CHAPTER 17
“Monty!”
Monty was afloat at the foot of the cascade, allowing the water to drum on his back, when he heard his name called. He looked over at Ernie and Jeff, but they were busy hanging up the washed clothing. A few feet beyond the waterfall was the edge of the pool, bordered by thick bush. He stared into the bush but could see nothing.
“Monty! It’s me. Syd.”
The voice, a little louder than a whisper and almost drowned out by the noise of the falling water, was coming from the bush.
Monty lifted his head clear of the water. “For Christ sake, what the hell are you doing here? Whose body was that?”
“Robert, the Doctor’s brother. He never died in the avalanche. Look, I need to talk to you. I don’t know what to do. I can’t go on living like this.
“Robert? Robert was helping you?”
“Monty, never mind all that. What’s happening with Rebecca? I’ve got to see her.”
Monty looked around. Ernie and Jeff were lying on the grassy edge of the pool. There were no Warriors or Guardians in sight. “Rebecca is the nurse at the new camp — the one we set up. Now that they believe you’re dead, they might not be so vigilant. For Christ sake, Syd, don’t endanger her life. Since your escape, they’ve put in a new team and mercy is not one of their strengths.”
“Suppose Rebecca joined me. Robert taught me enough to survive. I have his bow and arrows, and I can shoot one of these beaver-squirrels any time I get hungry. And I’m well armed with the special weapon. I have three of them.”
Monty was silent for a moment, thinking hard. “Syd, If Rebecca joins you, she’ll be hunted down as an escaped slave. But the special weapons can be important to us. Would you consider being a slave again?”
“OK, if there’s no other way of getting back with Rebecca.”
“Well, here’s what I suggest. Ernie, Jeff and I are going back to the new camp. We’re just waiting for orders. Eventually, all the slaves will be relocated at the new camp. In numbers there is safety. The new gang of mushrooms don’t know what you look like and they think you’re dead. As long as a slave doesn’t turn you in, you could join us and just keep a low profile for awhile. We’ll have to get Joshua’s cooperation. Find your way there but stay hidden across the river. Wait until a dark night when it rains, then sneak into the camp. I’ll be looking out for you. Hide the special weapons where we can easily retrieve them.”
“What then?”
“If Joshua agrees, you’ll fit into the new camp. If he doesn’t, you can make it back into the wild. But I believe he’ll agree.”
Their conversation was interrupted by a call from Ernie. “Monty, we’re about to have a meeting.”
A Guardian and two Warriors approached the pool, carrying the translation equipment. Monty left the pool, and all three men quickly donned their clothing and bowed.
“You will leave immediately to the new camp,” the monotone loudspeaker announced. “You will accompany the body of the escaped slave. The body will be put on display at the new camp, and all the slaves there must view it as a lesson of what happens to slaves who defy us. Pack up your belongings and prepare to depart.”
There was no further discussion. The Guardian left and the Warriors followed.
In case Syd hadn’t heard, Monty said in a loud voice, “Well, we’re leaving the birthing cavern for the new camp. We’ll be leaving immediately. Let’s get ready.”
Ernie and Jeff looked at Monty, questioningly. Did he think they were deaf? They were even more surprised when he threw his recently washed clothing into the bushes. “I won’t need a second set anymore.” Monty then ushered them away.
The group eating on the grassy area by the river bank paid little attention to the arrival of yet another rocket ship. After all, aircraft arrived and took off fairly frequently. The figures that left the aircraft were not noticed until they were almost at the site. Alicia leapt up when she recognized one of the figures was Monty. The broad, happy smile on her face evaporated as she saw his grim look and noticed that he and Ernie were carrying something shrouded in a blanket on a stretcher. Instantly she knew the inevitable news they had so long dreaded had arrived. The other members of the group quickly reached the same conclusion, and their calls of greeting died. Alicia and Thelma caught Rebecca, just as realization hit her and shrieking, fell back fainting.
Monty and Ernie, followed by Jeff loaded down with their gear, carried the stretcher to a table set up in front of the camp commander’s platform. They were motioned to wait for further orders. The three men had seen Rebecca’s reaction, but had decided to conceal the truth even from her in order to protect Syd.
Noah came over to them. “Is that the body under the cover?” They nodded. “Bad for my sister.”
He went over to where Rebecca lay sobbing and moaning and tried to comfort her. Noah had none of his father’s bluster. He was just a young boy, concerned for his sister, not knowing what he was supposed to do, but understood this was not the time to get tough with the slaves.
Another aircraft landed and two more figures could be seen coming towards them.
“Rebecca,” said Alicia, “your pappy’s here.”
Joshua came immediately to the group, lifted his daughter up in his strong arms, and cradled her, swaying gently. If we can only get past this grief, he thought, everything will be alright. We can be a family again with nothing hanging over our heads. But once again, he cursed himself for driving Syd to his death.
The Doctor did not approach Rebecca. He wasn’t sure what her reaction to him would be. Time would heal the grief and diminish the memory. Perhaps then he would have a chance.
