Northern Exposure: Episode Four

pushing me so hard, subtly she replied to my gesture.

  ”It’s not that I want you to be tougher, I just...” She paused, in an attempt of swallowing her pride, and then continued, “I am just not good at this the whole showing affection thing.” ”Smith and Sharif have been with me for so long they are like family, they know the type of person I am and the girls well, they are like my own kids.” ”What I’m making a poor attempt of saying is, trying to be tough out there will either get you hurt or killed; don’t let my actions affect who you are.” “You’re perfectly fine just the way you are; it’s my own insecurities which make me seem so cold towards you.”

  ”You need to understand Cairo, that you don’t know everything about this new world just yet; there is still so much you need to find out.” ”I have learnt over the years that people are different out here, people can do terrible things without being held accountable.” “Sometimes people have no choice in what they become, because this environment chooses for them.” “In Time you’ll understand what I mean, but all I can do now is let you know trust out here is not something that can only be earned, trust comes with time, it comes with the evaluation of what type of person you are, or if you are a person at all!”

  What the hell was Sky talking about! Smith had told me everything about the new world, I knew all about the Reapers, the Rocks, and our isolation from the rest of the world. So what was she rambling on about; and this whole “if they are a person thing”? Did she think I was just going to one day wake up and say, “Hmm I’m feeling a bit Reaperish, let me start chowing down on my bunkmates!” . Was she was just being paranoid about having me around for no reason? For now I would leave those questions for another day, our relationship had leapt forward in strides and I did not want to put any strain on it with unnecessary questions. Sky looked at the bracelet once again, smiled then said, “Absolutely beautiful!” Immediately she snapped back into renegade mode and began banging on the Bunker door.

  As soon as the bunker doors opened Zara came scampering out, darting past her father’s legs and into the arms of Sky. Sky dropped everything to the floor at first sight of the young girl and grabbed her ever so tightly, as if they had been separated for years. Sky squeezed Zara, whispering in her ear how she missed her, Anxious little Zara had other plans though; she broke free from Sky’s arms and began jumping in excitement, “What did you get me, did you bring food, did you see any Reapers? A thousand and one questions at a time, the young girl could not control her excitement. She was running circles around us searching our pockets in attempt of finding anything edible. But before Sky could answer Smith appeared at the door.

  With a stare which pierced through my soul, I braced myself for what was about to come. Smith walked up to me, and raised his hand into the air, I closed my eyes in anticipation of the stinging sensation I would soon feel across my cheek. The old man stopped, he could not find it in himself to strike me. Looks like age was catching up to him, he had become much more sympathetic over the years. If I were in his platoon in his younger days and had disobeyed him like I had, my unconscious body would be laying face first on the ground right now.

  Unsure of how to express the mixed feelings of anxiety and panic which brewed inside him during our absences, he began doing what he did best. He shouted at the top of his voice, telling us how inconsiderate we were, how foolish leaving the bunker without the support of Him and Sharif. Smith was right though we got lucky with the little reaper girl, the situation would have been much grimmer if Sky had not reacted as quickly as she did. We took a gamble leaving the safety of the bunker by ourselves, and after being able to bring back the amount of good we did it was totally worth it, and once Smith saw the amount of fresh food, medication and toiletries we brought back, I knew he would soon calm down, forget about the whole thing and just enjoy the rewards of our hard work.

  Eventually after the old man’s anger had dissipated, enthusiasm now took its place. He was interested in seeing what we had brought back with us. I explained to the others where we left the goods. So all six of us took the journey back to the manhole where we had stored our bounty. The process was quick, it only took us one trip and we managed to get everything back. After setting the goods in the middle of the room, the light of lanterns exposed the generous amount of resources we had collected. Everyone was around the pile of goods scratching through them like children under a Christmas tree. Smith shouted,” Tonight we eat like kings!” and with that Sky knew her queue, she headed straight to the pans, eager to cook with such a variety of food for a change.

