Prepared

The bodies were buried, and the marker was made.

We stood in silence for seven minutes and twenty seconds. Both out of respect for the dead, and no one knowing what to say.

"I go morning. If you go with, sleep good."

I turned and began to walk back into the hospital-church.

"Wait," the blonde said, "why are you leaving?"

I muttered the translation incantation under my breath, not knowing the translation of what I wanted to say yet. "Between the chances that predators show up because they smell all the blood, and the fact that there is nothing left for me here, I'm going to find somewhere else to try again."

"What do you mean, 'try again'?"

"I'm going to pick myself up and keep living. Just like Kalamay told me to. I have nothing else I can do."

There wasn't another comment to interrupt my return to indoors.

Before I could sleep, though, there was one more thing I had to do.

I located the medical kit that Kalamay had kept well stocked. I had seen the traders who came every month or so during my language studies, but I was far too early in my learning to hold a coherent conversation. That, in combination with the risk of them seeing my Chaos Scars, was the reason Kalamay kept me out of sight.

But now the bandages stocked from those traders would be what helped me get out in the public.

There weren't many left. I had burned through most of her reserves over the past month doing what I was about to do: cover the scars.

I wrapped the bandages lightly, but tight enough that they'd stay in place.

I did it tonight rather than tomorrow for two reasons. First was so that the women would not be waiting on me when we left in the morning. Second was so that I could tell if it was tight enough to not fall off in my sleep. That would be important, considering that I would no longer had a safe place to sleep with my arm unbandaged starting tomorrow.

Newly bandaged, the bandages covering my cursed left arm and left eye, I took a post at the main entrance, like I had the previous nights.

I didn't look at any of them as the women passed me, all using beds on the upper floor. I heard the faint whispers of them conversing briefly. Then nothing.

I looked out on the empty dirt road that snaked past the hospital-church. A pattering sound grew from beyond the entryway. In what I could only assume was the dark, I watched black lines streak down from the sky. Rain. It increased in intensity.

I watched the sky pour tears for several hours, until my internal clock said that it was midnight.

Tears of my own soaked my bandage, and streaked down my face. Stephasha. Kalamay. Aubrielle. Gertalia. Mom. Dad. I pictured their faces. Their smiles. Steph and I on the roof. Kalamay scolding me for something. Gertalia watching as Aubrielle reapplied a bandage. Mom and Dad, smiling as they held each other close. But inevitably, I remembered their pale faces. Their cold, stiff forms. Burying them. Burying my mistakes along with them.

I sobbed. Alone again. A hiccup as I sobbed.

Seven minutes and twenty seconds later, I let myself sleep.

I woke at dawn. It was still raining. I looked for and found the cloak that Kalamay had let me use when it had rained previously. It was warm and waterproof. I probably would've forgotten it if it weren't raining today.

I peeked at the girls room to find Mayliam and Elengail moving. I let them be after that. I was no Peeping Tom.

Instead, I started breakfast. The meat had been pillaged, many of the eggs broken, other various ingredients spilled halfhazardly. There seemed to be enough eggs for good omelets for everyone.

After a quick incantation to clean the cooking pot and five wooden plates, I lit the wood stove manually.

"Do as much as you can without the blessings of the Gods. Then when you've done all you can, ask." Kalamay's words echoed through my mind.

I chopped some vegetables that looked the least battered while the cooking flame stabilized.

I cracked some eggs into the pot when the flame was ready, and poured a portion of the mixed and diced vegetables over it. I also added a secret ingredient just before I folded the egg.

When I was satisfied with the first omelet, I moved it to a clean plate and started the next one. I kept the finished food near the stove as an attempt to keep it warm.

When I was between the third and fourth omelet, I heard Elengail and jumped a little. "What're you doing, Argolex?"

"I make breakfast."

Now that I had been jerked out of the zone, I could see that she was staring dumbfounded at me. Mayliam was also at the doorway, smiling gently.

"Wha- Why?"

"Breakfast."

"But-but why are you doing it?"

"When make food, not think. Not remember. And Kendalyn had enough bread."

Elengail couldn't seem to form words properly anymore. I handed her and Mayliam a plate each. The fresher omelets

"Go. Eat. If come, I leave when done."

Elengail nodded wordlessly as Mayliam pulled her to the dining table.

The other two came down after I had finished the remaining omelets.

I ate at the other end of the longer table from the rest. They all seemed to enjoy their food. To me, it was just food.

"How did you learn to cook like this?" Kendalyn asked.

"I learn before walk here. Not hard."

We finished our breakfast.

"I go. Who come?"

"I'm coming."

"I think it's the best option. I'm coming too."

"I'd like to come as well, if you'd have me."

"Well, I guess I'll come. It'd be boring, not to mention creepy, to be all alone out here." Faivere concluded.

"Get stuff. Cloak. Food. Bedding. Money. Treasures. We not come back long time."