Prologue
The people stared at the bare earth where no plants grew. This was very strange. The only thing upon the ground was small rocks where campfires once burned and rings of stones about four paces wide. Why would anyone place rocks in a circle? Was this a way to worship the gods?
The leader shook his head in confusion. "These people are strange and unlike any we have met before. These people of stones killed the grass then left. Perhaps it would be better to avoid them." The other men nodded, agreeing.
A boy looked down and found an odd thing. He bent down to pick it up, brushing the dirt from its shiny surface. It was longer than his hand, flattish but with a flat, egg-shaped end. What could it be for? Something reflected back at him. It reminded him of the images he saw on calm waters. Pleased, he tied a sinew string to the object and placed it around his neck for good luck.
*******
The sight of the Napa-Sonoma village was a welcomed view as the people aboard the WaveDancer neared it. To Cierra, it seemed she had been gone years rather than months. She missed home and her friends and looked forward to returning to the Napa Clan.
She shifted Kiona to one hip and joined the others in waving to the people on the pier and shore. The shaman didn't need to be told that Janice would set anchor and open the rear deck door. Everyone was eager to go shore to relax and meet friends. Several canoes headed for the yacht and Cierra spotted Joseph and Ann in the lead boat. They must be raring to give leadership back to Carey, she thought with a chuckle. Carey and Sammy shouted out greetings to their fellow bonded couple and hurried towards the rear decks to meet them.
Ann barely gave her husband time to tie off the canoe before jumping out of it. She threw her arms around Carey and Sammy, welcoming them home.
"I can't believe you're back! It seems like forever," she wept.
Carey tightened her hold on her friend. "Has it been that bad?"
"Not really, but I hate giving orders. I'm a follower, not a leader."
"Cierra is the same way. She just had no choice, like you did. Well, I'm back. I can take over cracking the whip and knocking heads together when they are fussy," she teased.
"You betcha. Are these your things?" she asked, pointing at a pile of bags. Ann and Joseph helped them load their items into the canoe and took them to shore. The others from Mother Earth all gathered their things and headed for the village. The crew would take turns later for shore leave and would help the others in another raid before leaving. Since they would now become traders, they had a list of equipment they would need. They needed airtight storage containers, mining equipment, and derrick to bring heavy items to the yacht.
The crew had discussed what possible items to hunt for and sent a man upstream to the scientists' camp to see if any of the botanists would join them. They also hoped for a chemist. Jeren would take over the geologist duties. They hoped to find and harvest items wanted at the clans, such as coffee and vanilla beans, spices, ores, and exotic woods. They also discussed bringing plants from Indonesia and other places to Hawaii. The volcanic Islands had few plants growing there on Mother Earth since mankind never brought them in their outrigger canoes. Introducing favorite fruits and plants to the islands would bring the food sources closer.
In the meantime, they planned on relaxing and enjoying the warm weather of the channel. Several of them planned on sailing upstream to Napa to visit for a few days. Pam had sent down a message to Ann and Joseph that many had built their own tree homes and the village now had sixteen empty beds in the two barracks. Cierra gave them permission for up to nine women and seven men to relax and visit the Napa Clan.
Any break in the routine was welcomed even if it meant 'roughing it' at the village. The crew would return in five days along with the last batch of gold ore collected.
Ann had some gold already prepared and in small leather bags. She asked Cierra for permission to tag along on the next raid, needing a few items for Napa-Sonoma. The shaman agreed, telling her they would most likely hit the Five and Ten store the next evening. They needed assorted items such as first aid supplies for the sickbay. They also wanted to collect farm equipment and seed for the survivors camps on the New World. They would raid the grocery store last, just before the WaveDancer sailed off.
For now, they planned on sitting back and catching up with their friends. Kiona joined Ann's twins and two other young children in the wading pool that had been built just for them near the duck enclosure. The ducks didn't look very pleased at the noise but took it in stride. JP kept an eye on the children as she sat under a tree. Cyd and Carey grabbed some fishing poles and disappeared down the channel to find a quiet place to chat while they fished.
Hallie walked up to where Ann and Cierra were chatting, holding the hand of Coira Fleming, the seamstress from Scotland. The pair looked quite happy and Cierra was glad to see that her old lover had found someone.
Ann leaned close to Cierra and whispered, "Coira has Hallie wrapped around her little finger."
Cierra bit her lip to stop from grinning. It was good to know the strawberry blonde wasn't bullied by Hallie's strong, Type A personality. Perhaps that had been their problem. She never stood up for herself until she had enough of the situation and left.
