Page 64 of The Voice of Wild Places
Cornelius smiled, and to Watt he said, “You know, I don’t think I’ve thanked you yet.”
“For what?”Watt asked, bewildered.
Cornelius chuckled, leaning against his side.“Inviting me.”
Watt laughed, a wholehearted sound that shook his body and in turn, Cornelius’.“Don’t thank me yet, aventurier.”
Cornelius grinned.He looked over at Antônio and asked, “Are you ready for this?”
Antônio shook his head, looking unusually apprehensive.Watt reached around Cornelius and took a hold of Antônio's shoulder, squeezing gently.“Come on.”
They made it down the hill together, taking it slow and steady.Cornelius felt twelve years old all over again, giddy and on the precipice of something new.Besides the pain wracking his body, of course.The trees weren’t as thick down here, but it was still rocky and overgrown with grass and ferns.They followed Maggie, whose sense of direction hadn’t led Cornelius into any holes yet.Ahead, a clearing littered with crumbling stone construction awaited them.Great stone arches and avenues with great walls were among the visible architecture, along with circular raised areas that reminded him of how the huts were situated in Colombia, in areas of high runoff.Cornelius looked back over his shoulder, tracing the small mounds and valleys they’d already passed without a thought.Would they find more bones of buildings beneath the soil?
“Oh,” Watt said, his voice thin.
“Yes,” Cornelius whispered.
It was hard to say what was natural and what was not, for each mound and valley would have to be investigated, but even the central area seemed large enough to host a small village, once upon a time.The real question was, how old was this place?Decades?Centuries?
After passing through most of the ruins, they found the present day encampment settled on what appeared to be the far end of the site.Severino stood in the midst of a large group of people, embracing a man much shorter than himself.They patted each other on the back, cheeks flushed and smiles wide.Heads turned their way as they approached, mostly curious and friendly if not indifferent.Cornelius recognized the Carmines, and Anderson.He felt unsure about the former, and irritated by the latter.He'd somehow forgotten about Andrea in the past few weeks, but now his temper flared with renewed vigor.
Severino pulled away from the other man and extended a welcoming hand in their direction.“Welcome to our humble cidade.”He gestured to the man at his side.“May I introduce our site manager, Joaquim de Silva.”
Joaquim extended a hand to Cornelius first.Also in English, he said, “It is a pleasure to meet you, thank you for coming all this way.”
Joaquim’s handshake was warm, and his grip strong.He was a whip thin man, the same height as Cornelius and surprisingly close in age.From the way Severino talked about him, he expected an older and wiser man.He had a statuesque nose, dark sun-wrought skin, and slicked back dark hair that curled around his ears.He hadn’t shaved in a couple days, which only amplified his handsome ruggedness.He wore trousers and shirtsleeves, both of which had been worn already a few times, and his scuffed knee high leather boots fascinated Cornelius.He carried himself in a way that suggested he knew how handsome he was, but didn’t give two shits about it.
“It’s an honor, Senhor de Silva,” Cornelius said, a little dazed.
“Please, call me Joaquim.And you are?”
“Cornelius.Thank you.”
“Of course, of course.”Joaquim nodded, shaking Watt's hand next.“You will find we are an unconventional bunch here.”
“Sounds like we’re in the right place, then.Watt, if you please,” Watt said, shaking Joaquim’s hand with that genial, good ol’ boy smile Cornelius hadn’t seen in some time.
Joaquim smiled, revealing crooked teeth and genuine feeling.He shook Antônio's hand next.“And Antônio, is it?Welcome, we could always use an extra hand.Lots to do.”
“Thank you for having me,” Antônio said, his voice low.
“Come, let’s introduce you all to the rest of the herd.”
Dr.Charles Rowland was exceptionally fit for an older gentleman, a botanist of Irish origins with the shocking red hair and beard to prove it, albeit touched with white.He hailed from NYU, same as most of the other foreign scientists, while Joaquim and his team were from São Paulo University.
Thomas Anderson had changed since Cornelius saw him last.His fair skin was flush with sun, creased by age and years in the field, and his hair was thin wisps of blond.He wore glasses now, something Cornelius had always pestered him to do.Nearly twenty years his senior, Thomas hadn’t worked as many digs as Cornelius had, but he’d put in the years at the sites he had worked.He’d been stuck at Ur for the past eight years, and Cornelius thought his presence being drawn to a new project was a good sign of things to come.He was, in Cornelius’ opinion, one of the good ones.
Anderson pulled Cornelius in for a hug, which surprised him.Their previous relationship had been pleasant, but nothing extraordinary.The last time they’d seen each other, Thomas had just learned one of Cornelius’ greatest secrets, thanks to Andrea Carmine.And now they were all together once again.Cornelius thought he’d been prepared, but nothing could’ve prepared him for this.The air had been tense and awkward before, but now it resonated with pleasant warmth.Anderson pulled back and said, “It’s good to see you, old boy.”
Cornelius readjusted his glasses, cheeks flushed.“It’s good to see you too, Dr.Anderson.”
Anderson grinned, arms wide with feeling.“Please, you heard the man.First name basis around here.”
Cornelius smiled, unsure where it came from or how to stop.“It’s good to see you, Thomas.I’d like you to meet my colleagues, Watt and Antônio.”
Greetings were exchanged, and Watt was as warm and genuine with Thomas as the older man was him.Watt’s smile was tired but easy, and his shoulders were temporarily loose with relief.It soothed a part of Cornelius that he couldn’t describe, seeing them together.Bridging the good parts of his life, perhaps.
The interns were next, all archaeology students from São Paulo.Benedito, a slight man with a nervous smile, was outnumbered by three women.Terezinna, Ana, and Nair.Cornelius took an immediate liking to Terezinna, she walked with swagger and shook hands easily but with a sure grip.Her soft brown eyes were bright with interest, and Cornelius didn’t miss the way they flicked sideways to a breathtaking woman that could only be Francesca Carmine.
