Cau'ther

His chants and his words, they will live on with our people... even if this brain would stop working completely."

Arnold 3 tugged the rope again, closing the top of the hut. The image dimmed, Arnold bowed his head to the brain and walked backwards from the room. EM2 followed him out in the same fashion.

*****

Weeks passed. Arnold 3 taught EM2 all he could about the people and the ways of his culture. He involved him in rituals sacred to his clan. He took EM2 to the banks of the lake one day to drink of the waters. With him he brought a sacred chalice, unlike anything EM2 had ever seen. A single foreign word had been etched in red ink on the vessel.

"Boodweeser. What does this mean?"

"It's the words of the ancestors. Translated it means 'He who drinks of this water will never thirst again'."

Arnold filled the chalice and held it above EM2's head.

"BUDWIESER!"

EM2 drank every drop of the water, then, carefully handed the glass back to Arnold, who wrapped it respectfully in its ceremonial cloth.

"You are now one of my people. Our Teddy referred to us as Babies, his children. Now you are included, a child of the original 'One'. With us you will enjoy a bright future. The past digressions of man have been forgotten. Cruelty will never be endured by a man with a good and true heart. These are the words of 'Teddy'."

EM2 stood speechless, overwhelmed by Arnold's generosity. His brothers had all perished; this would be his adopted family. Yet somehow he still felt alone, despite the wonderful gesture.

*****

Several more weeks passed and Arnold taught him to ride the boats, to swim in the water, and to use nets to catch fish. EM2 caught more fish than anyone could remember. He'd proudly bring them to the women daily to be cleaned and preserved. He would sit among them, clean fish, and speak of the world that he' d come from. He found his eyes drawn frequently to a thin woman with long coal black hair tied in a knot, and unusually small bags. She was named Skylene.

She caught him staring one afternoon and made a pleasing comment about his fiery hair and the setting sun. EM2's hearts raced when she spoke. He left the group of women feeling nervous and a bit more anxious than he could remember. He found Arnold 3 by the edge of the forest.

"Why have you never taken a woman?" EM2 questioned.

"My life is full and I need not overfill it with all the complications that come with a woman."

"The woman Skylene, has she taken a man?"

"Do you find her to be of interest?"

"She makes me nervous. Makes my hearts beat in a way I'm not sure is healthy."

"And what of your brain, what does it say?"

"My brain doesn't seem to be working very well, at least when I'm around her."

"Oh, this is far more serious than I'd imagined."

"What should I do?"

"That I can't tell you."

"Oh sure. Big help you've turned out to be."

"This is a decision that only you can make. As much as your brain will allow right now, try to use it to make the right choice."

EM2 wandered silently to his hut, his mind racing as fast as two hearts can beat.

*****

The moon entered another cycle and Skylene and EM2 pursued each other quietly. Spending long evenings by the lake or paddling his boat up the shore to remote places beyond the eyes of the group. The two sat peacefully on the desolate beach. So close, that EM2 could feel the heat of Skylene's body.