Hallie greeted her former lover and the couple joined the shaman at the bench seat.
*********
Maggie came back from her hunting trip with two heavily loaded horses. Looking at all the people who still remained from the WaveDancer, she wondered if it would be enough. She had brought in two deer, five ducks, a wild pig, and one wild turkey. She brought the horses to Quincy and Kamala, who had stones heating in a pit about ten feet across.
Joyce looked over the game brought in and offered to help butcher the larger animals. Kamala and Quincy would handle the birds. The two women walked the horses away from the village and hung the larger animals from trees to skin and gut them. By the time they finished the fire had gone out. Wet seaweed was thrown over the hot rocks and the meat placed inside the pit. It was covered with more seaweed then covered in dirt to keep in the heat. It would take most of the day to finish cooking. While that was roasting, a group of women collected their weapons and horses to gather wild food. They had some harvested crops but not a lot since it was only mid-summer.
By evening, the crew members of the yacht joined in the prepared feast. Carrie and several other people provided music while people enjoyed the food. The crew was more than happy to try out unfamiliar foods, happy just to see fresh greens and meat for once. The roasted meat from the pits nearly fell off the bones, it was so tender. The village used most of their precious olive oil given to them by the north survival camp and mixed it with vinegar and herbs for dressing. They also had steamed wild artichokes, homemade bread, hard-boiled eggs, corn roasted in their husks, cheese, cornbread, and home-brewed wine and beer.
The party went on for some time but eventually it died down and the sailors either returned to the yacht or over to the campsite downstream of the village. People still chatted around the campfires before turning in for the night. Cierra and JP chose to sleep at the camp downstream rather than indoors where it was muggier. Kiona was already out for the count when they crawled into their tent. Neither of the adults were awake more than a few minutes once their heads hit their pillows.
******
Nerrisa strolled on the decks of the WaveDancer next to her father. Neither spoke for a while, merely looking at the stars and the campfires on the shore. She could tell something was on his mind but she wasn't sure what was in his thoughts. She found it was always best to let him ponder and organize his ideas first rather than force him to speak before he had made any decisions.
"Nerrisa, I think it time we spoke of the future," he begun.
"What of it, Papa?" she asked in their native tongue. Her father looked instantly more relaxed.
"This young woman you are...courting. Do the two of you see a future together or is it too soon to determine?"
Nerrisa smiled in the darkness. She and Carrie had already become lovers and shared a cabin on the yacht. Her father had to know this. The gossip on board was quick to reveal every secret. She and Carrie also had many long chats at night. The young Greek woman was certain many would find this surprising that they didn't spend all their time in passion.
"Yes, Papa, I see us together for a long time."
Nicholas nodded. It was as he thought. Now his daughter would leave him and begin her new life away from him. Sadness at his loss tore at his heart. It seemed like yesterday that she had played with her dolls and begged to sit upon his lap. "When will you leave, my daughter?" he asked, wanting to know when his loneliness would begin.
"Leave? Papa, what are you talking about?"
Nicholas stopped and turned to face his only child. "Nerrisa, I assumed...Are you not leaving with Carrie to live in her village?"
To his surprise, she laughed lightly and wrapped her arms around his middle. He hugged her in return.
"Papa, we are not leaving. Carrie said it would be unfair to ask that of me. With all that happened to people on Earth, family is too important to disregard. She does not wish to separate us unless I want to leave. It matters not at all where she is as long as we're together."
Nicholas wanted to shout with joy. Although he was unsure if he even liked this woman in his daughter's life, but he was grateful for her kind heart. He kissed his child's hair and held her tightly.
******
The owner of the grocery store was looking out the window of his office when he spotted a young hippy woman. He stared at her intently, trying to remember where he'd seen her before. Then it came to him. His eyes fell to the newspaper on his desk and the headline 'Where are they now?' about the unbelievable community that was supposed to exist. The last time he saw her was just before his store was ransacked several months earlier. Was it a coincidence? He remembered her because she pushed no cart or even bought anything. She only looked around. He decided to do a little investigating. He pulled off his apron and grabbed his windbreaker. He wanted to look like another customer.
Earl left his office and grabbed a few items and acted like a shopper. He watched her out of the corner of her eye when she looked his way and pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket, an old receipt, and acted like he was shopping from a list.
She seemed satisfied he was harmless and kept walking. He noticed her attention was on the ceiling and corners more than the merchandise. Then it dawned on him. She was looking for fancy surveillance cameras. Well, his business was too small to afford them even with the money he made with the gold. He followed her down an aisle and lost sight of her. He hurried his steps, not wanting to leave her unwatched for two long. He rounded the corner and stared. She wasn't there.
