Chapter 6

Lucy felt regret deep in her heart. Hess village must have known something happened to their leader Hess by now, and would surely and rightfully blame Lucy. She could only imagine how Misha would react to confronting her again.

Lucy swallowed, and replied to Rual, "What do you expect to happen with Hess village."

"You're gonna show them how much happier we can be, when everyone is equal," Rual smiled.

'Plus 76 Deity Points,' the system announced.

"You're putting a lot of faith in me, Rual," Lucy responded, "What if I can't do it?"

"You can do anything you try to do."

"Sometimes people fail."

"You never give up, when I see you fail," Rual replied, "You keep trying, and then you succeed."

"I can't always win," Lucy doubted herself.

"You can try, and keep trying," Rual told her, "Hess village will see how serious you are, and realize they are wrong."

"I don't want Hess village to keep suffering," Lucy admitted.

"You have to do something," Rual begged.

Lucy took a deep breath and gave out a long exhale, and said, "I promise I'll try to help Hess village. I'll have to talk to village leader Semal about this. We're part of Semal village now, and can't make these big decisions on our own."

"I'm gonna tell Semal you're going to save Hess village," Rual got up to run.

"Keep your butt still," Lucy demanded, "We can't rush into things, but you should go thank Risha for these oranges."

"Okay," Rual said, and ran off.

Lucy felt afraid of the idea of visiting Hess village again. Afraid of facing her mistakes.

'What will Misha do to me, when I face her,' Lucy thought.

Lucy imagined the various ways Misha could torture her to death, again and again. Lucy thought about Rual dying, if she wasn't around, and how other men in Hess village are still suffering. She knew it would be easy to look the other way, under the excuse that as a woman Lucy shouldn't have to worry about the problems of men. This kind of thinking is what oppresses women in Lucy's former world. Willful ignorance and passive stances, causing death and suffering of countless people.

"I could hit them with a tidal wave," Christian spoke.

Lucy could see the villagers of Hess drowning, suffering the loss of their homes, and survivors dying of water born diseases. It would be very easy for Christian to wash all her problems away.

Lucy shook her head, "No, I won't let you do that."

"You act like you want trouble," he responded.

"Nothing is right about mass killing," Lucy stated.

"Killing certain people is okay though," Christian asked sarcastically.

Lucy's eyes got red and teary when she thought about what happened with Hess.

"Was it too soon for that joke?"

Lucy nodded while wiping her eyes, "You're such an asshole. You owe me 3 oranges."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Christian denied any involvement.

"Someone peeled and ate 3 oranges while I left you alone with them. Animals don't peel fruit."

"I'm honored you see me higher than an animal," Christian put his hand over his heart.

"What else have you done to me?"

"I gave you Rual," He responded, "I gave the animals Hess village hunted with Rual in their group more energy to get away. They blamed Rual, because the trouble only happened with him around."

Lucy was stunned, "I don't know how to respond to that," she paused to process, "If you have the power to cause trouble, why don't you put it to good use and help people?"

"I helped Rual meet you," Christian defended his actions.

"What is your goal?" Lucy asked him.

"I like playing with humans," He responded.

"We're not toys for your entertainment!"

Christian had a big grin, "You're playing with me, aren't you?"

"No!" Lucy yelled.

"What's wrong," Rual asked worried.

"Just a bad spirit that won't disappear," Lucy said while giving Christian a death stare.

Christian walked behind Rual, and picked up an orange, and spoke while tossing it up and down, "I can tell when I'm not wanted," and the orange vanished with him.

"Son of a bitch," Lucy growled.

A hand reached out of a smokey haze, and stole another orange.

"What happened," Rual asked.

"The oranges," Lucy pointed.

"I don't see anything," Rual responded.

The oranges looked completely normal to him. Rual was unaware of 2 of them having disappeared.

"Are you okay," He asked her.

"The oranges are disappearing too fast," Lucy cried.

"We can go pick more," Rual responded.

"Did you thank Risha for the oranges, Rual?"

Rual nodded, "She gave me more to share with the other kids."