The computer flared into life: “The escaped slave has been killed, and his body lies before us. All slaves who defy our authority in any way will suffer a similar fate. Each slave will view the body so there is no doubt of our intent. The Warriors will maintain order and ensure our command is carried out.”
Several Warriors began herding the slaves towards the table.
“Remove the covering.”
Monty pulled the cover off the stretcher and threw it under the table. Although he was now accustomed to the corpse remnant, he still felt the urge to retch and quickly turned his gaze away. Ernie and Jeff had also experienced the horrific sight, but they too turned away.
The three men joined the line of slaves approaching the table. Monty fell in beside Alicia, an arm around her waist. She buried her head in his shoulder, wiping her tears against the rough flax of his clothing. Ernie and Thelma embraced and then walked side by side, arms around each other. Joshua lowered Rebecca to her feet but held her fast. She was moaning softly, but all the others could make out was the word “No” repeated over and over. Jeff walked with Noah and, noticing the pallor under the dark skin, prepared to catch his tall companion should he fall. Slowly, the line of slaves wended their way past the object on the table. A Warrior stood by and forced those who would look away to see the corpse.
Groans and cries from the slaves satisfied the camp commander that his object lesson was succeeding. Alicia glanced at the body and inwardly recoiled. “He didn’t suffer,” she sobbed in Monty’s ear.
Thelma looked at the savaged remnant and exclaimed out loud to the Warrior: “You loathsome bastards. At least he got some of you.”
Ernie immediately shushed her, but the remark must have been heard for a group of Warriors standing near the translation equipment bristled and raised their truncheons. Ernie put a hand around her mouth and dragged her away.
The Doctor looked long and searchingly at the body. As a doctor, he was inured to the sight of corpses. But he shuddered as he examined the scorched remnant before him with the head and most of the torso gone, a strip of spinal column extending out from the blackened flesh and emerging pelvic bones, one leg still encased in its furry pelt, the other naked down to the thick ankle and foot. He studied the leg carefully and visually inspected the scar that divided the space between the ankle and the bottom of the foot.
Joshua tried to hurry past the corpse, pulling Rebecca along who was still in a state of near collapse. The Warrior stopped them and motioned them to look. Joshua appealed to the camp commander. “Master, don’t make her look. It pains her too much.” The camp commander was in no mood to compromise and certainly not for Rebecca whom he included in the group that had humiliated him. “Warrior, do your duty.”
Joshua blocked the Warrior from touching Rebecca and gently lifted her head. “Come, child, just look quickly.”
Rebecca’s gaze took in the shattered remnant and swept down the naked leg. Joshua tried to pull her away but she resisted and continued to stare at the corpse, fixated on the naked leg. Joshua dragged her away
The Doctor had sat down away from the group. His head was in his hands, and he was slowly shaking his head from side to side. He remembered the day he and Robert, ten years old, had decided to build a tree fort in the Wisconsin woods near the family cabin. They borrowed their father’s chain saw. The Doctor was using the machine, lost control, and sliced through Robert’s shoe just below the ankle.
Joshua had carried Rebecca to the river bank and was trying to console her. Deep within her a reborn hope struggled to sweep away the miasma of grief and horror. The leg of the corpse ended in a thick ankle and foot. Memories returned of the time she and Syd, sitting side by side, had pulled up their overalls above the knee and compared legs — hers, brown, full, well formed; his, white, skinny, and knobbly. “Even Noah has nicer legs,” she had teased him. She stopped crying and, holding her father’s arm, walked slowly back towards the group and the clearing where the corpse was still on display.
Alicia watched the Doctor grieving silently, surprised to see him mourning Syd’s death. She noticed the change in Rebecca’s attitude. She and Monty were sitting apart from the others.
“That’s not Syd, Monty,” she said to him accusingly. “ I can’t tell whether it’s Syd by looking at what’s left. But there are at least two people here who don’t believe it’s Syd. My guess is it’s Robert, the Doctor’s brother, who never died in the avalanche.”
Monty took awhile to reply. “It’s important that our masters believe Syd is dead, and there’s no reason to hunt further. If we all start talking about it, rumours may very well circulate to the wrong ears.”
“The man I love just told me to shut up.”
“The man you love would be in deep trouble if our masters suspected this was not Syd. I was the one who was sent in to the cave to recover the remains which I identified as Syd. We must all mourn as though it is Syd, both for his sake and mine. There’s a woman I love very much, and for whom I have longed these many months. I’m sure she understands my predicament.”
Alicia reached up, pulled his head towards her, and nuzzled his ear.
“Tell me who the woman is and I’ll make sure she understands your predicament. Monty, you get so pompous at times. Is Syd alive?”
Monty looked about to make sure they were out of earshot. “Yes. I saw him in the cave. He survived the blast that killed Robert. He contacted us at the birthing cavern. As long as he’s not spotted accidentally, he should be ok. You said there were two people who believe the body is not Syd’s. Who are they?”
“The Doctor and Rebecca.”
Monty shook his head worriedly. “I hope they keep it quiet.”
“You don’t have to worry about Rebecca. She might say something to Joshua but he won’t do anything that would alienate his daughter. What will the Doctor do? That’s the question.”