Last Wild Boy, page 7
Adam gurgled cheerfully, breaking Nora out of her trance. She looked down to see him swaying in a kind of mystic dance in response to some inaudible music. “What are you so happy about, little one?” she asked him, following his gaze up to the fluffy clouds floating in the sunny sky. “This is all just an adventure to you, isn’t it?” He made a small contented noise and she felt herself smiling.
Nora ventured on, dragging her heavy burdens, trying to put as much space between herself and the wall as possible. Time seemed to stand still as her weary legs carried her along the path, which stayed monotonously the same. Her throat was killing her, her legs were sore and swollen, and she felt hot and nauseous. She was ready to collapse. Only her fears for Adam’s safety kept her moving.
She drew in great gasping breaths and focused on the purity and the sweetness of the air, which improved as they travelled deeper into the wilderness. She wondered which of the many plants and flowers she’d seen was the source of the amazing smell. But there was nobody to ask. Her heart seemed to shrink as she realized how alone she was and how lonely she would always be from now on. She walked on, deep in contemplation, until she realized that she had almost forgotten to listen for the voices. She stopped and cocked her ear in the direction she’d come from. She couldn’t hear or even imagine them here. It was like they had never existed.
There wasn’t a single sign of Aahimsa this far into the forest. There were tall trees on every side and the great wall had long since disappeared over the horizon. A gurgling river flowed beside her. She could hardly believe that she was here in the wild, travelling as quickly as possible into forbidden acres, carrying a dead woman’s child.
Every instinct warned her of the insanity of what she was doing. She felt a huge sense of uncertainty. She had done this to save Adam, the outsider child. But to save him from certain death, she may have killed them both. At very least, she’d killed any chance of a normal future. But on top of all her fear and loss, she also felt an odd excitement. And, for the first time in her life, freedom.
Nora continued walking even as the sun started its descent toward the horizon. It wasn’t until Adam started to cry that she finally stopped for a rest. She found a small clearing and set her load down, then carefully lifted Adam out of his basket. He needed something to eat and a diaper change. Nora located what she needed and accomplished both tasks. When she was finished, she did her best to clean the diaper off without using too much of her water. She made a mental note to fill her bottles up the next time she came to a river or pond. After she had finished cleaning the diaper, she hung the wet cloth from her belt and hoped it would dry quickly so she could return it to one of the bags.
By the time she stood up to leave, the sun had nearly disappeared below the tree line. She gathered her things, noting that the light was fading much faster than she liked. She decided to keep moving until darkness put an end to her travels.
She walked for a while longer, getting more and more apprehensive as the light faded and unfamiliar sounds emerged from the shadowy forest around her. Suddenly she felt the sudden compression of the air, heard the friction of wing against the sky. She ducked down instinctively and raced forward through the trees, too afraid to look back and see what had swooped down so close to her head. She wasn’t used to this life in the raw, where things were totally outside of her control.
Back in Aahimsa, where all things were measured and controlled, walking at night was a time of contemplation, of silence. On the inside, the moon cast its blue light around the still shadows of the grass. It was safe. There were no wild animals to be wary of. Nothing flitted in the shadows or scurried under the trees. But here in this place, wild things lurked in the dark shadows and decided if passers-by represented danger or food.
Nora shuddered as she felt a tiny creature crawling across her bare skin. A bug of some kind, biting her neck up close to her hair. She shook it off, but it just buzzed around her ear and then attacked her with vengeance. She checked on Adam, and almost screamed in disgust when she noticed several tiny flies crawling across the baby’s face and around his big eyes. She quickly brushed the insects from his face and rearranged his clothing and blanket to shelter his skin from the hungry creatures. She had to stop and find a way to protect them before they were eaten alive.
Nora found a sheltered spot in a small, open clearing nearby and set Adam down. She tugged two large, heavy blankets from one of the bags. She spread one over a low branch like a tent and placed the other one on the ground underneath it. Then she picked Adam up out of his basket, lay him down on the blanket, and crawled in beside him. Tired and scared, she and her baby curled up in the warm comfort of their simple shelter and fell asleep.
Chapter 11
“Where do I go?” Mabon asked no one in particular. He was used to talking to himself, a consequence of having no one else to talk to for so many years. He was wandering about aimlessly, not far from the dead zone. He stopped at the stream for a drink, and then, out of curiosity, stepped up on the treed bank to investigate what looked like a path. He focused his pale blue eyes on the ground and found signs of others having been there.
He had heard a commotion earlier from his hiding place farther back in the trees — lots of loud insider voices. He figured the police had been called about the broken woman’s body. He had known enough to stay far away from them. The insider police were even more dangerous than the rangers — they were just as ruthless, but had much more power.
Mabon knew he’d best get away from this spot fast. If the police were ahead, he had to see them before they saw him. He stepped back over the bank and into the cold water and began to follow the stream, continuously searching for signs of the police or rangers on either bank. It gave him something to do to take his mind of the loss of his home.
