Scavenger Girl: Season of Talium Read online

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  Dedicated to

  Robert T. Schaller, Jr.

  My hero didn’t move mountains

  he climbed them

  Chapter 1

  Talium is a horrible season. I doubt anyone truly likes this time of the year; it’s constantly dark, it’s cold, and the most vicious creatures come out to reign over the darkness. I am not sure what Citizens do to pass the time, but for us Scavengers, we use this time to do things inside the house. When we were young, my mother would teach us to read, write, and do mathematics via firelight. Citizen children met with educators for several hours during the cycle to teach them the same things as well as elective subjects like history and music. Neither of my parents were drawn to musical instruments, so I would enjoy it only when I heard it at the river or, more recently, in the village with Blue.

  My education was as complete as it would be, and I had read and reread the books we had in the house. Our training now focused on survival and self-reliance. While I anticipated expanding my gender-biased domesticated skills, the men prepared themselves to hone their own.

  “Here’s the list of repairs until Hytalia.” Father put a piece of paper in the middle of the table.

  “Wow.” Marsh gasped. “You think we’ll accomplish all that?”

  “Yes, I do.” Father took a sip of his tea as Calish repositioned the checklist to see it for himself.

  “There’s more on the back, Cal,” Marsh informed him.

  He flipped it over and shook his head. “We better get started, then.”

  “What can I help with?” I asked.

  “Why don’t you start patching the walls?” Father suggested. I regretted my offer already. When he scowled at my poor attitude, I grinned widely to mask my disappointment.

  I put on a thick sweater and headed outside with a lantern and a bowl. This job, although important, was my least favorite. Unfortunately for me, I wasn’t the strongest family member, so many of the appealing tasks were given to the men to accomplish. Mother and I did the day-to-day things we were responsible for every season or the ones that didn’t require strength or height. It was monotonous and boring, but such was my fate.

  I took a spade from the work shed and went to find the dirt pile created from the digging of the burrow. The task didn’t seem so bad knowing I wouldn’t need to dig for it on my hands and knees, or so I thought. I couldn’t find the pile. I swear it was right here. I held the lantern out, turning in a circle, unable to see any evidence of it.

  The front door of the house opened, and my father and brothers emerged. “Where’s all the dirt?” I called to them as they headed for the property’s entrance.

  “We got rid of it,” Marsh answered.

  “What is that supposed to mean? Where did you put it?” I shouted as I followed behind them.

  “Well, some of it went to support the new garden section, a few loads went to the pigs, and some of it ended up in the field over there.” He pointed across the road.

  “Great.” I slowed, and my shoulders slouched.

  “Oh, yeah, there’s a small pile over there for patching.” He bumped into me as he passed.

  “Thanks,” I said, irritated with his game.

  I watched as the men struggled to drag the wooden bridge over to our side of the gulch. It wouldn’t be long before the pull of the largest moon, Armias, would raise the waters, making it all but impossible to cross without help. This was only one of the many reinforcements to our property, yet it did a fine job to prevent unwanted guests, human and animal alike.

  The most feared animals of the season were the mountain wolves. They were vicious hunters. Typically, they stayed high in the hills and slept in their dens through four of the five seasons. When Talium came around, they were awakened by the smell of moisture in the air. The emptying of the underground rivers and streams would force small life uphill. The phenomenon provided them with a bounty to fill their bellies until the next round of hibernation.

  They were also extremely smart. They out-thought most people, constantly being three or four steps ahead of a skilled human hunter. Unlike other animals, they learned from their mistakes and found alternate methods in subsequent encounters to make themselves successful in their endeavors. Father said they weren’t a fan of water, even though it pushed their resources closer to them. I don’t know if they couldn’t swim or simply didn’t like to be wet. Either way, our gulch was wider than their leap and deeper than their height, or so we prayed.

