Kelly's Adventure. Chapter 8

[random_xtras]

“What is that?” Kelly stopped and frowned at something sticking up out of the grass.
Dano stopped and looked down at her questioningly, then followed her pointing finger. “It’s another sign, like the one we looked at yesterday.”
Caudis shook his head in disbelief. “The Hill People must have killed all their sheep to get the leather to wrap those slates.”
Kelly walked over to examine the sign, running her fingers over the carved sloth’s head on top of the pole. Under it, hanging by a leather thong, was a hide-wraped package containing two wooden slates carefully printed with pictures similar to the ones she’d drawn for the red-haired Hill man, with subtle differences. The people in the pictures were tall and curly-haired, the animal being kicked was a sloth calf, and it was the woman hitting her husband instead of the other way around.
A Sloth Person translation of ‘the Gospel according to Kelly’, she mused, fingering the thong. She wondered which version of the pictures the man who’d approached Caudis had been carrying.
She grinned again, remembering his indignation at being mistaken for an unbeliever.
Caudis glanced ahead. “Come on, Kerry. Let’s go. We want to get under the trees before this fog goes up and turns into more snow, remember?”
Kelly shivered and pulled one arm into her poncho, putting her numb fingers on Tan to warm them up. “I’m coming.”
Caudis noticed her shivering and lay his nearly empty bag around her shoulders. “Here, this will help.”
“Thanks,” she said gratefully. “My arms and legs are frozen.”
“It will be warmer under the trees,” said Dano encouragingly. “Not far, now.”
“Good. This wind feels like a knife.” She huddled deeper into her poncho, thankful for the newly tanned sheepskin she wore fur side in over her shoulders.
“I’ve never felt it this cold,” said Caudis, pulling his hands under his cloak. “Look, some of the plants are dying.”
Kelly frowned at the shrivled leaves on the bush he pointed to. “Is that because of the cold?”
“I think so,” said Dano, moving so that he served as a mobile windbreak. “Nothing will eat that kind of tree. It’s too strong-tasting.”
“So, this isn’t normal, then? You don’t usually have winter here?” She frowned up at him, feeling a cold fear in the pit of her stomach.
“Winter is the cold part of the year?” He nodded. “No, we have it. But not like this. Caudis is right. This cold is strange. Snow usually doesn’t happen very often; usually, the rain just gets colder.” He pulled his cloak tight and squared his shoulders against a sudden blast of wind. “And the wind usually doesn’t blow this hard.”
Kelly looked around at the browning grasses and shivered again, feeling creeped out like she did the time she’d watched a scary movie when she was little.
“There’s something walking over there.” Caudis motioned to the right with his chin.
“I know,” said Dano. “It’s not big, we’re safe.”
Caudis nodded, but dropped back slightly so that he was following Kelly and Dano, watching their backs.
Kelly glanced back. “Are you still mad at that little guy that tried to tell you about Jesus?”
He snorted and swiped at a fluffy seedhead with his spear. “No. He just didn’t know. Now, I think it’s funny.”
“With zeal like that the whole Grassy Lands will be reached with the Good Story,” commented Dano with a chuckle.
Kelly grinned and looked ahead at the trees, longing for their shelter from the hard pellets of snow that were starting to blow in her face. Dano put an arm around her shoulders to brace her against the force of the wind, and she lowered her head and put both hands on Tan, pushing on blindly.
The wind died down as they approached the eves of the forest, muffled by the trees. The three of them stopped and caught their breath, glancing around watchfully. Kelly still felt like she was bucking the wind.
“Look,” said Caudis suddenly.
Kelly and Dano turned and saw a small woman in a bulky felt wrap come out of the grass a few meters to their right. She turned to look at them, pushing white hair back under her shawl, then waved and disappeared into the undergrowth.
Kelly looked up at Dano. “The Grassy Lands will be reached with the Good Story?”
“I underestimated them,” he said, blinking.
“And that was a young girl,” said Caudis, looking worried. “And she’s all by herself.”
Kelly watched the place the other girl had disappeared, feeling humbled. She’d thought she was doing something great for the Kingdom of God by going along with Caudis and Dano. But this girl had also left her own world, by her own choice, without even the promise that she could go home to her family when she was done.
God, be with her, prayed Kelly, blinking tears that ran down to sting her cheeks.
“Come, let’s go.” Dano squeezed her shoulder and turned her gently to face the forest.
“Yeah.” She reached up through the neckline of her poncho and wiped her face, then rested her wet hand on Tan. The puppy stirred slightly and licked her fingers.
“Euww,” said Kelly softly, grinning through her tears.
“What is it, Kerry-bird?” Dano looked down at her.
“Just a puppy kiss.” She wiped the slobber off on Tan’s back, glancing up at the high branches as they walked along a path between rhododendrons that drooped and curled in the chill. “Look, the trees are losing their leaves.”
Dano tipped his head back. “Yes. This kind does that in the winter.”
“That one doesn’t.” Caudis pointed. “Besides, this isn’t winter.”
“I know.” Dano sighed and shifted his cloak so that the other arm stuck out. “The forest is dying.”
Caudis gave him a spooked glance and looked around unhappily.
Kelly bumped him gently with her shoulder. “Hey, don’t be scared.”
“I’m not,” he said. “I think. Just…feeling strange in my insides.”
Kelly nodded and looked up at Dano.
“It makes me feel strange to see it, too,” he said, his voice a low rumble. “Things that have been the same for my whole life are changing now.”
“The world’s not going to end before we go back to Earth, is it?” asked Caudis anxiously.
“No. The prophecy says that the messenger will take the faithful remnant back to the Savior’s world before this world will end, remember?” Dano looked around, frowning. “I want to go and look around. Find somewhere for Kerry to sit while I’m gone. The two of you should eat, it will help you get warm.”
“T’k T’toe,” said Caudis absently, looking around for a sheltered place.
Dano smiled and winked at Kelly, then turned to go.
“Shouldn’t we look at the map again?” she asked quickly, feeling uneasy about him leaving even for a little while.
“Yeah.” Caudis turned, a look of relief on his face. “Let’s look at the map and make sure we're going the right way.”
Dano stopped and looked at them. “Okay. But I’m sure we didn’t turn to the right or left. I watched the sun.”
“I just want to make totally sure,” said Kelly, holding Tan close under her poncho as she leaned over to look at the map that Dano tried to hold flat against the wind.