  But that was not all we had for them, as Sky prepared the meal; I took the opportunity to surprise everyone with their gifts. I’d obviously start with my little princess. So I called Zara over and told her to close her eyes and stick out her arms, she did as I asked. I placed the Barbie box into her hand and told her to open her eyes. Zara flipped out, she began running around the room holding the box in the air, screaming at the top of her voice, “Barbie, Barbie it’s a freaking Barbie.” Sharif yelled at Zara, scolding her for using such inappropriate language; Smith sat giggling knowing exactly where she had picked up the word.

  Next I gave Smith his Machete; he seemed more excited than the little girl, waving the blade around until Sharif asked him to please console the dangerous weapon. Then it was on to Sharif, I placed the book into his hands and said, “Good read my friend, hope you enjoy it.” Sharif stood and uncharacteristically hugged me. It was rather awkward, but I could see how appreciative he was of the gesture. Content with myself I stood smiling at my new family like a proud mother hen watching her little chicks.

  “I’m glad to see you all enjoy your gifts, hopefully they will keep you busy and out of my hair.” I laughed at my own lame joke, and then felt a slight tug on my shirt. Shahkierah was standing at my side looking ever so lost, staring up at me wide eyed and about to cry.

  “Yes sweetie, is something wrong?”Confused the shy little girl just put her hands out waiting to receive her gift. I grabbed my rucksack and searched through it. I showed the little girl there was nothing there. She sunk her head and started walking back to her bed.

  “Shahkierah, please do me a favour, somehow my jacket got underneath the food pile, would you be so kind and dig it out for me, my back is aching.” The polite child bit her tongue and did what she was told, she wanted to tell me to get my own damn jacket, but being the good girl she was, she restrained herself. She lifted the cans and saw the scrabble box lying at the bottom of the pile. Then paused like a deer caught in the head lights confused yet excited at the same time.

  “Do you think I could ever forget about you? You know you my rock star.”

  I loved little Zara with my whole heart and soul, but Shahkierah meant allot to me. We shared a unique bond; I guess because everyone else always fussed about how cute little Zara was I felt obliged to shower Shahkierah with extra affections. She and I would sit for hours each day talking about the old world, she missed it so much. Mostly because she missed her Mother, in a way I could relate, I missed my family as well but I was lucky my family was still alive, she on the other hand had no one left except the five people in the room.

  Zara asked me,” What about Sky, why did you not get anything for Sky?” I told her Sky was a very special Lady so she got a very special gift. Sky walked over to Zara and showed her the beautiful bracelet around her wrist, then said,

  “He got quite good taste don’t you agree?”

  This was the first time I saw Sky blush; her cheeks went a rosy pink as she tried hiding her smile.

  The mood soon changed though, as Sharif caught a glimpse of the bracelet around Sky’s arm. He walked up to her and furiously asked where she got it. I intervened and explained how I found it and gave it to her. In a flirtatious attempt towards Sky I told him, “It was the most beautiful thing I could find in the store, for the most beautiful women in the new world (Cheesy yes, yes, I know). But I couldn’t understand why he was angry at the fact that I had given
her the bracelet? I thought perhaps it remind him of something his wife used to wear. I was completely confused at his behaviour which was beyond obscure.

  Sharif stormed across the room to the new guns and furiously began loading bullets into the magazines. I was about to walk over and find out what I had done to upset him so. But Smith stopped me, telling me to let him have his space. The girls were just as confused, so Smith decided to set up Shahkierah scrabble board in hopes he would distract them from the argument. He called me over too and told me to join them, but I wanted to know what was wrong with Sharif. This time around Smith shouted and immediately I heeled like a well behaved puppy.

  Sky walked over towards the frustrated man and sat beside him. She slowly ran her fingers through his hair; she whispered reassuring words in his ear. That’s when it hit me! It wasn’t the bracelet, it was the gesture. Sky and Sharif had become more than just friends. The two of them had developed a relationship.

  I had seen the two of them spending more and more time together but had never taken notice. They spent time after time in the passageways together and disappeared in the darkness for hours on