Chapter 6: Ciri

When I broke free of the water’s hold and hit the surface, I gasped for air. I laid on my back as the river moved me down its path. I coughed up some of the water I’d swallowed then listened for when Jasper broke the surface. He didn’t come to the surface though. “Damn,” I hissed then took a deep breath and dunked back down below the surface. I saw him drifting along the bottom with a red stain on his forehead. I went back up for more air then swam down to him. I grabbed him around the middle and kicked off the rocky bottom to propel myself upward. When I was above water again, I grabbed a stray log pushed the unconscious Elite onto it. I held onto a nook while we headed down the river.

It had started to rain by the time Jasper woke up spitting out water and coughing. “What happened?” he spotted me, “You saved me.”

“I owed you,” I replied.

“I think we’re even now,” he pulled me onto the log, “Are you alright?”

“I’m okay,” I nodded then touched the cut on his forehead.

 

“Ouch,” he winced.

“Sorry,” I said, “You should have stayed at the top or climbed down, stupid.” He shrugged then touched the scratch on my cheek.

“We’re a fine bunch of screw-ups,” he remarked.

“We shouldn’t even exist in the same world,” I muttered brushing my bangs out of my face, “I should have come on my own.”

“What?” he frowned.

“Nothing,” I eyed him, “Now you’re the one shivering, Elite.”

“Nearly drowning seems to have that effect on me,” he said then the log hit a rock knocking us both off the log.

 

“Whoa,” I grabbed my nook, “Jasper, try to use the rock as a push-off, we need to get around this thing.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said and I pushed forward as he pulled back and we got free. Just then the current picked up. The log jetted forward with both of us hanging on for dear life. As we rode through the rapids, my heart pounded in my chest. We hit rock after rock and finally the log broke in two separating me from Ryan. I held on tight even though the current was trying to take me under. It pulled. I tried to resist. The next wave crashed over me and I lost my grip on the log. It bounded down the river and I tried to swim on my own. The water’s hold was strong. I was constantly spitting up water trying to keep myself afloat. I kicked and used my arms to keep myself above as well. “Ciri,” Jasper shouted then I went under again. I hit something not as hard as the rock and I clung to it climbing up out of the water. It crumbled under my fingers then I opened my eyes to see I was on a dirt hill. I coughed up more water then turned to see Jasper climbing up beside me.

“If Eddison isn’t home when we get there,” I coughed, “I am hunting him down like a dog.”

“Amen,” he laid back.

 

“Don’t say that,” I wrung out my hair, “He’s never been any help to me.”

“His servant hasn’t, Ciri17,” he looked up at the sky, “There’s still some hope for the master.”

“Maybe,” I sat up, “I’m tired.”

“Well we can’t stay here, the water could rise and swallow us again,” he got up groaning at the stretching of his sore muscles. I forced myself to follow his lead. I could feel the rain on my cheeks, but I was already so cold I didn’t notice the wind until much later.

“Let’s keep moving,” I headed up the hill and looked upon the ruins of Terra, the Drifter’s land. The houses were almost all destroyed, although there were some that were rebuilt. This was probably done by Drifters for storage purposes. They looked so poorly done that the removal of one brick would send them crumbling down.

“Lovely,” Jasper commented.

“Not all of us can live in ivory towers,” I started towards one.

 

“What?” he looked insulted, “I told you before you don’t know what I’ve lived through, sweetheart.”

“Well, you don’t know what I’ve had to survive either so, how about no more talking?” I shook my head.

“No more wasting time,” he agreed and I wrapped his coat tightly around myself then headed across the broken ground to the hut. He followed quietly until we got to the doorway. He got in front of me and blocked the entrance. “No,” he ordered and I crossed my arms.

“Couldn’t stay quiet for two minutes, could you?”

“This is not a good idea; those stones will hurt a lot when they land on your head.”

“I am looking for supplies, food and maybe a blanket,” I pushed him out of my way. He hit the stones and the house shook.

“Definitely not,” he tried to grab my arm.

 

“Give it a rest, Elite,” I rolled my eyes then tripped over something. Arms caught me before I hit the ground.

“Are you almost done?” he demanded.

“Shut it,” I got up and started looking around, “Empty, open cans and empty salt packets, what a find.”