“Me too,” said Caudis, his eyes on the flapping piece of paper.
Dano gave them a knowing look that they didn’t notice. “This is where we are, I think. See, there’s the Hill village.”
“Uh huh,” Caudis frowned, turning his head sideways. “So the New Jerusalem place should be….” He glanced up and frowned. “Straight that way, right?”
“Yes.” Dano nodded. “But there’s a landmark to look for, see? This big…what is that, Kerry? It says ‘tall house’.”
She squinted and held the paper down with her elbow. “Looks like a tower.”
“A tower?” He studied the map for a few more minutes, then gently pushed her off of it and rolled it up. “What are towers for?”
“Well, in the old days on Earth they were used for a place to watch out for or hide from enemies,” said Kelly.
Dano frowned and looked thoughtfully the way they had to go, then turned back and squeezed her shoulder. “Take care of Caudis till I come back.”
“Hey!” Caudis turned back from examining a tangle of overgrown raspberry bushes, but Dano only chuckled and strode away, swinging his club.
Caudis looked down at Kelly, nonplused. “I thought I was supposed to take care of you.”
“Does it hurt you to not be the one in charge?” She stopped laughing and raised one eyebrow, ready to tell him what she thought of chauvinism.
“What does ‘in charge’ mean?” he asked cautiously.
“Being boss,” said Kelly shortly.
“I’m not the boss,” Caudis wrinkled his nose, plainly impatient with the idea. “I just want make sure you’re safe.”
She pinked slightly, looking away. “I should have known.”
“Known what?” He moved to try and see her face, but she looked down quickly so he couldn’t.
“Never mind.” She took Tan out of her pouch and set her down to play. “It doesn't mean that you can’t take care of me just because Dano told me to take care of you.”
“Oh.” He relaxed and pointed to a big old tree. “Do you want to go in there? It’s empty.”
“Sure.” She went over to the tree and walked around it, finding that there wasn’t much left of the trunk. Still, it offered protection from the wind on two sides and comfortable places to sit in the form of large dead branches that lay on the thick layer of rotten wood that filled the base of the hollow.
Tan waddled in and started poking her pug nose into the fluffy carpet, snuffing and sneezing excitedly.
Caudis stepped over the low rim and stooped to tickle the puppy’s ribs. “What are you doing, huh big scary dog? Are you taking care of us?”
Tan rolled over on her side, her face split by a huge panting ‘grin’ as she wagged her bum and tried to hug his hand with her forepaws.
Caudis laughed and scratched her tummy, then scooped her up and cuddled her close under his chin while she squirmed and twisted around to lick his chin.
“Euww!” he laughed. “Puppy kisses! Puppy kisses!”
He lifted the wriggly puppy to his eye level, grinning broadly. “Are you a good baby? Are you? Yes! You’re a good baby! Whoops! Ha ha, careful, I nearly dropped you. And that wouldn't be good, you're too little.” He snuggled her in the crook of his arm, looking down at her and murmuring gently in his native language as he smoothed the wrinkles between her ears with one finger.
Kelly watched them contentedly, her heart full as she watched Caudis’ face. She still couldn’t get over the fact that someone as serious as he was could be so tender inside.
Perching on another branch, she rested her chin on her fist and envisioned herself in a few years, married and the mother of a baby like Cory. In the picture she saw Caudis playing with the baby just like he was playing with Tan now. Then she daydreamed of what it would be like to be in labour with Caudis beside her. A dreamy smile came to her face as she thought of his concern and care.
“Kerry, what are you thinking about?”
Kelly blinked and looked up guiltily. “Huh?”
Caudis grinned. “You had a very happy look on your face. You must have been thinking of something good.”
“Oh.” She felt herself turn intensely red. “Um, it wasn’t anything.”
He set Tan down and came to crouch in front of her. “It was a private thought?” he asked, studying her expression.
“Uh,” she felt like a blood vessel was going to explode in her face. “Yeah. It was a private thought.”
“Oh.” He nodded. “I’m sorry I made you embarrassed.” He turned away from her and watched Tan dig a clumsy furrow in the loam. “Do you think she’s hunting?”
Kelly looked at him in grateful surprise, her fantasies and discomfort forgotten. Somewhere, sometime, he had learned tact. “No. She’s probably just playing. I think she likes the feel of this stuff.”
“I like it too.” Caudis plunked his butt down and crossed his legs, then called to the puppy. She looked up questioningly and turned to waddle in his direction, but got distracted by a stick that jumped up when she stepped on one end.
“She’s so much like a weaned baby.” Caudis chuckled softly and wonderingly. “I didn’t know dogs could be so interesting.” Then he ducked as loam started flying in his direction. “Whoops! Euww!”
Kelly laughed and called to the puppy. “Hey, fatty, what do you think you’re doing?”
Tan looked up and wagged her bum, then started dragging the lively stick over to show them, but it got hung up on a bigger stick and jerked free, knocking her over. Startled, she whimpered softly, looking around fearfully with her big eyes.
“Oh, oh.” Kelly got up to comfort the pup.
“Is she okay?” Caudis settled back onto the loam, watching her with concern.
“Yeah, she just got scared.” Kelly broke the stick into manageable pieces and stacked them like firewood in front of Tan. “Cory did this a couple of times with a toy he had. It had a loud squeaker in it.” She grinned at the memory. “Poor little guy, he’d look at us with this scared expression, like ‘was that supposed to happen?’ We finally put the toy away till he’s older.”
Caudis leaned forward, face alight with interest. “How old is Cory?”
“He’ll be three months old, now,” said Kelly softly, thinking of her baby brother. “He always goes nuts when we eat. Dad said he could have grown-up food in a couple of months, but we’re already giving him little bits of rice and mashed carrot and pea.”
Caudis grinned. “Is he fat?”
“Oh yes. He has rolls over his ribs, and dimples on his knees.” Kelly poked at the fat on Tan’s ribs to illustrate. “But he doesn't have big cheeks, like most fat babies. His eyes are huge; they always remind me of a kitten, especially when he cuddles close to your chest with one little fist by his mouth and looks around before he goes to sleep. And he’s already trying to talk. He says ‘guy’ when someone says he’s a baby. There was a woman crying on TV once and Cory was watching, when Dad changed the channel he started to fuss and then leaned back and said, ‘cuy!’ really loud. He also says, ‘ungee, ungee’ when he wants to eat.” She realized she had kicked into brag on the baby mode and looked up guiltily.