  Similar to most dog-type creatures, wolves were poor climbers, but scaling a tree to get away from them was a bad plan of escape. They were patient predators. If you were lucky enough to make it up a tree, they’d wait below for you. They’d wait and wait, even if it took two moon cycles for a man to come down. In cases where men died in the treetops, neither the hunter nor the prey won. Mountain wolves only ate live kill and had no interest in dead men falling from above. I heard they preferred to play with their food and fed in such a way to delay the victim’s death.

  It didn’t matter. Talium was a brutal season. There were many other demons of the night who were less picky and more than happy to take the rotted flesh the wolves declined. Creation made a way of cleaning up after itself even when the gods were absent. If they decided not to return, over time, the creatures of the night would consume every living thing. If the sun stayed dormant, the demons wouldn’t need a reason to hide. They would reign freely.

  I disagreed with my parents about this theory, though. The demons wouldn’t devour us; not all of us. I’d witnessed what people did to each other in the name of the gods while reaping the benefits of the sun. I believe, rather, we’d shed our flesh and take on the shape of what we feared most, leaving all humanity lost with the light. Desperation and hunger would transform us into the vilest beasts of the land. Death, when it came, would be the only escape.

  I made my way to the dirt Marsh had saved for me and collected what I needed. Hopping over Rebel’s fence, I searched the ground for fresh horse piles and plopped a heaping scoop into the bowl. Of all my chores, I hate this job the most. At least we had animals that made sizeable manure piles. It meant I wouldn’t spend all day picking up goat pellets out of the grass with my fingertips. One would think an abundance of dung would be welcomed, but it only made the gross part begin earlier in the process.

  I used the field faucet to moisten the mixture, knowing my mother wouldn’t appreciate me mixing it in the house. As soon as it was wet around the edges, I rolled up my sleeves. It was times like this I wished I was a man. If I were, it would be a rotating task between the three of us. I delayed the inevitable and watched as my brothers helped my father pull the newly made Nobu-wood gate across the entrance. I could have done that.

  The lantern light they used wasn’t much; however, it was enough for me to see them from where I sat. As much as I wanted to hide my feelings for him, I couldn’t take my eyes off Calish. It had been three days since I’d spent the night with him at Blue’s house. It was an awful night, but then again, it was an amazing night. We hadn’t spoken much about what had happened between us. Still, his smile and his occasional purposeful touch told me he was patiently awaiting our next moment alone. Every inch of me wanted to feel him again. Nevertheless, I decided to follow his lead. There were enough chores to keep us occupied for now.

  While I preferred to gaze at Calish, I knew this stuff wouldn’t mix itself. I quietly grumbled at the smelly ingredients, knowing once I began this task, I’d stink for days. We’ll see if his love is true or not. I closed my eyes, and plunged my hands into the bowl, and mixed the three substances. To
be thorough, I had to squeeze it between my fingers repeatedly, making sure to remove any rocks and other unwanted material from it. Once it was the right consistency, it would make a suitable patch for the spacing between the log walls of our house.

  I walked in on my mother threading one of the needles she fashioned from the Nobu-wood. There weren’t many colors of thread to pick from; still, she did her best. She sat next to her pile and refastened buttons, patched holes, and fixed frays developing in our garments. If time allowed, she would hem and alter some of the oversized items to better fit select family members.

  Mother’s nose wrinkled with the familiar stench of the patch filling our one-room home. I considered asking her if she wanted to switch chores but decided against it.

  “So, you never told me what you thought of the Festival.” She drew her needle from her garment, tightening her stitch.

  “It was interesting.” I clumped a small marble of mixture in my fingers.

  “Interesting?”

  “I think it’s interesting anyone would tolerate such a horrible exhibition. Why would the gods require a performance like that in the first place?”

  “You must be talking about the Parade.”

  “Yes,” I confirmed, “but honestly, every bit of it was equally as horrifying.” I searched for a place in the wall in need of repair.

  “What else did you see while in the village?”