“I hope that was sarcasm,” he muttered.

“Believe me it was, Jasper and you shouldn’t mutter it’s rude,” I said then looked down at the piece of metal I’d tripped over, “Why is there a handle on the floor?”

“Why didn’t the drifters use mortar when they were rebuilding this place? The questions are endless,” he sighed. I grabbed the handle and pulled up. It was heavy and the ground moved as I pulled.

“Too much,” I fell forward and the secret door closed beneath me.

“What on earth,” Jasper said grabbed the handle and pulled up. The metal panel came up and he tossed it aside to reveal a ladder and the darkness below.

“Of course,” I stole his flashlight and started down the ladder, “A cellar is a much better hiding place than out in the open.”

 

“What do you think you’re doing?” he called down to me, “Get up here now, Ciri; if this place collapses you’ll be trapped down there.”

“We aren’t in the forest anymore and we need food,” I turned the flashlight on and looked around, “The shelves are empty.”

“That’s great now get up here,” he commanded.

 

“Wait,” I caught sight of a silver glimmer from the shelf behind the ladder. I hopped off and went to investigate. There was a wool blanket and on the bottom two shelves there were cans of fruits, vegetables and even a few strips of something labeled jerky. It looked like meat.

“Ciri, say something,” Jasper shouted, “What are you doing?” I ignored him and started to collect the cans. I piled them on the blanket then tied it up so they couldn’t fall out.

“I thought we were goners,” I sat down on the floor, “Umber, you must be up there looking out for me.”

“Nice to know we lived longer than your expectations,” Ryan’s voice came from behind me.

“Don’t sneak up on me,” I pulled the gun out.

 

“The gun won’t shoot when it’s wet,” he took it from me; “Open it and let the warm air dry it out.”

“Can I have it back please?” I snapped.

“Yes,” he put it on my palm then took the bundle, “Now up the ladder, you acted like a child coming down here on your own.”

“Don’t act high and mighty, you can’t be more than two years older than me,” I started to climb, “Keep your hands out of that bundle until we get to the surface.”

“Just get up there,” he countered and I climbed faster until I got to surface and then lifted myself out, “Take the bundle.” I grabbed it and he climbed the rest of the way in seconds. “Now we are getting out of this place for good.”

 

“It’s still pouring rain and the shelves are covering enough that I could get some sleep,” I stretched my arms out, “Once the rain dies down, we’ll keep going.”

“The second it stops; we are on the move,” he went over and untied the bundle, “If we die here though, you better believe you’re not going to heaven, sweetheart.”

“Charming,” I laid down, “Take the blanket, Elite or you’ll freeze.”

“You won’t last long yourself,” he threw the blanket over me.

 

“I don’t need it; I have the coat.”

“The soaking wet coat,” he sat me up. He took the coat off before I could protest and hung it on the shelf.

“Now one of us is definitely going to freeze,” I wrapped my arms around myself. My clothes clung to me and they were just making me colder.

“Not necessarily,” he climbed in under the blanket and I raised an eyebrow, “Don’t be shy, sweetheart come closer; I don’t bite.”

“I’ve heard that one before,” I frowned, but my body was going numb while I resisted.

“Come on,” he pulled me to him and wrapped the blanket securely around both of us then his arms wrapped my waist. “See, perfectly alright,” he sighed.

“I don’t know,” I felt strange. I liked the warmth radiating off him, but this was not something that was acceptable in my books. I shouldn’t be this close to him. What if he tried something? I was defenseless without my gun.

 

“What is it?” he asked watching me carefully.

“Nothing,” I replied sharply.

“You know your records say you have a reputation,” he informed me and I tensed up, “But it isn’t true, you don’t let anyone in, Ciri and it protected you in the city. Out here though, you have to depend on other people, understood.”

“I suppose,” I rested my head hesitantly against his chest, “Just don’t try anything or you’ll regret it.”

“If you were this charming in Graceling, Ciri17 you would have caused a real stir,” he chuckled.

“If I behaved like this in the city, I would have been hung,” I whispered and he tensed, “Goodnight, Jasper.”

“Night,” his grip around my waist tightened and I listened as his breathing slowed and steadied. I breathed in the scent of the woods and I felt safe at last. I let my eyes drift shut and I dreamed of stars and constellations that night. I woke up to the sound of cursing.

