Derelict

The Path of Prudence

Chapter Five

Rison flicked her switch at the mule. It was picking its way with practiced ease across the crumbling asphalt and around the occasional rusty hulks looming along the roadside and didn't need flicking but she flicked it anyway.

"Let that mule be girl. He's done nothing to you."

Rison said nothing in response, letting her silence do the talking. Banned from irritating the mule, she jumped from the cart and walked, hoping it would relieve the mind-numbing boredom. Bored, bored, bored. For two days now, it was the same dismal landscape, the same tasteless food, and the same lack of communication from Caddo. How can one man have such an important job and talk so little? She had more meaningful and in-depth conversations with the mule than with Caddo. Several additional minutes passed in silence with no sound other than the clop-clopping of the mule's hooves and the steel rimmed wheels crunching gravel into dust on the pavement. Walking proved to be every bit as boring and she ground her teeth in frustration, glancing out of the corner of her eye to search for some sign of life from Caddo.

Nothing. He sat in stoic silence, his eyes focused on the road.

Frustration consumed her. "Are you ever gonna tell me why we had to leave the Speck? You know Rusk is gonna join up with the caravan any day, if he hasn't already. Wyatt won't stand a chance up aside him."

Caddo nodded. The cart rumbled down the road another hundred feet or so before he answered. "I expect that's about right."

"Well, come on then," she said. "What was the point in getting him out of Cairo if you're gonna let Rusk at him? He'd be better off where he was, back with Boss and the club."

She waited for an answer and when none seemed forthcoming she continued. "Oh sure. I guess you've got some great almighty plan all cooked up for us, don't you?" Her voice trailed off realizing she had rarely--if ever--talked in such tones to Caddo. He was one of a scant handful of people in her world who deserved and even demanded respect. Her words and attitude were embarrassing in hindsight, leaving her with a vague sense of regret--another emotion foreign to her. But then, he too was acting different these days. He was moodier and if possible, even more inexplicable than normal.

When he finally spoke, it was such an abrupt change from the topic at hand, it confused her for a moment. "You see that?" he asked, pointing at a trail of droppings that meandered across the road. "That mean anything to you?"

Dung. After two days of near silence, he wanted to talk about dung.

Rison peered at the dung, not understanding. The mule took the opportunity to veer over to the far side of the road, acting a bit skittish. Does even the mule know something I don't? she wondered. With her toe she nudged at a clump, one about the size of her head. Under the withering assault of the sun, it was as dry and hard as the surrounding pavement but still emitted a slight musky odor. Only when the mule balked then trotted away in alacrity did a slow dawning begin to grow. A blossom of fear opened, starting in her stomach and working its way up.

"They's been a zelinx through here not too long ago." He confirmed her fears in a casual, off-hand tone.

It took a moment for her to absorb this. A zelinx. That blossom of fear threatened to overwhelm her. "Are you sure?" She knew the answer before the words were all the way out. Caddo would not be wrong about something such as this. "How long ago?"

He did not respond immediately and her fear of a hideous death that might be lurking around the next bend in the road conquered her normal deference to Caddo. "How long ago?" she demanded.

"Calm yourself girl. I did not mention it to cause alarm. You've gotta be aware of what's going on around you. How can you be prepared for what's ahead if you're too busy yammering on about things what don't concern you and not even paying attention to the very things that's gonna keep you alive?" He glanced at her with his eyebrows furrowed. "I try to teach you and show you the important things but you're always distracted, headin' off down a winding path that's surely gonna lead to trouble."

She bit her tongue and hoped he was exaggerating. She wasn't always distracted. Or was she?

"You're right, I guess. And..."

"You guess?"

"Alright! You are right." She paused and considered her words before continuing. "It's just that I only seen one zelinx before. Ever. And it scared me silly." It pained her to confess this. "It was deader than a doornail and I still wanted to run."

The cart rolled onward as the mule calmed and fell back into its regular gait. Rison searched Caddo's face, again from the corner of her eye, in hopes he would verify their safety. It was like expecting a rock to answer.

Another hundred feet disappeared beneath the wheels of the cart before he responded. "I remember. Know all about it. You was just a young pup then but you didn't run, did you? You toughed it out and fought your fears, if I recall."

That brought a reluctant smile. "All the kids ran. But not me."

"That's right," he said with an uncharacteristic softness in his voice. "You've always been my strong one."

A sense of peace washed over her and she was fine. Amazing, she realized. He says next to nothing yet I know everything's gonna be okay.

He added, finally addressing her original concern, "Wyatt's facing a tough row to hoe, you can bet. Rusk don't like a Speck any better than he'd like a snakebite on a soft part. That's why we're gonna take care of our business with Tyler and scoot on outa there without a bunch of lollygagging." He nodded toward the back of the cart, indicating the contents concealed beneath the khaki tarp.

Rison knew. She knew of the crate with its cryptic lettering. She knew Caddo had traded the bulk of the clan's trove of crystals for the mysterious crate. More importantly, she knew Rusk would be furious, in a killing mood even, when he discovered what Caddo had done. There would be a showdown, of that she was sure.

I've had a few ask me what is the significance of the title "Derelict."  An understanding of how these aliens have left our world:  climate all screwed up, destruction of most of the population, and filled with nasty creatures, this is what it means.  They have left our planet a wreck!

Okay... I don't ask for much, do I?  But personally, I think it is time to show some love!  How about hitting that vote button.  It won't hurt, I promise.  Oh yeah, check out my other story called "Red, White, and Black." 

UPDATE:  This chapter is dedicated to rmcneary who has written a great fantasy tale called "The Path of Fire."  Be sure to check it out, I've enjoyed reading every bit of it!