Them and Us by Paul Schueller - HTML preview

Chapter 14

The elders decided that Sam could stay with the tribe for now. They did not, however, make the ultimate decision as to his fate. That would depend on Sam’s actions over the course of time.

As the weeks past Sam gained enough of the groups trust that he could venture off on his own from time to time. It really wasn’t a stretch as where would he go? He was dead to his family and to the city. Sam was ready to embrace his new life but still wondered if there was any chance his parents knew he was alive. Had they caught the clue of the missing tattoo? That was even if they saw the video to identify his body. The other extreme was that the city somehow found the body after the flooding and knew it wasn’t him. If that was the case the city would be after his family and refusing to make the payment on his life. That seemed unlikely given the vastness of the lake that the river fed but he might never be sure. His own thoughts exhausted Sam. How could anyone get tired just thinking, he wondered, but Sam was and he dozed off for a few minutes. He woke to Cassandra sitting on the rock watching him. Sam was unnerved and Cassandra was unfazed.

After regaining his composure Sam said “Hi. Is there something you want?”

“No nothing. You are just enjoyable to look at that’s all.”

“Ha ha OK but that makes me a little uncomfortable.”

“Are you uncomfortable with being pleasant to look at?” Casandra asked.

“No, just with you looking at me.”

“Oh, I thought that was a compliment.”

“I guess it is so thanks. I’m just not used to that where I come from.”

“Yes. The city. What is it like?” Cassandra asked.

It’s crowded. You really can’t go anywhere without seeing other people unless it’s the middle of the night.”

“So, you could never just sit here and look at this?” Cassandra pointed toward the horizon. The sun had just set but left some light to reflect pink and orange hues off bottom of the puffy clouds lingering near the horizon. It was now normal but more beautiful than anything Sam had ever seen in the city.

“No, we have nothing like this. And, by the way, you are also very enjoyable to look at.” Sam said with a smile.

“Well I’m glad you think so.” Cassandra said unabashedly.

Sam and Cassandra had a clear attraction to each other with hers being more primal. Centuries of genetics had awoken in the open range tribe that was particularly strong this time of year.

Late summer conceptions led to spring births with summer and fall to gain strength before babies first winter, just like most other mammals.

Sam didn’t know it but the tribe was within a week of their annual rendezvous with a tribe that originated from another city and that roamed to their west. It was an opportunity for the two tribes to stay connected and learn from each other and keep their respective gene pools healthy. Cassandra hadn’t yet had a baby but knew her time was coming and thought Sam would make an adequate match.

She strolled up to Sam in her normal straightforward manner and stated, “Would you please be my source?”

Sam looked bewildered. “Your source for what?”

“You know, my source…to make a baby.” Cassadra stated.

Sams knees buckled and he turned red “I don’t know if I should but I can tell you that I would like to.”

“Well which is it then?” Cassandra asked.

“Shouldn’t we see if I’m even going to be around first?”

“As you wish, but that really doesn’t matter to me. My first and my life mate might not be the same person.”

“Why is that?”

Cassandra paused then spoke. “Well, I never thought that much about it but I guess it’s because we are old enough and strong enough to have a child but probably not old enough and smart enough to pick a mate.”

“Wow that sounds really wise.”

“You sound surprised. Do you think we are stupid people?”

“No. It’s just not how it works in the city.” Sam continued “So your mom and dad are they really your mom and dad?”

“Yes but my brother was older. He is my mom‘s first and I am theirs. But I know you use mom and dad differently as we are all each other‘s guardians.”

“Your mother is pretty amazing person.” Sam commented.

“How do you mean?”

“She holds the tribe together. I see you don’t have anyone that leads you but yet she does.”

“For now that is true because the elders viewed her as the best fit but it may be my dad again someday as he has done so in the past. Or it could be someone else.” We are all servants of the greater good so role is not that important.”

“You have a much different way of thinking. For example, I don’t understand why your tribe is willing to have me here.”

“You mean because my brother died at your hand?”

Sam looked down sheepishly and nodded his head.

“We don’t see that as your fault but the fate that led you two to stumble into each other. It was fear and adrenaline that drove you both. We know what it’s like to fight to survive. Neither you or he had a choice other than trying to survive.”

“I’m very glad you look at it that way.” Sam said.

“Each of us, each I, will perish. But we survive.”

“I see that now.”

“You have learned quite a bit about our world but I don’t know much of yours.” Cassandra stated.

“Do you mean in the city or in the rest of the world?”

“We meet with a tribe to the west and know that they also live to avoid the city and it’s influences and they also have a copy of the sacred document but are there others?”

“Other cities? Yes. Many. There are 100 with about 60 million people in each.”

“Oh my God. How can the planet handle such a thing?”

“At times over the centuries it hasn’t. Very long ago everyone was forced to move to large cities where us built 200 story buildings.”

“What is story, the way you use it?”

“Buildings, rooms that people can live in stacked on top of each other 200 high.”

“All those people living so close. I can’t even understand it.”

“Where is you have been bred over centuries to live where you do all those billions of people have been bred to do the same where they are.”

“Except for you?”

“And some others. It was very hard for me.”

“Sounds like you fit better here. You are special like we are. There are only hundreds of us.”