Eagle People (14 page)
Rachel didn't live in a fantasy world, and became a warrior after a group of Southern People captured her, along with her husband, and some other women one early morning years ago. The men, including her husband, were instantly put to death, but the women were raped one-at-a-time and then butchered. She was lucky that day, because the Eagle People rallied and attacked the Southern People, killing all and saving Rachel and one other woman—but not before they were both repeatedly raped. She still carried the dreadful memories and nightmares with her.
They were about halfway back to the village when they encountered a small group of The People, also moving in the same direction. There were ten in the group and all were excited when they ran into their own warriors. Having recognized Amon, the leader of the group, Zan, rode right into the group before they could be warned of the infectious disease. Amon quickly explained the illness and saw many of the new warriors continued to smile.
They must not understand this can kill them,
he thought. Zan has been away from the village for over a year and he may be confused by this.
“Amon, we have many wonderful things to tell you and Mongoose. We left over a year ago, to explore the lands of the Mountain people. During our travels, we ran into a strange clan of people, unlike any you have ever seen. They carried guns and lived in a hole in the ground, a cave in the side of a big mountain. They had a steel door on the cave and no man can ever enter once closed.
We were able to speak with them and to make friends with their leader, who is called Colonel. Once at the village, I will show you some things we have that were given to us as gifts. They are called the Cheyenne Mountain People.”
“This illness is very serious, and just being around us may make all of you sick or kill you.” Rachel said.
“It is a risk worth taking for the good of The People. Mongoose must know of the Cheyenne Mountain People, because they have many wonderful things we can trade for.”
Amon, angry at Zan's senseless exposure to the sickness said, “Come, we must return to the village. We've already had one death because of this disease, and our people need this salt.”
When they returned, the village was in total turmoil over the sickness. Fourteen days had passed since the fight with the Mountain People and now folks were growing ill in large numbers. Three elders were no more and another infant was dead. The shaman, Julian, now kept a fire burning continuously to dispose of the infected bodies. The Shaman knew it was just a matter of time before more died and he wanted to be ready. His cheeks were stained from tears.
Women had huge clay pots on cooking fires, boiling broth around the clock. Others, now that salt was available, were mixing salt and honey in large pieces of clayware, which the people used as water storage containers. The people had learned to make pottery years ago, by reading books, and discovered a kiln wasn't really needed, but a hot fire was a necessity.
Mongoose was tired and not feeling well, but she moved to Zan and said, “Come with me. We must talk.”
I need to know what he's learned, because many of us will die in the days to come and if Zan dies, so does some very important information,
she thought as they walked to a meeting with others at her lodge.
Once sitting around her small fire, she said, “Tell me what you discovered during your travels.”
“For most of our journey we met no one and avoided enemies we recognized, like the Black Mountain People, and continued looking for the Cheyenne Mountain Complex. If you remember, one of our Learned Ones read about the place, and had a general idea where the place was located. Well, over the years, the countryside has changed a great deal and the images in the book look nothing like the real place.”
“How many warriors did you lose?” Amon asked.
“Three, and each died in battle with our enemies. At one point, bad water threatened all of us with death, but we recovered. We discovered the Cheyenne Mountain People at this location.” He then pulled a crudely drawn map from his pocket and handed it to Levi, the leader of the Learned Ones.
“While not to scale or drawn well, the number of paces are indicated so it can be used, along with local landmarks, to return easily enough. The People at the mountain speak a slightly different English than we do, only they're easy enough to understand. They still dress in cotton material, in what they call a uniform. They all are assigned military ranks, like our old military books show, and the leader is addressed as Colonel. Colonel has absolute power, with each man bending to his demands without question, but I found him to be fair and well educated. Their problem, the biggest one, is few belong to the tribe. They, unlike us, only have the one village, with about two hundred people.”
“Have they few women?” Levi asked.
“Fewer than most villages. Additionally, it seems a woman can have more than one husband, while the men are only allowed a woman after achieving a certain rank within their group.”
Levi said, “It's likely done to increase breeding and improve the birthrate.”
“Do they have a shaman?” Amon asked, because Julian was not at the meeting. He was caring for the sick and dying.
“Yes, they surely do, and three of them. They know much more about medicine than we do. According to the Colonel, they have a mountain of medicines and some equipment that still works. Now, I know you will not believe me, but they even have electricity, computers, and telephones. Of course, not all the time.”
“Of what good is a computer or telephone when there is no one to call or contact?”
Zan laughed and said, “They use the computer to message each other, because their village is huge under the mountain. Computers are also used to educated children and for the shaman to list the sick, ill and those who have died. The telephones are used, most of the time, in emergencies. If someone nears the village outside the mountain, the people notify others by telephone. See, they do not live in the mountain. They have a village made of logs near the entrance. When threatened, they retreat into the mountain side. Then, they close the thick steel door and are safe.”
“Surely some of the phones, computers and other electronics have failed, been broken, or quit working over the years.” Amon said.
