Chronicle 5
The call came three days later.
Vera was outside splitting firewood when the satellite phone
rang.
The sound immediately caught her attention.
Almost nobody called.
Most people who knew the number had the good sense not to
use it unless they needed something.
Vera set down the axe.
Pulled the phone from her coat pocket.
Answered.
"Hello?"
She listened.
Said very little.
Mostly nodded.
Even though the caller couldn't see her.
Eventually:
"Understood."
A pause.
Then:
"No restraints."
Another pause.
A much longer one.
Then:
"Thank you."
The call ended.
The forest became quiet again.
Vera stared at the phone.
Then slowly slipped it back into her pocket.
The feeling surprised her.
Melancholy.
A little sadness.
Maybe more than a little.
The convoy was coming.
Usually this part never bothered her.
People arrived.
People recovered.
People left.
That was the arrangement.
The natural order of things.
Vera had accepted it years ago.
Accepted it so thoroughly she rarely thought about it
anymore.
Yet now she found herself staring toward the cabin.
Toward the chimney.
Toward the life that had formed there over the past weeks.
The girls had changed the place.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
There was more laughter.
More conversation.
More life.
More noise.
She had not realized how quiet the cabin had become until it
stopped being quiet.
Vera sighed.
The realization led somewhere uncomfortable.
Somewhere she generally avoided.
Children.
The thought appeared unexpectedly.
She had sworn off them years ago.
Not because she disliked them.
Quite the opposite.
Living in the wilderness made relationships difficult.
Marriage even more difficult.
Raising children?
Ridiculous.
Irresponsible.
Dangerous.
So she had never done it.
Never seriously considered it.
…and for the first time in years she found herself wondering
if that had been a mistake.
The thought irritated her immediately.
She buried it.
Where it belonged.
Then returned to splitting firewood.
The convoy arrived the following afternoon.
Everyone heard them before they saw them.
Engines.
Several of them.
Growing louder.
Approaching slowly through the mountain road.
Phoebe and Armintie immediately looked toward the window.
Neither said anything.
Neither needed to.
The moment had arrived.
Vera opened the door before the vehicles stopped.
The convoy consisted of three vehicles.
A transport vehicle.
A medical vehicle.
...and an escort vehicle.
The escort vehicle bore Peace markings.
Standard procedure.
Nothing unusual.
Still, Vera noticed Phoebe tense slightly.
The lead passenger stepped out.
A woman.
Professional.
Calm.
Kind eyes.
The sort of person who had delivered difficult news before.
She approached the cabin.
Knocked.
Vera opened the door before the second knock.
"Vera?"
"Yes."
The woman offered a hand.
"Love."
Vera shook it.
The woman glanced toward the Peace officers.
Then back toward Vera.
"The escort is protocol."
Her tone remained gentle.
"If their presence causes distress, they can remain
outside."
Vera shook her head.
"It won't be necessary."
The officer nodded.
Then entered.
Phoebe and Armintie sat together.
Immediately obvious which two people she was there for.
The officer crouched slightly.
Reducing the perceived power difference.
Another practiced habit.
"Hello."
Both girls answered quietly.
The officer smiled.
Then opened a tablet.
"Just a few questions."
The process began.
Medical history.
Symptoms.
Sleep.
Appetite.
Memory.
Nightmares.
Everything Vera had expected.
Then the officer reached another section.
"Do either patient require restraint accommodations
during transport?"
The question was barely finished before Vera answered.
"No."
Firm.
Immediate.
Unequivocal.
The officer looked up.
Vera continued.
"Absolutely not."
Armintie's expression immediately darkened.
The officer noticed.
Vera noticed her noticing.
"The answer is no."
Vera's voice softened.
"They are not threats to themselves."
"Or anyone else."
The officer nodded.
Then quietly removed the option.
"Understood."
The questions continued.
Eventually they ended.
The officer closed the tablet.
Satisfied.
"Thank you."
The simple words felt strangely final.
Because now there was nothing left to delay.
The goodbyes began awkwardly.
As most goodbyes do.