Caudis was grinning. “He sounds like a fun baby. Do you think your mom would let me take care of him sometimes while she works?”
“Mom likes it when people come over to play with him, so does he. Too much time with only the family around makes him bored.” Kelly chuckled and shook her head. “He likes to visit so much that he’ll go to the girls that work in the stores and try to get them to give him a kiss.”
Caudis looked at her in wonder. “And it’s safe? He can do that?”
Kelly shrugged. “We’re always right there, keeping an eye on him.”
He shook his head slowly. “So it wasn’t such a strange thing when I asked if I could help take care of him.” He looked up and grinned. “I hope we get to go soon. I want to see Cory and your parents, especially Cory.”
“Have you spent much time with babies?” Kelly grinned back, absently rolling Tan over and rubbing her into the loam while the puppy squirmed happily and gummed her fingers.
Caudis nodded. “I helped a man with his baby till he got a new wife. It was the year Dano and I were in the far part of the broken country.” He smiled at the memory, a little sadly, it seemed. “The baby was a boy. He was small, but he could be very loud, and his dad was afraid of him a little bit.”
“Afraid of his baby?” Kelly frowned.
“Yeah. In that village it was the women’s job to take care of the babies, so he didn’t know what to do. But I liked the baby. He was …like Tan.”
“Cute?”
“Is that what cute means?” He looked up. “Yeah, he was cute.” Then he frowned. “Some people think guinea pigs are cute? Euww!”
Kelly chuckled, then stiffened as he suddenly leapt to his feet and turned around, his spear held in both hands.
Something moved in a clump of bushes to one side of the path Dano had taken and she caught a glimpse of a human face. Her heart starting to hammer, she stood slowly, putting one foot on each side of Tan and clutching the cord on her mace tightly. God, help?
Caudis lifted his spear slightly. “I see you,” he challenged. “Come out and talk.”
“They’re not going to understand Book language,” whispered Kelly.
He nodded without turning. “Y’rgrdt’! T’nspvr!”
Still there was no response. Kelly bent swiftly and scooped Tan into her empty arm, her eyes on the place the strangers were hiding. “How would Dano say it in his language?”
“Aiie!” whispered Caudis mournfully. “Kerry, you always ask me hard things.”
Kelly thought of the letter in Dano’s new Book, trying to put meanings to words. “Molando! Molando!” she called hesitantly. “Wonid!”
At first, only silence answered her, but then the bushes parted and a man came forward uncertainly, his hands lifted in a gesture of peace. “Wonid?” he rumbled in a hoarse voice.
“Peace.” Kelly nodded, watching as he stopped several paces away. “Oh, look at his face, Caudis. What happened to him?”
“It looks like someone cut his nose with a knife.” Caudis looked suspiciously toward the bushes. “There’s still someone hiding over there.”
Kelly glanced toward them quickly, then went back to studying the man.
He would have been nearly as tall as Dano if he hadn’t stood with a pronounced stoop, his broad shoulders hunched like those of a dog that expects to be hit. His bare arms were covered with a mat of dark, curly hair, and all Kelly could make out of his face past the wild beard was his disfigured nose and two frightened brown eyes.
He looked back at her, his expression changing slowly to wonder. “Ohanno?” he asked, pointing to her.
“He’s asking if you’re from Dano’s village,” said Caudis, still watching the bushes.
Kelly shook her head. “No Ohanno. Edmontonian.”
“Edmontoneeann?” the stranger repeated slowly, drooping a bit more.
“Tell the other one to come out,” whispered Caudis.
Kelly pointed to the bushes. “Molando!”
The man turned and called gently in a language that rippled like water over stones, his broken voice gentle and coaxing.
Once more the bushes parted. A fearful face peered out at them, then withdrew.
“It’s a woman,” said Kelly softly.
“I saw.” Caudis’ face lost a little of its grim expression. “Molando,” he repeated softly, encouraging the stranger to call again.
The man pleaded and soothed, and finally his companion stepped slowly out of the covering shrubbery and made her way to his side. She was tall and could have been beautiful if she hadn’t been so thin. Tendrils of dark strawberry blond hair fell into haunted eyes nearly the same grey-green as Caudis’. Her graceful nose was disfigured in the same way as the man’s.
“Why would anyone want to do something like that to their face?” whispered Kelly to herself.
Caudis shrugged, his face softening further as the woman gave a fearful start and huddled close to the man’s side. “I wish we could tell them they don’t need to be afraid.”
“I don’t know enough Dano language,” said Kelly. “I wish they could understand what we’re saying.”
“I…I do.”
Kelly and Caudis both started and looked at the woman, who cringed back.
“You understand us?” asked Caudis. “You talk Book language?”
“Yes.” Her voice was barely audible. “Though it was not called that where I spoke it.”
“You’re using words that even Dano didn’t know when I first met him,” said Kelly in wonder. “Where did you learn it?”
The woman glanced fearfully eastward. “I have always spoken it.”
Kelly pondered that, watching as the woman swayed slightly on her feet and the man put out his arm to steady her gently.
“Are you hungry?” she asked.
“No!” The woman’s face twisted painfully. “No longer. I am a dog.”
“I don’t understand.” Caudis looked confused.
“Pray that you never do,” she said sadly.
“Can I ask you guys a question?” Kelly set Tan down and held her between her feet again.
“Yes.” The woman looked at the pup wonderingly. “What is it?”
“You’re not lepers, are you?”
“No. We are not ill.”
“Well, then, why don’t you come out of the wind and snow? There’s enough room in here for all of us.”
The woman stared at her for a few minutes, blinking as though she was trying to make out what Kelly had said. “You want us to come into your shelter?”
“Yeah.” Kelly reached over and moved Caudis aside. “Come on, you're not dressed for this kind of weather.”
The woman hesitated, her face twisting again. Kelly felt an ache at the terror and pain that she saw in her expression.
She turned to the man. “Molando.” She pointed to a branch and pantomimed coming in and sitting.
He drew back slightly; looking at her doubtfully, but then looked down at the woman and nodded.
Tan gave a shrill puppy yap of warning as he stepped over the edge of the hollow, her button ears pressed back.
“Oh!” He stopped and stared at her in astonishment.
“Come on. Molando.” Kelly picked her up and slipped her into her pouch, then backed away and sat on the branch nearest the wall. “Sit down, Caudis. They’re looking at your spear.”
“Sorry.” He came and sat next to her, sticking the spear in the back of his belt. “Please, come and sit down.”
