I shift again, this time copying the clothing on the taller, larger one of the humans on the sign. Gordon and Rufus copy the other humans, and then we begin walking, looking for humans to communicate with. Sadly, we appear to have chosen a location where the humans have already fled. We walk around for quite some time and don’t encounter a single one.
“At least they aren’t shooting us,” I say.
“They can’t shoot us when they aren’t even present,” Gordon says. “We’re going to have to shift again just to find more.”
“I’m tired of trying to talk to them,” Rufus says. “They’re clearly too stupid to respond.”
“Can they even understand us?” I ask.
“We switch to their tongue when they’re close,” Gordon says. “I don’t think that’s our problem.”
“Perhaps they’ve been attacked too frequently,” Rufus says. “If they’re very scared from losing many fights, it would be natural to respond in such a way.”
“Wait.” Gordon points. “Look. Over there.”
Small humans are making their way toward us. They don’t look like leaders, but perhaps they know leaders who might talk to us.
“Why are they out here when everyone else has fled?” Rufus says. “Maybe they’re warriors, the bravest of their kind.”
I examine the small humans. One is very, very small, and it has shaggy hair covering its eyes. It’s so small the only non-tiny one of them is carrying it. The other two look quite small as well, and they’re dressed in things unlike the clothing the other humans we’ve encountered have been wearing.
They don’t look much like leaders, but when I dressed as the leaders were according to our research, wearing the strange thing they call suits, no one talked to me then, either. I was met with bullets and more bullets. I sigh. “Let’s at least try talking to them.”
“The other blessed are bonding humans,” Rufus says. “We can go back and see what we can learn about them and their behaviors. Then we’ll be better equipped to find their leaders and ask for their help.”
“We don’t need help,” Gordon says. “They’re obviously attacking because they know why we’re here, and they won’t relinquish the heart.”
“I want to talk to at least one of them,” I say. “And these small ones don’t seem to have the guns.”
“Let’s go around the back,” the tallest one hisses.
“Why?” the tiny one asks. “Ow house is wight over veyar.”
I’m not sure what the small one’s saying, but house means residence. I believe they live in this neighborhood that otherwise appears to be abandoned.
The tall one sets the small one down and points her head toward us.
I wish I knew what all of this signifies to humans. Before I can ask, she turns to leave.
“Hey,” I shout, trying to halt her departure. I need to ascertain what we’re doing that’s frightening them so, even when we’re in their own shape. “Where are you going?”
“She’s a bright,” Rufus says.
I realize, a little belatedly, that he’s right.
The tall one’s glowing. That’s what Father said about the humans we could bond. They’ll glow and that’s how we know that a connection can be forged between us and them. It’s a connection we might be able to use. We should take her to the others so that one of them can bond a human who doesn’t shoot guns incessantly.
The few we’ve found haven’t been bondable by the earth blessed, only by the strike or water blessed. We’ve surmised it was because the earth blessed can turn into humans themselves and therefore can’t bond another earth child.
We should catch her, Rufus says. Think how pleased the strike blessed would be when we hand her over. I hear they’re hard to find.
“She’s too young,” I say.
“There are dragons attacking,” the tall one says in their tongue. “Honest to goodness, dragons. I know that sounds crazy, but if you’re wondering why the cell towers are down, or if you’re thinking this is a good time to make trouble, don’t. The world has gone insane. I recommend you get in your car, go straight home, and hide like we are.”
Dragons. She’s calling us dragons, and she’s implying that we should all run and hide, because these dragons pose a danger to them. They seem to just assume that. I need her to tell me more. She may be the key to us understanding why the humans won’t talk to us.
Sadly, I’m not sure what questions to ask, so I decide to keep things vague. Maybe she’ll start sharing things, like she did before. “What?” I ask, as if I don’t understand.