Nobody seemed entirely sure what to say.
Phoebe tried first.
Failed.
Armintie tried next.
Failed worse.
Vera simply stood there.
Watching them.
Trying very hard not to think about how empty the cabin was
about to become.
Eventually Phoebe hugged her.
Without warning.
Vera froze.
Then returned the hug.
Armintie joined seconds later.
Turning it into something halfway between an embrace and a
small disaster.
Nobody seemed interested in letting go.
Least of all Vera.
Eventually they separated.
Then hugged again.
Then separated again.
Then hugged a third time.
The Love officer politely pretended not to notice.
The Peace officers wisely looked elsewhere.
Eventually reality prevailed.
Vera reached into her pocket.
Pulled out a folded piece of paper.
...and handed it to Phoebe.
Phoebe frowned.
Then unfolded it.
Her eyes widened.
Armintie's did too.
"My phone number."
Vera looked away immediately.
As though embarrassed by her own generosity.
"I don't give it out."
The statement carried weight.
The girls understood.
Vera continued.
"If you're nearby."
"When you're settled."
"When you're bored."
"When you're successful influencers."
Phoebe laughed.
"Call."
The single word carried more emotion than Vera intended.
Armintie's eyes immediately filled with tears again.
"Can we visit?"
Vera blinked.
The question genuinely surprised her.
"Of course."
The answer came instantly.
Far too instantly.
Phoebe smiled.
"We will."
Armintie nodded.
"We promise."
Vera believed them.
Which somehow made everything harder.
Eventually the girls climbed into the transport vehicle.
The doors closed.
The engines started.
The convoy began moving.
Phoebe waved through the window.
Armintie did too.
Vera waved back.
The vehicles disappeared slowly down the mountain road.
Then around a bend.
Then completely out of sight.
Silence returned.
The sudden quiet felt enormous.
Vera stood there for a long time.
Long after the convoy had vanished.
Long after the sound of the engines disappeared.
One of the wolves eventually approached.
Sat beside her.
Waiting.
Vera stared at the empty road.
Then finally sighed.
"They'd better come back."
The wolf offered no opinion.
Which was probably wise.
Because for the first time in many years, Vera found herself
hoping that a rescue wasn't the end of a story.
Only the beginning.
The transport vehicle was considerably more comfortable than
either girl expected.
The seats were padded.
The cabin was warm.
There were blankets.
Actual blankets.
Not survival blankets.
Not rough wool blankets.
Comfortable blankets.
Phoebe kept touching hers as though expecting it to
disappear.
Armintie did much the same.
The nurse assigned to them found this amusing.
Her name was Cornelia.
She had bright red hair.
Freckles.
Pale skin that seemed almost luminous in the afternoon
sunlight.
...and an endless reserve of patience.
A trait that was proving increasingly valuable.
Because the girls had questions.
Lots of questions.
"You're from Roman Britain?"
"Yes."
"Really?"
Cornelia smiled.
"Really."
Phoebe leaned forward.
"What is it like?"
Cornelia laughed.
"You may need to be more specific."
Armintie joined in.
"What's Camulodunum like?"
Cornelia blinked.
That was not a question she expected.
"You know Camulodunum?"
"We've read about it."
Cornelia immediately looked impressed.
"A little."
Phoebe shrugged.
"We didn't have much else to do."
Cornelia laughed.
"Fair."
The next several minutes became a whirlwind.
Questions about Roman Britain.
Questions about cities.
Questions about trains.
Questions about food.
Questions about television.
Questions about the ocean.
Questions about everything.
Cornelia answered them all.
Patiently.
Enthusiastically.
Occasionally laughing.
Occasionally realizing just how isolated Daral Valley truly
was.
"Wait."
Phoebe interrupted.
"There are really buildings taller than
mountains?"
Cornelia laughed.
"No."
Phoebe frowned.
Armintie frowned too.
Cornelia smiled.
"Not actual mountains."
The girls looked relieved.
Then slightly disappointed.
"Oh."
Cornelia grinned.
"Though some cities try."
Eventually the conversation shifted.
