Green Desert - Chapter 7.4.4 - Fírí

I stopped between two of the braziers, my eyes locked with the maniacal old hag. “They drugged me, stripped me naked, and raped me on that altar.”

“Never! We healed you. We helped you. And your boyfriend.”

By making him comatose? Vata was insane.

“In what way did you help Zhíno Zhudıro, Mrs. Kılímí?” The detective somehow remained calm in the face of her insanity.

I jabbed a finger towards Vata. “They stripped Zhíno naked, drugged him, and were going to rape him just like me, but the cops showed up. A deputy.”

“Séara,” said Sétıpímo as he stepped down onto the dirt floor.

“Whatever.” I looked at Vata, but she hadn’t moved. Her knife still dripped blood. The back half of a cow still lay on the ground behind her.

“Please let Mrs. Kılímí answer the question.” He slowly walked up to stand beside me, watching the white-haired, crazy woman. “Well?”

She croaked, “I healed him. He was injured. Bullet wounds, a broken wrist.” Her voice grew with strength. “And with power flowing straight from the glorious Névazhíno, I healed him.”

“Bullshit! They kill rabbits, dogs. Look what she’s done to that cow! It’s all part of their sick game.” The cop stared at Vata. “Listen to me!”

But my scrapes had been healed somehow. I had been scraped up, hadn’t I? Not if they didn’t heal me. Not if they raped me. I couldn’t recall dream from truth anymore. Reality eluded me.