Chapter 9 : Adrift

Mwene throaty gasps for air filled the sewer. His mouth was parched, his tongue was no different from sandpaper scraping against the roof of his mouth. He licked his dry and flaky lips causing even more cuts as small trickles of scarlet leaked into his mouth. His head and eyes throbbed with a dull pain. It was overwhelming on all his senses; he didn't know where he was or if he was alive. All that mattered was that his pain should stop. Then as suddenly as he was thrown into a world of hell, he found himself in a world of warmth.

He stood in a field of shin high lavenders. A gentle breeze caressed his skin. Fresh air filled his lungs. The night sky was filled with stars. The soil under his feet was warm, welcoming. He was at peace. He looked around and saw the boy at the other side of the field. He smiled and waved. Mwene waved back and walked towards him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw another figure emerge from the flowers. Her silhouette was all too familiar to Mwene. He focused on her. He looked at her lips as she smiled and mouthed his name.

"M. Wake up." Anan spoke loudly. She gently prodded him in the chest. He woke up and felt much better than before. He could see her clearly, and he felt hydrated.

"What happen…."

"It is my fault. I assumed that Mneme between the two of us would have been safe ." Interrupted Termi

Anan and Termi sat either side of him. Termi held out a flask to Mwene's lips which he drank from. Each sip was as rejuvenating as the last.

"Severe dehydration. You started to panic but luckily we had him to help." Explained Anan.

Mwene raised his head and looked at the boy who smiled back at him. He was propped up against the side of the gondola, his head was faced towards him.

"I am surprised that his Mneme did not worsen the side effects, but it did help us get you hydrated again." Mwene smiled back.

"That is my brother, Aisling. He doesn't speak." Termi became solemn quickly when she remembered the situation she was in.

"Ever since everything went to hell." Added Termi

"Can't blame him. We're all victims of circumstance." Anan said.

"What's your story Termi? How did you and your brother's people even get here?" Mwene got up onto his elbows and gave Termi all his attention.

Termi looked back and sat down with her legs crossed and she took a deep breath.

"From how I understand it there was a change of power that occurred on Earth tens of thousands of years ago. Lights from the sky came down and radically changed everything. Humanity never stood a chance. Slowly but surely my ancestors devised a plan to live amongst the stars. With planning and some luck they fled here and over two thousand years made this disk our home."

"And now you're leaving?" there was a touch of pity in Mwene's voice.

"It cannot be helped. When circumstances change you either adapt or die." Termi looked back at Aisling.

"Did anyone else survive?" Mwene asked.

"No. As far as I know it's just the two of us and you two." Termi turned back and fixed her attention towards Mwene and Anan

"Actually, there are three others." Corrected Anan.

"Where are they now?"

"They're on the underside. We've lost communication with them."

"They should be safe. Only vegetation is there."

"The whole area is just a large conservation area?" asked Anan.

"Yes. They also provide the oxygen necessary for our home."

"They'll be a home out there for you. If you have your loved ones, you can survive the end of the world." Mwene smiled.

Termi kept quiet for a moment. The croaks of the wood and the gentle slapping of water against the boat filled the echoey silence.

"Do you ever have regrets about leaving your birthplace?

"Yes, but we left because it was necessary. If we didn't, we wouldn't have met you" Anan answered without hesitation.

"Adapt or die as you said. As long as you have the moral high ground you can sleep easy" Mwene insisted.

"From my experience morality died here a long time ago." Termi retorted.

"I suppose but with so much going wrong in this world, the least one can do is to bring back some level of sanity."

"Even if it means your life?"

"Yes."

Termi looked Mwene dead in the eye for a moment. Her purple eyes gradually matched Mwene's emerald green ones.

"I believe you, even though I'm not convinced that fixing a world that is doomed is worthwhile."

"Even if the Bijar(rug) is swept from underneath you, treating others like they're human is always a worthwhile cause." Anan added.

"Struggling against fate shouldn't make you a monster."

"True but only a monster with a sheathed sword can take on a monster. Anything less is wishful thinking." Termi

The gondola gently hit the wall. Termi whipped her head back quickly. She quickly gathered her items before turning back to Mwene and Anan.

"It's time."