  “The Seller’s Stage.” I cleaned out the rough edges of a deepening crack.

  “You went to the auction?” She sounded surprised.

  I pushed the patch into the hole I’d created and smoothed it. “I saw it from a building nearby.” I scraped off the excess teetering on the bowl’s edge. “Then, Blue took me to a wedding,” I said sarcastically in a cheerful tone.

  “And?” Mother pressed for more.

  “Did you and Father marry like that?” I thrust my hand back in the mixture and turned to see her reaction. She bit her lip and gazed into the fire. “You agreed to that?” I hoped she hadn’t.

  She bobbed her head. “Tawl’s father was a man of great influence, Una. The wedding was important to him, professionally.” She began her next stitch.

  “It’s a horrible practice!” I mumbled.

  “I agree.” She swallowed.

  “Wasn’t there another way?”

  “Not for Tawl.” She sighed. “I love him so very much. I did it for him, no other reason.”

  “I won’t do that.” I thought about Calish and how gentle he was with me. Blue wouldn’t be, especially if he took an elixir; that I was sure of. All girls deserved to be loved the way Calish loved me.

  “What else did you do?”

  “I learned about the Lanterns of Requirement. I lit one for Mr. and Mrs. Daxin.”—I fiddled with the mixture—“I wish I’d released one for Grena.”

  “We don’t know where she is, darling.” She smiled.

  She didn’t know. How would she? My mother wasn’t there when Grena was revealed as the Ambassador at the festival. I was so upset about it, I didn’t mention it to her or anyone else. I shook my head. My chin trembled as I relived the memory of my friend’s final moments.

  “Una, what do you know?” She lowered her garment and caught my eyes.

  “Grena’s dead, Mother.” A tear fell from my eye, and I wiped it with the back of my arm. “They burned her alive inside the chest of the idol.”

  My mother dropped her work in her lap. “Are you sure?”

  I nodded my head as my eyes filled with mourning. “They said she volunteered as an advocate for us before the gods.” I searched for another area to patch. “But she didn’t volunteer.”

  Mother agreed, “No, little bird, she wouldn’t have.”

  I couldn’t watch her grief when I hadn’t fully dealt with my own. I pretended to search the wall again, unable to see through my tears. “I don’t want to be a Citizen, Mother. I don’t believe in the gods. I don’t know what I believe in, but I don’t want any part of that!” I took a deep breath. “In case you’re wondering, I’ve also decided against marrying Blue, so you’ll need to tell his grandfather the deal is off.” I continued patching the defects in the wall, making it clear I didn’t want to talk about Atchem any longer.

  Thankfully, my mother didn’t press the issue. She busied herself in the kitchen, and we went on about our business as if the other wasn’t even there.

  * * *

  Days and nights were the same in Talium. The sun was only seen for a few moments before it’s gone. Only a moment of filtered light marked our day today. I doubted we’d see any tomorrow. Time would stop with us lost somewhere in its middle. Time. Time has a whole new effect on a person when you don’t know the actual time, or day, or moon cycle. It got so dark, even the two moons, Anon and Enon, hid from our view. We were in a soul-sucking darkness unfathomable at any other time in Ashlund.

  As was our tradition for the first sunless days of the season, Calish invited me outside after dinner. In the past, when we completed our chores, we’d take advantage of seeing the smaller stars blinded by the moons’ brilliance during the rest of the year. When I grabbed the quilt and followed him, it was nothing out of the ordinary. My heart pounded as he led me to the other end of the property, away from the house. We were too far away for anyone to hear us or to stumble on us unnoticed. I stretched out the blanket, and as soon as we sat on it, he turned out the light. We waited for a moment to let our eyes adjust, although on nights like this, there was not a lot to adjust to. Without a lantern, there was nothing to see, only the stars above.

  “I’ve missed you.” He searched for me in the darkness and pulled me into his embrace. I had waited too long to feel him this close. I breathed in his smell, nestled in his arms. I didn’t care about the stars. I only cared to melt into him.

