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  “Why are you here?” he demanded.

  Feeling the weight of the man’s eyes, Raj said, “We’re getting materials to fix our house.” He looked down at his bucket.

  “Shouldn’t you be at the river?” the man asked.

  “Yes, sir,” Raj said.

  He stared at Raj with a stern expression. For a moment, Raj was certain he would rip them away to The Heads of Colony. Finally, he said, “Get to it, then.”

  Raj scrambled to his feet and took a step backward. He watched the man, as if The Watcher might change his mind, but the man turned and stormed away without a word.

  Chapter 22: Raj

  Raj and Samel hurried through the streets until they reached an area filled with people. Raj’s heart still beat loudly from the chase, and their encounter with The Watcher. Thankfully, he saw no sign of Bailey and his friends. He and Samel continued until they were far beyond the place where they’d been chased.

  When they had made enough distance that Raj’s legs no longer shook, Samel asked, “Is that Watcher going to tell Gideon about us?”

  “I don’t think so,” Raj said, hoping that were true.

  Samel still looked afraid.

  Both of them knew the stories about those who had been caught fighting, stealing, or disrupting others’ work. Gideon and his men were strict. Causing a commotion was an easy way to land in a cell, or worse. Raj recalled the rumors of a man who had stabbed and killed another over a sprig of taproot, many years ago. If the stories were to be believed, that man had been cast out and never seen again.

  Even the simple-minded boys like Bailey knew better than to run up on one of Gideon’s trusted men.

  “Are you sure they won’t cast us out?” Samel asked.

  Raj swallowed. “I don’t think so.”

  He looked over their shoulders, as if he might find The Watcher following them, but the alley was empty. Even if they told The Watcher the truth, Bailey had enough boys around him to corroborate a lie. He and Samel were better off keeping their mouths shut.

  Swallowing, Raj worked his way west through the colony, getting far enough to see the river in the distance. Still no Bailey.

  “Aren’t we going home?” Samel asked.

  “We need materials for Helgid,” Raj said.

  “Materials?” Samel spoke as if Raj talked of a venomous beast.

  Seeing the frightened look on Samel’s face, he said, “I don’t think Bailey and the others will bother us—at least not now. You saw how The Watcher scared them. We should be safe.”

  “We should tell Helgid what happened,” Samel said, waiting for agreement.

  Raj sighed and shook his head. “What can she do?”

  “Maybe she can stop them.”

  “Helgid is as likely to be thrown in a cell as us,” Raj said. “We can’t drag her into this.”

  “Maybe she can tell those boys to stop. Maybe they’ll listen to her.”

  “She might say some words, but you heard how they spoke about her. They don’t care what she has to say.” Softening his tone, Raj said, “We shouldn’t involve her, Samel. We’ll handle our own problems, like we always have. Like Neena taught us. We’ll be fine.”

  “You promise, Raj?” Samel asked, looking up at his brother with innocent eyes.

  “I promise.”

  Chapter 23: Neena

  Neena looked down the rocky spire at the fawn’s mutilated remains. Fear coursed through her, as she said, “The blood looks fresh. My guess is that the Abomination killed the fawn this morning.”

  Kai nodded gravely.

  “I think it was related to the Rydeer,” she added.

  “What do you mean?” Kai asked.

  Neena quietly told the story of the game she’d almost caught, until the sandstorm surprised her. She told how she had spared the fawn’s life, fearing it would die without its mother. Of course, that didn’t matter now.

  Even from their high perch, Neena saw the thick cloud of flies swarming and descending, laying their eggs. More scavenging animals besides birds wouldn’t be far behind. In a land so desolate, no creature refused an easy meal.

  Looking at the ground, she pictured the enormous Abomination bursting up, bashing through the ledge on which they stood, and knocking them into its mouth.

  Kai’s words about his hunting party came back to her.

  I heard the screams. I saw the creature swallow them whole, as it erupted from the ground.