The four of them sat and looked at each other in silence.
Then Caudis glanced around, checked the area outside the tree, and turned to the man. “My name is Caudis. This is my sister, Kerry.”
“Kerry?” The stranger’s face lit up. “Bzzz, tweet, kerry?”
“Yeah.” Caudis nodded. “What’s your name?”
“Caudis,” the man repeated carefully, pointing. “Kerry.” Then he pointed to himself. “Stepano.”
“What’s your name?” Kelly asked the woman after an awkward silence.
“I have none,” she said listlessly.
“You don’t have a name?” Kelly looked at her in surprise. “Why not?”
“It was taken from me.”
“Someone took your name?”
“It matters not,” said the woman fatalistically. “I’m a dog, I don’t need a name.”
Kelly started to feel a little impatient with her answers. “Everyone needs a name. You can’t just go around saying ‘hey, you’ all the time. What does Stepano call you?”
The woman gave her a frightened look. “Dora, meaning gilded.”
Kelly smiled. “That’s pretty. And it suits you, too, your skin looks golden.”
Dora put a thin hand to her face, her eyes going dull. “I suppose it does.”
“Ask her if her village is near here,” said Caudis.
Kelly sighed. “No. Ask her yourself.”
“Kerry, I can’t talk to a woman!” He turned and gave her a scandalized look. “That would be bad.”
“You're going to have to do it on Earth.”
“Will I?” He looked troubled, but turned to Dora. “Will it insult you if I ask you a question?”
She shook her head. “I didn’t come from a village. I come from the City.”
Caudis sat back in surprise. “You mean New Jerusalem?”
She nodded. “I was reborn there.”
“How about Stepano? Did he come from the city?”
“No, Stepano comes from somewhere on the other side of the treeless place.”
Caudis looked at him thoughtfully. “Does he know that all the villages of his people are gone?”
Dora turned and spoke to the bearded man in that liquid crystal language. Kelly saw his eyes darken as he shook his head and replied.
“He wants to know if you will tell him how you know this, and when it happened,” Dora translated.
“My father comes from one of those villages,” Caudis explained slowly, eyes full of compassion. “He was a child when the people died because of plague. It was a long time ago, my father’s hair is grey.”
Dora gathered her knees up and leaned against them wearily. “Stepano was a child when he was taken from his village. Now he’s nearly sixty years old.” She sighed and lay her head down on her knees. “Forgive me.”
“You look like you haven’t eaten for awhile,” said Caudis, reaching for his food bag.
Her face twisted again. “No. I can’t eat anymore. I’m dying now.”
“But you said you weren’t sick.” He dropped the bag and moved slightly so that he was between her and Kelly.
“I said that I wasn't ill,” Dora corrected faintly. “You can not catch this sickness.”
“What caused it?” He asked solemnly.
“Tirrivour.” Her face took on a cast of desperate longing. “It causes you to be at peace with God and man, but if you stop drinking it you die.”
Caudis’ face blanched and he shot a glance at Kelly. “Why did you take it if you knew that would happen?”
“I didn’t know,” said Dora. “I was a babe when it was given to me first. It was only when I was banished to the outer darkness that I was told I would die.”
“If you got some more would you live?”
“No. It’s been too long.”
“They fed an addictive drug to a little baby?” Kelly frowned. “That’s abuse.”
Dora shrugged, her reddish hair falling over her pale face. “I don’t know what that means. I only know I want it.”
Stepano looked down at her in concern, murmuring a question.
She replied shortly, then gasped and stiffened slightly.
“Isn’t there anything we can do?” asked Kelly, biting her lip.
Dora gave her the ghost of a smile. “No.”
Stepano put his hand on her back, gently smoothing her ragged gown. After a few minutes she rallied and sat up, looking at Kelly and Caudis with grim pride. “Forgive me.”
“No problem,” said Kelly uncertainly. Caudis nodded.
Stepano checked over his shoulder, then turned back to Kelly and asked a question.
“Where do you come from?” translated Dora.
“Like I said, I’m an Edmontonian,” said Kelly. “I come from the city of Edmonton.”
“You come from a city?” Dora stared at her in surprise. “I thought there was only one City left.”
“There probably is, here.” Kelly lifted her chin slightly and pushed her hair back under her hood. “I’m not from this world.”
“Not from this world?” repeated Dora slowly. “There are others?”
“Haven't you ever looked up at the sky and seen the stars?” asked Kelly. “They're all suns. Some have worlds around them. I can’t tell you which ones mine, especially since I haven’t seen the sky since I’ve been here, but it’s up there somewhere.”
Stepano asked Dora to translate, but she held her hand up, asking him to wait. The hopeless, whipped dog expression had faded from the tall woman’s face, replaced momentarily by a keen intelligence and curiosity. “How did you get here?”
“God brought me.”
“Which god?” Dora frowned.
“El Shaddai. The One Who sits on the throne of Heaven. The Writer of the Book. Jesus.”
“The Lamb?” gasped Dora, her eyes going wide and the fear returning.
“Uh, yeah. You’ve heard of Him.” Kelly wondered if she’d said too much.
“You were brought here by the Lamb?” Dora swayed, staring at her with a mixture of reverence and dread. “Why?”
“She’s supposed to bring all the Christians back to her world,” said Caudis. “Like it says in the prophecy.”
“What does Christian mean?” demanded Dora.
“A person that belongs to the Christ,” said Kelly. “Somebody who's accepted Jesus’ death as the payment for their sins and who belongs to Him and worships Him. We believe He’s coming back to get us some day, but that He’s already working through us.”
Dora shook her head slowly. “This is the Lamb you worship?”
“Yeah.”
“But…He is here already, in the city. It was by His command that I was cast out.”
Kelly scrunched up her face. “No way. Jesus would never do that to someone. Ever.”
“What did you do?” Caudis interrupted, frowning.
“I was reborn tainted,” said Dora, letting her head droop back to her knees.
“What do you mean, ‘tainted’?” Kelly wrinkled her nose.
“I have an unclean spirit in me. You can see it in my face.”
“No I can’t.”
Dora lifted her head impatiently. “You commented on the colour of my skin. And do you not see the shape of my nose and cheeks?”
Kelly studied her in silence. “I don’t see any unclean spirit,” she said at last. “You look something like one of my friends at home. And she’s one of the most Jesus-loving Christians I know.”
