Trigger warning - Bigotry

HANDI

Handi stomped into her shack, Ludz following close behind. It was dimly lit in a cozy way without any windows. She pulled a dangling string with a shell at the end, turning on a series of lights that illuminated the small room. In the back was her bed made of dozens of blankets piled on top of each other. She shared it with the two youngest islanders during the night. There were other miscellaneous pieces of debris she had collected throughout the years, small trinkets she had found beauty or comfort in over the years. They weren’t comforting her now. They walked through a jingling sandglass windchime. She kept her back to Ludz, her arms folded over her chest.

“I don’t like him,” Handi said.

“You don’t have to be so blunt,” Ludz said.

Handi whipped around. He was close, gazing down at her with concern in those deep brown eyes, sweet, like honey. “He shouldn’t be here,” she said. She slowly turned back and walked deeper into the room. “He’s wrong,” she said. She clutched her elbows. She didn’t understand why the thought of Vince staying sent a shiver down her spine. It was wrong.

Ludz followed her. “Okay, he’s a little older than we’re used to.”

“He’s wrong.” Handi shook her head. 

“You sound stressed.”

Ludz couldn’t see her rolling her eyes. “And he’s wrong.”

She sat on the bed of blankets, and Ludz sat below her on the ground. He looked up at her with that softness in his eyes that she didn’t see often. She wondered if it was for her or the new arrival.

“Why is he here?” Handi said, letting the anxiety show in her voice. She stared into his eyes desperate for an answer, any answer. She didn’t like the ideas swarming in her head. Her island would only bring him here for a reason, but Handi could already sense he would bring change.

“Yes, the spouts have never sent someone older than eleven to us, but maybe this is just a... a first,” Ludz said.

“He shouldn’t be here.” Handi shook her head again. She didn’t know what he was going to do next, but a small tingling feeling at the back of her head said that it would set off a long series of events that would end in their misfortune or at least badly. Handi could feel it but she didn’t know how to express that. It wasn’t Vince’s fault that she was getting a bad feeling, but the last time she had gotten one she was right. She wouldn’t ignore it this time.

“Give him a chance. You don’t know what he might be running from. Maybe he needs this just as much as we did.” 

Handi took his hand with both of hers and held it up. She squeezed them tightly. She wanted to believe he was right. They had all found refuge on this island, maybe Vince would too. She couldn’t just kick him out either; she had a hunch he wouldn’t survive a night in the forest.

“He’s staying with you tonight.” She dropped his hand. “Keep your eyes on him,” she said. Ludz gave her a reassuring smile. She knew he would do as she asked.

Handi stood up and Ludz followed her lead.

“I don’t want him convincing anyone to leave the island with him.” That would be her biggest fear: all of them trying to leave.

Ludz nodded. “Okay.” Ludz walked ahead of her to the door. “Come on, I think Fiu finished that stew hours ago,” he said. Handi smiled. He was trying to lighten the mood. She followed him out.

Fiu and Vince sat alone together at the fire pit. Behind them the sun set. A million shades of red, pink, and purple faded into each other in the distance.

Handi pointed towards the larger shack. With a nod of her head, she told Ludz to go. He nodded and they parted. Handi walked over to a tree. From up above a long leg dangled from a platform on a branch. Ayn sat on the blanketed platform, her new pillow between her back and the bark. She angry whittled a small animal out of wood with a pocket knife. 

“Ayn! Come down and eat,” Handi yelled. Her voice came out harsher than she meant. She couldn't help the reminiscence of anger from before. She sighed. She’d have to figure out how to deal with her later. Her gaze drifted back to Vince chatting with Fiu. First, she’d need to figure out what to do with him.

Handi heard Ayn make her way down the tree pegs they had hammered into her personal tree as she watched Ludz lead Stein out of the workshop. Stein’s thick blond curls stuck up at odd angles being barely held back with big welding goggles. His curious brown eyes were outlined with soot and grease on his face. He instantly took notice of Vince. Handi could almost see the ideas running through that crazy head. He wore welders gloves and oversized boots. Stein could almost be considered one of the older islanders, but being twelve he still had a lot more maturing to do.

They all sat down to eat, Handi took her bowl and sat last while Fiu continued to serve everyone.

Fiu began pouring everyone their meals. There’s an unusual tension in the air. They’re waiting for her to react to Vince’s arrival. If she welcomed him with open arms as Ludz suggested, everyone else would follow suit and help him get used to the island, but she couldn’t ignore that feeling. So instead she ignored him.

“Stein, gloves off,” she said.

“Oh, right,” he said as he peeled off his gloves and set them aside.

Handi ate her stew. It had the familiar homey taste of Fiu’s cooking. He worked wonders with what little ingredients they had.

“You can’t expect me to eat with a kirze!” Vince said, his voice thick with disgust. There it was, the disturbance she had foreseen. 