  Neena stared south, in the direction of her colony. Red Rock was still two full days’ travel away. Thinking of her colony reminded her of the hunters she’d seen on a hilltop two days ago. Those men were probably close to home by now. After a sandstorm as bad as this one, they would’ve cut their trips short to check on their families.

  Or maybe they were food for the monster.

  A shiver of dread ran through her. The next mangled body they found might be one of her colonists. The other hunters might not respect her, but she didn’t wish a death like that on anyone.

  They drank their water sparingly, waiting in silence for a long while, shifting positions occasionally, when their legs grew tired. The perch was wide enough to fit them adequately, but not comfortably. More than once, Neena caught her balance so she wouldn’t fall.

  The desert held an eerie silence.

  It felt as if the landscape was holding its breath.

  Neena saw no sign of rats, or even the squawking birds that had left earlier.

  She couldn’t imagine how Kai had spent days like this, living in a constant state of dread. The toll was evident in the circles beneath his eyes, and in his dirty, ripped clothes. She could hear it in his voice, after the days and nights he’d spent in the desert.

  Something rumbled.

  Neena gripped the wall tightly.

  She looked at Kai.

  Fear awakened in his eyes as he scanned from east to west.

  The rumble came again—faint, but loudly enough that they knew they had heard it. Neena clutched her knife in a sweaty hand. Her heart beat like a trip hammer as she searched the legions of brown dunes. The sun’s obscuring rays turned the desert into a mirage; any of those sand hills could actually be a monster, coming to eat them.

  Below them, the stream trickled faintly.

  The dark holes were entrances to some dark, horrific world.

  They waited several tense moments, not moving, not breathing.

  Slowly, Kai raised his hand to point toward the desert. He’d found something. Neena followed his finger to the source of his attention: a small, moving dot in the distance going east to west. It was some sort of animal, though it was impossible to tell the species. The animal was small and far enough away that it appeared to be going slowly, but she could tell it was going fast. Another Rydeer, perhaps, or a wolf.

  The dot picked up speed, heading behind one of the distant dunes.

  She lost sight of it.

  Neena adjusted on the ledge, trying to see past the giant mount of sand. Slowly, she and Kai shuffled.

  A boom echoed across the desert.

  A spray of sand shot up from behind the dune.

  A long, piercing screech echoed across the landscape, cutting short in a squeal of agony. Neena’s hand flew to her mouth, trapping in a cry she’d never let out.

  The sand rained back to the ground, settling behind the dune.

  Kai mouthed words she didn’t need him to speak. Stay put, stay put…

  Chapter 24: Raj

  Clusters of people waited in line, talking, or corralling their young ones. A few of the older children splashed near the riverbanks while their parents waited with their buckets. Men talked loudly about the work they’d done on their homes, or the work left to be finished.

  Raj and Samel took a spot at the end of the line.

  Setting down his bucket, Raj watched some people heading for a favored spot on the riverbank to scoop mud.

  Samel shifted from foot to foot. Every so often, he looked up the path.

&nbs
p; Filling the silence with nervous conversation, Samel asked, “Do you think we’ll be back at Helgid’s for supper?”

  “I hope,” Raj said, as he followed Samel’s gaze.

  Squinting to see through the late-afternoon glare, Raj saw three silhouettes coming down to the river. He tensed, until he realized they were hunters. Two of them walked close together, talking and hefting full bags. Another man hung back behind them. All were dressed in brown and white pants and shirts and carried long, sharp spears.

  “Hunters,” Raj said, calling Samel’s attention to them.

  “Do you think they’ve seen Neena?” Samel asked, temporarily forgetting some of his anxiety.

  “It’s possible,” Raj said. Making the quick determination that they weren’t getting any closer in line, and that Bailey and his friends weren’t around, he added, “Why don’t we go ask them?”

  Abandoning their position at the end of the line, they approached the hunters.

  The two men in front unwrapped their shawls, revealing their sweaty, bearded faces. They laughed at a joke Raj and Samel had missed. The last person walked more slowly, having trouble carrying his burden.