“And you look a little bit like my father’s wife’s people,” added Caudis. “My father’s wife chose to follow Jesus even though her father didn’t want her to. Just because you look like that doesn’t mean you have an unclean spirit. Besides, Jesus can make unclean spirits come out of people. The Book says so.”
Dora stared at them in incomprehension. “But why would The Christi say that there was, if it was not true? You must be mistaken.”
Kelly shook her head, her lips thinning in anger at whoever had told this woman such lies. “No. The only bad thing I see in your face is pain. You’re a human being, made in the image of God. And He loves you. The Christi’s mistaken.”
Dora continued to stare, her face going blanker till it seemed to be carved of stone.
“The Christi cannot be mistaken,” she whispered at last. “The Christi is the Lamb. The Christi is God….” She gave a little gasp, her face once more screwing up with agony as she struggled to speak.
Kelly started forward in alarm, but Caudis threw his arm in front of her and held her back.
“Let me go, Caudis!” She tried to pull away.
“No!” He swallowed. “You can’t help her, Kerry.”
Something in his voice made her stop and look up to see an answering pain in his face.
“You can’t help her,” he repeated, tears running down his cheeks.
Stepano groaned, and Kelly turned back to see him gather Dora into his arms. He held her close for a moment, his face hidden in her hair, then looked up, his face dark with grief.
“Is she…?” Kelly choked on the question.
He shook his head and looked down at Dora, smoothing the hair away from her face, then got to his feet. Cradling her gently, he turned and disappeared into the bushes.
Caudis shuddered so hard that he nearly shook Kelly off the branch they were sitting on, then buried his face in his hands and wept.
Kelly looked rapidly between him and the departing Stepano. “Hey, what's wrong?”
He didn’t answer, so she tentatively reached out and put her hand on his forearm. “Caudis?”
“I’m okay,” he whispered. “That scared me.”
“It scared me, too.” She pulled on his hand, trying to see his face. “Is that why you’re crying?”
“I feel sad for Dora.” He let his hands drop. “So much hurting, and it wasn’t her fault.”
“Do you want to go after them?” Kelly knelt in front of him and put her hand on his arm.
“No, they wouldn't like it. Stepano’s looking for somewhere quiet for Dora to rest.” He stared sightlessly in the direction they’d taken, the tears sliding unheeded down his face.
She glanced over her shoulder, swallowing, then turned back. “Are you sure we couldn’t help?”
He blinked and looked down at her hand, then covered with his own and gave her a one-sided smile. “We’ll help by staying here. Dano would be afraid if he came back and we were gone.”
Kelly moved her legs out from under her and sat in the soft loam, feeling dejected.
They sat there for a few minutes, not moving, each lost in their own thoughts. Kelly didn’t notice when Caudis squeezed her hand and let go of it then pulled his spear out of his belt and lay it where he could reach it easily. After awhile she moved so that she could see out of the tree hollow and let her head fall sideways so that it leaned against his knee.
Silence reigned, broken only by the gasps and howls of the blizzard and the fall of an occasional branch.
Kelly gazed at the browning trees with sightless eyes. She thought You kicked her out to die. How could anyone think You’d do something like that? You didn’t come to kill. You came to heal.
Why did she keep insisting she was a dog? Is that some kind of tribal name? The way her nose was cut made it look like a dog’s….
She analyzed the whole encounter, growing more and more uneasy as she tried to make sense of the strange things the dying woman had said. It seemed as though this so-called New Jerusalem had just as big a problem with drugs and cults as any city on Earth. And the thought that anyone would deliberately give an addictive substance to a baby made her throat tighten up with nausea.
God, I’m not so sure I even want to go to that city. Can’t we just go home now?


( ( (


Dusk was falling, cold and grey, when Kelly heard Dano call their names.
“We’re here!” she called back, stirring. “Ow! Ohh, my legs are asleep.”
Caudis gave her a concerned frown, then stood and pulled her to her feet. “Here, hold my arm until you can stand up.”
“Thanks.” She leaned gratefully, gritting her teeth and trying to stamp her feet to get the blood circulating.
“Where?” came Dano’s voice, sounding concerned.
“Here,” called Caudis. “Inside the big tree.”
Dano came around the corner and saw them. “You didn’t start a fire?”
“Uh,” Caudis looked around in surprise, “No, we didn’t. We haven’t had anything to eat since you left, either.”
“Why not?” He frowned slightly. “Kerry-bird, what’s wrong?”
“I sat in one position too long,” she said grimly, wincing as the first pins and needles started. “Way too long, my left leg was limp.”
“Sit down.” He took her from Caudis and gently lowered her to the big branch. “I’ll rub the blood back into it.”
“Owww!” She buried her face in Caudis’ side as he sat next to her, all her muscles tensing at the sting of tingling pain that burned through the awakening limb. “Ohh…oww. Oh, Dano, cut it out. Ow…quit! It hurts!”
“I know,” he said, still kneading and slapping her foot and calf through her moccasin and skirt pants. “But if I do this it won’t hurt as long.” He smiled as she sat up in surprise and wiggled her toes. “See?”
“Hoof!” She bent her other leg and started thumping on it gently. “Thanks.”
“You're welcome.” He sat back and turned to Caudis. “Why didn’t you eat or light the fire?”
“We didn’t think of it,” said Caudis, leaning forward and digging the butt of his spear into the loam. “We were too busy thinking about what happened after you left. Some people came here.”
"Did they come to talk?” asked Dano, sitting back on his heels.
“Yeah, they did. And the woman knows Book language. She said she’d spoken it her whole life.”
“Where is she from? Did she tell you where her village is?” Dano looked into the darkness with interest.
“She didn’t come from a village, ” said Caudis quietly. “she came from that New Jerusalem city. The man came from the same tribe you do. His name was Stepano.”
Dano turned back, frowning, at the flat note in his adopted son’s voice. “Caudis, what’s wrong?”
Caudis shook his bowed head, watching the butt of his spear as he drilled it into the loam. Kelly saw flash of the old troubled angry look in his eyes and leaned her arm against his in unconscious support. He blinked, then gave her a grateful grin and looked at Dano, trying to put words on what was troubling him.
Finally, he shook his head again. “I’m too sad to talk.”
Dano gave him a warning look.
“No,” Caudis ran a hand through his hair. “I can talk, but not about that, because it makes me feel all…tied up…in my throat.”
Dano frowned and turned questioningly to Kelly.
