CHAPTER 21: The Weight of Sacrifice - Part 3
On another occasion, he learned about exigency bread baked when food supplies dwindled. This bread was blackish, not too hard, with a tinge of saltiness, and made his mouth dry in an instant upon biting it. The scent of dry earth drenched by rain – petrichor, he was surprised to know that term – filled his nostrils.
“We must save the wheat for children and the elderly,” Roa said. “The bread you're eating is made from wheat, oil, and mud.”
“Mud? Mud like when I say 'my foot stepped in the mud'?”
“Think about it. You won't die from eating it, but you'll die if you don't. So, it's fine. Now go, you're just in the way!”
The taste of earth lingered in his mouth for half a day.
That night, Eiran lay awake alone in the workshop. This open structure offered an unobstructed view of the desert and its hills, as well as the stars, some of which seemed sprinkled, while others appeared poured across the sky.
Six-legged insectoid monsters with green-yellow eyes roamed along the boundary stones, searching for gaps. They would fail and leave, only for new insects to come and repeat the same futile exercise.
“What are you doing sulking alone? Did your boil burst? Your expression is so ugly,” Roa said from beside him.
“Roa? You haven't slept?”
“I'm packing. Tomorrow night I'm going to the city to sell goods and buy food. So, what will you do after you recover? You can't depend on us forever.”
Eiran exhaled. When closing his eyes, he still saw the flames of Fhon. Somehow, he did not know how, but he knew the lives that were destroyed with it.
A student who had been in Fhon for ten years finally graduated. Excited, he packed, imagining his family in the village. He wrapped jewelry for his daughter who had just come of age. And then a blue star exploded in his home.
A mother spent the winter knitting clothes for her baby. That afternoon, she left the baby to make porridge. The blue star came. She ran to save her baby and found a severed arm wearing her knitted glove.
These memories and many more flashed through his mind. All lost due to Neuvane and Sciast. His own friends too – Jeth, Haran, Violet. Even his uncle...
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
And Varne. Did the Terzionite come for him too?
He had to make Neuvane and Sciast pay for their actions. He was afraid for a moment, but this was his responsibility. His duty as long as he lived. Pursuing his own happiness before avenging them all would be unfair, a betrayal even.
Eiran had recovered. He would leave the village in a few days because Aroi was not his place.
“Hey, what's wrong?” Roa said again. “It's rude to daydream in front of a lady.”
“Roa, are you always so blunt?”
“How do you want me to be? I'll tell you, when living in the desert, we always have to make tough decisions. It's all about priorities and sacrifices. That's why we, who only have each other, must trust each other, and the main foundation for trust is honesty.”
“Then, I guess... thank you for trusting me?”
She gave a half-smile, stood up, and left.
The next night, he joined several others, including Raraku, to see Roa off. Three old camels were laden with goods to be sold. He knew the desert was not the friendliest place; Roa could encounter storms, monsters, or bandits on her journey.
“Grandma Raraku,” he said as Roa ensured the goods were securely tied. “Let me replace her. I owe you all a debt, and I will surely return.”
Raraku smiled. She spoke like a grandmother trying to put her grandchild to sleep. “Thank you for the offer, Dear. We don't doubt your sincerity. But... do you know that what needs to be sold in the city isn't just those goods?”
At that moment, a woman with her face covered in bandages handed a makeup box to Roa. “Sorry, you have to do it again.”
“It's fine, didn't we promise to take care of each other? Go back inside, or you'll get sicker and I'll have to do this again next month.”
Eiran was shocked, realizing Raraku's implication. “...I’m sorry. It's all because I ate your food share. I will leave soon. Forgive me....”
“Don't blame yourself. The food shortage at the end of the month is routine for us. And don't leave yet, wait until Roa returns. We'll prepare provisions for you with the new food supplies. I insist.”
“Grandma Raraku... I... I....”
Raraku smiled again. Her smile was as soft as desert honey.
***
As the evening approached, Eiran and a child were flipping stones around the boundary line using wooden sticks.
“Dang! Not a single scorpion!” the child exclaimed in the native language, glaring at him. He understood his words.
“There are no more big scorpions left. If only you had looked before sitting down with your big butt, my scorpion wouldn’t have been squashed!”
“Sorry, sorry. But I also paid the price. My butt is still burning!”
“That's just a light punishment. The match is tomorrow!”
“Patience, patience, I'll stay with you until we find a replacement.”
As he resumed flipping stones, the child called out to him again. “Hey, Big Bro! Your girlfriend is back.”
In the wavering heat of the late afternoon, Roa led three camels into the village.
“She must have brought a lot of food from the city. Let's go!”
“Wait, what about your scorpion?”
“Ah, forget it. But this doesn’t mean I’ve forgiven you!” he yelled while running off.
In the village, the inhabitants swarmed Roa. They unloaded goods from the first camel, which carried food supplies. The second camel bore needles, thread, scissors, and other daily necessities.
The goods from the third camel drew cheers from the villagers. She had bought many sweets, butter cookies, jam, and honey. They clamored to get them. Eiran stood frozen, afraid of lessening the villagers' share.
