The Peacekeepers

Anthropoid ignored her and stared at the sun. With a shudder, Nimri observed that Anthropoid's eyes were silver.

Stomach revolting on two accounts, Nimri laid the package on the ground. For a second she felt faint.

When it passed, she carefully got up. Pleased to discover she could stand unaided, Nimri ventured to take a step. When she didn't fall, she went to the spot where she'd left her backpack. Opening it, she got her water container and food. Turning back, she found Colonel directly behind her. Not knowing what else to do, she thrust a biscuit at him.

He feinted to his left, then sniffed and jerked to a stop. With a contrite grin, he indicated gratitude and took her now crushed offering.

Colonel patted the boulder and looked expectantly at her. At least he seemed to be making an effort to be sociable. But what did he want? Sit on the rock to eat? How was she supposed to get up there when the fractures were newly healed and still tender? He uttered more gibberish, and then he clamped his hands around her waist and lifted her. After gently placing her on top, he vaulted up next to her. "Thank you," Nimri said. She smiled. He nodded.

She offered him her water container, but he gave her a skeptical look. With difficulty, she removed the top and took a drink. She offered it a second time. He took it and after sniffing the contents, took a sip. The corners of his eyes crinkled, and he took a bigger swallow. She noticed that in the sunlight, his eyes were the color of chestnuts and his rough, short, matted hair reminded her of a mixture of golden wheat stubble and brown barley hulls. Unusual, but nice. The color, not the texture or length. She wasn't sure she'd ever seen a grown man with so little hair. Even the few elders, who had gone bald, retained a fringe, which they allowed to grow to its customary length - halfway down their backs.

None of them stank like a compost heap, either.

Nimri looked through the balata leaves at odorless Anthropoid, who still stared at the sun. How long had the poor woman been in that terrible hole? Did she realize the sun could blind? Had the sun already blinded her; was that why her eyes were silver? How could she stand still as the Guardians? Was Anthropoid a Guardian? Her hair was white and her skin was sallow, which denoted great age, but her body form was of a woman in her prime. She wore her hair in a short cap-type cut, making her appear childlike? If Anthropoid stood there long enough, would her back become part of the mountain, as the golden-eyed pair had?