Girl

Mecora leaned against “her” statue, but didn’t really watch what was going on around her. Usually she did, wondering at the business this or that person was off to, what they might be thinking, what their concerns might be. But this day, she just sat and thought about how important everybody thought their own lives were, too important to stop and think about what was going on. It was as if the light Vle issue was a taboo subject, something not even discussed in private, or when drunk.
“Hi.”
Mecora looked up to see Relie standing there, dressed to travel. “Hi. Going somewhere?”
“Yeah. My family’s moving again.”
“Really? Why?”
“Dad says this town’s too negative. We haven’t really been accepted here, anyway.”
“Is anywhere else gonna be different?”
Relie shrugged. “I dunno. Why not?”
“Light Vle are gone all over the place, unless you go to a town where there weren’t any to begin with.”
“Yeah. Dad says we’re going west.”
“Well. Good luck.”
“Thanks.” She sat on the corner of the statue’s base. “I’m sorry we couldn’t be friends.”
Mecora wasn’t, but she wasn’t about to say so. So, she just said, “Yeah.”
“I hope you find a good friend someday. I think you really are a friendly person, if you want to be.”
“Thanks for saying that.”
There was silence for a moment before the younger girl aked, “Do you ever wish you could just stop time, and make it go backwards?”
“Always, Relie. It consumes me, even though I know it wouldn’t do any good.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean we’ve already experienced the changes. We can never really go back. It will always be different.”
“I know, but it’s a nice dream anyway.”
“Yeah.”
A male voice called from the next platform up. “Relie!”
“Coming, Dad!” yelled Relie. She stood up, and sighed. “I hafta go now.”
“Bye, Relie. I hope you find a good friend, too.”
“Thanks. Bye!” She turned, and walked toward the lift to meet her family.
And once again, Mecora felt alone. It made no sense to pine for even that little acquaintance which she was now losing. Was her life really so empty?
And the only possible answer was, yes.
Relie’s wasn’t the only family moving out in search of better opportunities, and a more positive environment. There were the Phollin’s, the Tash’s, the Nonor’s.... There was a time when the Most High Elder of the town could proudly count more than four thousand Vle whenever he spoke. Now, he didn’t count at all, but rumors put the figure at less than two thousand, and dropping. Rumors weren’t truth, perhaps, but they were effective in continuing the trend of moving away.
Which was something Mecora’s family couldn’t afford to do. And couldn’t afford to not do.
Mecora stood and started to wander through the town, looking at the now empty spaces, holes in the tree that it would eventually reclaim. Mecora just hoped that it wouldn’t happen before the owners returned.
In another time, in what seemed like another life, Mecora and friends would have gladly gone romping in the abandoned places, looking at the things that were left behind, finding hidden spaces, enjoying the darkness. And, of course, they would eventually have made too much noise giggling, and been discovered, and then there would have been big trouble. It would have been worth it.
But not now. The darkness, the abandonment that seemed to ask for her company, just wasn’t that inviting. All she would do was sulk, after all, and she could sulk anywhere.
Even where she now found herself— at the bottom of the steps to the monastery. She didn’t climb them this time, knowing there was no point. But it was enough to simply sit there, and try to listen to the sounds of nature.
But nature wasn’t obliging. Instead it was strangely quiet, like it was whenever danger approached. What was coming?
And then she herself heard it: the thunder of hooves and wagon wheels. It was becoming a fairly familiar sound, now, as more and more light Vle headed by on their way northwest. Mecora could see from her vantage point that not a single head of those she could see in town turned in the direction of the approaching sound.
Below, the light Vle appeared from around a tree, and it was clear from their stance that they had already been walking for quite some time. The whips of the soldiers could no longer make them go any faster, though it didn’t seem as though the mounted Vle had noticed, or cared to notice.
The last of them passed, the forest returned to quiet, the animals even began to make their noises again. At least they were polite enough to recognize the passing, Mecora mused.
She stood and walked back to the town. Soon after crossing the bridge, she passed an elder. “Why do you go out there? You know they won’t let you up.”
“I know. It’s just quieter out there.”
“You know, Mecora, the more you sulk, the worse it’ll get. You have to move on, or else life will leave you behind.”
“Are you trying to tell me to forget my friends, and just pretend they don’t exist?”
“Well... You may have to. The King does have reasons for what he does. We may not always know what they are, but if he found the light Vle dangerous, then perhaps some are.”
Mecora couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “How can you say that?! Some of your friends are locked up, too!”
“I know, dear, I know. We all have to make our little sacrifices for the good of the kingdom.”
Her blood boiled, and her tongue let loose: “Burn you, and burn this whole town!” Finally, all she could do was dash away.
Though she thought she was headed home, she realized just before she opened the door that she had arrived at the house where Ueal had lived. She was about to turn around and run home, but she heard a sound inside, like something was bumped.
Slowly, cautiously, she opened the door. It was dark, but her eyes soon adjusted. All of the furniture was just as she remembered, only covered by a thick layer of dust. She heard a shuffle from the master bedroom, so she went as quietly as she could in that direction. Then, she opened the door.
From behind a chest, a foot stuck out. “Who’s there?”
No reply.
She went over to the chest, and said, “I can see your foot. Who are you?”
The foot disappeared behind the chest, and she heard another shuffle. Finally, the person stood.
It was a light-skinned boy maybe a couple years older than her. “Don’t tell, please don’t tell! I won’t hurt anyone, I promise!”
“Why should I think you would? Except maybe the odd rabbit or two, and whatever insect you care to torture. What are you doing in here? This is my friend’s house!”
“You mean— your friend is—”
“Yeah, ‘camping.’ Actually two of them. And another drank herself to death, she was so depressed.”
“Oh. I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, me too. Well, come on. You can’t stay in here forever.”
