The sun is getting high in the sky. The ocean is shining on the horizon like a thousand diamonds. It’s been years since I saw the sea. Maybe we could do a little detour to the coast before heading back to the Market. Vex deserves to take a closer look.
“Something is happening over there,” she says, pointing to the coast.
I frown. It’s too far for me. “What do you see?”
“Humans and big animals. They do seem too small to be old gods. One of them is on the ground.”
I run back to the truck and grab my binoculars.
“Horses,” I say. “I’ve never seen one in real life!”
In the valley below, there is a group of people with horse-pulled carriages. Those animals aren’t known to survive the conditions in the wastelands. They need pastures to graze. They must have come from the north; some parts along the coast are still green. One of the horses fell in a ditch, and eight men and women are struggling to pull it out. They’re all wearing leather clothes that look straight out of a historical movie.
“We should go and help them,” I say.
Vex turns to me. “Is it safe?”
“We can never be sure. But I saw children in one of the carriages.”
And I want to think that the world can still be a better place where humans help each other to survive and thrive.
We climb back into the truck and drive to the valley.
By the time we reach them, the men and women have pulled out honest-to-gods bows and crossbows but they’re not aiming them at us yet. I slow down as we get closer and wave frantically to express that we’re friendly. I keep the gun in my belt but don’t grab it.
“Hello! We’re just here to help!” I say, coming out of the truck.
They relax visibly.
“Perri…” starts Vex.
“Stay in the truck for now. I’ll see what we can do.”
“One of our horses is stuck,” says a man wearing a green cape as I walk to him. He’s really tall, with brown hair and a square jaw.
They’ve all put their weapons away. They look like travelers from older times. Their carriages, too, are made entirely of wood. I go around one of them and find the poor beast. Its eyes are wide and panicked. It’s struggling to get out of the ditch, even with five men and women pulling on ropes. I join the team effort.
But soon enough, it’s evident that we’re hurting the horse. It’s thrashing in pain. Tears well into my eyes. I could never stand the suffering of any living being. Stellan was always the one who hunted and fished before we lived in the Traveling Market.
Vex comes out of the truck. The fourteen men, women, and children gasp and freeze as they notice her.
“What on earth…?” says the man wearing the cape. He steps up, his hands going back to the crossbow on his back.
“Oh, Vex is fine!” I shout, putting myself between the group and my friend. “Don’t be scared. She’s an AI. She’s just like you and me, but with a different body.”
Vex comes to stand behind my back. “I just wanted to help the horse,” she says. “I think I can be of help.”
The group stares at us for a good while. Until, at last, one woman whispers something in their leader’s ear, and he nods.
“Sorry,” he says slowly. “You took us by surprise. But please, your help would be appreciated.” He gestures towards the struggling horse.
Vex walks among them and they step away from her, wary. My heart gives a painful twinge at the sight of their suspicion. She’s new to the world; she’s purer than they can imagine.
The horse, too, shies away from her. But she slowly lowers herself into the ditch and to its side. The beast kicks and pushes. It would be terribly dangerous for any human to find themselves in this position. Bones would break. However, Vex’s creators didn’t joke around when they built her; she’s made of tougher material than any of us. She places her arms under the animal and gently pushes it out of the ditch, her pale face resting on its sweaty flank.
When the horse is finally out, lying in the dust, Vex shushes it with a hand on its muzzle.
I help her out of the ditch. Two of our new acquaintances run to care for the horse.
