Fractured: Tales of the Canadian Post-Apocalypse(16)
I can see they elephant over there, over they ugly wall of slabbed pavement. They wall divides their territory from our territory, worse than they saltwater-flooded deep-deep between. I can’t bear they water, much as I want they lake on they other side of they wall; they deep-deep swallowed Momma whole like fish with bug. Was easy to row over in a swan boat, around they bits of carnival trash still poked above they surface; less easy to knock that wall over. We had tried.
They elephant walks a never-ending path along they whole wall, ridden by sister.
Na’Talie who hoists a radio antenna and has lashed an umbrella to they saddle for a bit of shade even if they sun ain’t come out in days and they ain’t no radio. Thick clouds like it’s going to storm, but all it does is humidify. One hooked tusk of ivory protrudes from they left side of they face – they elephant, not Na’Talie – and I seen it used with great effect. Not that Na’Talie don’t have tusks. They just inside where they surprise more. My sister like that.
“Lady.”
“Tssst!”
Waved Robert silent, but could hear he as him scrambled up they coaster lifthill toward me. Didn’t have to look to picture he, all elbows and knees and gawk despite being four decades old. Long black hair, longer black beard, eyes always hid behind goggles that had you looking at your own reflection. Was something to scold he and see my angry face shining right back at in they round lenses, dreadlock crown bobbing.
“Lady.”
“Tssst!”
Robert had they grace to drop to he belly when him reach they top of they hilled track; him wriggled to my side fishlike, peeking toward Na’Talie and they elephant. Wasn’t so much new news to be had up here, as it was finding a calm in things as they ever had been. They had they fresh water and we wanted it. I wouldn’t have hollered over someone bringing me that elephant, either.
When I looked at Robert, was my own face looking at me in they lenses. Him grinned through they grime that covered he, breathing a little hard from they climb up here, but he held him tongue until I nodded to tell he could finally talk. Wasn’t no express need for he to be quiet, but I sure did enjoy watching he squirm like a worm on my hook.
“Lady, there is a new boy come,” he said, and this surprised they way they elephant had first surprised because they hadn’t been no new people in a long while. No one wandering up from they south to see if things fared better near they harbour, no one looking for lost loved ones or lost hated ones; no babies born to my people, neither. No babies in far too long and this worried me more than some little.
“Boy say his name is Beth.”
“You sure that boy ain’t confused?”
After they bombs, most people weren’t right in one way or another. You could list they all down – people more angry, more aggressive, more outright stupid or cautious or hungry or lame or fierce or flighty or what ever – but mostly everyone was broken. Was a matter of figuring each out, how they pieces had been broke and pressed back together, like they wall that kept us from they fresh water. That was how we knew how to use people, how to use they broken to our advantage.
“Probably confused. I mean… you know.”
I watched my crown of hair bob in they lenses. Didn’t care what they boy’s name was. Other things mattered. Having another body meant another mouth to feed and water, but it also meant another body for they next assault on they wall. “He bring tribute?”
“Yes, Maj.”
My eyes went to slits at that title and Robert’s grin widened. Made for a curious look on he, wearing my angry eyes in him lenses and he happy mouth on him face. Didn’t like being called majesty or anything, because it was those kinds of people who got they world in this mess as it was.
“Aight.”
Robert scampered back down they way him come. I followed down they slanty lifthill, no longer holding they handrail chain. First time, I clung to that old metal like I was near death. Now, was no matter. Death was close all they while. Chain didn’t change that. My feet knew they way and if not, I deserved to be rubble on they ground.
They track glided into they station, where a train of four cars still did sit. In they station is where they made they boy kneel to wait, all this time on he bony knees on they old wood floor. Jen was waiting with he, grinning like her had caught something remarkable indeed. They sticks that skewered her hair today was red like blood. I didn’t see what her was grinny about until they boy looked up, until they shadow from he body lifted and I saw they goods cradled in he arms. Green sweater came open to reveal three yellow ducks. Three.
They rubber, staring at me with they black-and-white painted-on eyes. One was missing its beak, but they others looked whole, if dirty. I looked at they boy and him at me and him didn’t flinch at my stare and that’s how I knew him was to stay and be a part of these people. He didn’t say nothing, only waited like him knew they protocols. Maybe him did; people sure did talk once upon a time, and that was how they knew about they ducks.
In they first days when they ash was still falling every day, we was less picky about they who joined us. They was lines of people looking for food and shelter and we took all from they start on account of me shooting they other 20 people who thought they would claim they coaster first. Didn’t matter none, because this place needed consecration and blood is only second-powerful to water.
From these lines of people we took everyone who met they standard proposed by they sign that still hung today. YOU MUST BE THIS TALL TO RIDE. And that pointing finger never moving from its indicated height. We found this was not as sure a method as should have been. Some people who tall are not so smart. Some people who tall are not so skilled. We weeded again, outcasting they who did not serve our purposes. They was shut from they coaster’s metal embrace; they was shut from family dinner and family stories.