The store owner went home early that day. He wanted to take a nap before he returned after closing time. He planned on waiting all night. If she was indeed who he thought, they might appear to rob his store that night.
People of Stones, part 2
The women and crew were exhausted. They had spent the night raiding a feed store of everything useful they could find. Transporting the heavy loot was the hardest part but the lucky find of a truck parked outside the store made things easier. Carey had hot-wired the truck and they had used it to transport the heavy equipment to the coast. From there, they used the derrick to swing the freight to the WaveDancer. The holds were almost full but they still needed to hit a few more businesses.
Tomorrow they would hit the two five and dime stores in the town. The survivors still needed the everyday basics in life such as soap, sewing supplies, candles, bedding, and basic drugs such as aspirin. Once these were gone the people would be hard pressed to replicate these items but Cierra had no plans on keeping them supplied. By then they learned to do without or make their own.
******
Earl spoke with his friends at the coffee shop. They kept their voices low so no one would overhear them.
"I tell you, it's them!" Earl whispered. "Those people who jump world to world. That reporter said they were helping out survivors of their world after some damned disaster." He shivered, hoping the same thing didn't happen to their own planet.
"He might have a point," Rick told the others. My store got hit last night and what they took matches that idea. They left all the hard drugs alone. If it was people looking to get high like the police suggested, all that would have been taken. All they took was stuff people would need to have to get by."
Frankie leaned forward with a giggle, "And left you a bunch of gold in payment, too."
"Yeah, that too. I'm not whining about that tidbit. At least they left all the equipment and such alone and didn't leave a mess. They even cleaned up the syrup they accidentally spilled."
Frankie turned to Earl. "So, you think your store will be hit too?"
"Yeah. It's just a matter of time."
"And you made a bundle last time?"
Earl shrugged, not willing to admit he made a lot.
"Then why don't you be nice and set them up to make it easier on them? Put out a bunch of stuff on pallets and leave them empty boxes too."
Earl looked thoughtful. "Yeah, good idea."
*******
Cierra jumped her friends to the middle of the same aisle as the last time and looked around in surprise. All the lights were on in the grocery store. Had they arrived on a night they were doing inventory? She didn't hear people anywhere.
"Wait!" a male voice told them. The female raiders all turned towards the voice. Cierra recognized the 'shopper' she had seen several days earlier. He must be the owner. He probably had thought she was a shoplifter and followed her around the other day.
"I know who you all are and I want to help." JP eased her grip on her wife's shoulder. Cierra relaxed as well and listened while watching the man's face.
"I had my employees work overtime today. I didn't tell them why. I have a bunch of stuff all packed and on pallets for you. Feel free to gather what you need. I have empty boxes for you too."
Cierra saw his sincerity of his eyes. "Thank you, Mr...."
"Earl Brommer, ma'am. And you must be Cierra, the shaman woman," he grinned.
She grinned and held out her hand. "Cierra Foley-White."
"A pleasure, ma'am. Do you need any help?"
"We can always use a helping hand. We have a lot of people to feed," she told him gratefully.
"Do you plan on shopping at my store often?" he asked out of curiosity.
"No, this will probably be the last time. The survivors need to take care of themselves after this."
"Oh, I see." Earl looked rather glum at the news.
Cierra saw the same eagerness to be helpful as she had seen in Jim.
"Well, I suppose we could drop by from time to time, we just won't need as much. Maybe a few items we might want."
Earl's smile returned. "That would be fine, Ms. Foley-White."
Several hours later JP handed Earl four heavy bags of gold. "Thanks for everything, Earl. We will probably drop by near the beginning of each month when we visit our sister village," she informed him.
The man grinned and told them he looked forward to their visits. He even offered to find things for them if they gave him a list.
Cierra gave him a hug and told him she'd leave any list of things on his desk. Her friends were placing their hands on her arms when she got an idea. "Want to come along for a bit and look around?" she offered.
Earl didn't even hesitate. "Let me grab my coat."
He returned a minute later, slipping on the jacket. He placed his hand delicately on her forearm and waited. A wave of dizziness hit him but it quickly passed. He looked around and saw that he was on the edge of a corn field. It was dark out but torches had been lit. He stepped over a ring of rocks on the ground, figuring they used it to mark where to jump. He followed Cierra and her friends downhill and in the darkness he saw the silhouette of buildings.
Once near the buildings he saw a well lit path leading down to a pier and a huge white yacht at the end of it. People were loading the pallets onto it rather quietly.