"Risha is a very kind person," Lucy admitted.

Lucy was used to capitalistic thinking. Hoarding private property for oneself, and exploiting worker labor. These were normalized ideas for Lucy. A group of people sharing the extra things they don't need with each other, was alien to her. Lucy began to contemplate the difference between hoarding for profit through private sellers, and sharing with the public for the public good.

'What incentivizes people to work, when things are given freely?' Lucy asked herself.

"Rual, What do you think of villagers in Semal freely sharing things?"

"It's kind and good," he answered.

"Don't you want to get paid for your work, and giving away the things you own?"

"We got oranges for bowls," Rual commented.

Lucy realized villagers were trading for future profit, or immediate gain. Things weren't being taken for granted. There was an unspoken expectation for everyone to keep working to improve the village, and help each other. It was group collectivism versus Lucy's ideas of private individualism. Each had their own benefit. Collectivism did the greatest good for everyone, and individualism guaranteed a person could exceed the group's value, but individualism also prevented other individuals from succeeding by hoarding wealth and exploiting labor for the personal gain of the few elites.

The culture Lucy lived in was a barter system, with no concept of money. Animals weren't domesticated yet. There was no society of elites exploiting the impoverished. Life was crude and simple. Lucy wanted to improve society without causing it the troubles she had seen in her world. Build a history without foundations of hatred, killing, and exploitation.

"How do we convince people to do the right thing," Lucy asked out loud.

"We just show them the right way," Rual responded.

"We don't always know if we're right or wrong. People can be different ways, and both be right."

Rual shook his head, "Hess village is wrong for hurting men."

"Rual, if I force a problem without a solution, it will just come back," Lucy stated.

"Semal village is doing so good," Rual spoke, "If Hess village sees it-"

"They won't be willing to travel this far," Lucy interrupted him, "This won't be solved by conversation with Hess village. They will resist change that takes away their power. A power stronger than their current system has to be used. Do you understand what that means?"

"No," Rual shook his head.

"It means using violence," Lucy said coldly.

"But you showed me men and women can be equal," Rual spoke, "Why can't you just make them listen to you?"

"They won't want to listen," Lucy sighed, "Sometimes violence is required to change people's mind."

"Is that why you killed Hess?"

Lucy choked on her breath, and didn't know what to say.

"Is killing people wrong or right," Rual asked Lucy.

"It's either wrong or the least right thing," Lucy admitted with her eyes downcast.

"Do you regret killing Hess?"

"If I could go back and do things differently, and save you, I would."

"You can do things differently with Hess village," Rual stated.

'Is violence the only way to solve this, or am I just searching for the easiest way," Lucy asked herself.

"You give me so much to think about," Lucy smiled at Rual.

"Rual, come play with me," a girl called for him.

"What do you think of Mala," Lucy asked, recalling the girl's name.

"Mala is my friend," Rual replied.

"Ok, you can go, but come back soon to help me make bricks."

Rual ran off, and Lucy wondered when he would start developing a physical attraction towards people, and which kind it would be. Would he want to have a girlfriend, like Lucy has had, or perhaps he'd prefer the company of men, or both. Maybe none. Lucy wouldn't hate Rual for who he chose to like. She wanted him to be happy. Lucy thought about her own loneliness for a physical companion. She hadn't dated a woman in almost 2 years. Lucy longed for the touch of a woman. Lucy felt attracted towards women, and neutral towards every man she has encountered.

Village leader Semal was accepting of the non-binary person Bola. Lucy wondered if he was accepting of the whole LGBT community. She got up and looked for Semal. Lucy couldn't find Semal, but did find Risha walking around the village.

"Risha, do you know Semal's feelings well," Lucy asked.

"Do you mean my husband or the whole village?"

"Both actually."

"I talk to them, yes. What is your question," Risha asked.

"How do they feel about gay people? Women who like women, and men who like men, sexually."

"Our village needs children to grow," Risha began while Lucy frowned, "Are you attracted to women, Lucy?"