“Yes, of course, and Colonel said they have Learned Ones that can change the parts from one to the other and get one working again. I think the term he used was 'K-ball,' or something like that. They have a library of books, just on how to maintain the complex, that is five times the size of ours. Every small device is covered by a book that shows every small part and explains how to fix problems. He called them, 'Technical Orders,' but I have no idea what that means.”
Mongoose looked at the map in Levi's hand and said, “By the end of the day, I want ten copies of that map made and given to each chief, shaman, and other leaders. The remainder will be given to me. Those of us who survive this sickness may have need of the map.” Then turning to Zan, she asked, “What do you think are the three most important things the Cheyenne Mountain People have?”
Zan grinned and said, “What I am about to say, you will not believe, and I know this, only I've seen with my own eyes what I am about to say. First, they have guns of all sizes; pistols, rifles, machine guns, and others I did not recognize and most are still in hundreds of crates. And, they have almost an endless supply of ammunition to go with them.
Second, they have an advanced medical ability we cannot even imagine. They can prevent diseases by injecting medicines into the arms or rear of someone. They can used a machine to see broken bones, and they even have the ability to open a patient who has been injured, fix the injured body part, and then sew the patient closed. The shaman I spoke with said almost 100 percent survive the 'surgery,' whatever that term means. I spoke with five people who showed me scars for this surgery and all were up and moving well.”
“And, the last?” Mongoose asked.
“They have a serious need for more people and have invited us to join them. They watched us for many days before contacting us. They saw how we treat each other, they saw us praying, which they do as well, and they saw us fight our enemies. I discovered they were more like us, than different. I cannot say if this joining of bands would be good or bad, it is not my place to speak, but I think it should be considered.”
“It is something to seriously consider, after this sickness leaves us. I suspect, and so does Julian, that many of our elders will die in the next few days. We may soon be without a council of elders to assist us in decision making. However, that is unimportant right now.” Mongoose said, and then after a moment of thought asked, “What were the three biggest differences between us that you noticed?”
“First, their language is filled with military slang or shortened names for things.”
“Acronym is the word you're looking for, I think.” Levi said.
“That is the word, acronym. They come from ancient warriors, of a time when America was a super nation, and they live by old ways, laws, and rules. Second, they have a rigid social system, with warriors and leaders treated differently. The leader class has more of everything, better lodges, and are in absolute control.”
“Are there women in the leader class?”
“Yes, I saw many, but not all. And last, they are loyal to a piece of cloth. They call this cloth a “flag,” but I am unsure what the word means.” Zan looked at Levi, but the learned one only shrugged.
“Go on.” Mongoose said.
“They have a ceremony each morning and evening where they raise and lower this flag. According to the Colonel, they have copied the original flag and made the one they now fly. I fail to understand the importance, as I'm sure many of you will as well. It may be they worship this flag or it is a symbol.”
“Enough talk for now. Let us join in prayer for our sick and those who will become sick over the next few days. Then, after this disease has run its course, we will talk of this again. Amon, would you lead us in prayer?”
BYRON MOVED HIS MEN
into deep woods; many years before it was called the Missouri Ozark Mountains, and they made camp in a cave. Fire wood they'd gathered filled the far wall, because they had no idea if they'd be strong enough to walk when the disease hit. A stream ran though the cave and out the entrance, so they had water. The Wolf People had left a hundred weight of dried beef for the men, but that was all they had in the way of food.
“Lum,” Seth said early one morning, “we need to get some meat, so bring your bow and let's see if we can locate any cows or deer. We can keep the meat cool in the stream and it will last for a long time. That water is icy cold and it's spring fed.”
Standing, Lum said, “Well, lets go and get back, because I'm starting to ache a little bit.”
Two hours later as they stood in the woods watching a clearing, a big buck was walking around the edge of the field. Both men prepared an arrow, but neither was aware that they were now the hunted. When the animal was but a short distance away, the arrows were released and both found their target, except the animal didn't drop instantly.
“We'll wait a bit and then find it dead within a hundred yards of here. If not pressured, the animal will hole up some place and bleed out. Let's give the deer about thirty minutes.” Seth said, and then sat in the grasses to wait.
Unknown to both men, a raiding party of ten warriors, all of the Big River People, were watching their every move. The raiders were a violent group, prone to horrific torture and even the eating of human flesh. In the woods or on the plains, they moved like the animals they were, rarely seen and never heard, until the last minute.
Smiling, Seth said, “Let's get the deer and get back to the cave, I don't feel good.”
As they stood, Lum immediately fell and Seth saw an arrow in the man's shoulder. Then he saw the Big River People running for them. He had fought them before and wanted no part of the one-sided fight, so he fled, leaving his fellow warrior to face his fate alone. Lum was suddenly surrounded.
Seth kept to the bushes and within five minutes, he was running full speed right for the cave, his fear overriding his common sense.