As Cornelia knew it eventually would.
Questions remained important.
...but so did her job.
She opened a tablet.
The motion immediately caught Phoebe's attention.
"What's that?"
Cornelia smiled.
"A tablet."
Phoebe stared.
Armintie stared.
Cornelia immediately regretted revealing the tablet.
Because now there were new questions.
Several minutes later she finally reclaimed control of the
conversation.
Mostly.
"So."
Both girls looked up.
Cornelia smiled.
"My turn."
The girls exchanged a glance.
Then nodded.
Cornelia's expression remained friendly.
...but slightly more professional.
"You'll both receive full evaluations in
Purushapura."
"Medical."
"Psychological."
"General health."
"Everything."
Neither girl looked thrilled.
Cornelia noticed.
"It's routine."
That helped slightly.
Then she continued.
"Until then I need to know if there's anything
requiring immediate attention."
Armintie immediately looked away.
Cornelia noticed.
Phoebe noticed.
Everyone noticed.
Cornelia decided to start gently.
"Any pain?"
"A little."
Armintie answered.
"Where?"
"Everywhere."
Cornelia nodded.
Unfortunately that answer was common.
"Anything specific?"
Armintie thought.
"My hands."
Cornelia typed something.
"Still?"
"A little."
More notes.
"What about dizziness?"
Armintie hesitated.
Cornelia immediately caught it.
"Yes?"
"Sometimes."
More notes.
"When?"
"When I stand up too fast."
Cornelia nodded.
Expected.
Not ideal.
Expected.
"What about memory?"
Armintie visibly grimaced.
Phoebe noticed.
Cornelia noticed.
The silence answered the question before Armintie did.
"There are gaps."
Cornelia nodded again.
Expected.
Still concerning.
Expected.
Phoebe suddenly spoke.
"The nightmares."
Cornelia immediately looked up.
"The nightmares?"
Armintie groaned softly.
Phoebe ignored her.
"She wakes up screaming."
Cornelia's expression softened.
"How often?"
Armintie muttered something.
"What?"
Cornelia asked.
"Too often."
The answer barely qualified as words.
Cornelia entered another note.
Then looked toward Phoebe.
"What about you?"
Phoebe blinked.
"Me?"
"Yes."
"You've been through a great deal too."
Phoebe immediately looked uncomfortable.
Which was answer enough.
Cornelia had seen that reaction before.
Many times.
"I'm fine."
Armintie immediately laughed.
Phoebe looked offended.
Cornelia smiled.
"Nobody who says 'I'm fine' that quickly is ever
fine."
Even Phoebe had to laugh at that.
Eventually she sighed.
"I don't know."
Cornelia nodded.
That answer was much more honest.
"That's okay."
Phoebe looked out the window.
Watching mountains roll past.
"I mostly just worry."
Cornelia waited.
"About Armintie."
Armintie rolled her eyes.
Phoebe ignored her.
"...and?"
Cornelia prompted.
Phoebe hesitated.
Long enough that Cornelia knew there was more.
Finally:
"...and my father."
That earned another note.
Not because Cornelia was judging.
Because it mattered.
Everything mattered.
Especially now.
The questions continued for another hour.
Not interrogation.
Conversation.
Carefully guided conversation.
By the end, Cornelia had learned a great deal.
More importantly, she had learned what Vera already
suspected.
Neither girl required emergency treatment.
That was the good news.
The bad news was more complicated.
Both carried wounds.
Some physical.
Some emotional.
Some neither girl fully understood yet.
Fortunately.
That was exactly why Purushapura existed.
As the transport vehicle continued toward the city, Cornelia
glanced out the window.
The mountains were slowly giving way to civilization.
Roads.
Buildings.
Power lines.
Signs.
Evidence of a larger world.
Phoebe and Armintie immediately noticed.
...and immediately resumed asking questions.
Cornelia smiled.
The journey was going to be very long.
...and somehow she suspected it was going to be very
entertaining too.
The convoy rolled through the gates of the Love Hospital.
Phoebe immediately pressed herself against the window.