Cierra touched his arm then held a finger to her lips. She didn't want to wake the children inside. He stayed close behind her and followed her inside. The building seemed peaceful. He as led to a kitchen area and asked to sit down. Jenny poured them all some tea and they chatted around the table. Earl asked a lot of questions about their society and got an idea on how they lived.
The shaman saw a look on the man's face, one she couldn't interpret. She asked him what was wrong but he didn't speak. She placed her palm over his and allowed his thoughts to come to her.
She saw the man's prominent thoughts, those about his son. His middle son, Ben. Then she understood. Earl never confronted his son but suspected he was a homosexual. Ben never dated girls and hung around with his friend, Justin, all the time. The young men seemed the be best friends. Maybe too friendly. If Ben was one of those kind of guys, perhaps it would be best that he sought out others of his kind. Maybe Cierra would take him in.
"Why don't you talk to Ben in the morning?"
Earl looked stunned. "And what in hell, excuse my French, what in the world would I say to him? 'Excuse me son, but I think you're one of them homosexuals so let's talk?"
JP snorted her tea out her nose and choked even as she laughed. Jenny smacked her arm and told her to hush, handing her a rag to clean up the tea.
"Well, not exactly in those terms. Maybe you could sit down with him and tell him about us? If he thinks you're okay with us he might be willing to talk?" Jenny suggested.
Earl thought it over. Yes, that might work. If he confronted Ben about it they'd never be honest with each other. "I could do that."
"Would it help if I wrote a letter to Ben?" Cierra volunteered. Earl thanked her and waited while Cierra wrote a long letter on a sheet of paper. She then sealed it and handed it to Earl. "Come on, it's time I got you home."
******
Earl saw Ben as he came out of his bedroom. They ate the breakfast his wife fixed for them and he told Ben they needed to talk. His son looked confused but trailed after him into the back garden. The father looked at his son, trying to read his thoughts. The boy was seventeen, with longish brown hair and limpid green eyes.
I have a story to tell you, Ben. Now this is just between the two of us. You can't be spreading this tale, all right?"
"Okay, Dad."
"You remember the newspaper story about those women jumping between worlds?" At Ben's nod, he continued. "Well, I met with them last night."
"You did? Far out!"
Earl grimaced at the slang. "Anyways, they're an interesting bunch. Most of the people in charge are lesbians. They started the whole thing, you know. The queen is this very nice woman named Cierra."
The teen merely nodded and waited for him to keep speaking. A typical boy would have asked what she looked like. "She and her people are very tolerant. They want everyone to live peacefully and get along. They have Indians, homosexuals, and foreigners galore. Anyways, they came to my store to get supplies last night and I happen to be waiting for them. I figured my store would get hit eventually. I even went to their world for a little while last night!" Earl told Ben, tapping him with a fingertip on his shoulder.
"Cool! What was it like?"
"Different. They don't use electricity so they use candles and stuff. People looked pretty happy there."
Ben looked thoughtful. Earl pulled out an envelope and handed it to his son. "Go ahead, read it."
The young man tore open the letter addressed to him and read it. His heart pounded so hard he thought for sure his Dad could hear it. How did Cierra know all this about him? Ben looked up at his father. "You knew?"
Earl shrugged. "I suspected, which is different."
"I think Mom knows," Ben confessed.
"Women are clever that way. So, will you think it over?"
Ben still looked worried. At least his father wasn't screaming at him that he was a pervert and to get out of his house. "Do you want me to go?"
Earl held out his arm and patted Ben's shoulder awkwardly. "No, but I think you'd be happier. That is what matters to your mother and I. We love you, Ben."
That was all it took to bring the tears to the surface. Both men held back the tears, even in the privacy of their fenced yard, but soaking up the love they both shared.
******
The women from the Napa Clan waved good-bye to their friends as their canoes left the pier. They were finally going home.
They took turns rowing upstream, steering the boats while the women near the front used the sails to propel them against the current.
It took two days to travel the distance between villages but the last few miles went quickly as rowers, eager to reach home, dug in hard and paddled for all they were worth. The women reached the dock and within seconds heard the welcoming bell from their village. Everyone knew that they were home. People poured out of the village and from the Embassy settlement and greeted them, not even waiting for them to walk up the hill.
People passed around the travelers to share hugs and greetings. Others grabbed all the baggage and carried it back to the village for them as they chatted excitedly on the way back.
"Welcome back!" a voice shouted from up high. The women looked upward and saw the man from the Embassy. He had done as he said he would. He built his home over the stream so he could fish. He held a pole in his hand and waved from his wooden deck.