She sighed and pulled her knees up under her chin. “The lady that came here, Dora, was dying. She said someone had given her some kind of stuff when she was a baby, that when you don’t take it anymore it kills you. She was really sick, and she looked like she was in a lot of pain. It bugged Caudis really bad.”
Dano looked at the way she was leaning against the younger man. “And it bothered you, too, Kerry-bird?”
She nodded. “Yeah…Dano, she said Jesus threw her out of the city and took away her name. She thought that He had told her she had an unclean spirit in her, that she was tainted, just because she looked a little bit like a Sloth Person.” She lay her head against Caudis’ shoulder, feeling hollow inside. “And she really thought she deserved all that.” Her voice came out a choked whisper.
“Kerry even told her about how Jesus brought her here,” added Caudis, looking up.
“You told her you aren’t from here?” Dano leaned forward, his brow furrowing.
“Uh huh.”
“What did she say?”
Kelly stirred and frowned intensely. “She was really interested, but she was confused, too. She said that Jesus had already returned, and was there in the city.”
Dano sat back abruptly, his face grim. “So, that’s what it is.”
“What?” Caudis blinked. “What’s ‘that’s what it is’?”
“A false Christ,” said Dano, scowling. “The Book said that they would come. I don’t think we need to go there, after all.”
“But shouldn't we go and tell them about the real Jesus?” asked Caudis reluctantly. “Isn’t that what the Book says we should do?”
Dano looked at his son with troubled eyes. “It says to go and tell the Good Story to all people. But people who believe in a false Jesus can be cruel if you tell them they’re wrong. I know, I’ve seen it.” He rested his hand on his side absently. “If it was only me, I’d go; but I don’t want you and Kerry-bird to get hurt.”
“I don’t understand,” said Caudis. “Why should they be cruel? Doesn’t the false Jesus teach about love, too?”
Dano shook his head. “Sometimes, but they don’t understand about loving everyone like the Book says. No one can who doesn't have the Holy Spirit living in him.”
“So, do you think God wants us to stay away from the city, then?” Caudis frowned.
“I don’t know.” Dano’s face was creased with indecision. “But I know what He wants us to do when we’re not sure.”
“We’re going to pray?” Caudis looked like someone had fed him cod-liver oil.
Dano nodded and bowed his head.


( ( (


After awhile Kelly looked up, her heart feeling lighter, as though a cloud had come out from in front of her eyes. Dano looked up at the same time and smiled at her. “Feeling better, Kerry-bird?”
“Yeah.” She stood up and peered out around the side of the tree. “But I need to go out for a few minutes.”
Dano nodded. “I’ll see if I can start a fire.”
“Wait.” Caudis looked a little confused. "Did God say what we're supposed to do?”
“No, not yet,” said Dano imperturbably.
“But shouldn’t we keep on praying, then?”
Kelly shook her head. “No, it feels like time to stop. Excuse me.”
She slipped out of the hollow and tiptoed through the snow towards a thick place in the bushes, feeling content that she was right where she was supposed to be at that moment. God felt very close, and she hummed a little tune as she came out of the thicket and glanced up.
At first she couldn’t think what was wrong, but then she realized that the limbs of the trees were clearly outlined against the sky. Glinting down at her through the spaces in between were bright points of light on a velvet dark backdrop.
Stars. She thought. I can see the stars…what happened to the clouds? Her back crawling uneasily, she searched the places between branches for sight of the familiar grey cover.
A lick of green at the corner of her eye made her stop and look again, her heart jumping to her throat. What was that?
At first she couldn’t find it again, but then a tendril of green light washed across the window in the branches and she gasped.
The Lights!
“Dano! Dano! Caudis! Come look!” she yelled. “Come quick!”
She heard them crashing through the undergrowth, but couldn’t tear her eyes away from the swooping colours in the sky.
“Kerry-bird, what's wrong?” Dano’s hand rested on her shoulder.
“Why did you call?” Caudis looked around, then glanced up and froze. “What’s that?”
Dano followed his gaze. “Is the sky on fire?”
Kelly shook her head, still watching the display. “It’s the Northern Lights. Haven't you ever seen them before?”
“No.” He watched for a few minutes. “What are they?”
“Atmospheric disturbance,” she murmured. “But look at the shape. See how they go like that?” Her pointing finger followed the rippling arch.
“Yes,” whispered Caudis. “It looks like a path.”
Kelly swallowed a lump in her throat. “The only other time I ever saw a perfect arch like this was my last night on Earth. I was walking home with Mike. We felt like it was God telling us that He was watching out for us.”
“This is our answer?” Caudis turned and followed the arch with his eyes.
“Maybe.” Kelly blinked and felt a tear slide down her cheek.
“It’s beautiful,” breathed Dano. “Like a road for the angels to walk on.”
“And come and help us?” Caudis leaned on his spear, transfixed by the undulating colours.
“It’s like God’s singing us a song with colour.” Kelly fell silent, her soul singing in response. She had a clear impression that there were four people standing in the thicket, but she didn’t look for the Other. His love flowed in the air around her, cleaning away all her worries and resentments as she joyfully opened herself up to Him. She felt like David in the psalm, ready to run with the horses and leap over walls.
Oh, God. She closed her eyes and leaned back in her mind, resting in His presence. Here I am. Let Your will be done.
There was an answering warmth in her hands, a wash of strength through her heart, Kelly smiled and gave herself up completely.
After awhile the sensation of the Spirit’s presence faded a little, and she felt Dano’s hand on her shoulder, shaking her gently.
“We should go back to the camp, Kerry-bird,” he said softly.
Kelly sighed and opened her eyes, seeing that the clouds had come back. Feeling a bit of a letdown, she let Dano steer her back to the hollow tree.
She sat on the big branch, still communing silently in her heart with God, her eyes on the memory of the arch of lights.
Dano crouched across from her, watching wordlessly as Caudis got a fire going in a nest of rocks.
The younger man glanced back and forth between them a few times, then turned to Dano. “Is Kerry sad? She’s so quiet.”
Dano blinked and smiled. “No, Caudis. Kerry isn’t sad, she’s worshipping God in her heart.”
“Oh.” Caudis’ face cleared and he bent to his task.
Dano watched him for a few minutes, his craggy face slightly troubled, but then Caudis glanced at Kelly and the worry was replaced by a smile at the tender light in his adopted son’s face.