The building was enormous.
Larger than anything she had ever seen.
People moved between entrances.
Vehicles arrived and departed.
Lights glowed from hundreds of windows.
The sight was almost overwhelming.
Cornelia smiled.
"Welcome to Purushapura."
The transport vehicle slowed.
Then stopped.
Cornelia stood.
"Alright."
She moved toward the rear doors.
"Let's get you checked in."
Her hand reached for the release lever.
"Wait."
Cornelia paused.
The nervousness in Phoebe's voice immediately caught her
attention.
She turned.
Phoebe looked uncomfortable.
Anxious.
As though she had spent hours rehearsing what she wanted to
say.
"Phoebe?"
Phoebe swallowed.
Then glanced toward Armintie.
Armintie looked equally confused.
"There was something I didn't mention."
Cornelia sat back down.
Giving Phoebe her full attention.
"What is it?"
Phoebe stared at the floor.
"When Armintie and I were with the bandits..."
Her voice grew quieter.
"There are parts I don't remember."
Cornelia remained silent.
Listening.
Phoebe continued.
"I don't remember being hurt."
"I don't remember anything bad happening."
She hesitated.
"...but there was a point where I blacked out."
The words finally escaped.
"When I woke up, everything was chaos."
Cornelia nodded slowly.
"...and you don't know what happened during that
time."
Phoebe shook her head.
"No."
Cornelia looked toward Armintie.
"What about you?"
Armintie frowned.
"There are gaps."
Cornelia waited.
Armintie searched her memory.
Then shook her head.
"I remember pieces."
"Not everything."
The nurse sat quietly for several seconds.
Thinking.
Not judging.
Not assuming.
Just processing.
Eventually she nodded.
"Thank you for telling me."
The answer surprised both girls.
Phoebe had expected concern.
Perhaps alarm.
Instead Cornelia sounded grateful.
"You aren't upset?"
Cornelia shook her head.
"No."
"Why?"
"Because now we can help."
The simple answer settled some of Phoebe's anxiety
immediately.
Cornelia folded her hands.
"When someone experiences trauma, memory gaps are
common."
Phoebe listened carefully.
"That doesn't automatically mean something
happened."
The tension in Phoebe's shoulders eased slightly.
"...but..."
Cornelia continued.
"It also means we shouldn't ignore the
possibility."
Neither girl spoke.
Cornelia's voice remained gentle.
"When you arrive, Love can offer several
examinations."
"Medical."
"Psychological."
"Laboratory testing."
She paused.
"You can refuse any of them."
Both girls immediately looked relieved.
Cornelia nodded.
"The choice will always be yours."
Phoebe glanced toward Armintie.
Armintie glanced back.
Neither needed to say much.
Both had wondered.
Both had worried.
For weeks.
Cornelia continued.
"The tests may not answer every question."
"...but they may give you closure."
The vehicle became quiet.
Eventually Armintie nodded.
"I want to know."
Phoebe nodded too.
"So do I."
Cornelia smiled.
Not because the situation was happy.
Because uncertainty was often heavier than the truth.
"Alright."
She stood again.
Then finally reached for the door.
This time neither girl stopped her.
The doors opened.
...and for the first time since leaving Daral Valley, the
next chapter of their lives began.
The examination room felt strangely comfortable.
Not because it resembled home.
It didn't.
Not even remotely.
The furniture was modern.
The lighting was bright.
The walls were clean.
Everything looked organized with almost military precision.
Yet the room somehow managed to feel welcoming.
Phoebe suspected that was intentional.
The door opened.
A woman entered.
She looked to be in her late forties or perhaps early
fifties.
Confident.
Composed.
Professional.
The sort of person who seemed to understand a situation the
moment she entered a room.
She carried a tablet beneath one arm.
A simple bracelet adorned one wrist.
Nothing flashy.
Nothing expensive.
Yet it immediately caught Armintie's attention.
The woman smiled.
A genuine smile.
Not forced.
Not rehearsed.
Just warm.
"Good afternoon."
She took a seat across from them.
"My name is Dr. Amina Idris."
