Seventh Bit
A correspondence and an interruption
Muisto read the letter he had penned to his old teacher. He held it up to one, dripping candle. Its light, so dim and flicking, made him squint like he stared into the sun.
“My dearest Hoksata,
“I hope that you will forgive my little nickname for you. I hope that a small presumption between peers might meet with your appreciation. I am not so old as you, but I grow old. Perhaps we may finally talk as peers.
“I write to tell you that the colony goes well. The smelters and forges run always, and the newest little devices make our earlier efforts look like the work of tin smiths, if I might indulge in a moment of self-congratulation. We have quite mastered weapon smithing, and some of our jewelry might be called quite good. None of us are happy yet with armor, but we have sometimes been told by our ‘Ambassadors’ that we are too persnickety! And that our armor quite pleases the population outside our little valley.
“We continue to build on the valley floor. We have not yet build enough infrastructure to fully justify going outside — the sun still galls us, and probably never will stop. Our tunnels have grown in splendor every day! our ‘Ambassadors’ always bring back drawings of the world outside, along with new brothers and sisters. Any new design that the ‘Ambassadors’ describe and sketch for us fires our imaginations. We fairly need to have a go at it ourselves or we quite go mad! Our madness has improved our home every month. When next you visit, I will show you our new Story Hall. It fair throws a shadow across the pride we felt before about the old Entrance.
“Many of us feel hungry. Indeed, it grows more and more difficult to keep the faith. Especially as our numbers grow — even though they grow so slow, as they do — the younger of us, as they wake and come to themselves, ask many questions. The older brothers and sisters explain our situation, and explain all our reasons for…well, you know. And so far all of us have kept a harness on our hunger…so far. I can no longer speak with every brother and sister every time they have questions. My circle, all the eldest, must speak on my behalf a good deal of the time. They stand to the rules like legends…but I can see that doubt creeps into some of them.
“And so our hunger worsens.
“Which is only part of why I write to you, my dear Hoksata. I do hope that you will come, and perhaps bring one or two of your friends. Many of the youngest of my brothers and sisters have never met you! They only have your writings to appease them, and you of course know the difference when a nightmare walks out of the shadow and rakes its nails across your chest, different than that nightmare never once leaving your sleeping mind. So do come visit soon! We may need your strength.
“And that is only part of why I write. I am sorry. I grow distractable in my dotage. A bad joke! Or perhaps I simply do not wish to get to the point.
“I suppose there is no more avoiding it.
“Here, then, is my worry…
“Oh, Hoksata, I am not sure I know how to put it. Perhaps…well, these are the mean facts: We always grow ill even from the slightest of sunshine. Even the candle I have lit to write this letter ought to make me shake a little.
“My day-sickness has always been the same: Acute nausea and a burning sensation of the skin.
“Except…most strangely…I have lately been yearning it.
“Oh, Hoksata, I yearn for the sun! It is so strange! I have not seen it since I changed from the feral shape like my not-yet-awake brothers and sisters, when they arrive here. And yet I ache for it! And, what’s more, my sickness has changed. I no longer shake from it. I no longer grow ill in my belly. It still burns, but now it burns my bones. I confess I tried going out for a few moments today, and it was like a fire went through me. This candle next to me causes and itch in my marrow. I do not know why it should, Hoksata.
“And, somehow, I want it.
“Please come, Hoksata. I do not understand what is happening.”
Muisto had given up reading his letter. He squinted at the candle. It burned his eyes, but he wanted to look at it. He moved his hand toward the flame. His dry, talcum-light skin looked fit to burn. He knew that it would burn easily, and he should not touch the flame.
But he wanted it.
“Eldest,” a voice said from the shadows near the door into Muisto’s chamber.
It broke Muisto’s reverie. “Yes. Hello, Kultainen,” Muisto said. He turned to the slim figure, invisible in the dark to a human’s eyes. Muisto saw him fine. Kultainen’s gold eyes glinted the dim, warm light of the candle. He had the calculating, pragmatic look in his eyes that passed among their people as concern. It also passed as cheerfulness, and as disdain. They had a reputation in the outside world for passivity, which Muisto understood. He could see the concern in Kultainen’s eyes.
Muisto nodded. “What hour is it?”
“It’s been several hours since sundown,” Kultainen said.
“Oh! Is tonight not the full moon? I must have missed the ceremony,” Muisto said.
“We are about to begin,” Kultainen said. “What are you writing, Eldest?”
“A letter,” Muisto said. He began to fold the letter and then to seal it with his scarlet wax seal. “To the Varjo,” he said, giving Hoksata his ritual name. “You seem to have something on you mind, Kultainen,” Muisto said.
“I do,” Kultainen said, and considered. He continued with doubt in his voice. “And I also may not.”
“What is it?”
“It may be nothing. Simple suspicion.”
“We must be suspicious to the state of paranoia, old friend,” Muisto said. “We are at a delicate stage.”
Kultainen nodded. “In that case…it’s the Night Market. Our brothers and sisters who went to trade there were due back several hours ago.”
Muisto nodded. It was a long journey from their valley to the Night Market. Several days. It might be too early to begin to worry. Their journey ought to have a day or two leeway in it.
The thing is, the People of Cold Valley did not worry in the same way as humans.
“When can you leave?” Muisto said.
“I am ready. I just wanted to tell you.”
“Clever boy,” Muisto said. “Kultainen, any deaths get blamed on the others, understood?”
Kultainen nodded.
