Neutral Space(10)

The next day was spent almost the same way.I, and I couldn’t help noticing how quickly her leg was healing. We could walk further now and ventured into the jungle behind the base. She led me to a waterfall and a small pool, where I discovered she didn’t know how to swim. As a matter of fact, she seemed petrified of the water. After much convincing, she finally got in. It took most of the afternoon, but she eventually got the hang of it. We took another walk around the island that night talking about trivial things. Somewhere along the way, her hand found its way into mine.

I went to my room at the base wishing things could be different. Wishing the war didn’t exist and that Khedae was not the enemy. I turned when I heard the door open, and there she was looking ridiculous in my t-shirt. “I just wanted to say thank you for teaching me to swim. I’ve been scared of the water since I was little. But I’m not scared anymore.”

“I’m glad, Kheda.”

“Jeep I…” I could see it in her eyes she wanted to say everything that I was thinking. “goodnight.” I crossed the room without thinking and kissed her. She melted in my arms a moment before pulling away. “We can’t,” she didn’t give me a reason, and she didn’t need to there were a thousand of them hanging over our heads.

“Goodnight then,” I said expecting her to leave.

“Could I, would you hold me tonight, please.” We both wanted so much more, but we had to settle for that small consolation. I climbed into bed and set my gun on the floor under it. “You weren’t kidding then?” she eyed over the gun.

“Don’t take offense, old habits die hard.” I moved over, and she climbed in beside me. I wrapped my arms around her hoping I’d never have to let go. I didn’t think either of us would get much sleep that night crowded in that small bed, but we both slept more soundly than we had in years.

Kheda was at the foot of the bed meditating when I woke the next morning. I watched her for a short time until she opened her eyes. She smiled at me then went for breakfast. I was dressed by the time she came back. “We should head over to the other island and pack up my camp. Then check out your ship and see if there’s anything worth saving.” She nodded.

“It should be safe but take your gun just to be sure.”

We said very little to each other that day. It was as if it would break the spell of the last few days. In the morning I would take her to a trade ship where she could buy passage home. And I would meet up with my ship. We would be enemies again and would never see one another.

Kheda’s ship was a total loss. There was one strong box that made it with her money ID and gun. Had I cared I could have found out who she was then. To me, she was merely Kheda and to be painfully honest, I really didn’t want to know. She could have found out who I was just as easily, but she didn’t seem to want to know either. I suppose, for us, it was better that way.

Once my ship was packed we headed back to the base and hiked back up to the waterfall for a swim. We still talked very little it was enough just to be near one another. Nightfall came all too quickly as we hiked back to base and soon her hand found mine again. Her perfume still lingered despite the swim and wafted on the breeze. We sat on the bank of the lake not wanting to sleep but it was getting late, and we couldn’t afford to oversleep.

I went to my room, and she followed me in. Kheda kissed me goodnight, and I longed for more. Her hands wandered, and so did mine but just as suddenly as it started, it stopped. “I can’t, I’m sorry.”

I pulled her close. “You have nothing to be sorry for.” I was confused. Yesterday it was we, and today it was I. Something had changed in her thinking and I doubted she would tell me what it was. She pulled away to leave. “Please, Kheda, stay like last night. I won’t do anything else, I swear to you.” She nodded. I pulled off my shirt, and she reached for it. I handed it over and looked away as she changed. I shook my head knowing I’d never look at my t-shirts without thinking of her. I climbed into bed, and she lay down beside me.

“We will be enemies again tomorrow,” Kheda said quietly as she played with my hand that was draped over her chest. “I can’t bear the thought of killing you.”

“That certainly makes me feel better.” I smiled even though I knew she was trying to be serious.

“Jeep, please; we are soldiers. We have a duty to our people. We can’t quit simply because we met, yet I could not kill you.” She sat up and looked down at me.

“So what do you suggest?” I ran the back of my fingers over her cheek.

Kheda leaned into my touch. “A truce between the two of us; I will give you my beacon code, and you will give me yours. Neither will fire on the other.”

“That’s a dangerous game, Kheda.” I pulled her to my chest kissing the top of her head.

She looked up at me. “I’m willing to take the risk.”

“And somehow you already knew I would be willing to.” I sighed. “Why do we have to be at war?”

“Do not wish for what cannot be. This is all I can give you.” I nodded and told her my beacon code. She repeated it over and over before saying hers. I fell asleep with those numbers rolling through my head.





Chapter 5





T



he next morning was one of the hardest of my life watching her disappear into the crowd of the trade station as if she loathed me. I knew she was doing it to save my life, but it didn’t keep it from hurting. I’d never see her again, and I didn’t get to kiss her goodbye. That was it she was simply gone.