Allamenea

NAIE

Lexus and I ran and ran, never stopping, never taking a breath.  My vision was beginning to become blurry.  I was very tired when we came to some sort of city.  I suppose for Allamenea it was probably quite large.  Women and young children roamed the area, men working, and dirt…I mean, tentetelek buildings with low holes for doors.

 “Where are we?” I whisper to Lexus.

 “We are in Naie,” he says.  

 That does not help me a lot, but I just nod as though I know what he is talking about.  We were in a city called Naie.  But were we, was I, safe here?  Probably not I mean, how could any of these people stand up to a welerly?  They couldn’t, I just knew it.  There aren’t enough men.   I suddenly feel a burning in my ankle.  I look down and see blood.  This normally would have bothered me, but I push past it.

 The problem was, I couldn’t ignore it for long.  I took a couple of steps, and my foot screamed with pain.  I sank to the muddy ground.  Lexus stared.  

 “You okay?” he asks quietly.

 I do not reply.  He bends over and examines my ankle.  

 “There is a lot of killiest,” he whispers. “I think the wound goes deep.”

 I do not understand for a moment.  Then it click; killiest is blood.  He thinks the wound is bad.  But how had I not noticed that I had such a deep scrape?  

 “Natalie, miss, I think we should find help,” Lexus mutters.  

 I shake my head.  

 “No…hey, Lexus, would you check my basket?  I think I have some clothing in there,” I say.

 “I could wrap my ankle up.”

 Lexus looks uncomfortable.  

 “Well….miss…..it…we…I….the basket is still with the knarte, miss.”

 My face falls.  Then an idea comes again.  I still have a cloak around my shoulders.  I didn’t even fully realize it was a cloak until now.

 “Lexus, I know!” I squeal.

 I gently unfasten the button holding the cloak on.  The cloak falls to the ground and I pick it up.  Then, very carefully, I folded it in a couple of odd angles and wrap it around my ankle, fastening the button again so that it stays on my foot.  But then, a small memory came to mind.

 When something had bit me before, I remembered Irwin calling it a ‘woltzerxt’.  I sincerely did not think that one had bitten me again, but this did make me forget momentarily about my ankle.  I was suddenly overwhelmed with curiosity.

 “Lexus, what is a woltzerxt?”

 Lexus frowns.  

 “I don’t know.  That is a fairly odd name,” he says.

 I cannot detect a single hint of a lie in his eyes.  But how did Irwin and Linnyt know of it, but Lexus did not?  None of this is adding up.  There was something I was missing.  But what is it?  I knew that an aralm is a tree.  I know that a welerly is a monster.  I even know that killiest is blood.  But I haven’t a clue what a ‘woltzerxt’ is.

 I try to remember what Irwin told me about it, but the searing pain in my ankle has started again, and it is worse now.

 Lexus seems confused for a minute, but then he seems to realize I am in pain.  

 “What should I do?” he mutters to himself. He looks at me.

 I stare back for a moment.  I don’t stare for long, though. I end up gripping my ankle to make the pain lessen.  Lexus seems to be deciding on something.  Suddenly, I am swooped off the ground and into Lexus’s arms.  He seems to be struggling.