By Your Side
“Tig-eralla!”
“Tig-eralla! Tig-eralla!”
“Tig-eralla!”
“Tig-eralla! Tig-eralla! Tig-eralla!”
“Tig-eralla!”
My sharp ears buzzed with people screaming my name from every direction. Somehow, everyone in my village seemed to realize doom awaited us.
I wonder how…
It was Lylla and Somala telling the other younglings, and they told the others; and that resulted in the entire village knowing.
Only eight days remain before destruction will take over Ma-Oktava.
“Is it true Aourine is working to send a message above the clouds?”
Someone asked.
“Are we going to be saved?”
Another asked.
“Tig-eralla! You’re really working with that filth.”
A woman yelled in my face.
I felt like punching her, but I held back when Ma grabbed my wrist, pulling me away from the crowd.
I took a deep breath. Ma rubbed the ends of my ears to soothe them down.
“Ma…”
“Eralla… I am worried.”
I had no good news to give her. Or to anyone.
I abruptly left Aourine’s place two days ago when she said those hurtful words.
I told myself I no longer wanted her love. I wasn’t sure I believed it.
“I am heading to Aktoe to meet with the elders.”
“Alright. Come back quickly though.”
I turned my head towards her, watching the expression on her face that wanted to hear good news today.
I also wanted it.
I just hoped Aourine did whatever she needed to do.
I stood in front of the elder’s hall once again. I pushed through the door, stepping in. Inside the elders gathered around the table, Aourine sitting beside Ouubuutt.
I stood in the corner watching them.
“How is the progress going with the transmitter?”
Donttano asked.
“There was a slight problem with the transmitter. I need to tweak it, and then we will be able to send the signal.”
“Understood.”
Ouubuutt added.
“How long will it take? Everyone now knows about the doom awaiting us.”
Tohthtorayn complained.
I crossed my arms; it was definitely his doing. He told everyone about the prophecy and created chaos. He always had a problem with Aourine.
“I need more time.”
“More time…”
He scoffed.
“Alright. Aourine, continue what you need to do. And Tig-eralla will be by your side if you need anything.”
Ouubuutt ordered.
My chest tightened. Of all people, why me?
After that day of seeing a different side of Aourine, I didn’t come to visit her.
How was I supposed to be around her…?
The next day, I stood in the corner of her hut, watching as she worked hard, ignoring my presence. Her gaze remained steadfast on the thick and heavy transmitter.
Buzz.
The drill screamed to life.
“E- Tig-eralla.”
Tig-eralla?
She has never called my name that way. It sounded too formal.
Thump. Thump.
My heart twisted. A weird pain shot through my body.
She wanted to let go of us.
“Y-yeah?”
Stolen story; please report.
I pushed off the wall, inching closer to her.
She finally lifted her head, looking at me.
I saw my reflection in her pretty amber eyes, like molten, cooled lava.
“I need to smelt these scraps.”
She gestured to the dark gray scraps lying on the table.
Harsh, hot wind blew against my hair, blowing it back. I pushed through, carrying the scraps she wanted to melt in my hand. They felt light in my hands but the transmitter Aourine carried didn’t.
The weight of the scraps shifted in my hands—and suddenly, I was five years younger.
Aourine shoved the delicate and thin flat strip of metal into my hands.
“Aourine, I will snap it in half.”
“No, you won’t.”
“But-”
She pressed her lips against mine. My pupils dilated.
They are warm.
Snap.
She pulled away and looked down; the strip had snapped in half.
“I told you…”
“You are one clumsy girl, Eralla.”
Not fair.
Clank. Clang.
The scraps bounced a little as they hit the dark gray ground.
Aourine shortly stopped beside me, tired of running. Huffing and puffing.
It was easy to tell she was not a runner. She had never been.
“What should I do?”
“Here. Put all these scraps into this clay pot.”
She instructed, and I obeyed. I knelt down on the ground, picking up the scraps of metal and adding them to the pot.
Once everything was in, she picked it up, bringing it near the continuous flow of lava that flowed down Iichinta*.
Gurgle. Gurgle.
The pot rested beside the thick consistency of lava flowing down the endless river.
“It will take time.”
She said, sitting on a nearby rock. I also sat down on the ground with legs out and arms wrapped around my knees.
We didn’t share a single word with each other.
I laid my head against my knees, shutting them for a brief moment.
Darkness came over like a blanket.
My eyes fluttered; I lifted up my head.
In front of me was the dazed figure of Aourine. She was filling something with a hot pot of scraps. Melted scraps.
How long had I kept my eyes shut?
A few minutes? A few hours?
It felt as though years have passed by, yet she still stayed the same.
The moment froze between us.
She was filling the small holes in the device with the melted scraps.
Her deep red hair blew in the wind, yet she was so focussed on doing her work. This was the woman I fell in love with — not the one from two days ago. Cold and rude.
I wanted this woman to be with me, to start a family, to have children with.
Not the one from days ago.
I rested my chin against the table, curly hair falling in front of my eyes, blocking my sight from beholding the sight before me.
Aourine, fixated on tinkering with the small thing.
I pushed the loose strand away from my face, tugging it behind my ear so I won’t miss the beautiful sight of Aourine working.
She smelled so different from me. While I smell of ash and mud, she smelt… rusty. Probably from the metal she always is with.
I sometimes get jealous of her love of such useless things.
Aourine stood up from the ground, picking the transmitter along with her.
I blinked.
She said, “We have finished here.”
???
Txetia Glossary
Iichinta (Is-shh-in-tah) — the closest volcano to Aourine’s place.
Ma-Oktava (Maa-uuk-ta-va) — Local name for the planet. Also means mother lava.
