning and gave her something to take care of. Now he was gone.

“Kewr! Kewn!” soft cries were carried by the wind.

Vicky rushed to the edge and looked over. The little creature clung to the trunk of the tree a few feet above the water. Its white fur was distinctly different from the bark of the tree. He seemed to be crying out for help.

“Kew!” Vicky shouted, “Up here Kew! Come on! You can do it!”

Kew must have heard her because he looked up, ears perked, “Kew! Kew! Kew!”

Kew started what was probably the longest journey of his young life alone. He climbed up the tree very slowly. The wind and the rain were no help. Several times the wind almost blew him off the tree. Vicky reached for her bag and pulled out a piece of beef jerky, Kew’s favorite, and held it out.

“Come on, Kew!” Vicky showed the prize, “I have food! You can do it! Please, Kew!”

It took several tiring minutes for Kew to get most of the way up the tree. He looked exhausted. He was doing the equivalent to running a marathon during a hurricane for a human. It was physically exhausting.

“Kew!” Kew called pitifully. He was tired and cold.

Vicky held out her hand, “Just a little further, Kew!”

Kew stayed where he was and looked up at her. Vicky pleaded with him to continue. Slowly, Kew continued with his energy almost spent. When he was in reach, Vicky reached out and picked him up. She brought him onto the platform and they curled up and waited out the storm. Kew nibbled at the beef jerky. He kept falling asleep while eating it. Vicky just laid down and watched, happy to have her friend safe and sound.