Kelly leaned back against the side of the tree and gazed blankly into the fire, feeling utterly content. Tan stirred in the bag and gave a little mutter, and she took the drowsy puppy out and offered her a piece of hardened fat.
Tan accepted it daintily and held it between her forepaws as she licked it. Kelly smiled and resumed her peaceful staring into space, resting one hand on the little dog’s back.
“Do you want some hot food?”
“What?” Kelly blinked and realized that she’d fallen asleep. She looked down at her lap and saw that Tan was also asleep, her pug nose resting between her paws on the spot her food had sat.
“Do you want some hot food?” Caudis repeated, offering her a clay cup. “I made it out of the last of my traveling food.”
“Oh.” Kelly leaned forward and peered into the cup. “It smells good.”
Dano chuckled and she gave him a rueful look. “I’m way too picky.”
He just shook his head and took another drink out of his little medicine jug.
“I’ll eat it if you don’t like it.” Caudis assured her, grinning.
“I know you will.” She wrinkled her nose and took the cup. “Thanks.”
She murmured a quick Grace and sipped cautiously, steeling herself to drink it no matter how bad it was, but to her surprise and gratification there was very little grease. Caudis had managed to make quite a respectable bowl of soup, flavoured with dried berries from the bread and the little spicy things in the traveling food.
“Mmm!” She drank as fast as she could without burning herself, then handed the cup back to him. “That was good.”
He grinned broadly, pleased. “Do you want some more? I can make it fast.”
She shook her head. “No, that’s okay. Have you eaten yet?”
“No.” He gave her a slightly apprehensive look. “I wanted to make something for you first.”
“But what are you going to eat? You said that was the last of your traveling food.”
He turned away and looked in the bag thoughtfully. “I think I can get enough out of here to eat.”
Dano shook his head and gave him his food bag. “Use some of this. That last bit of fat never tastes good.”
“Even to us, huh?” Caudis grinned. “Thanks, Dano.”
“You're welcome.” Dano sipped from his bottle again.
Kelly frowned. “Are you sick?”
He shook his head and offered her the bottle. “It’s a hot drink that I like to have sometimes.”
Kelly took it and sniffed cautiously, her eyes widening. “What kind of plant does it come from?”
“A little bush that grows in the broken lands,” said Dano. “The drink comes from the seeds.” He sighed. “Most of the bushes were dead the last time I went, so I’m trying to save the seeds I have left. Maybe they’ll grow on Earth.”
“They will.” Kelly stole a sip, grinning broadly. “Ooo, that’s good, it tastes like it has cinnamon in it.”
Dano raised one eyebrow, his face full of surprise. “I’ve always thought it tasted like Icanno wood.”
Kelly sipped again and gave the bottle back before she finished it. “Yes, I taste the chocolate. If that’s what the beans always taste like they’ll be worth a fortune back on Earth.”
Dano looked down into the bottle wonderingly. “What do they call it on Earth?”
“Coffee,” said Kelly, leaning back and tucking Tan back into the carrybag, then wrapping her arms around herself under the poncho.
“Coffee,” he repeated thoughtfully. “And many people drink it?”
“Oh yeah, there’s a coffeeshop on nearly every street corner downtown.” She turned her head from side to side to settle it deeper into her hood.
“Yuck,” commented Caudis without looking up. “That stuff’s bad.”
Kelly giggled. “That’s what my mom says, too. But I like a little bit once in a while with milk and flavouring.”
Caudis gave her a green look. “You drink milk?”
“Yes, I do. It’s good for me.” She lifted her nose slightly and gave him a bratty grin.
“You're a nut,” he grumbled, returning to his cooking.
She sighed and scootched back behind the branch and lay down in the soft loam. “Good night, guys.”
“Good night, Kerry-bird,” said Dano softly. Caudis echoed him, grinning again.


( ( (


Kelly walked through the woods, looking for something. She wasn't sure what it was, but she knew she needed it badly. At first she thought it was Tan, but then she felt the puppy's comforting warmth against her chest.
She saw a rectangular hole in the ground and backed away from it quickly, only to feel herself slipping as she stepped on the lip of another one. Moving away cautiously, she glanced around and saw that the forest floor around her was riddled with the holes.
She stopped in dismay, trying to figure out how to get away from the danger without actually stepping into one of them.
"Kelly," said someone behind her.
She squeaked with surprise and spun to face a young man whose kind brown eyes twinkled at her from under curly hair of the same colour.
"Who are you?" she asked, clenching her mace hand uneasily.
"I'm your brother, Robin."
"Oh." She relaxed, then looked around at the holes. "Do you know the way out of here?"
He nodded. "Yes. You have to go through the grave."
"What?" she gasped. "But I'm supposed to get home safely, the prophecy said so."
"Well, the only way to get out of where you are is through the grave," he repeated firmly.
"But…."
"Trust God, Kelly," he said softly. "Remember Lot's wife."
The ground shook, causing earth to crumble and slide down into the open graves. Kelly fought to maintain her footing on the suddenly slippery ground, but felt herself falling.
"Robin, help me!" she screamed, grabbing for a handhold.
"Trust God."
"I'll die!" She closed her eyes so she couldn't see the dead people at the bottom of the hole….
And woke with a jerk.
She lay there, staring up into the darkness and gasping for breath while her heart pounded. Tan wriggled, then squirmed out of the bag and crawled up her chest, whimpering.
Kelly put both hands on the puppy, her senses clearing. A dream. I've never had one that real. Glah!
She shuddered. God, were You trying to tell me something? Am I going to die? But I thought I was supposed to go home.
There was no answer, but the memory of the white-haired Hill girl came back to her, along with her realization that the girl had given up everything to spread the Gospel of Christ.
Everything.
Kelly's lip trembled. Is that what You want me to do? Give up my chance to go home? She thought of the dream she'd had when she first came here. That's not fair! Cory's only a baby, he shouldn't have to deal with stuff like losing his older sister….
She stopped and sighed. …but then, You dying on the cross wasn't fair either. And it's not like I'll never get to see Cory again. Mom and Dad will make sure he knows You.
She lay there for a few minutes, gathering herself, then squared her chin. Okay, I'll go through the grave. Your Will be done. Only…I'm scared. Please help me.
There was a stirring next to her and a draft cooled her face. A hand brushed her cheek, then came to rest on her shoulder.
"Dano?" Kelly turned toward the light she could see now.
"Kerry-bird, are you okay?" His voice was a soft rumble in the darkness.
