DANGEROUS THRUM

Centuries ago,

Zelda and Tema quickly tried to wring their hands free from the rope. The noise behind the door grew louder and Tema thought it wise to allow Zelda work the ropes alone. After a moment of unfailing mingled heartbeats, Zelda’s wrists slid from the rope and so did Tema’s.

They gave their wrists gentle rubs to ease the tightness and pain they felt.

‘’You look really terrible,’’ Zelda said to Tema, whose hair had always been neatly combed and fixed but presently appeared like that of a wild creature from the jungle.

Tema had a cut to the side of her left arm and a bruise on her forehead. The cut was from a scruffle to make her stay in place when she was jerking wildly on the first chair she had been placed on. And the bruise was gotten from making hard head-to-head contact with the man who had cut her with his dagger.

“I can say the same about you’’ Tema said with a smile.