"What does Semal think of gay people," Lucy asked, avoiding an answer to Risha's question.

"I cannot change who a person likes. It is not my problem."

"Do you torture and kill gay people," Lucy asked directly.

"Why would we want to hurt people helping the village," Risha responded.

"What are you talking about," Semal asked them.

"Lucy is gay, she likes women," Risha told her husband.

"I didn't say-," Lucy began speaking, and was interrupted by Semal.

"I will not share my wife with another person. Find someone else."

Lucy gave Risha a look of, "Is he serious?"

"Why are you stupid like this," Risha asked her husband, "She is scared we will hurt her."

"Why would I hurt Lucy? She helps our village," Semal responded, and looked at Lucy, "Like who you want. If it doesn't hurt my people, I don't care."

"You fear nothing," Risha told Lucy

Lucy gave a half-hearted smile, because she was still nervous.

"Do you want to buy wife," Semal asked Lucy.

"I am not ready to get married," Lucy spoke quickly.

"Why do you come here with so many questions," Semal asked.

"Some people hate gay people," Lucy responded.

"Do I hate gay people," Semal asked his wife.

Risha shook her head.

"What about the other villagers," Lucy asked.

"I am their leader," Semal answered, "They follow me. I don't let my villagers hurt each other. Why would I let such stupid things happen?"

"Thank you," Lucy responded, and walked away.

"Bola, can you answer a question about the spirits," Lucy asked them.

Bola looked at Lucy, and nodded.

"How do the spirits feel about gay people? Women who are sexually attracted to other women, and men who are attracted to other men."

Lucy wasn't a believer in spirits, but she wanted to know Bola's opinion because she gave the village religious guidance.

"I am not man or woman," Bola spoke, "but I still know these feelings. The good spirits enjoy life and happiness, and give us their blessings to be full of them."

"There's no problem being gay?" Lucy asked Bola.

"Good spirits love, and bad spirits hate. You will suffer if you follow bad spirits," Bola answered.

'Why do religious people have to be so cryptic,' Lucy sighed in her mind.

"Just give me a straight answer. What do the spirits think of gay people?"

"Why don't you ask them yourself," Bola spoke while putting crushed dried plants in her long pipe.

'I don't want another bad trip,' Lucy thought.

"I'm okay. I don't need to," Lucy responded.

"I will ask the spirits for you," Bola said, while dropping a red hot coal in her pipe to start smoking.

"I should get going," Lucy stated, and left.

"Why do you never come to me with your problems," Christian asked, suddenly appearing next to Lucy as they walked towards her house.

"You give me problems," Lucy responded to him.

"The whole village thinks you are gay."

"I am gay!" Lucy snapped, "Is it a problem now?"

"Why are you so angry at an observation?"

"Maybe because my people have been forced to wear pink triangles to out them, and killed for who they choose to love by almost every nation on earth!"

"Lucy, we're not on your earth," Christian responded.

"Hatred knows no boundaries," Lucy replied with tears in her eyes.

"You get so emotional sometimes," Christian placed his hand on Lucy's shoulder.

"How would you feel, if people hated you," Lucy asked.

"I wouldn't know," Christian spoke sarcastically, "I'm just the source of all evil spirits to these people."

"Asshole," Lucy spoke while wiping her eyes.

"I admit, I took a couple oranges from you," Christian confessed.

"5 oranges," Lucy corrected him.

"Is the amount that important?"

"Yes," Lucy responded.

"I was hungry. What do you want from me," Christian asked with his hands raised.

"Give me a brick form," Lucy demanded.

"I can't give you anything with nails or other metal parts. It wouldn't be fair."

"You can join wood together with joints," Lucy responded.

"Wood is so difficult to work in this time," Christian complained, "A joined wooden box for 5 oranges? This is highway robbery."

"Highways don't exist yet," Lucy commented, "Pay the price."

A wooden brick form box with box joint edges appeared out of thin air, and landed in Christian's hand.

"Is this what you wanted?"

"Give it to me," Lucy demanded.

