Harvest Time

10 - Any Excuse

"All right," Elcanah said the next morning. "I will lead you there, but I'm not sure I will stay. I'm getting too old for this sort of stuff now. It's a pity you two didn't arrive years ago, back when I was younger. Dakka might be a good hunter but he was little help when I wanted to try out a few ideas about getting back."

"We didn't realise Nervanna was dying," Emla said. "I don't think anyone here realised it until I said."

"Yes, I'm still not sure I believe it myself," Elcanah replied. "But, I do understand that citadels are failing, so maybe you are right. This place certainly doesn't have a future. But I've been saying that for years."

"When will we go?" Emla persisted and, when Elcanah sighed, added, "If you don't want to come then maybe you could draw us a map instead."

"No, my memory isn't as good as it was. I might direct you to the wrong building – there are too many there, though most are now wrecked and useless. I think I can remember the one you need, but I'd need to be there to be sure. It had a dome. I can remember documents containing the patterns you describe, though I didn't recognise them as such before. Also, there are certain things that must be avoided if you want to live."

"What?" Emla gasped. "Apart from the Harvesters and the rats, I didn't think there was anything on this world that was really dangerous."

"Well, you'd be wrong."

It was two mornings later that, before sunrise and with food filched from the remains of the previous evening's meal, we set off. All three of us carried backpacks – made from local animal skins and inexpertly sewn together. They contained food, leather pouches for water and some ragged blankets to use as bedding for the nights that we would sleep under the trees and stars. Emla and Elcanah also carried crude knives made, I was told, from metal discarded near the Harvester depot. They also carried bows and some thin, wooden arrows. Elcanah told me she'd been quite an accurate hunter in her youth and that Emla was also quite proficient in the art.

"I'm not quite as good as Elcanah," Emla said.

"But she's got more stamina in this heat," Elcanah added. "I tire too easily."

We hadn't told any of the others where we were going. Elcanah hadn't even made any excuses or improvised any lies.

"They probably won't even miss us," she said by way of explanation.

"What, not even Teshlo?" I said.

"Maybe – maybe not."

We were heading down a gentle slope, following a stream that meandered through the jungle. Despite the heat, the going was easy – probably even easier than between the village and the Harvester depot.

"How did you find the city in the first place?" Emla asked.

"You will see, but not until tomorrow. When I was younger, I would go out scouting for days on end, mainly to get away from the others. But, in most directions, I didn't find anything of particular interest. Until I hit the road, that is."

"A road?" I said.

"Yes, but not like the dusty tracks we had on Nervanna that wound their way amongst the citadels. No, this one was... well, you will see when we reach it."

"What happened when you found it?"

"I came back and, for once, news of the road stirred some of the others to action. Indeed, it generated enough interest to enable me to form an exploration party. Good job I did – otherwise I might not have returned alive."

"Why, what did you find?"

"I will show you when we see some."

"Some?"