Page 32 of Caveman Alien's Touch

“You do?”

“We say itnow,” I clarify, so relieved about having survived that humming nightmare that I’m not sure what I’m saying. “You and I.”

“Ah. Yes, I keep saying it.”

Clean and fresh, we leave the water pump and pass a group of Borok men who are waiting for us to finish before they can get clean, too. They’re staying out of sight of the pump, which I appreciate.

“Warrior Noker,” they murmur among themselves, clearly meant for us to hear. “His spear is the fastest blade in the jungle. And he has the sharpest eyes.”

“And the Borok is the bravest tribe,” Noker replies graciously. “How can a warrior falter, when he has the Borok at his back?”

The men smile and nod as we pass. I keep a straight face. I guess I have to get used to all this alpha male nonsense. But some of it I really like.

I squeeze his hand. “You protected the tribe. Why? You a guest here.”

He looks away. “Perhaps there was someone on top of the Mount that I wanted to keep safe in the only way I knew.”

I snake my arm around his waist and pull myself to him as we walk. “You carried me up there before anyone else even knew what going on.”

“I needed you safe. Only then could I fight properly.”

His words send a pleasant warmth all through me. “How you know they were coming? We all heard the hum, but we not know it was a swarm.”

“I saw them. But I didn’t reallyseethem. I can’t explain. It happens sometimes that I spot hidden Bigs or Smalls that others can’t see.”

“Other men can do that also?”

“If so, they don’t talk about it. I’ve mentioned it to Shaman Melr’ax, but he had never heard of it and he didn’t know what it is.”

I glance up at the fan that grows from his head. “I think I can guess.”

12

- Noker-

I look down into her clear, brown eyes. “Oh?”

“It may bethat,” Bronwen says and points to my head. “Is very beautiful thing, but maybe also helps you see far away.”

I reach up and take my head wing between two fingers. “It’s not an eye. How can it see?”

“On Earth, have things that can see far but are not eyes,” Bronwen says.

Gray smoke starts rising outside the wall.

I crane my neck. “I think they’re burning the flying Smalls.”

“Stand here,” Bronwen says.

We stop and she turns me so that my back is to the smoke.

I look down at her. “Why?”

“Close your eyes. Hold hand in front.” She puts her little hand over her own eyes to show me.

I shrug and do as she says, blocking my vision.

“Now turn. Eyes closed. Point at fire.”

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