Root (Energy Anthology) by Lloyd Matthew Thompson Page B

him. He realized she was, and fear coursed through his veins once again. What was she going to do to him? He thrashed his body as hard as he could, trying to buck her off.
    The woman’s wrinkled fingers touched the center of his forehead, instantly calming him. Her hand grabbed both sides of his jaw firmly, and turned his head to one side. Tilting her own head slightly upward, she peered down her nose at him. A wet clucking sound came from her mouth as she turned him the other way. “Hmmm…” she muttered, releasing his face and sitting up straight on him.
    Lam now saw the sky had grown dark, as if the blackness that had overtaken his vision in sleep had somehow stained the expanse, and he had ruined it forever. Maybe that’s why the old woman had pinned him to the ground. Why wasn’t he afraid anymore?
    In the light of a huge bonfire raging nearby, he saw he was no longer where he had fallen asleep. Gone were the droopy leaves hanging over him, and the soft bed of vines underneath him. How had he gotten here? The flames from the fire, with its sparks and embers floating into the night, mesmerized him. Had he ever seen anything so beautiful? The sky had been beautiful, but had it been as beautiful as this fire? He realized this was the flicker reflecting in the old woman’s eyes, and almost smiled as the thought occurred to him that this same beauty was flickering in his own eyes as well.
    Beyond the sound of the round woman’s labored breathing, Lam became aware he was hearing something else. Consistent chirping came from the darkness in all directions. Had the birds returned? Had they been waiting for night to come out? That seemed odd. No, this must be something else. Weren’t there night creatures here? Crickets. Yes. The silence that had deafened him was broken at last, by crickets. Lam did smile now. He was no longer alone.
    “SEED!”
    The old woman jolted him from his thoughts. How was such an old woman able to project her voice so loudly?
    A murmuring joined in the chorus of crickets. Voices! There were people here! Had the Others found him after all? Was this woman one of them? His internal anxiety increased, but his body remained strangely calm and unmoving. He knew his life was over now. His body was already lost.
    With the aid of a thick tree branch that had been stripped and shaped, the woman slowly stood her plump, old body off him. He realized that was most likely the stick that had been used to poke him awake.
    She spread her arms to each side, never taking her eyes from his face, never dropping the smile from her face. There was a rustling and shuffling all around, and Lam saw a ring of people moving into view. They drew closer and stared at him. Lam squeezed his eyes shut and felt the tension in his body increase as he braced for the Others to recognize him and rush to attack him.
    “Ric’ua!” the old woman called out. The Others did not attack him, but instead gathered tighter and seemed to be even more interested in him than before. What had she told them? Were these not the Others? A woman broke from the circle around him. Her figure was silhouetted against the bonfire as she cautiously approached them. She moved to the other side of them and knelt to the earth. The blaze now illuminated her features. Her eyes sparkled and glowed as if they were made of diamonds. The fire accented what lines and wrinkles life had given her, but it was difficult to determine her age. She stared at Lam for a brief moment before turning her face up to the standing woman.
    “Your son no longer lives,” the round one said.
    A wail burst from the woman kneeling beside him. The diamond sparkles in her eyes fell to her cheeks and rushed to her chin. She collapsed to the ground, moaning and shuddering. Gasps and cries rose from the crowd all around. The old woman raised her arms to the people, signaling for silence.
    “Ric’ua,” she spoke to the weeping woman, “Ric’ua, mourn as you must, but you are blessed