Page 13 of Nixx
Is this how they deal with their dead? Without returning them to the dust? Or is this how they sleep? In a box, instead of in the heart of nature? Jaxx, Kurr, and I discuss among ourselves the various possibilities of how this strange box could be used. Jaxx even thinks they all arrived in similar boxes.
“But that does not make sense,” answers Kurr, “this box would be broken and we would see the debris of the other boxes. But the debris visible in the surroundings does not seem to be the same material.”
As Sarah places a gentle hand on the shoulder of Gregory's body and gently shakes him, I watch as he struggles to get up. Not as if he is waking up from a fitful sleep, but rather as if he is getting up after some serious injuries. She gently explains something to him and I see David helping her to extract Gregory from the box. Then Marc and David pull out the arrows stuck in Ferdinand's chest, before carefully placing his dying body in the box. Then they close the lid and press on a green circle, which turns red. I am puzzled.
Sarah is inspecting Gregory's torso, something that disturbs me deeply. When she runs her finger over some of the scars, something inside me roars. I move forward abruptly. Marc intervenes and always with a low and steady voice, shows me the reddish streaks on his companion's chest. These scars, they are not old, because they are not yet whitish, are not from yesterday, because they are completely closed and no longer swollen. They seem to be several days old. So, I don't understand the interest that Marc and Sarah have in them. Especially Sarah.
This one turns to me and seeing my incomprehension, grabs a twig on the ground and starts to explain to me with big gestures and unknown words.
“You see, when one is broken, she mimes, showing me the twig supposed to represent her arm and by folding it in two, “one puts in Sarc-11,” she says by showing me the box, and hope Sarc-11 repairs,” she adds by making me guess that the box straightens the twig.
Then, for the blow, I am more and more perplexed. Kurr and Jaxx who understood the same thing as me of Sarah's big gestures, look at me amazed.
‘’Do they have a box that heals?’’ Jaxx asks me.
“Well, I think we'll find out soon,” I say. “If that's the case, I doubt the result will be immediate. Whoever got out of the box, we don't know how long they were in there, but either way, it looks like they're all planning to stay near that box. Since they now outnumber us and there is a large area to fly over before we head back to the Bastion, I warn Udoo to come back with more men. We need more of us, to get these creatures back to our Bastion and also to bring back their items. If their box really does what they say it does, I can't wait to see what their other tools do. Let's group them and set up camp. We'll take turns watching them through the night. And prepare for the cremation of their companions.”
We continue the exchange between us, interrupting us from time to time to mime explanations of what they are going to do. We learn that they are “humans.” That they fell from the sky. That they were much more numerous, but the others died underwater during the fall. We explain to them, with the help of branches and by showing the campfire, that we are going to make a raft to incinerate their two brothers who have fallen under the blade of Kryll. The three male humans help us to its realization.
The two females remain near the fire. Eva, the little black-haired one, seems to be a little amorphous, either because of the blows she received or because of the loss of her companions. I also understand that Sarah is their caretaker because she watches over both the box “Sarconze” and the human Gregory, in addition to the human Eva. I see her opening some kind of bags, that she and her companions hasten to eat. Yuck. I also see her walking towards the sea with a large transparent container.
I interrupt her when I realize she is thirsty.
“You mustn't drink that, it's bad!” I say, shaking my head and showing her the water she had collected.
I grab the flask that is tied behind my back, open it, take a sip and offer her the flask. She doesn't grab the flask I hand her. Instead, she grabs a small object and screws it onto her container, then slowly turns it over, placing her hand underneath. As she is about to drink the water collected in her hand, I interrupt her again.
“No, it's bad,” I repeated, putting my hand on her arm.
A new wave of shivers goes up my spine during this brief contact. I do not understand the effect that this small creature has on me. Especially since it doesn't happen at all with her companions. I have, however, touched the humans during the making of the death raft. This is incomprehensible.
“Yes!” she says, taking a sip of water from her hand.
She hands me her hand and the rest of the water that is held in it and encourages me with a look to taste it to confirm her words. I bend down, support her hand, and put my lips on it to take a little water.
Two things strike me in an instant.
The first, is that the water is now as pure as that of the high mountains, instead of being unfit for consumption.
The second, is that all my instincts are screaming at me about this female. Something that I categorically refuse to consider, or even to name. I give her back her hand and move away with a stiff step.
I join my men and we continue to discuss humans and their tools, the risks they represent, and the benefits they can bring while respecting our customs.
Sarah
* Earlier this morning*
