Ferals

Shoji's POV

No one notices me as I sit quietly beneath the small shade of a scrub tree a few feet away from the two small, pale men tied spread eagle to stakes on the ground. They have been stripped of all their clothing and left to bake in the hot sun. The one that was caught the day before has already started to blister. I listen intently as they speak quietly to each other in their strange but somewhat familiar language. The new man seems to be giving the other man orders of some kind. I’ve come to understand some of their words from previous captives, and since the man from yesterday has a habit of talking to himself. The interrogators will be arriving soon, as soon as the council meeting my brother, Kijani, has called ends. I would love to be sitting outside the tupek listening to what they have to say, since Kijani says I’m not old enough to attend yet. I usually sit outside and listen in on the discussions, I have pointed out to him several times that since our parents died and he became Sachem and I became Shaman, that in itself should give me the right to join. He says fourteen is still too young, and that he will always relay any important information to me after the meetings. Which we all know really means, is that he will tell me what he deems important. I love my brother but he is a bit over protective. Honestly, I think it's because I’m female, but he denies that as well.

I quiet my thoughts and concentrate on listening to the men.

“Lieutenant, do you think the General will send a rescue party for us?” the blistered man asks.

“No. We are on our own. The only thing left to do is die with honor and not betray our people. Do not tell them anything Private. Name and rank only. That’s an order, do you understand?” the new man asks.

“Mason, sir.” The blistered one responds.

“What?” the other man hisses.

“My name sir, Mason. If I am to die, I’d like someone to know my name.” the blistered man rasps, then he whispers, “I don’t want to die.”

Silence followed his statement. A few moments later, the door to the tupek opens, Kijani and Tafari make their way over to the prisoners. I slip from my hiding place beneath the tree and slide up silently behind them.

Kijani looks down at the blistered man, “Erewhay areway ouyay eepingkay ethay ildrenchay?” “Where are you keeping the children?”    

“Mason, Private first class.” The blistered man responds weakly.

Kijani and Tafari exchange looks.

“Isthay isway idiculousray.  Ashay anyway oneway eenbay ableway otay anslatetray atwhay eythay areway ayingsay?” “This is ridiculous. Has any one been able to translate what they are saying?” Kijani grumbles to Tafari.

Before Tafari can answer, I slide between them, “ Iway avehay eenbay udyingstay  emthay eakingspay orfay away ilewhay ownay.  Iway ancay ytray otay interpretway .”  “I have been studying them speaking for a while now.  I can try to interpret.”

Kijani looks at me doubtfully. I glare back at him. After a few moments of silent stand off, he nods his approval. I turn toward the prisoners and kneel beside the blistered one.

“Where you keep children?” I ask him. His eyes widen in fear and he starts to stammer.

“I..I..I uh..”

“Silence Private!” the new prisoner screams at the blistered man.

Kijani scowls down at them and looks at me silently asking what was said.

Pointing at the new man, I tell Kijani, “Ethay ewnay anmay illway otnay etlay ethay otherway anmay eakspay.” “The new man will not let the other man speak.”

Kijani nods at Tafari, “Eparatesay emthay, enthay ytray againway.  Oodgay objay Shoji, etgay asway uchmay informationway asway ouyay ancay.  Iway illway eakspay ithway ouyay atway astlay ealmay. Aystay ithway erhay, Tafari, inway asecay eshay eedsnay assistanceway.” “Separate them, then try again.  Good job Shoji, get as much information as you can.  I will speak with you at last meal. Stay with her, Tafari, in case she needs assistance.” 

With that he marches off toward his personal tupek. Tafari bends over, cutting the bindings of the blistered man. Muttering quietly under his breath about having to babysit and take orders from children. I look at him and smirk, it’s not often I get to have authority over my brother’s friend. While Tafari cuts the blistered man loose, the other man starts screaming at him, repeating the same thing over and over again.

“Don’t tell them anything Private, that’s an order!”

We ignore him and lead the blistered man to Tafari’s tupek. Once inside, Tafari pushes the man to the floor and binds his hands behind his back. I scowl at Tafari, he looks at me and shrugs, crossing his arms over his chest. His top lip curls in a defiant smirk of his own.

I sit down beside the blistered man. He looks at me with fear in his eyes.

“Please… please don’t kill me.” He cries softly.

