Green Desert - Chapter 3.3.3 - Vata

I could not allow them to take Pí‘oro’s body away from the house. I had to get them back into the chapel. It was the only place where Névazhíno would hear me, might possibly listen to my plea and do as I requested.

“Stop!”

Fírí sat perched on the windowsill, one leg inside. Zhíno and my husband’s body––and Zhíno’s body––already stood outside in the backyard. Fírí stared at me for an instant, then lifted her bare foot and jumped out the window.

I took a step into the spare bedroom.

“Put your hands where I can see them, Mrs. Kılímı.”

At the bend in the hall, little Séara crouched, gun pointed at me, her black uniform starched and clean. Young Bhanar stood behind her, now wearing only a baggy pair of shorts.

Your hands, please.” Séara’s hands shook. She breathed hard. Sweat ran down her forehead. She chewed her lower lip.

“Yes, dear.” I showed my hands, palms toward her. “They just went out the back window. They’ve kidnapped my husband.”

“She is lying,” spouted the foreigner. “Mr. Kılímı and Fírí were together. He wanted to rescue Zhíno, too.”

Séara looked back and forth between me and Bhanar, her ponytail whipping against the epaulets on her shoulder. She settled on me, gun held level at my gut. “Show me the chapel.”