Fire Country

Just as I reach the tent opening, a corner of the moon peeks out from the clouds, providing a small measure of much-needed light. Kneeling down in front of the haggard sleeping quarters, I ease open the tentflap, spilling the soft moonglow inside. I pause, take a moment for my eyes to adjust to the inside gloom, and slide in. There are ten bodies inside. Not a Full Family, as Circ, like me, has lost one of his Call-Mothers and two Call-Siblings, but it’s not far off. The chorus of peaceful rest-making sounds invites me to join them. My eyes are tired, along with my body, but my mind is still sharp. Not a night for sleep. Least not for me. And in a second not for Circ either.

He’s easy to spot amongst the bodies. His bare chest rises and falls more’n anyone else’s. He’s always been a deep breather and heavy sleeper. Countless times he’s drifted away next to me on the dunes, always ’fore I can manage to sleep myself. I watch him sometimes.

One of his Call-Sisters has her foot in his face, and his real brother, Stix, has his head resting on Circ’s stomach, rising and falling along with it. For Circ, sneaking out is somewhat harder’n for me.

Don’t be clumsy, don’t be clumsy, don’t be clumsy, I think to myself, placing a hand in an open spot between someone’s arm and someone else’s head. My other arm is useless, wrapped up in its sling. This’ll hafta be a three-legged dance. I move my right foot into another gap, follow it with my left foot. I’m dangling awkwardly and unbalanced above the sleeping bodies, but I only need another few moves and I’ll be able to reach him.

Hand, foot, foot. My foot brushes against someone’s skin, one of his Call-Brothers, I think, just a Totter. The boy stirs, stretches, nearly clobbering me in the face with his little outstretched fist. Yawns. Turns over and goes back to sleep.

I’m sweating now, the heat of the night and the strain of my muscles bringing my body temperature to a fever pitch. I feel droplets of moisture gathering on my forehead, starting to stream. One drips in my eye and I blink it away, feeling the sting. Another runs down my nose, settles on the tip.

Hand—

The bead of sweat wobbles.

Foot—

The sweat quivers.

Foot—

It drops, splashes someone in the face, another sibling I think—maybe Stix. His eyes drift open but they’re still full of sleep. I stare at him as he wipes at his face, feels the moisture there, probably wonders whether a nightmare has made him cry in his sleep. He blinks a few times and I can almost see his vision clearing, zeroing in on yours truly hovering above him.

His eyes widen, his mouth opens.

I pucker my lips and whisper, “Shhh,” as soothingly and softly as I can.

He doesn’t call out, recognizes me. Nudges Circ.

Circ groans, loud enough to make me cringe. Opens his eyes. Sees me right away. Gives me an as-usual-you’re-acting-wooloo look. I nod my head toward the tent flap.

He shakes his head. I give him a look of death. Grudgingly, he nods. Stix watches us curiously as I retrace my hand and foot placements, and Circ pries away the arms, legs, and heads of his siblings and Call-Siblings.

Once outside, Circ ducks his mouth to the side of my head. “Are you wooloo?” he hisses, tickling my ear with his breath.

Shrugging, I look up at the sky, which is clearing faster’n a baby’s bundle gets durtied. “I couldn’t sleep. Wa

He shakes his head, but it’s not a no. It’s a shake that’s part Why am I your friend again? and part resignation. He’s coming.

~~~

“Where are we going?” Circ says after a few moments. We’re approaching the edge of the village, a point that’s the exact middle distance from each of the night watchmen towers. He’s only asking to humor me, so I don’t answer.

“You were just in Confinement, if your father catches you, he’ll…” He stops, understanding dawning in his eyes. “You want to get caught,” he says. “Don’t you?”

I sigh. “Look, Circ. I hafta know what’s going on up at Confinement, with the prisoners. I

“Since when has life been fair?” Circ says.

“Don’t you even care?” I say.

Circ looks at the ground, then at the sky. “You know I do.”

“Then help me,” I say.

He lets out a sorta growl that’s meant to be angry but is kinda cute. “Okay, but we can get caught inside the village. If we try to sneak beyond the borders they’ll shoot us deader’n a vulture’s breakfast.”

“We’ve done it ’fore,” I say.

“Yeah, but not when the guards are on high-alert. What with the Glassies threatening and all the Killer stuff, nothing will be able to get in or out of the village without raising a bunch of alarms.”

He’s right, although I don’t want him to be. I want nothing more’n to escape the bounds of the village tonight, stare up at the moon and the stars like we always used to, away from everything and everyone. “Okay. But can we go somewhere away from things?”

Circ nods. “I know just the place.”

~~~

He leads now, along the edge of the village, ducking behind tents whenever we pass a guard tower. Cutting across the village it doesn’t seem so big, but going ’round the outer curve, it feels unending. Hundreds of tents stand in rows, like a silent army. And with first sun tomorrow morning, each tent’ll open up like a pod, giving birth to six, or eight, or ten people.

We reach the biggest structure in the village and I understand where he’s taking me. The Hunter’s Lodge.

Standing square and tall like a fortress, the Lodge contains more wood’n anything else we’ve ever built. I’ve only ever seen it from the outside, but tonight I’m in for a treat. Circ’s taking me inside.

There’s a guard at the door, but he’s not really paying attention, just sitting there, puffing on pipeweed. Circ motions for me to stay back, behind the corner of the Lodge. He walks up to the guard casually, and I stifle a laugh when the Hunter leaps to his feet, grabbing at his belt for a weapon.

“Whoa, Kiroff, it’s just me, Circ,” Circ says.

“Jumping ’zards, you gave me a fright,” Kiroff says, taking his hand off his belt. “I thought you mighta been one of them Glassies, snuck inside.” I remember Kiroff. He was a year ahead of us in Learning. He didn’t make Hunter until after finishing Learning, when he turned sixteen, four years behind Circ. Still fresh on the job.

Circ laughs. “Come on, do you really believe all that nonsense?”

Kiroff scratches his head. “The Greynotes seemed pretty searin’ serious about it in the briefing. They said all guards had to be extra watchful.”

“So you’re sitting here smoking pipeweed and letting me sneak up on you?” There’s amusement in Circ’s tone.

Kiroff kicks at the durt sheepishly. “It was all I could do to stay awake. You won’t tell anyone, will you?”

Circ chuckles. “Nah. That’s why I’m here. They decided to switch it up, change guards more regularly so everyone stays fresh.”

“They didn’t tell me that,” Kiroff says, eyes narrowing.

“Strange,” Circ says. “They must’ve forgotten. Anyway, I’m here to relieve you of your post. I’m on duty till morning. Get some sleep.”

Kiroff seems uncertain at first, his mouth opening and closing, his feet shifting back and forth, but then he shrugs. “Thanks,” he says gratefully. Apparently the thought of some extra sleep won out over any sense of duty.

Kiroff trudges off, in the opposite direction, and Circ waves me over. “We’re in,” he says. Excitement builds in my stomach. Tonight is turning out to be better’n just carrying out my plan.

~~~

I’m not sure how it is during the day, but being inside the Lodge at night is eerie. It’s dark and hollow and feels like we’re inside the belly of a sleeping beast, wind rushing through the endless passageways.