 

 

“What?” I opened my eyes to see Jasper sucking on his thumb, “Why are you sucking on your thumb?”

“I tried to open the can with my knife and I cut myself,” he informed me.

“You had a knife all this time,” I got to my feet, “You didn’t try and use it at all when I attacked you.”

“Yes, well I didn’t think it would help; as you said guns are faster,” he shrugged, “Besides, I didn’t want to kill you or hurt you if I could help it; it isn’t my way.”

“All you wanted was to find out what Talia said,” I bit my lip, “If I tell you one more line, will you trust me to open the can?”

“Perhaps,” he looked at me expectantly.

 

“Talia wrote that she went looking for someone named Kyle and that she would come back when she had set things right,” I told him.

“Kyle,” he ran a hand through his hair, “What is she thinking?”

“Who is he?” I inquired.

“A very dark soul,” he growled, “She shouldn’t be anywhere near him.” I watched him stand up and start pacing back and forth.

“How old is she?” I took the knife he left lying there and worked on cutting open the can.

“Nineteen, same age as me,” he stopped, “If only there were some way of messaging her out here.”

“I’d suggest a bird, but they are notorious unhelpful,” I opened the can and took out one of the tomatoes.

“She wouldn’t listen anyways,” he sat down and took a sip of the tomato juices, “She is a lot like you; only she is more relaxed about things.”

 

“It’s hard to relax when I don’t know if there are people after me, or whether Eddison will help us,” I rambled, “Maybe we’ll get there and he’ll turn us away, or better yet I get almost there then die of exhaustion.” I stood up. “I’m a mess and without Umber, I have nothing to fight for,” I muttered, “I don’t want to be absorbed by revenge.”

“Hey,” he put his hands on my shoulders, “We have only been out here a little over a week, you cannot lose faith that quickly, or we’ll never make it.”

“Just turn back then, Elite,” I rubbed my head, “I’m hopeless.”

“No, you’re not,” he forced me to look at him, “I am trained to know a lost cause when I see one and this is not like that; you know what you’re doing. You just have to trust that you do, alright.”

“I guess you’re a better guardian than you let on originally,” I smiled slightly.

 

“This tomato juice tastes expired,” he said taking another small sip, “Is there anything else?”

“Please, I’ve survived off this stuff,” I took the can.

“But you were feed by your owners,” he frowned.

“What dream world are you living in?” I shook my head, “We’re lucky if we get stale bread and water in most houses; not to mention the sickness that comes from the punishments.”

“They aren’t common,” he commented.

“They happen every day; they take us to the reformatories and whip us into submission,” I explained.

 

“Reformatories are run by the Church, though,” he looked alarmed, “They wouldn’t do that.”

“The Elites work for the Church and the Spectors; I would have thought they’d tell you the truth,” I pulled down my sleeves and pulled up my hair to show the whip’s markings on my upper back.

“They did that,” he touched one and I winced, “Ciri.”

“Your people aren’t saints,” I let my hair fall over it and fixed my sleeve, “Why wouldn’t they tell you?”

“My father sent me my brother to a reformatory a week ago,” he snapped, “My father wouldn’t do that to him; maybe he would to.” He paused then shook his head. “The grand minister may be helping these men, but not all of them are bad.”

“How do you know that?” I demanded, “Do you think I whipped myself?”

 

“My mother works for them; she works with the servants to create equality,” he informed me, “She wouldn’t let servants get regular punishment or no food and water.”

“After what I’ve told you, you still think I lied about the council members,” I watched him carefully, “I don’t lie; I may be many other things, but I don’t lie and I didn’t imagine my owner sending me for a ‘cleaning’ when she got sick of the way her husband looked at me.”

“I don’t believe it,” he punched the wall, “I can’t believe it.”

“Orphans like me and secondary children are how the divide started,” I sat down beside the blanket, “Parents trading their children for resources and out of shame.”

“Your parents,” he sighed, “Ciri, I know your experiences have been painful, but I have to believe we are monster.”

 

“You aren’t,” I rolled over to face away from him, “Not yet anyways.”

Author's Note

what do you think of the dialogue?