Cierra laughed and waved back as she continued uphill. Soon they reached the village and people insisted that they come into the communal building for a meal. Sharon spotted them coming in and insisted on hugs all around before she urged them to sit down. Her helpers brought out plates and cups and filled them full. The returning women sat happily and ate Sharon's cooking, glad to know this was home.
People asked questions and the women took turns answering so their food wouldn't get cold. Pam held out her hands and took Kiona from JP's lap. Kiona barely remembered Pam but her warm smile put her at ease. She snuggled happily on her lap and smiled shyly at Mel who sat on Eva's lap.
Cierra finally got in a few questions of her own, asking the council to update her on everything since they left.
Pam glanced at Sharon who answered for them all.
"Well, not much to tell. We have all the crops planted and got a lot of new tree houses built for people. We have a group at each of the survivor camps helping them along this summer. Laura sent word that you can begin sending the Archivist Clan books any time after next week. Their library is nearly done."
JP spoke up. "So they decided on that name, eh?"
"Yes, and the survivor camp decided on the 'Northern Valley Clan' since they can't go much further north and be in the same valley," she chuckled.
"How is Tocha and Paut doing?" Cyd asked.
Sharon tried to hide her amusement, keeping a bland expression on her face. "Well, you know how things are around here. She's young, not bad looking...she and Phillip hit it off and got married a month ago," she blurted out.
"Married? Phillip?" Robbie asked with her eyes wide. She remembered when Phillip's interest in women wasn't always so innocent.
Sharon knew Robbie and her niece never truly forgot the incident when Phillip attempted to molest Katie. Only Robbie's interference stopped his attack. They forgave him but never forgot. "Robbie, he has changed, believe me. Tocha has him firmly wrapped around her little finger and he adores her daughter. They're very happy together."
Robbie sighed. The council had agreed to his new position within their community knowing his past. The tall blonde accepted the older woman's reassurances and returned to her meal.
"So," Cyd asked, "what was her story? All of us wondered why she was all alone out there."
Sharon told them what they had learned. Tocha had been exiled because her tribe believed her to be a bad-luck woman. Both of her husbands had died and no man wanted to risk being her third mate. With no man to hunt for her, she was driven out of her community. She had taken her child and left, saddened by the fact her daughter would probably perish as well.
"There was quite a debate over their marriage," Pam mentioned. "After all, Tocha is only fifteen."
"What?" Cyd shouted. Sharon grabbed her wrist and told her to calm down.
"You have to remember, these people have a much shorter lifespan. Most of their girls marry the moment they hit puberty. Tocha married the first time when she was eleven then took her second mate at thirteen. Most men, by the time they hit Phillip's age (twenty-three) are old enough to become grandfathers. Tocha settled for an older man," she grinned.
Cyd chuckled. She would call Phillip 'old man' at her first opportunity.
It was much later when the weary travelers headed for their homes. They were tired and wanted to crawl into bed and get some sleep. Cierra and JP entered their house and discovered that someone had put fresh bedding on their featherbed then gave the place a good dusting and sweep. They were grateful that they didn't have to do anything more than get into bed. Kiona was placed in her padded crib where she fussed but a minute before closing her eyes.
******
Tate Redhorse, the leader of the Whitefeather Clan, listened to the group of hunters as they explained what happened.
"It was so weird," Tobias said, shivering. "All I could think of was that we were watching history repeat itself. Our ancestors were just like these people once." Several men nodded, agreeing.
The hunters had run across a small band of migrating people. The strangers had been wary but allowed the hunters to approach them. Of course no one understood the others but they managed to exchange a few words before going their own ways.
"I couldn't make up my mind if they looked Asian or not," one of the men commented.
"Well, our scientists said genetically, they were a mixture of different people. Some were even Japanese," another told his friends.
"My only concern is are they friendly? We all came to Mother Earth to avoid the problems of Earth and go back to living simply. I don't want to end up bringing war back into existence," Tate told his men.
One of the older men shrugged. "Who knows? I guess its up to all of us to keep the peace. It's not like we're dealing with overcrowding on Mother Earth yet. There's plenty for everyone. As long as we stay out of each other's affairs we should do all right."
Tobias still looked uncertain. "And what if things get ugly anyway? Do we let things get violent or let them push us around?"
Tate stopped the men from beginning a debate over that issue. "Nothing has happened yet other than our running into one another. Don't go making a mountain out of a molehill until something actually happens. Just be civil if you meet up again and don't do anything foolish. Okay?"
"If you say so, Tate." Tobias just hoped nothing bad came of it.
******