"Yeah, where's Caudis?" She moved and rested her back against the wall of the tree.
"He's sitting on the edge of the tree, watching." Dano gave a ragged sigh.
Kelly lifted her head. "Are you crying?"
"No." He pulled the cloak up over her again and rolled over. "I'm okay."
"Your voice sounds funny."
"I had a dream." He dug his shoulder into the loam. "Go to sleep, Kerry-bird. We don't know what tomorrow will bring."
"Yeah…." She curled up close to his broad back, feeling comforted by the warmth and the sound of his breathing. The rest of her dreams that night were peaceful and unremembered.


( ( (


She was wakened by one of Caudis' early morning one man operas.
Ugh did he sleep last night? She realized that her chest was strangely cool and put her hand down to the puppy pouch.
"Awk. Tan, where are you?" She stuck her head out from under Dano's cloak and froze, gawking at a totally white world that glinted in the light of the fading sun.
"I have her here." Dano looked up from his new Book. "She wanted to come out, but you seemed to need more sleep."
"Oh." Kelly relaxed and sat up, then groaned and stretched. "Uggghhh. Thanks. That happens when I stay up late." She looked toward the sound of singing and saw Caudis shaving with his little stone knife. "What a noisy guy."
Dano chuckled. "Yes, but I like to hear him sing, though I'm worried he'll cut himself right now."
"No joke." Kelly glanced at him, grinning. "Um, where is she?"
Dano understood what she meant and patted a small lump in the front of his tunic.
"Little brat." Kelly got up and brought the cloak over to him, draping it over his shoulders.
"Thank you, Kerry-bird." He smiled and went back to his reading.
She sat by the fire and pulled her own Bible out, but kept getting distracted by the sparkling white that lay piled on everything outside the hollow tree.
The ground seemed to shiver suddenly, causing snow to slide down and hit Caudis in the head. His song ended in a startled whoop.
"Dano?" Kelly felt her throat choke up as she remembered her dream from the night before. "What was that?"
He shook his head, looking worried. "The ground's been moving all night. I don't know what it means. I've never heard of it happening before."
"I had a bath." Caudis came in to sit close to the fire. "And it was cold!"
He stopped as another tremor stirred the snow from the trees, and Kelly saw the uneasiness behind the humor in his eyes.
She looked up at the clear sky and saw the sun squinting back at her heatlessly. The silence of the forest was broken only by the whisper of snow, not a single bird was singing, no squirrels chattered.
Shivering herself, she moved closer to the men.
"What is it waiting for?" whispered Caudis, frowning out of the hollow and gripping his spear uneasily.
"What is what waiting for?" asked Kelly, rubbing the goosebumps on her arms.
"I don't know." He shook his head. "But something's waiting. Can't you feel it?"
Kelly didn't answer, she only wound her hand in the cord on her mace and prayed soundlessly as she put her Bible back into her pack and shrugged it onto her back. "Can I please have Tan back, Dano?"
"Here." He handed her the sleeping puppy, then put his own things away and slung his bag over his shoulder.
Caudis put an arm protectively over Kelly's shoulders, putting the spear in front of her. "Dano, pray and ask God to make it stop."
"Make what stop?" rumbled Dano, not taking his eyes from the trail.
The ground shook again, harder this time. Kelly shivered and buried her face in Caudis' side, feeling a little seasick. What are we waiting for?
"Remember when Kerry asked me if I was scared?" Caudis' voice quavered slightly.
"Yes." Dano nodded without looking at him.
"Well, I am, now." He looked at his adopted father appealingly.
"God has us in His hands," whispered Kelly from her hiding place. "He won't let anything happen that we can't bear. And He shields us under his wings like a mother bird shields her chicks."
She continued, saying every scriptural promise of comfort and protection that she could think of, but the feeling of dreadful expectation continued.
Tan gave her shrill yap of warning, squirming and pushing her head out of the pouch to howl. Deep in the woods came an answering chorus, of both wolves and dogs. Then a hoarse, angry roar echoed out above the tumult as a lion added his voice to the protest. Over it all a deep, dull rumble made everyone's ears pop.
In the midst of the uproar Kelly felt the ground suddenly drop out from under her. She shrieked, grabbing for a handhold, and found herself on her hands and knees gripping the edge of the hollow tree.
Just as suddenly as the ground had receded, it rose up again like a wave and caught her a bruising thump on the side. Before she could catch her breath it dropped again.
"God!" she managed to cry. "Save us! Please!!"
Curling around, she twisted and managed to get back to her knees. Curling them up beneath her and tucking her head between her outstretched arms, she held on with the strength born of terror.
The ground rippled and danced like a restless ocean. Kelly's handhold went up and down.
Suddenly she felt herself flipped over onto her back, there was a hollow boom and she was plunged into darkness. The earth beneath her gave a last movement like a hiccup and was still.
Kelly lay there, shuddering and trying to breath, afraid to open her eyes.
Tan whimpered somewhere in the darkness and she put her hand to the pouch. It was empty.
"Tan?" She turned her head with difficulty. "Come here. Tan?"
There was another whimper, and a rustle, then the puppy's warm body pressed against Kelly's neck. She could feel the little dog trembling and heard her breath whistling.
"Are you okay?" She asked in concern. "Oh God, please let her be okay."
Tan stirred with a little whine and washed her face with her wet tongue.
"Plltt. Hey, baby, not my mouth." Kelly started to wipe her face, but found that her arms were pinned above her head. "Ahh! Help! Dano? Caudis?"
She tried to raise her legs and banged her knees against something solid.
"Ouch!" She squeezed her eyes shut, fighting panic. "Ohh. God, please, get me out of here!"
She stopped and took a deep breath, giving herself a mental dressing down, then started speaking again softly. "Jesus, please let Dano and Caudis be okay. Show me what You want me to do."
She pulled on her arms, but found that they were trapped so securely that she couldn't even flex her elbows. Growling softly, she raised one leg and kicked the wall above her as hard as she could. "Ouch! Oh, I miss my real shoes."
































( Luke 1:1-4©1995 God’s Word to the Nations
( “We are a family now, yes Father?” he said.
( “Yes, Caudis, God has made us a family,” he replied.
( “Yes,” she said. “I’ll give (show) you.”
( “I see you. Give song (speech)!” (to me is implied)
( “Come! Come!” she called hesitantly. “Peace!”