"Five oranges is too expensive," Christian responded, while lifting the box over his head.

"What do you want for it?"

Christian looked at the sky, "How about a little rain?"

"That will ruin all my drying bricks that aren't fired," Lucy responded.

"How bad do you want it," He asked with a smile.

Lucy sighed, and held out her hand. When Christian placed the box in her hand, thunder sounded, and it started to rain hard. It came down in sheets. Lucy ran to find Rual, who she found with Mala talking to Bola.

"It's time to come home," Lucy told him, "You should go back to your home, Mala."

"I want to smoke with Bola," Mala said.

"You're too young to smoke," Lucy responded, "You're both too young to be smoking this stuff. Both of you come with me."

Lucy took Mala to her parents, and Rual back home.

"Are you mad at me," Rual asked.

"No."

"Why did you yell at us?"

"It was raining very hard, and you shouldn't smoke," Lucy responded.

"Why is it okay for you and Bola to smoke?"

"Bola and I are adults."

"I am ten, I am a man now," Rual puffed his chest.

Lucy poked the air out of his chest with her finger, "You are a boy until you are 18 to me."

"I'm not a kid," Rual whined.

"What's wrong with being a kid," Lucy asked.

"A man takes care of their family, and the village," Rual said with pride.

"Did Semal say that to you?"

Rual nodded.

"You can be a kid and still have responsibilities, Rual."

"I want to be treated like a man," Rual responded.

"Do you want to start hunting again?"

Rual shook his head.

"You want to take care of me, and the village?"

Rual nodded his head.

"Why don't you be a man, and cook some soup for us to eat," Lucy asked with a smile.

"Okay," Rual agreed to Lucy's demand.

Lucy didn't have to watch too closely over Rual. She already taught him about washing food, and handling raw meat safely. Lucy hadn't learned to make soap yet, so she helped Rual wash his hands with cold ash and water. They had a hand washing pot and basin in their home.

"Look at you being manly," Lucy said to Rual as he cooked.

Rual smiled, and stirred the pot with a debarked stick.

"You are going to make a good marriage partner, when you are old enough, but you don't have to marry anyone if you don't want to," Lucy spoke faster and faster.

"I am going to marry Mala, because she is nice like you," Rual stated.

Lucy was glad Rual didn't say he was going to marry her. She didn't want to explain how she was too old for him.

"You can get married when your both older than 18," Lucy stated.

"But everyone gets married at 13," Rual responded.

"13 is too young," Lucy said firmly.

"Why," Rual argued.

"If a woman gets pregnant before 18, she is more likely to die during child birth."

"How do you know?"

"I am a woman, I know about these things," Lucy stated as an excuse to gloss over her earthly knowledge, "Do you want Mala to die?"

Rual shook his head, "No. I don't want Mala to die."

"You can wait until you are 18 to get married and have sex."

"I don't want to have sex. I want to marry Mala when I'm 13."

"What do you think about sex," Lucy asked.

"It's how people have babies," Rual responded.

"Is that all you know about sex?"

Rual nodded his head.

"Anyone can have sex, but you are still too young for it. People don't only have sex for a baby. Sex can bring pleasure, but you should wait until you and Mala are 18 to try it. If you ever start feeling a strange feeling when you look at or think about Mala, or someone else, and you want to touch your sex parts, do it in private where no one can see you."

"Why," Rual asked.

Hess village shamed men for having sexual urges, and acting on them, but Semal village was more open. Masturbating in public was not frowned upon. People just minded their own business, and didn't gawk at people pleasuring themselves. Lucy was from a more prudish culture. Semal and Risha liked to have sex in private, because they don't like being watched by other people, and want to focus on each other. Most sex happens after dark in peoples homes, because there is work to do during the day.

Lucy was stumped for an answer. She was using logic from her former world, but then thought of something.

"There are perverted adults that are attracted to children, and will try to sexually abuse them, if given the chance. You should only touch your sex parts in private for pleasure, so perverted adults don't see you doing it."

Rual shrugged his shoulders, and said, "But I don't want to touch my sex parts."