I awoke in a bath of unnatural white light that made me blink with annoyance. I was lying on top of a bed with a mass of pillows that supported my aching head. My body felt stiff all over with a dull throbbing pain reminding me that I was still alive. Above, there was a strange light that was not made out of flame or from the power of the sun. Turning my head, I looked over the room. Next to me was a small white table that held clean bandages, several needles and a length of thread. The walls were painted white and so was the closed door. The curtains on the single window were drawn. Not knowing where I was, I decided to investigate.
Getting out of bed proved to be too much for me. As I pulled the covers back and put my bare foot on the cold floor, I tried to stand up without success. Instead, I sort of sprawled over, falling down to the floor on my knees. I found I was dressed in nothing but a thin white robe. “Help!” I cried out.
The door was soon opened. In strode a prim-looking woman of undetermined years. Like the room, she was dressed in white - a frock and a pair of paints. “The doctor will have a fit! What are you doing out of bed?” she demanded to know, her ugly face creased with worry.
“Where am I?”
She answered with a barely hidden smile. “At the hospital, of course. It's amazing that you are alive. It took several transfusions, and the doctor had a most interesting time stitching you back together.”
“Transfusion?” I asked out of ignorance.
She laughed with all the mirth of a practiced gravedigger. “Blood, my simple man. You lost too much so the doctor had to put some back in.”
I felt faint, feeling sick to my stomach thinking of some stranger's blood circulating inside of me.
“Now be a good patient, and let me help you get back to bed.”
I readily complied to her wishes. After all I did not have the strength to resist. After I was safely tucked away again, I asked, “Tell me, where is my companion? I was traveling with a girl named Suvan."”
She said patiently, “Don't worry, she's spent hours at your side. The poor thing was just tired keeping watch over you, so she went and got some sleep in the other room.”
I nodded drowsily.
“Now I suggest you get some more sleep yourself. Time is the best healer of all, and you still have a long way to go before you are better.” With those final words, she turned and left, closing the door as she went.
Falling back to sleep was easier than expected. I dreamed of nothing. It seemed like only minutes had passed when I suddenly felt my shoulder being gently shaken. I opened my eyes and saw Suvan was there, sitting at my side. She was wearing a new tunic and pants that were just a little too large for her build. I smiled at her, glad to know that both of us were still alive.
“I'm so happy to see you,” she said, her face beaming with excitement.
“Where are we?” I croaked out.
“That is a long story, Mikel. After I left you in the desert, I ran ahead, fearing that would be the last I would ever see of you. I soon ran into those horsemen, and once I explained the situation, they rode off to your rescue. I'm afraid they were rather suspicious of me at first, but once I told them of our plight, they were ready to help. Their leader, that man Vinc, had his men charge right into the Mutans. It was splendid to see what they did to them. When I saw how wounded you were, I grieved. I thought I was going to lose you. You looked to be at death's door.”
“And I was,” I admitted.
“Afterward, Vinc had his men tie you to a horse with a rider there to help. We then headed towards the mountains, dodging past Mutan patrols. During the day’s journey, you remained unconscious. That's too bad since you missed seeing the wonders that I have. The Rebels here live in such a way that astounds me. It's like visiting the time of the Ancients. Why look at the light above us. It's a bulb that runs of electricity! Vinc has been busy showing me everything.”
I looked up at the shining light and found it not very wonderful. It was too bright and artificial for my tastes.
She continued on, “You were brought here where a doctor stitched up your wounds and healed you.”
“How many days have I been here?” I asked.
“It has only been two days.”
“And the note?”
She shrugged. “I gave that to Vinc. He said he would deliver it to the Council on your behalf. Once you have the strength, we shall meet with them.”
I spent the next two days in bed. During this time I ate plenty of food and slept the hours away. Suvan came to visit me when she could; she was spending much of her free time visiting the local sights. I was jealous since from my window, I could only see pine trees and granite slabs.
It seemed like a long time but the doctor finally released me from the hospital, allowing me to tour the Rebel town in the company of Suvan. She proved to be a good guide and explained everything to me. It was a really a small village protected by the natural formations of rock and stone. There was stream that ran cold from the snow of the mountain peaks. This water also ran through a dam which generated the electricity. Through scavenging the city in the valley, they had managed to find the necessary light bulbs and material to run the wiring. It was amazing to think that something so simple could make power to create light at the flick of a switch. This same stream also provided running water that was pumped to the various buildings
Most of the four or five dozen homes were simple, thatched huts insulated with straw and mud. They were grouped together along the dirt paths that sprawled in random directions. But the hospital and town hall were built by the Ancients. Much like my own hotel, they were made out of brick with tarred roofs. The town hall had a small library with books and even a workshop where the men tried to replicate the work of the old days. It was a fantastic enterprise, considering their limited manpower.
After we had gone through the town hall, Suvan and I stopped by the river to watch the water rush by. I was grateful for the rest. We sat together. I wanted to hold her hand but felt strangely shy, even though we had shared the most terrible adventures together.
“So what do you think of this place?” Suvan asked, interrupting my thoughts.
“Impressive, but I was expecting something more,” I replied.
“Like what?”
I waved my hands in the direction of the houses. “There must only be two or three hundred residents here. That's hardly an army that could take on the Mujadeen who are spread wide and far. The Warlord is said to lead a massive army that could easily crush something as insignificant as this.”
Suvan shook her head in disagreement. “But look at their technology! They have done far more here than anywhere else I've seen. While other towns are wasting away, they are building anew.”
“Light and water on demand do not give you men to fight with.”
“You are right,” a new voice interrupted. It was Vinc. This time he was dressed in the rough clothes of a laborer, but with that stern face, no one would mistake him for a simple worker. “But we do well with what we have. Now it is time for you to meet with the Council. Come with me.”
As I stood to follow, I saw him give Suvan a look of longing that gave me an twinge of jealousy. I would have to keep my eye on these two.
Chapter 25