35. In limbo

When Cid and Floreo ran back into the camp, Echo was already done with making acorn bread and vegetable soup. He even prepped the grill for meat that Cid was hunting for.

He saw a goat Cid hauled on his shoulders and frowned. It was whole, head and all. Usually, skin and innards were left at the hunting spot, for carnivores.

"Go fetch the lumberjacks!" Floreo shouted at him, with rolled canvas tied over his back "storm is coming!" Echo looked up at clear sky, then turned and ran towards the valley. If his brother said it's gonna rain, then it's going to rain.

Cid stopped at the river and flung the carcass off to the ground. They arrived with some time to spare, so he started to clean the goat now. They will have to eat.

Floreo did not stop, though. He ran straight to the Echo's cottage and threw seeds he gathered inside. Most of their dried food and unused cooking utensils were in there. Kitchen pergola was right next to it as well, so he gathered prepared food and carried it inside as well. He knew priorities!

When he stepped out again, his face was hit by the gust of cold wind and he shivered. Looking up, he saw gray clouds gathering low above the hills they just ran from. He ran into his cottage and grabbed their sleeping bags and blankets, making sure window is barred shut.

He heard Blaze shouting outside and ran out again, bolting his cottage doors behind him. "Take necessities to Echo's cabin, make it a shelter." Yax yelled as well, and Mani ran into their cottage to grab what they will need.

Blaze joined Cid in handling the meat, everyone else started securing and packing only important items left outside - their kitchen utensils! Wind started to bend the trees and Yax had them all gather in cabin Blaze and Echo shared.

They closed doors behind them, hearing crashing as pergola collapsed under sudden gust. "It was not made for this," Blaze shrugged "will fix it later."

In less than five minutes gray clouds were over them, then a lightning strike hit the top of the hill. With that the sky broke and hail started to fall.

Luckily, when they built the cottages, they made the roof out of thick overlapping planks. Other than narrow holes left for ventilation just under eaves on opposite gables, single window was right beside the entrance doors. Shutters let a bit of light in, but not much.

Hail could not break the planks, but the sound of it hitting them was a brand new experience for all of them. Soon though, sound of thunder and hail passed them, and continued west. Wind and rain that remained were still overwhelming.

"Seems like we are stuck in here for now." Mani was first to speak, and following that they all started to talk, asking Echo how he knew that storm is coming, why is the goat raw, how are they going to eat now.

Floreo slid down the wall, his butt hitting the ground as his legs lost all strength all of a sudden. That was scary. He was afraid it would catch up with them while still out in the open, he did not want to test his resilience to natural elements.

Cid and Blaze started slicing up the meat, so it could be boiled in the soup. Grilling inside was a bad idea. Yax set up their gas stove, which they did not use since settling down here. Hopefully there will be enough left in the cartridge for today.

Echo and Mani sorted out food that Floreo just dumped on the table. It will be a little tight for all eight of them in a cottage ment for a couple, but emergency does not ask for comfort.

Eight.. Floreo looked around and counted people present "Where are Jone and Ivory?"

Blaze froze "They went to check vegetables garden in the morning?"

"They brought vegetables back and it's now in the soup." Echo stirred the pot trying to remember where they went next.

Mani provided the answer "When I went to the valley to pick up some mushrooms" actually to ogle Yax flexing, there's no mushrooms left due draught "they said that they are going to check if chestnuts started to fall."

Cid looked to the north "Those trees are not so far, maybe 15 minutes walk up north."

Blaze was relieved "If they went up there, they are now probably in that cave we found two weeks ago." They were climbing up there to collect some fern rhizomes, then ran into the overgrown opening similar to that on east hill. Some abandoned rooms, with a corridor that leads inside.

Echo nodded "That is basically right where chestnuts are."

Yax was still worried, they were not soldier type. Even though they were stronger than naturals, intelligence and science personnel had a very basic survival training. He really allowed himself to get lulled into routine again.

Mani saw his troubled eyes, "They will be fine. As soon this rain lets up, we can go and look for them."

"And deliver them food!" Blaze added "let's cook this for them." If Jone was with Ivory, he was not worried for either of them.

***

At the same time, Ivory struggled to carry Jone deeper into their shelter. They were immersed in digging up ferns, when suddenly wind started to blow and clouds appeared out of nowhere. Thunders and hail caught them while they scrambled towards the hole in the stone wall.

It would all be fine, they were already almost there, when a rock came tumbling down from somewhere above. Jone pushed him aside and then got hit by the rock himself. Luckily, rock first bounced and hit his leg below the knee, so he was conscious and responsive, just in pain. If it hit his head, they would be in real trouble.

Ivory carefully laid Jone down, next to the rear wall. Hail was falling in through empty doorframe, but could not reach them there. He straightened Jone's legs and saw him wince.

"Sorry, I have to check your injury." Jone just nodded, and Ivory gently pulled bottom of his pants leg towards his knee. His leg was slightly bent, but his foot did not hang to the side, and there was no blood. There was a swelling appearing, and a bruise.

Jone laughed, and Ivory looked at him "It's just broken, but not displaced." Jone explained "Just find a stick to immobilise it, and in 24 hours it will be like brand new."

"Do you have any powder in your bag that could help?" Ivory asked while going back to the entrance. Hail was gone, leaving only small ice balls strewn around, but it rained buckets now.

"No, not for broken bones." He had some that could reduce swelling, but he left those back in the cottage.

Ivory came back with two more or less straight branches and ivy that he pulled off the wall next to entrance.

He sat next to Jone and prepared to fix his leg.

"I can do it myself." Jone said, but Ivory did not let him.

"Why would you? Just let me know if I am doing it wrong." Ivory gently tied sticks to Jone's leg, then additionally tied his foot so it couldn't move.

Jone observed in silence, then asked "Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Sure, but I might choose not to answer." Ivory was curious, as Jone never asked personal questions before.

"I thought that your panic attacks were connected to physical touch. Before it was when Yax got in your face, and last one was when I forgot and held your hand to help you descend. But now, you carried me and tied my leg, and still, perfectly fine."

Oh, medical history. "I can answer that, but in turn you will have to answer my question." Jone nodded and Ivory proceeded "It's not touch per se, it's just that perceived intentions were not aligned with my expectations. Sensory overload triggers internal analysis and my reflex is to create distance. By punching."

Jone frowned, so Yax got his nose broken because Ivory did not see him like a lover. Did it mean Ivory did not see him like.. what? Capable to help him climb down?

"My turn to ask." Jone looked up and Ivory continued "You got everyone's medical history, right?" Jone nodded "So, can you tell me what is written in yours?" Ivory looked straight at Jone, wondering if he will say truth, or wiggle around it.

Jone tilted his head "Sure, it's not confidential. My DNA was modified to enhance general neural activity, giving me photographic memory." He had no chips in his head.

"During prenatal development, hormones were used to enhance early formation of neural network and connectivity." Nothing much really. "Enables me to cross-reference observations with memorised knowledge base and personal medical logs." In milliseconds.

Ivory just stared at him, sitting on his heels, reminding Jone of his meditation pose.

"What?"

"Are you aware," Ivory said slowly, still carefully observing his face "that you have extreme tendency to overthink things." Jone just blinked in confusion.

"During past two months, you were tensed basically constantly. I did not see you relaxed even when you sleep." Got him really worried.

"When I sleep?" Jone tilted his head.

"You grind your teeth." Ivory watched Jone's face changing shades. "Don't be embarrassed, tell me, is there a way I could help you relax?"