  I knew he felt the same. His arms held me as he combed his hands through my hair. I melted when his lips kissed my forehead. They lingered there as he spoke, “I’ve been thinking.”

  I have been too. I reached into the hair above his neck and let my fingers play in his soft curls.

  He kissed me again, and I sensed his hesitation. The quiver of his lower lip should have been a warning to me. “I think you should marry Blue,” he muttered, his lips still touching mine.

  I pushed away from him, disgusted by the notion. “No!”

  “Una, listen.” He held me tighter, resisting my efforts to push him away.

  I stopped my struggle, but the rage inside me grew. “I can’t, Calish!”

  “Have you thought about what will happen if you don’t?” His whisper was more of a quieted yell.

  “He said he didn’t agree with the Seller’s Stage. He said it was my choice. He’s making the purchase so no one else can own me,” I argued.

  “And when he finds out you’re in love with someone else? How do you think he’ll react? Una, you saw what he did to those men. Who knows what he is capable of?”

  “Oh my gods.” I gasped. “Are you scared of him, Calish?” I broke free of his arms. He justified his thoughts, but I didn’t hear any of it. “I can’t believe it; you’re afraid for your own skin!”

  He sat up and lit the lantern. “No, I’m not. I don’t trust him. Something tells me buying you and this place is more than an act against social injustice. He’s hiding something, Una. I don’t know what it is, and that makes me trust him even less.”

  “You don’t trust him, so you want me to marry him?” I fought back my tears. “What kind of logic is that?”

  “If you don’t, you’ll be sold off to some stranger. If you go along with his plans, we know where you’ll be. Pantis won’t keep you from us. I don’t trust Blue, but I do trust the old man.”

  “Blue said it was my decision, so I’ll tell him I won’t be his wife.” I sat there, suddenly unable to breathe.

  Calish gave me a moment to get a hold of myself. Neither of us wanted to draw attention. “Fine, let’s pretend you tell him, and he goes through with the plan
anyway. What happens when he does marry? He will someday, Una. He’s got a lot to offer. He won’t stay single forever. When he does, his wife will own you too. How does this play out? You, the Scavenger who was his first choice, will still be depending on him. Your whole family and your pathetic estate will all depend on her husband? I don’t know many women, but what Citizen woman will tolerate that? Will you trust him then?”

  I shook my head, devastated to admit Calish was right. What was I thinking? “But I don’t love him!”

  He brought me back into his arms. “I know you don’t. That’s not the point. I’ve thought of every possible outcome, and this is the best for you. You mean too much to me to have it any other way.” He brushed my hair away from my face. “I will always love you and you alone. You might have to pretend to love him, but you won’t be a Scab anymore. No one will ever harm you, and you will want for nothing. My heart is the only thing I’ll ever be able to give you, and for people like us, it’s just not enough.”

  At that moment, the darkness provided more comfort than the light. I turned off the lantern to escape the awkwardness between us. It did no good to stare at each other. We didn’t have other reasonable options. Even as a free woman with a birthright of marriage, my fate would be that of a slave.

  I hated to admit it, but Calish was right, not only for my future but the future of my entire family. Our life was not an easy one; evidently, a Citizen’s life wouldn’t be either. Once the offer was accepted by the Authority, our arrangement wouldn’t merely be official, it would be legally binding. Could I marry Blue? Not for myself; however, I would find the strength to do anything for Calish and my family.

  I knew we didn’t have much time left together, but we had Talium. When the sun returned, I would be made a wife. My stomach knotted at the thought of being touched by the lustful farmer. My only hope was in the Citizens of Ashlund. Maybe the gods were disappointed in their efforts at the Festival, and they would decide to leave us in the darkness. If I believed in them, I’d curse them with every breath I had to keep them away. If given a choice, I’d take darkness for the rest of my days rather than live without Calish in the light.