Light, Glorious Light

A Future, Together

They'd reached the woodlands south of Phalanx by nightfall. Akiva erected her elevated tent between three trees and six feet off the ground. She ensured that her food was secured in a tight bag that would hide the smell from nearby scavengers and she checked her Armpad. The screen had been cracked in the crash and power was running low. Sending a message to Phalanx or even Cavalry would deplete the battery and leave rescuers no way of tracking her. So Akiva set the device to support mode and hoped the continuous transmission of her location would last long enough for help to arrive or long enough for the two to reach home on their own. Thinking about rescue reminded Akiva about Vulture Six and the women onboard who died trying to save her.

Maira's pack didn't include camping equipment because the Valkyrie were expecting to return to Phalanx before nightfall. Akiva offered to share her tent but Maira ignored her. In fact, Maira hadn't said a word since they left the bodies of her sisters in the sand. She'd followed Akiva in silence with an eye towards the east for any signs of pursuit. They knew the infected would spill out of the old depot, the question was whether they would head towards Phalanx and Cavalry or south towards the coastline. She'd kicked the hornet's nest, and she'd be to blame if anyone was stung. Akiva tried not to dwell on it. She left Maira to her brooding and fell into a dreamless sleep.

Akiva awoke to the sound of heavy rain tapping on her tent. Rainfall was rare, but when it fell it was aggressive. She opened the tent seal and peered out into the darkness. Maira was leaning against a tree below, using a poncho and the tent as cover from the downpour. It was chilly and Akiva shivered as the warmth of her shelter drifted into the night.

"It's cold out there."

"Go to sleep, Akiva."

"Maira, get up here before you get sick," Akiva insisted. Maira gave no reply. "The Mothers won't sing your praise for being stubborn and dying of a cold... neither will your sisters sitting beside The Great Mother."

There was still no response. After a minute the tent shook as Maira scaled one of the anchoring trees. Akiva dropped the seal flap and made space. It was an awkward exercise as Maira tightroped over to the tent and half climbed, half shimmied her way inside. She'd left her wet clothes down below and her skin was freezing, clearly she had already been soaked through. The waste was sweltering hot during the day but could drop below freezing on particularly cold nights. Akiva offered Maira a towel to dry off and shared her blanket for warmth. They rested back to back as the rain drummed against their shelter.

"If you hate me so much, why did you beg them to save me," Akiva whispered as she tried to find sleep once again.

"The Mothers say we are the future of Phalanx. I couldn't leave our people's future to die," Maira responded.

Akiva nodded. She understood the importance of protecting the future. It was something the people of the old world ignored to their own demise.

"Besides, I never said I hate you."

"Then why did you stop talking to me," Akiva asked after a long pause. "Why did you move out?"

"You know why."

"No, I don't, May." Akiva didn't want to fight, not really, but she wanted answers.

"Stop calling me that."

"Why? I've always called you May."

"That was before."

"Before what?"

"Before you went to Cavalry!"

"What... I-"

"I told you how I felt about you, and you ran off to Cavalry for two months. No letters, no messages, nothing. You were just gone, Akiva. I may have moved out, but you left me."