“Mason.” I say, pressing my hand to his chest. Tafari growls behind him, warning me to keep my distance.

The man cowers, but nods his head up and down in conformation. I press my hand against my chest and say, “Shoji.” The man nods again and repeats my name. I point at Tafari, “Tafari.” Mason nods and repeats Tafari’s name as well.

“Inkdray?” I ask him, pointing to a cup.

“Drink?” he nods, licking his chapped lips.

I fill the cup with water and lift it to his lips, he drinks greedily. After a few gulps, I take the cup away before he can make himself sick from drinking too much too fast.

Tafari rolls his eyes at me behind the prisoners back. “Ouyay areway otay etgay answersway omfray imhay, otnay abybay imhay.” “You are to get answers from him, not baby him.”

Ignoring Tafari, “Where you keep children?” I ask Mason again. He looks at me for a long moment before replying.

“If I tell you what I know, will you let me go?” he imploringly asks.

I look over his shoulder at Tafari,  “Ehay antsway otay owknay ifway eway illway etlay imhay ogay ifway ehay ooperatescay.” “He wants to know if we will let him go if he cooperates.”  I inform him.

“Iway oubtday itway.” “I doubt it.” He growls back at me.

“I speak my brother for you.” I look back and answer Mason. He takes a moment, I watch as several emotions run across his face. Slowly he raises his eyes to meet mine. “I..I don’t want to die. I don’t know where they keep them. We give them over to the General once we arrive back to the outer wall. He meets us a few klicks from the outer wall with a few men and we return to the barracks.” He answers.

I frown in confusion, not understanding everything he said.

“What is klick?”

“Klick is how we measure distance, one klick is one kilometer, or a thousand meters.” He tells me.

Still not sure exactly what he means, I continue with my next question.

“What is General?”

“Uhmm.. he is our commander, our leader… uh, our chief.” He answers.

“Chief, like Sachem, like my brother, Kijani?” I ask.

“Yes.” He nods.

“What is barracks?” I continue the questioning, offering him another drink of water.

When he finishes, he answers, “The barracks is where we soldiers live, where we stay.” He says, looking up and around, motioning with his head. “Like this, but bigger, many, many men live there.”

“What is many?” I ask.

“Hundreds and hundreds.” He replies.

“What General do with children?” I ask.

“I don’t know. He takes them, then we don’t see them again. We are sworn to secrecy, no one knows that he is even taking them. ” He drops his eyes as he answers.

Horrified, I fight the tears welling in my eyes.  Tafari sees my expression and emits a low growl from deep within his chest.  Mason cringes and shrinks into himself.  I take a few deep breaths then draw a large square in the dirt between us. To the right of the square I draw a sun, representing east, to the left a moon, representing west.  Above it shapes representing mountains to the north and waves below it representing the great waters of the south. Looking over Mason`s shoulder, I order Tafari, “Emoveray ishay indingsbay.” “Remove his bindings.”

“Here is wall.” I say, pointing to the square. “Where is barracks, where is General?” I ask, as Tafari reluctantly cuts the rope around his wrists.

Mason rubs his raw and bleeding wrist, then looks at the square I’ve drawn. He reaches down and draws a circle inside the square, then another smaller circle inside the first one. Between the two circles on the western side he draws a small square.

“This,” he points to the larger circle, “ is another wall, the inner city wall. Here is the barracks.” He points to the small square. “And this,” he points to the smaller circle, “ is another wall, the garrison wall. Inside this wall is where the General lives.” He makes another small square in the center of the smaller circle.

“Ietay imhay ackbay upway.  Iway eednay otay eakspay ithway ymay otherbray.” “Tie him back up.  I need to speak with my brother.” I tell Tafari as I study the marks Mason made.

“I thought you would let me go?” He pleads with me as Tafari binds his wrists once again, then secures him to the center pole of the tupek.

“I speak my brother for you. You have to give help before set free.” Standing, I answer him, then turn to speak to Tafari.

“Aystay ithway imhay. Iway illway ebay ackbay oonsay.” “Stay with him. I will be back soon.” Tafari nods in acknowledgement, not even grumbling about me giving him orders. 

“But, I told you everything I know! I did help!” he cries as I walk to the door.

“No enough.” I answer as I stride away to find my brother.