Page 41 of Moon Chosen

Completely taken aback, Nik had no answer for her. He just stood and stared at the girl, until finally she wrapped her arms around herself as if trying to physically hold her small body together, and slowly started up the broken road to the bridge, leaving Nik to follow her.

They caught up to the group easily. Nik was shocked by how agile Jenna was, which was totally unlike the other Scratcher females who moved as if they were not really aware of the world around them. During the daylight hours they worked slowly, silently, but meticulously in the fields where something mysterious about their touch made each crop thrive and each harvest bountiful. At night they could only be led, prodded, goaded, or herded. Left on their own, it seemed to Nik as if the other captives would have behaved like normal Scratcher females, or any other burrowing animal, they would try to find a cavelike hole and crawl into it. If a hole wasn’t readily available, they’d scratch one into the dirt and then hide in it.

They didn’t take care of themselves.

They didn’t converse.

They didn’t weep for their fathers.

They didn’t ask questions in small, knowing voices, or stare at him with big, tearful eyes.

Nik watched Jenna from the corner of his eye as they moved carefully down through the last of the rusted skeleton of the bridge and to the road that wound around the eastern edge of the island along the Channel River. Jenna was still crying, though softly now. The rain mixed with her tears, washing the blood and dirt from her pale face, and leaving her looking very young and very sad.

“You caught up before Thaddeus noticed you were lagging. Good thing, too. He definitely got up on the wrong side of the nest today,” O’Bryan said. He glanced at Jenna. “And she’s not making so much noise now. Nice job, Cuz.”

“I don’t feel so nice.” Nik hadn’t realized he’d spoken aloud until O’Bryan gave him a stunned look, saying, “Did one of those spiders bite you? Damnit, Nik. You should have—”

“No, no I’m fine,” Nik said hastily, not looking at Jenna. “Just real ready to be home.”

“Cuz, I second that. But no worries, there’s the dock. It’ll be no time now.” O’Bryan clapped him on the back. “And you did finally find sign of that pup of yours.”

“Yeah, I did. It’s been a great night.” Nik’s voice sounded flat to his own ears and when he glanced to the side he saw that Jenna was staring at him. “Come on.” He gave her rope a little tug. “Let’s get you to your new home.” Looking away from her, Nik picked up his pace, leading the girl through the Hunters to the other Scratchers who were standing silent and empty-eyed on the wide wooden dock. She followed him with no further protestations until he reached the dock, then she stopped as if she’d run into an invisible wall. Nik glanced back at her to see her staring out at the Channel and the row of floating houses that bobbed lazily with the current.

Nik hesitated, and then instead of pulling her onto the dock, he went to her, speaking low in what he hoped was his best calming voice. “It’s okay. The houses are where the Scratchers—” He paused and then corrected himself. “—I mean, they are where your people live. The water keeps them safe. No bugs can get to them, not even swarming roaches. Just, uh, pretend like they’re floating caves.”

“Nik, you know they’re mindless! Stop wasting time trying to talk to it. You’re holding us up. Again.” Thaddeus glowered at Nik from the boat they would row out to the floating houses. The other four Scratchers had been lifted aboard, and they sat silently, staring down at their hands.

Nik took Jenna’s elbow and gently, but firmly, guided her to the boat where Thaddeus promptly grabbed her by the waist and tossed her in with the others.

“Hey, watch it,” Nik heard himself protesting. “She’s littler than those others. I don’t think she’s very old.”

“Damn, Nik, you’re turning into a champion for lost causes!” Thaddeus’s laughter was sarcastic and infectious, and the group, except for O’Bryan, joined him.

Nik would have turned away. He would have started immediately back for the bridge, but Jenna’s face was tilted up toward him. It caught the light of the torches and it seemed to glow like a full Hunter’s moon. Her eyes met his and he couldn’t look away. Without saying anything, Nik stepped into the boat, taking the seat across from Jenna and lifting an oar.

“All righty then—let’s deliver these Scratchers and go home. Row!” Thaddeus commanded.

The Channel was wide, and had dangerous hidden currents that swirled beneath its surface. Nik thought it would be tough to row the ferry, but it felt like it only took a few minutes and they’d docked alongside the closest of the twelve floating houses. Through the bars that covered the windows, dirty hands reached out and Nik could hear an unrelieved cacophony of madness and melancholy. It was difficult to make out individual words, as most of what they were saying was gibberish, but one word lifted over and over again from the chaos of voices:“Help… help… help… help…”

Nik shuddered. He knew she was looking at him, and for a moment Nik wished he was a coward, or as hard-hearted as Thaddeus. He wouldn’t have made himself meet her eyes and smile encouragement. Not caring what the others would think, Nik told Jenna, “Don’t worry. You’ll be safe in there.”

Jenna said nothing, but Nik blocked Thaddeus’s way so that he could gently lift her to the deck of the house himself.

She stood there as if she’d been frozen. Then, slowly, she turned to stare at the closest house. Nik didn’t think he’d ever seen anyone look so frightened. Her pale, terrified face made his stomach feel hollow. By now Thaddeus and the Hunters were lifting the other captives from the boat, and their appearance had the Scratchers inside the houses pressing their faces against the barred windows, their cries for help more easily understood from so close. Jenna began walking toward one of the windows, as if she really did want to help the females within.

Nik glanced quickly at Thaddeus, who was, thankfully, busy with lifting the largest of the captives onto the deck. Then Nik vaulted out of the boat and went to the girl, taking her arm again, and leading her away from the window.

It was while he was near the window that he heard it, as clearly as he’d heard Jenna speaking to him earlier.

“She has been Washed!” Then another voice added, “Moon Woman!” And yet another, “Where is our Moon Woman?”

Jenna reacted faster than Nik. Her head whipped around, so that she faced the window again.“Forbidden!”The girl practically spat the word at the females. The staring Scratchers went utterly still. Then Jenna turned and marched ahead of Nik back to dockside.

“Hey, Jenna, what’s a Moon Woman?” Nik asked softly.

But Jenna didn’t pause to answer him. Instead she took her place among the other four women. Nik watched and kept watching as Thaddeus led the five of them down to the wooden walkway that ran the length of the group of houses, unbarred the door of one of them, and shoved Jenna inside. The last glimpse Nik had of the girl was as she craned her head around so that she was staring at him when Thaddeus slammed and barred the door in her pale, stricken face.

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