Chapter 6. Guarded

The room beneath the shed was small. It was a laboratory of sorts where Uncle Possim worked on herb combinations for healing. All sorts of moss and wild dried herbs hung from the ceiling. He had types of tree barks sorted into bins. Though he couldn’t exterminate contagion, he spent his hours working on formulas to ease suffering and control pain. Granny had taught him all she knew, and he had spent his adult life expanding on that knowledge. His secret work, which only Nisreen knew about, was looking for cures.So far, he hadn’t found any. Still he didn’t give up. Against the western wall was a little bed with a hay mattress. A small glassed curio cabinet sat beside it. The cabinet contained papers Uncle Possim had made of pulverized cattail seed heads. Nisreen had sewn some of the pages into pamphlets.

A burning braizer kept the room warm and dry. Uncle Possim swung the hop with a bright copper kettle over the braizer. The surface of the kettle was so shiny, Nisreen could see her reflection. Quickly, she turned away.

Uncle Possim grunted, “Sit.”

Nisreen lowered herself on to the only bench in the room. Uncle Possim prepared the tea with his good hand and his withered arm. Though the arm twisted the wrong way, through hard effort he had trained it to work to the best of its ability. And work it did.

When the tea was ready, he joined her on the bench. Holding the ceramic cup in her hands took some of the chill out of her body. The honey sweetened chamomile tea was warm comfort inside of her. Their talk was quiet and easy. Nisreen began to feel sleepy. She finished her tea and said, “I best get back.”

With candle in hand, Uncle Possim led her up into the shed. Shadows danced on the walls. He opened the door. A dark form zoomed over them. Both of them sniffed the air. It was Atticus. What was he doing here at this time of night? Uncle Possim closed the door and said, “I think it best you stay here for the night.”

Mama would be worried in the morning if she wasn’t in the house. Worse Papa would know she had disobeyed him. “I think I best get inside. He only wants to torment me, not assault me.”

“You don’t know that.” In the light of the candle, Uncle Possim frowned at her. “It is best you face your papa’s wrath than risk crossing the distance.”

Nisreen looked up at the night sky. Atticus was weaving in and out, up and down. He dare not speak for fear of waking Papa. Nisreen glanced at the house. She saw the door open slowly and quietly. It was Papa. In his hands was his sling shot. The bands were taut and ready. The pouch was full. He aimed at Atticus and released the bands. Up above them, Atticus let out a yelp.

Papa shouted, “Stay away from my family!”

Atticus zoomed into the forest.

For a moment Papa remained where he was and then he crossed the yard to the shed. His steps were short and hard. Even in the dark, Nisreen could tell how he was angry. She braced herself. He held out his hand to her. She took the offered hand. The slightest tremble went through Papa’s fingers. In a low grunt he said, “I can’t keep you safe, if you don’t keep you safe.”

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“I know.” Papa’s fingers tightened around hers. He looked at Uncle Possim and said, “Thank you for looking after my girl.”

Uncle Possim nodded and said, “Good night.”

Hand in hand, Papa and Nisreen crossed the yard. Once they reached the back door he let go. Before they entered the house, he said, “Don’t forget what I said. Promise me you will go no where alone.”

In a small hiss, Nisreen said, “I promise.”

He kissed her forehead. With eyes locked on hers, he hissed, “May you keep that promise.”

There was a flicker in Papa’s eyes that lead Nisreen to think he didn’t trust her. He knew how much she valued solitude. Solitude was deep need in her.

Papa went inside and Nisreen followed. He didn’t loiter in the kitchen but went back to bed.

Careful not to wake Sister, Nisreen lay down on the rugs and pulled the wool blanket over her.

Sister whispered, “What happened?”

“Atticus was swooping over our yard.”

Sister shivered. “Oh, that can’t be good. So, he has chosen you for his next victim?”

“I have no intention of being a victim.”

Sister reached for her hand and squeezed it.

*

The night passed slowly for Nisreen. She had drifted to sleep a few times. In the hall, she heard Papa’s steps. The last thing she wanted was for Papa to know she was awake. She closed her eyes and forced her breathing to slow. Papa crept through the kitchen and leapt through the open window. Where was he going? When was he coming back?

After a while dim light slipped through the widow. The sun was on the rise. Granny hobbled into the kitchen. She set a pot on the fire and began to make bone soup.

Nisreen remained where she was feigning sleep. Unlike Mama, Granny was a light sleeper. Granny probably had heard Atticus yelp and Papa’s warning.

A few more moments passed before, Granny said, “Get up girl.”

Nisreen obeyed. Granny eyed her before she said, “Have you learned your lesson?”

“Yes Ma’am.”

“Good.”

The sun crested the horizon shooting warm light into the kitchen. The smell of bone broth filled the air. Granny turned to the hearth and spooned broth into two bowls. With a glance at Sister, who was actually asleep Granny said, “Oh if only I had been blessed with sleep like hers.”

Nisreen wished the same thing. Granny plunked the bowl down in from of her and sat down beside her. While they were eating Papa returned, only he wasn’t alone. Malik was with him. Why?

Sister who had been sound asleep woke up and yawned. She looked at Malik and said, “Good Morning.” With a glance at Papa, her eyes returned to Malik and she asked, “And why do we have the pleasure of your company so early in the morning?”

Papa answered the question for Malik. “I have hired him to be Nisreen’s body guard.”

Sister cut her eyes to Nisreen and said, “Oh really.”

Embarrassed, Nisreen put her spoon down and stared at her half empty bowl.

Mama came into the kitchen. As she passed , she placed her hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. Nisreen looked up at Mama. A gentle smile was on her lips. She turned to Malik and said, “Good Morning Malik. I have prepared a space for you in the front room.”

Malik said, “Thank you Ma’am.”

So Mama knew, and Granny knew. Everyone knew about Atticus. Something else they also all knew was that not only was Nisreen destined to be a topic of gossip thanks to stupid Atticus. Malik living in their house was going to be more fodder for more rumors about her. Curses on Atticus! Though she felt Malik’s eyes on her, Nisreen refused to look at him.

Auntie came into the kitchen. She looked around the room and declared, “Don’t tell me, oh my! Nisreen, Malik you are betrothed!”

Correction, Auntie didn’t know about Atticus or why Malik was there, but she was about to find out. Before Papa or Mama could speak. Nisreen shot to her feet and said, “Excuse me.” She bolted from the room. Instinct sent her running through the back door. Too late she realized Malik was following her. She stopped in the yard. Her face flushed with embarrassment. Without turning around she asked, “So is this how its going to be?”

Malik replied, “For a while at least.” Though their kind lacked the inflection of voice, Malik’s tone suggested, he was not troubled by their current circumstances.