Chapter 17
I wakeup several times during the night. I soon realize it’s because Indiz is groaning in his sleep. The mostly empty first aid kit didn’t even have any pain relief—not that I know if human meds would work on him, anyway. He might have to grit through the pain.
Unable to sleep, I take a walk to the bathroom. I glimpse lights hovering and watching, no doubt waiting for me to leave. The entire city has lost its magic and is now hostile. As much as I want to yell that they are being unfair, I am the invader. And my work, if it had gotten out, would damage their world.
As I make my way back to the bedroom, I try to accept that it’s for the best that the survey was never handed over. That the beacon never activated. I start to hope that no one comes. That no other lives are put to the test in this strange and hostile world.
Indiz is sitting when I return. “I thought you’d left.”
“No. I went to the bathroom. I think it’s almost dawn.” The sky I’d glimpsed through the opening at the top had lacked the velvet depth of night.
He gives a single nod, trusting my judgement. “Can you help me with my shirt, then I’ll get ready.”
I take a clean shirt out of the chest and help him put it on. He pulls on socks, and boots, then makes his way out of the room.
I repack my bag. My flight suit is clean and neatly folded, along with my underwear, socks, and coats. I think about taking them, but I don’t have the room and they won’t help me out there. I carefully place them in the chest with Indiz’s other pants. I have no idea where his other shirt is, but we should take some spare clothes. But if we can’t take food, we probably can’t take spare clothes either.
When Indiz returns, I am ready. His face is pinched, but he says nothing as he shoulders his fur and picks up his staff. I put on my bag and then the fur. When he doesn’t tell me to leave it, or the clothes I’m wearing, I assume I’m allowed to take it. Maybe the aliens aren’t all bad, but like me they know rules are needed.
In the pre-dawn gray we leave the city and step out into a crisp cold morning. The air cuts my lungs and snow crunches beneath my boots. Indiz takes my hand and leads the way, his long white hair catching in the breeze. The climb up the slope takes far longer than it did to get down. I slip and graze my hand on the rocks hiding beneath the snow.
By the time we reach the top I’m sweaty and bloody and do not want to stop and appreciate the sun rise even though it’s golden and glorious and makes the snow gleam like diamonds. I envy Indiz’s staff. He has better balance, and he uses it for stability, but I also see his winces of pain and the sweat at his temples. It’s the first time I’ve seen him a little disheveled. I kind of like it, it makes me feel less of a mess.
He pauses, leaning heavily on his staff. “I had forgotten what being completely in the flesh means.” He’s panting hard.
“You mean you weren’t totally…fleshy before?”
“Yes and no. I had a body, but without the inconveniences.” He puts a hand over his stomach and exhales. “We can stay in the cave I lived in. There’s water nearby.”
“That was years ago, it might be being used by animals.”
“Huh…maybe. There are other caves around and if we descend, it will be warmer and there will be more animals and plants to eat.”
“How did you work out what to eat when you first arrived?”
“I watched the animals. I made a few mistakes, though none that made me too ill.” He looks at me and smiles though it’s tight.
I might be the mistake that kills him…and me.
“We need to stop at my ship. There’s more food and a first aid kit.” And other useful things now I have to think about long term survival. We press on. “Hey, if you are now…er…fleshy why are you still purple?”
He glances at his hand. “I don’t know.”
The hike to my ship takes most of the morning and all of our breath. I’m not used to being grounded and the full gravity and thin air is draining, and he’s not used to being in a body. The sun is high in the sky by the time the ship comes into view. I’m exhausted, my socks are wet from snow that slipped into my boots, and I’m thirsty and hungry. In short, I’m one day into my banishment and I’m over it.
All my previous acceptance seems to have evaporated. I don’t know how Indiz managed on his own.
He leans on the staff. “That doesn’t look safe.”
I stare at the listing ship. The snow has banked up on the side and the ship has slid a little further down the side of the mountain. I walk closer figuring that once I’ve raided it for supplies, we can sit and have something to eat and drink. The water bottle I had brought has already been emptied and refilled with snow. Snow takes forever to melt and as much as I want to eat it, Indiz cautions against it. I want to ignore his advice, but he’s right and neither of can afford to lose body heat.
There are fresh paw prints around the outside of the ship. I reach down, but my knife is missing from my boot.
“Here.” Indiz holds the little blade out to me.
“I thought bladed weapons were for the weak.”
“A knife can be useful.”
