Joshua Simon - Forgotten Soldiers

Dekar shrugged.

Loud gasps from Ava’s room cut off the conversation.

Zadok’s voice quickly followed. “Pa! Come quick! Hurry!”

I dropped the biscuit in my hand, hurdled a sack of oats, and dove into the bedroom awash in panic.

Though I had been making plans internally for when Ava woke up, I hadn’t realized how little I actually believed that would happen. When I heard Zadok cry out, I just knew she was dead.

Storming in, I found her eyes fluttering open.

Zadok and Myra were out of their seats, grinning. I joined them quickly, gently pushing Zadok aside to get to Ava. I grabbed her hand.

Red, weary eyes stared back at me. I couldn’t decide if confusion or surprise dominated her expression. She opened her mouth to speak, but only managed a rough cough.

“Lift her up a bit and tilt her head back,” I said.

I looked up and Myra had already grabbed a skin of water, holding it ready. She dribbled the water out like an expert. After a few gulps and a short rest, we allowed Ava to drink her fill. Even though we did our best to keep her hydrated while she was unconscious, I had no doubt she desperately needed water.

I eased Ava back down. She took a couple deep breaths and swallowed again.

“Better?” I asked.

She nodded and started to try and push herself up. She stopped suddenly. “Why am I naked?”

“Well, you’ve been out for three days. It was either that or have you lay in your own filth until you came around.”

“Who stripped me?” She blinked. “Not you?”

“Myra did most of it while I held you.”

She gave Myra a glance. “I’m surprised he did even that.”

“He was uncomfortable the entire time. He said that no man should see their sister without her clothes on.”

Ava snorted. “I can’t believe you actually helped.”

“Well, it was either I do it or let Ira and Dekar help.”

She scowled, glaring over my shoulder to the sitting room where Ira and Dekar moved about. They were giving us privacy.

“Don’t even joke like that. Three days. Gods, no wonder I feel so awful.” Recognition hit her suddenly and she squeezed my hand, while trying to pull me down to her. “Quick, tell me what happened. We might not have much time and-”

She paused again as if confused. I could tell she was still feeling out of sorts. When healthy, Ava never lost her bearings.

“I’m still close enough to Hol that I thought I’d die when they used the artifact. Why am I alive?” she asked in a hurried manner.

“Slow down.” I shook my head. “I figured that whatever happened had been a result of the artifact. It just made too much sense.”

“Again, why am I not dead?”

“My resistance.” I nodded to the kids. “And theirs. They both have a talent for it as well. Between the three of us, we kept watch over you.”

She eyed Myra and Zadok, then clicked her tongue. “Interesting. I should say thank you then.”

“You should,” I said, grinning. Ava showed gratitude by how she acted toward you. Rarely did she actually say how she felt.

She paused. “Well, thank you.”

“That must have hurt.” It felt good to give her a hard time.

“Not as much as you think it did.” Her eyes widened again. “I keep getting distracted. Hand me my clothes. We need to get on the road. The farther we get from Hol the better.”

She started to sit up, but with a gentle push, I flattened her back against the bed. “You’re in no condition to go anywhere. Why don’t you try to eat something and then get some more rest? We can talk when you get up. Whatever that artifact did, it seems like it’s done. ”

She shook her head. “I don’t think it is.” She took a slow breath. “Do you have any food? I feel so weak.”

“Zadok. Go get the rest of the breakfast Boaz’s wife brought up.”

“All right, Pa.”

“I’ll bring in some more water,” said Myra.

Zadok came back with a handful of biscuits and a bowl of porridge. “This is all that was left, Pa. Ira ate the last of the sausage.”

“That figures. He’s always been as greedy as a pig,” Ava muttered.

“I love you too,” Ira shouted from the other room.

Ava tried to shout a curse back, but ended up coughing. Their bickering made it almost feel like old times. In a good way.

Dekar peeked in. “I’ll go down and see what else is in the kitchen. Any requests, Ava?”

“I don’t really care. Just make sure you grab some honey so I can coat my throat.”

Dekar nodded. “I’ll be back shortly.”

He ducked out.

Myra returned with more water.

“Just leave it on the nightstand,” said Ava.

“I can help you drink it,” said Myra.

“I’ll be all right. But if I need help, I’ll make your Pa do it. Might as well milk him having to wait on me, huh?” She winked.

Zadok chuckled, but Myra’s face remained like a wall of stone.

“How about you give us a little time alone?” Ava asked. “No offense, but me and your Pa have a lot of catching up to do in private.”

I saw their disappointed faces. “It’ll just be for a little while,” I said. “Besides, you both look like you could use some more sleep.”

“So do you,” said Myra.

“I’ll get it eventually.”

“Fine,” Myra huffed. “Let’s go Zadok.” She grabbed her brother by the arm and they left again, closing the door behind them.

Ava grunted. “They turned out to be good-looking kids.”

“Yep.”

“A little on the skinny side though. Zadok has that worships-his-father look about him. I’m sure that makes you feel good. Myra though. . she’s a cold one. Definitely inherited that look you liked to give to recruits when they were on your bad side.”

“I’ve noticed. I think she pretty much hates me.”

“Well, what girl doesn’t hate their Pa at that age? I remember getting into arguments with ours all the time.”

“True. But your arguments were about staying out late or using sorcery as a way to pay back those who used to pick on you. They weren’t about blaming him for every bad thing that had happened to you over the last ten years. There’s a lot we missed,” I said, voice somber.

“There’s a lot you missed in Hol too. Here, help me sit up and hand me that food. We’ve got a lot to talk about. You go first while I eat. Then when you’re done I’ll jump in. Maybe by then I’ll be able to think clearly enough for us to figure out what in the name of Ao to do next.”

I pulled her up and adjusted her pillows as she used her free hand to hold the sheet over her chest. “So, where do I start?” I asked, handing her a biscuit.

“How about with what happened to Lasha?”

I opened my mouth, paused, and shook my head as something got caught in my throat. Images of what must have gone on in that room at the Soiled Dove flooded my thoughts.

“Let’s start somewhere else. I’ll need to build up to that.”

* * *

Eventually, I built to what happened to Lasha, but only after telling her about everything else I could recall including all that Myra, Zadok, and I had gone through since my return to Denu Creek. I kept my focus on my hand still wrapped around Ava’s through most of it. I just couldn’t look her in the eye. I didn’t notice my sister’s sobs until she squeezed my hand tightly while I began the story of how Lasha had to work as a prostitute to make sure our children survived.

I looked up at Ava’s tear-streaked face. My sister, tougher than every other woman I’d ever known, had not cried since she was probably six and had skinned her knee while out in the field. I remember giving her a hard time about it then, a requirement of all older brothers. However, she hadn’t so much as sniffled in sadness since then, even when our parents died.