He was not used to his newfound freedom of thought. The monitoring device had connected him to his controllers every moment since his childhood posting with the rangers. It seemed odd to him that he could make his plans and travel anywhere without worrying whether he was breaking some rule, or being afraid that some controller’s voice would break in, and a blistering headache — or even the stabbing pain he’d heard was a precursor to instant death — would be triggered. Now he could go anywhere and say anything and even think whatever thoughts pleased him. To his knowledge, he was the first ranger ever freed from the device without dying first.
Mabon continued along the stream, which he knew would deepen up ahead where it poured into a much-wider river. After travelling several miles, he finally managed to convince himself that he wasn’t being followed. He relaxed a little then, and allowed himself to enjoy the warmth of the sun and the pleasant sound of birdsong filling the air. He took a bar of harsh laundry soap from his supplies and stripped down. The water was so cold it numbed his fingers, but he was relieved to finally have a chance to clear away the dirt and the grime from his work in the dead zone. When he was satisfied that he had scrubbed off as many of the stains as possible, he shook out his red-brown locks, dried himself off with a portion of towel, and dressed.
As he continued on his way, Mabon checked every possible gap in the brush along both banks, no matter how small, for signs of recent passage. He soon came upon a place where there was a dampness in the ground that might have come from a person or persons leaving the stream for dry land. He stopped and listened for sounds of movement, or voices, or any indication that there was someone nearby. But all he heard was the babbling of the creek and the lonely song of a single bird.
Mabon stepped gingerly toward the bank on his left-hand side and saw the imprints of a pair of small shoes. They disappeared in the thick grasses and ferns beyond the reeds. The grasses were bent enough that he was able to follow the path the person had taken. He moved slowly forward, heart beating with nervousness and excitement.
In the past, such physical responses would have been enough for the controllers to raise an alarm and, even though he knew he was free of the device, he braced himself for a pain that never came. He took a few deep breaths to relax and a moment or two to lean against a large oak and rest his eyes.
He wondered whose tracks he was following. From their size, they certainly didn’t belong to one of the rangers. He figured they were probably some insider police officer or guard’s. It was strange that the insider police would be this far out into the wild, though — insider officers never ventured much farther than the dead zone, and they didn’t even come that far unless they absolutely had to; the insiders always sent the rangers to take care of any business in the wild. Either way, he figured it would be safer for him to follow the insider’s trail than the other way around.
Mabon brushed himself off and continued on the trail of the mysterious small feet. He carried on this way until dusk, when the air became filled with hungry insects. He stopped and reached into his bag. Inside he found a jar of paste he had made from herbs that grew near the dead zone. He took a small bit of the paste and spread it across his face, neck, and hands and then continued on, brushing aside the few bugs not put off by the smell of the paste.
Darkness would not have normally stopped him on his journey, but as the sun disappeared over the horizon he found he could no longer detect the signs that marked the insider’s trail. He decided to stop until the light returned. He knew that once he lost the trail, all hope of picking it up again would disappear. He gathered his things and rolled up under the low branches of a fir tree. He breathed in the rich smell of the needles and sap above him as he formed a nest in the cool soil below. He would be safe and secure under here, and in the morning he would continue his quest.
Chapter 12
Mabon was packing his gear when he heard the screams of terror. Alarm immediately spread through him, as though his racing blood contained ground glass. He grabbed his bags and dashed toward the sound, watching out for a broken hardwood branch large enough to serve as a weapon as he ran. He found one close to the path and barely slowed down as he plucked it from the ground. He picked up his pace and as he approached the location of the screams, he could make out another sound: frenzied barking and growling. He sprinted even harder until he arrived at a clearing, where he found a pack of wild dogs snarling and snapping at a young insider cornered against a tree.
Suddenly, a vicious-looking black dog leapt up and attacked the insider, clamping powerful jaws on a corner of the brown blanket she was holding. The dog started tearing at the blanket, trying to pull it free, but the insider just clutched the bundle tighter. The dog yanked the blanket savagely and pulled it down far enough for Mabon to see that there was a baby tucked inside. The insider yelled at the dog defiantly, but her green eyes were those of a trapped animal resigned to death. Mabon was deeply moved by her beauty and her helplessness and the way she held her ground for the sake of her baby.
Out of nowhere, a small brown dog, barely more than a puppy, leapt at the black dog and knocked him on his side. The black dog let go of the blanket and twisted around to attack the brown one, clamping his strong jaw on its leg. The brown dog howled and tried to tear his leg free, but the black dog just clamped down tighter. The girl yelled again, and the black dog suddenly let go of the brown one and turned its attention back toward the baby. It stood up on its hind legs and grabbed the hanging corner of the blanket, then tugged at it with all its might. The young woman screamed and kicked at the dog as the baby started to slip from her grasp.
Before he knew what he was doing, Mabon found himself charging at the dogs, wielding the branch over his head. “Arreeeeeeeew!” he howled, trying to get the dogs’ attention off the insider and her baby. His plan worked. The pack turned and moved together toward him. The black dog let go of the blanket and snarled at Mabon, white foam dripping from its mouth. Then it reared back on its haunches and pounced at the young man. Mabon’s muscles seemed to ripple and roll in anticipation as he waited for the dog to draw close. As it leapt up at him, fangs reared in anticipation of meeting flesh, Mabon swept the dog aside with one easy swing of his stick. The dog landed still near Mabon’s feet, and Mabon, his pale blue eyes fierce and threatening, let forth a second howl.