“Why not? I’d rather.”
“Someone would hear you! Who knows what they’d do then.”
“But where can I go? I don’t have any idea where I am, I can’t hunt very well...”
“You can’t hunt?!” Mecora couldn’t believe it. Most boys learned to as part of growing up. “Why not?!”
“I didn’t say I couldn’t hunt, I just meant I’m not very good at it. I’m not good enough to feed myself.”
“Oh.”
“By the way, my name’s Spreak.”
“Mecora. Nice to meet you. Now, come on. Let’s go to my Mom’s house. By the way, how did you get here without being noticed?”
“Every house has a water pipe. I just picked the first available dry one.”
“Your parents must be worried sick about you.”
“I know. But I’m gonna get them out. Someday, I will! And then we can all just go back to Varmac.”
“You mean, you didn’t grow up here in Larmania?”
“No! We were just on vacation.”
“Vacation? What’s that?”
“It’s... it’s when you leave home to go somewhere else. Just for the fun of it, or to see different scenery, different trees...”
“Wow. Your family must be rich.”
Spreak shrugged. “Well, I guess you could say that we are.”
Mecora couldn’t even imagine having enough money to leave home just for fun. She tried, but then realized she and Spreak still were in Ueal’s house. “Come on, let’s go to my house.”
Spreak appeared to hesitate, and then nodded. “Okay, but if we get trouble, I’m outta this town for good.”
“We won’t, I promise.” Mecora opened the door, and they cautiously walked out. In the improved light, Mecora realized Spreak was cute! She swallowed. “Act like absolutely nothing’s wrong.”
“Yeah,” agreed Spreak.
Mecora did her best, but there were those who stared. Children pointed, and told their mothers; other adults whispered in their friend’s ears. In fact, an elder actually stopped them. “Hey now, Mecora. Where did you find this fella?”
“He escaped from that last group that went by.”
“You realize, of course, that we have to report this to the next troop that comes by.”
“You wouldn’t!”
The elder shrugged. “I’m afraid we have to. The King said so.”
“But he isn’t here, is he? How would ever know that one, single light Vle wasn’t in his flaming camp?! How could you possibly do that to a person?”
“I don’t have a choice.”
“Yes you do, so make it!” With that, she took Spreak’s arm, and began to stalk away.
But the elder had the other arm. “We should keep him in a safe place too, Mecora.”
“Elder! I don’t believe you! Let go! He’s not a criminal, so just— let— go!”
“I can’t, Dear. It’s for the good of Kelwome.”
Mecora searched the crowd frantically for friendly faces, Vle who would take her side. But most of those who were even paying attention wore, at best, neutral expressions.
Finally, she happened to see her mother. “Mom! Mom!” Mecora was relieved to see her turn in her direction and approach.
“Mecora, what trouble are you in now?”
“The Elder Stussell wants to keep Spreak locked up until the soldiers get here!”
“Well, that is what the King commanded, dear.”
“Mom! You don’t understand! Spreak isn’t even from Larmania, he’s from Varmac!”
“It doesn’t change the fact that he’s a light Vle, Mecora,” said the Elder. “The King commanded all light Vle to move to the camp, and we’re not to hamper that movement.”
“You’re wrong! He commanded all of his subjects who were light-skinned to the camp. Spreak doesn’t count!”
“Well, that’s a matter we’ll have to leave up to the soldiers who come,” pronounced the Elder. And the tone of his voice meant he considered the matter closed.
Mecorsa didn’t. Seeing a break in the crowd, she bit the arm that held Spreak tightly, and pulled him away. Off they ran, as fast as they could through the stunned shoppers and merchants. Up to the next platform, across to the other tree, down to the original platform, and finally, across the bridge to the monastery tree. All the way, elders chased them.
“What are you doing?” asked Mecora. “We can’t get up there!”
“We don’t have to.” Spreak led the way up the steps, but stopped halfway up. Now, the tree was between them and the pursuing elders. Mecora watched as he looked... deeply at the tree, and sang the oddest song she had ever heard. Then, she realized it was a treesong, only quite a bit different from the one used by the local ‘singers in town. Before her eyes, a hole opened, quickly becoming just big enough for the both of them. They crawled in, and he sang again, closing the bark over the hole. Then, they waited.
They heard the passage of the elders, and some others as well. It seemed to Mecora that they were in there for an hour at least. Finally, Spreak opened a small hole, and looked out. “It’s clear.”
“But, now what?”
“I dunno. We could stay here, I suppose.”
“But there’s no food.”
“Good point.”
“So, why didn’t you use that in Ueal’s house to hide from me?”
“Well, you would have heard me singing.”
“You can’t whisper the ‘song?”
“No, it doesn’t work that way.”
“Oh.” She paused, and thought about their situation. “Well, I bet if we waited until nighttime, I could go home and get some food. Maybe then I can convince Mom to let you hide in our house.”
“Oh, I couldn’t—”
“Yes, you can.”
“But, if anyone found out, you’d get in so much trouble...”
“I don’t care. This whole thing burns forest. If it takes a little bit of trouble to make people wake up and smell the smoke, maybe we can stoke the flames.”
“Why, Mecora, you sound like a poet.”
She didn’t understand that comment. “Why?”
“You used a metaphor. You started with the burning forest, and applied the idea to the situation in the kingdom.”
“Well, yeah, it just kinda made sense—”
“Not many kids our age would think of that so easily. I’d say you have a gift.”
“You mean, like your treesinging? I thought that was something you had to learn to do.”
“It is, and you’re right. I have that gift.”
Mecora realized she was feeling a little strange, alone in the darkness with a boy who had just complimented her... She cleared her throat. “Well, I’d better get going.”
“Good luck.”
“Thanks.” She slipped out the hole, and used the cover of darkness to make her way to her house.