  Approaching the last one, Raj said, “Hello, sir.”

  The man removed his shawl, revealing a patchy beard and a cocky smile. He made a show of adjusting his bag. “Come to see how it’s done, eh?”

  Hoping to bolster the man’s ego, Raj said, “It sounds as if the hunt was successful.”

  “I caught a big, fat Rydeer.” The man grinned. “I speared it myself.”

  “Where was it?”

  The man cranked a thumb over his shoulder. “About a day’s travel north. It was drinking near a spring.”

  “It sounds as if you are skilled,” Raj complimented.

  “I am.” The man smiled, revealing a mouthful of crooked teeth. “I can throw a spear faster than an animal can run. Perhaps I can give you some tips, when you get older.”

  “I’d like that.” Sensing his opportunity, Raj asked, “Do you mind if I ask you about something?”

  “Sure, what is it?”

  “I was wondering if you’d seen my sister,” Raj said, trying to disguise his worry.

  Before the man could answer, the others turned and approached.

  “Who’s he looking for?” one of them overheard, wiping some greasy sweat from his brow.

  “His sister,” the younger man repeated.

  The two older men exchanged curt smiles. Seeing them up close, Raj recognized them from previous run-ins. It seemed as if they recognized him, too.

  “Your sister?” One of the older men laughed. “Shouldn’t she be down by the river?”

  The first man chuckled.

  “She was out hunting, like you,” Raj said, sticking his chin out the way he’d seen grown men do. “I was hoping she was heading back after the storm.”

  “If she was in the storm, she’d better have held onto her spear,” the bearded man said, making a show of grabbing his crotch. The others laughed.

  Perhaps trying to curry favor with the older men, the first hunter said, “Maybe the wind carried her up to the twin moons.”

  More laughter.

  “Wait a moment,” one of the men piped up, before Raj and Samel could leave. “I think I saw her.”

  A small hope filled Raj’s stomach. “You did?”

  “She was the one with the baby under her shawl, wasn’t she?” he asked, unable to hide his coy smile, as he held one of his arms to his breast and rocked it back and forth.

  “Never mind,” Raj said, pulling Samel’s arm. “We’ll find her ourselves.”

  Together, he and Samel walked back to the line, resuming their wait for the straw.

  Chapter 25: Raj

  Helgid stood from the hearth as she saw Raj and Samel coming through the door, setting down some utensils and brushing off her hands. She smiled.

  “Long line at the river?” she asked knowingly.

  “Yes.” Raj hefted his heavy bucket to show her the water and mud inside. He traded a knowing look with Samel, who carried the straw.

  “How many were waiting?”

  “A few hundred.”

  “After a storm like this, it is no wonder. Thank you for sparing an old woman’s back.” Helgid made a show of grimacing.

  Raj smiled. Her kind words were meant to make him and Samel feel useful. Still, he appreciated the compliment.

  “I’ll make some broth for dinner,” she said.

  Glancing at the wall, where Helgid had stuffed the broken pieces earlier, Raj asked, “We should have enough material to fix all the holes.”

  “That sounds great,” Helgid said, filling one of her pots with water. “We can start on them after supper.”

  Turning with his bucket, Raj ran his fingers over one of the holes, gauging the size.

  He recalled a storm a few months ago, when he and Neena had worked together, repairing several holes in the walls in their own house, while Samel laughed and played. That memory gave him a wave of nostalgia that deepened his worry. He prayed she’d be home soon.

  “I almost forgot something,” Helgid said, picking up a spoon.

  “What is it?” Raj asked, turning.

  “You had a visitor.”

  “Me?” At first, Raj thought she was speaking of Neena. Then he recalled The Watcher’s stern expression, and his strong, waving hand. What if the intimidating man had thought better of his warning, and come to rip them away?

  “It was a girl.”

  “A…girl?” Raj’s brow furrowed in surprise.

  “The one you helped this morning,” Helgid said. “She came to say thank you.”

