Tai puts his hand on my lower back, guiding me around a boulder blocking half the trail. His touch triggers the memory of his hand in other places.
Bri, don’t get too close.
I spent all night thinking of ways to keep a healthy distance from the massively appealing blue alien who is systematically breaking down all the walls I’ve worked so hard to put up over the years.
Distance. Boundaries. Going our separate ways after this.I repeat the words a few times in my head.
I can’t help but laugh a little at myself. One look from Tai and all my resolve crumbles like sandstone.
“What’s that smile for?” he asks.
“I’m always smiling.”
“Sunshine, you could burn someone with the looks you give me.”
“Okay, fine. It was an inside joke with myself. You wouldn’t get it.” I skip past him and take the lead the rest of the way through the narrow winding path.
When the tunnel finally widens, a city carved into the face of the cliff looms overhead. Rows and rows of homes and shops stack neatly on top of each other. Doors and windows are framed with either braided molding or columns. Others are ornate with sunbeams and flowers.
I’m fascinated by the way everything is cut straight from the mountain. Sunlight peeks over the mountain, giving the city a golden glow and landing at our backs.
The Sabaaki all freeze and crouch down in the same stance Eio'sh had when he saw us as we step into the empty space between the mountain and the city. The males are dressed similarly to Eio'sh, and the females wear beautiful flowing kaftans, each of a different color.
Eio'sh faces the crowd silent and still, wordlessly communicating something to his fellow Sabaaki. Every few seconds, their eyes flutter toward us in staggered succession.
“Tai, are we good here?” I ask quietly, disguising my question with a nervous smile. I made the mistake of underestimating the brethren. I’m not doing that again.
“I think so. They seem more scared of us than we are of them,” he whispers.
If Mr. Head-on-a-Swivel thinks we are safe, then I do too. His radar for danger is better tuned than mine. He knew from day one that the brethren were not to be messed with, and I didn’t believe him. I push down the guilt rising up from putting us in danger.
Eio'sh motions for us to follow and guides us along the city. Sabaaki wander in and out of the bottom-level shops and stop to starewhen we pass by. The bright reds and greens of the fabric overhangs draw a sharp contrast to the dull brown of the desert.
We follow Eio'sh through an open-air market where stalls and kiosks are packed tightly together under canopies. I’m mesmerized by the patchwork of the shade overhead.
Eio'sh steps through an unmarked door, simply a notch in the mountain. A group of chubby Sabaaki children bracket the door on both sides and giggle as we follow Eio'sh in. We must look so strange to them.
The cool darkness of the room is a welcome relief. In the far corner, I hear a vowel-heavy language being exchanged. It’s quiet. My translator can’t pick up the words.
“Alright. Let’s see how this goes,” Tai whispers as he sets our bags down near the entrance.
“Come in, come in. You must be weary from the great desert.” My translator comes to life now that the Sabaaki in the room are speaking to us. Tai and I tentatively step closer, my eyes still not fully adjusted to the darkness. An older Sabaaki sits comfortably on a rug, legs crossed in front of her. She is lit by a single lamp with an open flame in the corner.
Eio'sh motions for us to sit on the rug. “This is Maia’el. She can answer your questions.”
“Thank you for your hospitality,” Tai says nervously.
“Were you separated from the Boraei?” she asks. My translator doesn’t have a comparable word.
“We crashed here alone. We aren’t familiar with the…Boraei,” I answer, struggling with the pronunciation.
“You don’t look like them, and we are all still living, so that tells us that you are different. These days we are uneasy with visitors.”
“Where did they come from?” Tai asks.
“We don’t know. Boraei is an ancient word we use, which means ‘Dangerous One.’ Anyone who gets close enough to ask gets shot down and buried in the sand.”
Dread pools in my belly. When will this planet stop trying to kill us? I’m over it. I just want to go home.
