The Stone Child by David A. Robertson

Author:David A. Robertson [Robertson, David A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tundra Book Group
Published: 2022-08-02T00:00:00+00:00

EIGHTEEN

Morgan poured a little of the water into Eli’s mouth, then opened the flap to give him some air. The other three had been waiting right outside the lodge, desperate to see if the ceremony had worked or not, and when Morgan pushed the flap open they were so close it startled her. After catching her breath, she smiled, which told Emily and the animal beings all they needed to know.

“I just want to give him some time before bringing him out,” she said, and the others understood.

The chilly air from the northern woods overtook the heat within the sweat lodge quickly, and when Eli started to shiver, Morgan took off her hoodie and placed it over his body. She gave him another sip of water, which he swallowed.

“What happened?” he asked, his voice already sounding stronger.

“What do you remember?” she asked.

“I followed you through the portal,” he said. “You were lying down in front of the Great Tree. You’d been crying, I think. You were really upset. I was mad that you’d gone to Askí without me, but when I saw you, I wasn’t mad anymore. I just wanted to be there for you. So I lay down with you and fell asleep. And then, I don’t know. I had a dream. It was one of those dreams that last forever, that feel so real. Like, when you wake up and you’re surprised it wasn’t real. You know?”

“Yeah,” Morgan said, “I know.”

“You were in it. You were on a mountaintop and there was this, like, portal in the sky. I was…” Eli closed his eyes, trying to recall. “I was in your arms. You were holding me in your arms. There was a tree, there was…” Eli shook his head and started to rub his temples. It looked as though it hurt too much to think, and Morgan didn’t need to hear it anyway. She’d dreamed the same dreams.

“It’s okay,” she said. “I’ll fill you in on everything you missed.”

“Missed?” Eli said, and with some effort he propped himself up on his elbows. He licked his lips, still dry from days without water, then his stomach grumbled. “I’m so hungry.”

“That’s not surprising. Lucky for you, we’ve got some pimíhkán.”

Morgan helped him to his feet. He wobbled a bit, and she steadied him.

“Pimíhkán?” Eli said. “Did we go somewhere?”

“Don’t we always?” Morgan chuckled. “This is us we’re talking about. Only…usually you aren’t sleeping the whole time. Luckily, there’s still a bit of a walk ahead of us.”

“Who’s we?” he asked. “You said ‘we’ve got some pimíhkán.’ Is Arik here?”

Eli and Morgan emerged from the sweat lodge. It was dark out. The raging fire, stoked to heat the rock, had been allowed to dwindle. Morgan’s eyes had to adjust to the darkness, and if she hadn’t already known who they were, she wouldn’t have been able to make out the three shadowy beings standing around the fire, waiting for them.

“See for yourself,” Morgan said.

Eli rubbed his eyes and peered into the dark.

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