Page 17 of Burning Escape

“You come with me,” the leader said to Tori and Orion. “I’m Amos, by the way. And this is the Refuge.”

Orion could see why it was called that. Protected by towering spruce and pines, the place did feel like a natural fortress.

The children surrounding and following them didn’t say much, but they looked and whispered to each other as the whole entourage traipsed through the forest path to the middle of the group of buildings. It was a little slow going with Tori leaning heavily on Orion’s good arm on their way up the path.

Two big log structures faced each other. Six small cabins, three on each end of the long buildings, helped create a central grassy area in the middle of the community. Beyond them were smaller sheds and maybe more cabins under the trees. A huge kettle bubbled over a fire in the center of the buildings. Women, also in longer skirts and dresses and wearing sweaters and kerchiefs over their hair, lingered around the kettle. One matron with gray hair stirred whatever they were cooking. Others stood near her with babies and toddlers on their hips. All conversation stopped as Amos led Tori and Orion to the fire.

“Hannah, these folks need help.” He addressed the older woman, who stirred the kettle.

She looked at them, her lips thinning. “What exactly do they need, and why can’t they find it elsewhere?”

“They’re hungry, dirty, and injured. We can spare a little Christian charity, don’t you think?”

It wasn’t really a question.

Hannah stared them down, eyes narrowing. Then she turned her gaze to Amos. The older couple seemed to communicate silently. The man finally sighed. “Think of it this way. The sooner they’re healed and fed, the sooner they’ll be on their way.”

Orion felt the need to smooth things over. “We don’t want to bother you. I’m Orion. This is…Victoria.”

The woman still stared and said nothing.

“For goodness’ sakes, woman. They’re married. No need to worry about these two. Just feed them and show them where they can clean up. Have Mara check over their wounds. I’ve got fish to clean.”

The man stomped away. Hannah faced them both, hands on her hips. “Amos might trust you, but my trust is not so easily bestowed, and I’ll expect you both to pull your weight around here. Understood?”

Orion nodded. Tori too.

“Follow me. Mara, put the babe down and come with us.”

At Hannah’s brusque words, a younger woman, not even twenty if Orion guessed right, handed off a tow-headed baby in a long gown to another girl, and followed them. Hannah marched to one of the small cabins.

“You’ll be staying here since Hiram and his family are gone for the season. There’s an outhouse outside this door.” She pointed to the back wall and the wooden door off to the side. “We’ll get a bath ready so you can wash yourselves off.” Hannah opened the door to a small room. A double bed took up most of the space. “You’ll sleep here. I’ll lend you clothes while you hand Mara those filthy things you’re wearing. It will take a while to wash them off and dry. You probably don’t have a clue how to wash something by hand, do you?” Hannah addressed Tori.

“I’m willing to learn. I don’t expect you to take care of?—”

“We’ll see about that.” Hannah spoke in another language to Mara and then left.

Mara pulled a large metal tub off the wall and set it on the floor.

“What’s that for?” Tori asked.

Mara looked at her, confused. “This is the bathtub.”

Tori’s wide eyes spoke volumes.

Probably this wasn’t what she’d had in mind as an answer to prayer.

* * *

What kind of alternate universe had they gotten themselves into?

After drinking an herbal tea Mara made for her and taking the most awkward and coldest bath ever, Tori slipped on a shapeless cotton dress and sweater and wool socks. She’d scrubbed with plain cotton cloth and soap that wasn’t the greatest smelling but did rid her of the ash and grime, so she was clean at least. Her ankle was too swollen to put back into her boot.

Orion dumped out the water and took his own bath in the main room while she rested on the bed with the door closed.

She must’ve fallen asleep. When she woke, the sun was significantly higher in the sky, right above them now as Tori limped out to the tiny porch of their cabin, where she found Orion.

“Why did you let me sleep so long?”

---