It was clear to Mabon that something must have snapped in the brain of one massive, well-muscled black and tan dog. It separated itself from the pack and let out a menacing roar. The rest of the pack froze in their places. This dog was obviously the pack’s leader. It thrust itself toward Mabon, leaping with the full force of its powerful legs for the young man’s throat. Mabon stood his ground and waited. Then, bringing to bear his formidable natural strength on the swinging of the club, he inflicted a mortal blow to the angry dog, whose momentum knocked Mabon to the ground. The rest of the pack roared and lunged forward.
Mabon picked up the leader’s limp body and heaved it in the midst of the pack. The dogs changed their focus and leapt on the carcass of their fallen leader, tearing its flesh apart. Mabon stepped back from the pack slowly and made his way around them to the insider and her child.
“Come with me!” he said, gesturing at the insider.
The girl cringed at him with narrowed cat’s eyes. She appeared to fear him every bit as much as the dogs.
“We have to go!” Mabon said, trying to sound less commanding this time.
The girl still didn’t move. She just clutched her baby tighter and stared at him with a look of horror in her green eyes.
“You have no choice,” Mabon tried. “It’s not safe here. As soon as the dogs have finished with their meal, they’ll turn on us again.” He held his hand out and smiled at the girl. “I won’t hurt you or your baby. I promise.”
The girl looked over at the dogs, who were now fighting over the last of their leader’s remains. They would be finished soon, and looking for more. She picked up her bags and basket, then took a tentative step toward Mabon.
Mabon gestured for her to follow, then disappeared into the woods.
Chapter 13
“I’m Mabon,” the young man said as he held a branch back for her so she could get by.
Nora stepped past furtively, keeping as much distance from him as she could. She’d never seen an outsider this close up before, and she’d never imagined they were quite as large or as strong as this one was. The outsider’s broad shoulders and well-muscled arms showed through his rough-hewn tunic and gave him an air of power. It scared Nora, but also thrilled her in a strange way she couldn’t quite understand. Still, she stayed as far behind him on the path as she could. “I’m Nora,” she said, her eyes cast down in front of her.
The outsider didn’t say anything more. He just kept on picking his way through the dense forest, clearing a path for Nora wherever he could.
“Where are you taking me?” Nora finally asked.
Mabon stopped and turned to look at her. A boyish grin played across his tanned face. “To be honest, I have no idea,” he said, his blue eyes twinkling. “Away from those dogs. And away from the city.”
“How did you know I was trying to get away from the city?” Nora asked.
Mabon looked down at his feet, then turned and continued walking on without saying anything.
“Hey!” Nora called, alarm rising in her voice. “How did you know I was trying to get away from the city?” she asked again.
“I’ve been following you,” Mabon said, turning to her but not able to meet her gaze. “At first I thought you were the police, and I wanted to make sure you weren’t going to double back and find me. And when we got farther away from the city than any insider police officer would ever venture, I guess I just got curious.” He blushed a deep crimson and continued making his way through the trees.
“Why would the police be looking for you?” Nora asked cautiously, slowing her gait to let the distance between her and the outsider grow.
“They think I harmed an insider.”
“Are you the one accused of killing the woman who fell?” Nora asked.
“I didn’t kill anyone. I helped her.”
“I know,” said Nora. “I heard all about it. You’re the cleaner.”
“Yes,” said Mabon. “Or I was. I can’t go back to that now.”
“No,” said Nora. “You can’t. They’re looking all over for you. You broke the law of contact. They’ll terminate you if they find you.”
“I know.”
They continued walking in silence for a long time. The afternoon sun was above them in the sky, and Nora was starting to tire. But she kept on following the young outsider, not wanting to display any weakness in front of him. Her legs were heavy now, and she was starting to feel dizzy and nauseous. She knew she couldn’t go on like this much longer. When Adam awoke and started to cry, she was relieved. “I’ll have to stop and tend to the baby,” she said.
Mabon didn’t say anything. He just nodded and led Nora into a clearing. When he reached the middle of the open space, he held a finger to his mouth. He stood stock still for a moment, listening to the sounds of the wild. “We’re safe for now,” he finally said. “You can relax and take care of the baby.”
“How do you know we’re safe?” Nora asked.
Mabon watched as the insider took fresh diapers, cleaning supplies, and nutrifier from her bags and knelt before the baby. It made him nervous to have her here so near to him. He’d never been this close to an insider in daylight. This insider was lovely, but in a different way than the woman who fell. The other was like a small bird. This one was stronger, but in a softer, more pleasing way than an outsider. Her shape made him uncomfortable.
“The wild talks. All creatures have to listen to hear what it says if they want to stay alive in it. Anything moving inside the wild raises alarm: birds flushing and calling, squirrels chattering and scolding, the leaves and grasses whistling and rubbing together. If you listen now, you can hear the birds singing. Their song is peaceful and happy. If they go suddenly silent and the squirrels begin to chatter and chide, we’ll know someone or something is near.”
