Chapter 52

I did just manage to make supper tonight. I was late again as usual and got my chewing out from Angel and the rest of my wives. I explained that I had been talking with the Sky Spirits to see what we could do to help them with this big problem. Once I explained that bit of news, I was somewhat forgiven. After the meal I stood and addressed the crowd.

“Friends and neighbors, we of this camp are truly blessed because the Sky Spirits have allowed us their presence and they have been talking to some of our people; mainly the older people. We have found out that this occurs about every 30 years. Something similar, but not as strong occurs about every five years as well. We are still working on what we can do about this and what is causing this ‘Bright Time’ as Fretonto has called it. We, the Sky Spirits and I, are working on a solution, but we have found out that the sun, as bright as it is, is not harmful to our people. The Sky Spirits are going to provide for us some very powerful glasses for us to wear when we are outside. Each of you must wear them when you are outside or you will become blind. Also if the glasses become too dark to see through, that means you must come back inside. You would be in direct sunlight and you must turn away from the sun and come inside.

“According to Fretonto this only lasts about 15 days. Today is only day one, but many people have lived through this before. They just stayed inside. We can do that too, but if we need to go outside we can because of the glasses. Our bodies are not affected by the bright light, but our eyes are. We have plenty of food and water, enough to last a couple months, but who checked on the vegetables, fruits, and spices?”

Kolstar stood and said, “I did Bob. We have enough for about 4 weeks with maybe a little left over. If this only lasts 15 days, then we are fine, but if it lasts longer, we will have to gather more.”

“Thank you Kolstar, I will let you know if we need to gather more, as soon as I know better how long this will be. Some of you may notice that Fretonto is speaking better. The Sky Spirit Fred came down here to help us. He has helped Fretonto to speak better so that he could tell us what happened at the last big bright time. With his help we learned a lot about this event. I will need to speak to Lamanr after this so we can learn more. Thank you all for the wonderful jobs you have accomplished today. The entrance covering looks great; and you should all be proud of your part in it. Thank you and goodnight.”

I called Lamanr over to me and we went into the office where I introduced him to Fred. “Lamanr, I am a sky spirit that talks through Bob’s computing device. I wanted to talk to you to see if you had any more information from the previous shaman about the ‘bright time’ as Fretonto called it.”

Lamanr was visibly shaken hearing a voice come from a box on Bob’s desk, but he responded with, “Sky Spirit Fred, I have a small amount of information about the ‘bright time’ as the shaman before me was very, very old and he could only barely talk to me to give me the rites of office and the ability to hear the spirits. I have never heard the spirits so plainly, as I can now, since I have come to this place. I know only that the bright time comes every 30 years and that it does not harm us, except those women who are with child. All of them lose the child, but there will be very few who are with child at this time. In a few years time, children will come again and all will be happy.”

“I do not like to hear that, as there are several women who are with child at this time. Bob, Marlit, Pauloa, and Ambat are with child at this time; also Sealia, Freecor, Tournal, Orangan, Signere, Heglina, and Majorne are with child too. There are ten women who will lose their child unless we can get them to safety. I will see what is in our power to do, thank you Lamanr, I will speak to you again.”

I could see Fred wanted to talk to me alone so I escorted Lamanr out to the main cave. I then asked Fred to put a barrier up to keep people other than my family out of the house cave. It was getting to be bed time for most and it should have been safe, but I wanted to make sure. “Ok Fred, what did you want to talk about?”

“I am glad you saw why I closed up so suddenly. I think if we can get the women to the ship quickly, they may not lose their child. Do you want to risk it Bob. The ship is very close now as it is night.”

“Yes Fred I would like to have them transported. Let me talk to them first and then we can transport. By the way the expression is ‘clam up’ not ‘close up’. I will get the people and bring them to the living room; we should have enough room there for everyone.”

“Thank you Bob, I will contact George and set this up.”

I went and called all my wives together. I said, “I have good news and bad news. First the good news, Marlit, Pauloa, and Ambat are pregnant, so are 7 other women. The bad news is, in order to save the children, we need to send you to a safe place, and we will not see each other until this problem goes away. It should only be about 15 days give or take a couple days. Now, do you want to go to this safe place or not? Marlit?”

“Yes Bob, I want this child of ours.”

“Pauloa, how about you?”

“Yes Bob, I do so much want this baby of ours.”

“Ambat, are you in agreement too?”

“Yes Bob.”

I went out to the cave and asked Fred where each family was, except for Heglina, Orangan, and Majorne. I knew they were in the headmen’s corridor. I called out to each couple softly and asked if they would please come with me. Soon we were crowded into the living room with my three pregnant wives and Barbara, Grounto and Sealia, Sancret and Freecor, Heagern and Tournal, Torget and Signere, Dignar and Orangan, Grunto and Heglina, and Grojan and Majorne.

“People, I have called you here to tell you good news and bad news. The good news is that with the exception of Barbara, all the women here are with child. The bad news is if you stay here, you will lose the babies. Now more good news, with the sky spirits help we think we can take you to a safe place, but you will have to stay there as long as the danger is here. We think that will be about 15 days, but we may want to keep you a week longer to make sure. Now I’m not sure if the husbands can go too. We may not have the space, but I will find out. The choice to leave is yours alone, you do not have to go, but I would hope that you do, for your safety and the new child’s safety as well. Now discuss this amongst yourselves while I go see if the men can come too.” I hurried off to the office.

“Fred can each of the pregnant women take their husband or another person with them for their journey to the ship? Is there enough room for all of them?”

“Yes Bob, they can each take one other with them. Will you be going as well?”

“Of course not Fred, I have to stay here and lead my people through this crisis. I can send Barbara or a couple other wives. I have to be here showing my people that I am trying to cure the problem and if I am not going, then it must not be that big a deal. That should give the people confidence that I am doing my job as leader.”

“You are right Bob, George has everything set up. You need only decide who goes now.”

“Thanks Fred, George, I will see who’s going.”

I went back to the living room and everybody stopped talking when they saw me. “Ok, now the sky spirits have said that each pregnant woman can take one person with them, it can be your husband, or someone else, I know my wives have to choose someone else as I cannot go. I am needed here to lead our people and to work with the sky spirits to get this problem solved. Now Orangan who do you want to take?”