  Raj recalled the frantic girl who had been outside the home, and her mournful tears. He didn’t even know her name. In the frenzy of the moment, there hadn’t been time to catch it. He looked from Helgid to the door, as if the girl might be standing there, unnoticed. Of course, she wasn’t.

  “She left a while ago,” Helgid clarified. “But she wanted me to give you this.”

  Helgid reached into the folds of her shawl, pulling out a round, shiny piece of metal. Raj walked over tentatively, receiving a gift he hadn’t expected.

  “What is it?”

  “She said it was one of her grandmother’s keepsakes,” Helgid explained. “She saved it from the rubble, along with a few other personal items, before The Watchers carried away the remnants of her grandmother’s building. She wanted you to have it.”

  Raj opened his hand and took it. The piece of metal had several strange markings on its surface. A few indents on its sides contained some crusted sand. The object looked as if it was in its original state—unmelted, perhaps even whole. Maybe it has looked the same for generations, Raj thought with awe. Rarely did the colonists own anything that they couldn’t find an obvious use for. As his father used to say, waste was a luxury for the heavens.

  He swallowed as he turned the unique piece in his hand.

  “Can I see it?” Samel asked. Curiosity got the better of him as he peered over Raj’s outstretched hand.

  “Did the girl say what it was?” Raj asked Helgid.

  “No,” Helgid said. “She only knew that her grandmother had kept it for many years. It meant something to her. She thought that you should have it, for assisting her.”

  Raj nodded, trying to envision the dead woman as she had looked alive, rather than a sand-covered, lifeless body. Perhaps she was in the heavens and watching them right now. That thought gave him warmth he hadn’t felt in a long while. It was certainly better than the fear that had accompanied him for most of the afternoon.

  “Did you catch the girl’s name?” Raj asked.

  “It was a nice name,” Helgid said. “I think it was Adriana.”

  “Adriana,” Raj repeated, feeling more of the same warmth. “Do you know where she lives?”

  Helgid looked as if she was trying to remember. “Next to the house where you pulled out her grandmother, I think.”

  Raj cl
osed his fist around the object, then opened his fingers again, unable to stop staring at the wondrous piece. “I should thank her,” he said.

  “She was off to visit some of the other people who helped, so you might not find her now,” Helgid said. “Perhaps tomorrow morning would be the best time to catch her, after the ceremony.”

  Raj reluctantly agreed, even though he wanted nothing more than to leave and thank the girl now.

  He couldn’t erase a thought from his mind, as he looked at the piece in his hand. Had the other people who assisted her received strange gifts, too?

  Chapter 26: Gideon

  Gideon stood in the center of the Comm Building’s main room. For once, he was away from the bustle of his people, away from The Heads of Colony. Most were outside, finishing the last of their duties. He looked up at the ceiling. A few nicks and marks on the building’s exterior told the story of yesterday’s storm, but thankfully, they had no large holes to patch.

  More importantly, none of his men were injured.

  Cherishing a rare, quiet moment, Gideon slicked back his gray hair, clearing the sweat of a busy day from his brow. His bones ached from a long day of standing and thinking. Too many decisions weighed on his mind. Sitting at a chair by the round table, he thought them over.

  As his father had taught him, an overlooked detail was better caught early.

  He kept an absent eye on the strange, round piece of the satellite dish as he rolled the plans of the day over in his head. Most of the damaged crops had been ferreted out and sorted. The Crop Tenders had brought them to the secured storehouse at the front of the colony, where The Watchers could keep an eye on them. Tomorrow, the Crop Tenders would distribute them to the hungry colonists.

  All that was left was to speak his words at the ceremony.

  Gideon thought about the speech he’d recited too many times. Those consoling euphemisms, written by his forefathers and spoken at every ceremony, would help the colonists grieve. Gideon didn’t believe half of those words—he was too jaded to believe something existed, other than a sky full of stars and a ground that was too easy to be buried in—but the words were necessary.