She simply smiled. He finally showed them what she had expected from the beginning. She knew he was wrong for her island. “This is Vince, our new arrival. Treat him nicely.” 

Vince looked from Handi to the others looking for some sort of reaction. But everyone followed Handi’s lead and ignored his outburst.

“I can’t eat with a cursed person,” he pointed to Stein like he was revealing a dark truth to them. “You know he’s from Agastog.”

Fiu took the initiative and handed Vince a bowl with the sharp deadly smile he uses to scold the others when they’ve done something dangerous. Handi was personally very familiar with that smile.

“You don’t have to eat,” Fiu said. Handi knew he was serious about the threat.

Stein watched the spectacle with curiosity. “What’s a kirze?”

Fiu gave him his stew and said, “Nothing relevant to us.”

Handi was pleased she could trust them to handle Vince’s outbursts. Just spending half the day with him exhausted her. He wouldn’t stop complaining and asking her questions she didn’t have an answer to. She didn’t know why he was here. It made the least sense to her. The island had always given Handi what she needed. She had no need for Vince. And he didn’t seem too fond of them either.

Vince stared at them all with a look mixed with disgust and bewilderment. “What do you mean not relevant?” He said. He continued pointing at Stein aggressively. “He’s a kirze! His people are traitors.”

Handi glared back at him and stood up. She couldn’t let him keep going like this. Stein was better ignorant of the outside world's hatred for his people. Ludz grabbed her arm, reminding her of their conversation. She’d give him a chance, but it was up to Vince to give them one too.

“He said you don’t have to eat,” Handi said more firmly than Fiu did so he’d get the message this time.

Vince looked around for support but didn’t find any. Fiu avoided his gaze. Ayn mimicked Handi’s hostility. Stein was just confused and only Ludz held her back.

Vince nodded slowly. He seemed to finally understand the situation he was in.

“Okay,” he said. He sat back down and Handi did too. 

Handi wanted to change the mood. Everyone was still tense. She reached down to the sack by her feet and pulled out the book she had found. She handed it to Stein with a smile. “Found this while we were scavenging. Thought you might like it,” she said.

His face lit up. “Thanks, Handi,” he said, diving into his new book.

“As if he can even read,” Vince said, barely audible under his breath. Handi glared at him again, but luckily Stein didn’t even notice. He sat transfixed with the open book on one knee and his stew on the other.

Ludz shook his head at Vince. “I’d eat quickly if I were you. It’s not going to last long,” he said. 

“What isn’t?” Vince asked.

No one responded. Handi was glad everyone followed her lead this time. 

She kept an eye on Vince as he took a tentative sip of his stew as they all ate. The wood fire crackled. The night felt too peaceful for the uneasiness Handi felt. “Where’d the young ones go,” she asked in an attempt to ease her anxiety. 

Fiu finally sat with his own stew taking the place between Vince and the rest of the group, reducing the tension more. “You’ll see,” Fiu said playfully. Handi hoped that the night would take on its usual lighter mood. Maybe nothing would change with Vince’s arrival after all. Maybe she was being overly cautious. 

The sun set as they finished their meal. The young children didn’t show themselves. Handi didn’t expect them to take this long, she wondered what they had in store for them this time. Will often enjoyed putting on little shows for them and he’d drag anyone willing into his performance.

“So Handi, I noticed Fiu fixing up the tomatoe’s head earlier,” Ayn said. 

Handi’s mood darkened. “Really?” she said with as little emotion as she could. Handi thought Ayn would just take the easy way out and keep quiet tonight. She should think about what she had done.  

Ayn continued digging her grave. “Really. So... I was wondering if... You... and I... should go look for a blessed animal to you know... heal him tomorrow.”

“I’d go alone if I thought he’d want one,” Handi said sharply. She didn’t learn anything. Handi’s blood boiled at the thought of Yeshua wandering the forest alone. 

Ayn looked down in disappointment. Under her breath, she muttered, “Oh, okay.”

“Please, Handi?” Fiu asked. Handi disliked the situation but they were right. If it was anyone else she’d be out looking for a blessed animal to heal their injury now. Not to mention if Vince wasn’t such a clutz he could have already been healed by one.

Handi looked at Fiu’s patchwork on Vince’s head. A bandage was wrapped tightly around his forehead covering his cut. Vince looked at them all like they were crazy. “What are you talking about this time? Blessed beings don’t just fall from the sky. They’re rare gifts from the great god Gahoren but I wouldn’t expect any of you savages to know that,” he explained matter-of-factly.

All he got in return were blank stares. “The centipede,” Handi said. Could he really have not noticed a blessed creature walking across his hand earlier? It probably appeared just to heal his injuries too. One would always come to find Handi if anyone on the island got so much as a paper cut. 

Her days would be getting more difficult for the time being. She didn’t know what to do with either of them. Ayn needed to take responsibility for her actions, and Handi needed Vince to accept his situation.