Coreopsis

first insert, part four

The group of Motietoian’s circled the guard, Sarah and Orion. 

“I don’t like this.” The guard murmured under his breath. 

They walked through the blinding snow for what felt like an hour. Sarah was exhausted. She could only imagine how Orion felt. 

The group came to a cave. Once they were out of the snow each Motietoian lowered their hood following the example of the lady leader. 

“All women.” Sarah whispered. 

“That makes me feel better,” the guard smirked. 

The large front room of the cave was soon gone. The passage was so narrow that the walls hugged Sarah’s sides. 

The guard had to hold his gun in front of his body. “I don’t like this.” 

Sarah was smacked in the face by bright torch light. The narrow passage opened into a massive chamber with at least fifty lite touches scattered around. There were so many people lying in the floor that Sarah gasped before she realized it. 

Leader lady started speaking. After a couple minutes of no response from Sarah, another person started speaking a different language. Then another. Then another. When the fifth lady started speaking, “I know that one.” Orion pointed at her. 

As the lady spoke, Orion translated. 

“Start with this one.”

Leader lady was standing beside a grand father who Sarah figured was the tribal elder. Other ladies removed animal skins that were covering a great many medical supplies. 

“What happened here?” Sarah asked. Orion translated. 

“Know not. Hunters went out, returned to mess.”

Sarah locked eyes with the guard, who returned her gaze. She imagined that his eyes were dancing with delight in the torch light. “I need hot water. Lots of it.”

When the first tub was brought in Sarah scrubbed her hands and asked Orion to do the same. 

“I don’t know what to do.”

“Don’t worry.”

When she uncovered the elder, his body was shredded. 

“Why aren’t they making any noise?” The guard asked out of frustration. 

Orion repeated his question. Adding, ‘this must be painful’.

“Weak”, was the only reply he got. 

Leader lady asked, “speak.”

When she looked up, two ladies were watching her intently. She spoke, Orion translated, going into great detail about how to clean each wound. Removing debris. Medicating. Suturing. After Sarah had completed five lacerations, the ladies followed her example by scrubbing up. Then began work on one of the younger men.