Both girls sat a little straighter.
Amina noticed.
She noticed everything.
"First, I'd like to welcome you both to Love
Hospital."
The tension in the room eased slightly.
Amina continued.
"I know this is probably overwhelming."
Neither girl disagreed.
"You're going to meet a lot of people over the next few
days."
"Doctors."
"Nurses."
"Counselors."
"Specialists."
"People asking questions."
The girls exchanged a look.
Amina smiled.
"Many questions."
That drew a small laugh.
Exactly as intended.
Amina nodded.
"Now."
She placed the tablet on her lap.
"I won't personally perform every examination."
The girls immediately looked relieved.
Amina laughed softly.
"Nothing personal."
Phoebe looked embarrassed.
Amina continued.
"My role is to oversee your care."
"I'll review the results."
"Coordinate the specialists."
"Decide what additional evaluations might be
helpful."
"And make sure nothing important gets missed."
The explanation made sense.
Amina then gestured toward Cornelia.
Who stood nearby.
Looking pleased to be temporarily free of paperwork.
"Cornelia will remain your primary nurse."
Cornelia gave a small wave.
Phoebe smiled.
Armintie smiled too.
Amina noticed that immediately.
Good.
A familiar face mattered.
"If you need blankets."
Cornelia nodded.
"If you need food."
Cornelia nodded again.
"If you need directions."
Another nod.
"If you get lost."
Cornelia sighed dramatically.
The girls laughed.
Amina smiled.
"Then Cornelia is usually the person you should
find."
The nurse pointed proudly at herself.
"I am very good at finding lost people."
"You work in a hospital."
Amina replied.
"You find lost people every day."
That earned another laugh.
The atmosphere relaxed considerably.
Exactly as Amina intended.
Then she leaned forward slightly.
Her tone remained warm.
But became more professional.
"If either of you have concerns."
"Questions."
"Problems."
"You may also come directly to me."
She looked from Phoebe to Armintie.
"I mean that."
The girls nodded.
Amina had seen that particular look before.
The look of people trying to decide whether they were
allowed to trust someone.
It was a process.
Not a switch.
She never rushed it.
As the conversation shifted to practical matters, Armintie's
attention drifted.
Specifically toward the bracelet on Amina's wrist.
It consisted of braided leather and polished beads.
Simple.
Beautiful.
Distinctive.
Eventually curiosity won.
"What's that?"
Amina blinked.
Then followed Armintie's gaze.
The bracelet.
Immediately her smile widened.
"This?"
Armintie nodded.
Amina lifted her wrist.
Turning it slightly.
The beads caught the light.
"It's from home."
Phoebe was intrigued. "Where's home?"
"Kanem-Bornu."
Armintie leaned forward.
"You made it?"
"No."
Amina laughed.
"My grandmother did."
"Oh."
The answer somehow made it more interesting.
Amina turned the bracelet over.
Running her thumb across one of the beads, pausing on a
small, intricately carved emblem—the stylized sun-and-river mark of
Kanem-Bornu, a symbol of endurance and guidance her grandmother had always said
would keep her steady no matter how far she traveled.
"I've worn it for almost twenty years."
"Really?"
Phoebe asked.
"Really."
"Why?"
Amina's expression softened.
For a moment she seemed much younger.
"Because my grandmother was very persuasive."
That earned another laugh.
Then Amina continued.
"Also because it reminds me where I came from."
The girls listened.
"My grandmother believed people should carry a piece of
home with them."
She looked at the bracelet.
"Especially when they spend their lives helping
strangers."
The room fell quiet.
Not awkward.
Thoughtful.
Armintie looked at the bracelet again.
"Do you miss it?"
Amina smiled.
"Sometimes."
"Then why leave?"
Phoebe asked.
The question surprised her.
Not because it was rude.
Because it was honest.
Amina considered it.
Then answered.
"Because there were people who needed help."
The answer sounded simple.
Yet neither girl doubted she meant it.
Amina continued.
"Besides."
The smile returned.
"Kanem-Bornu isn't going anywhere."
That confidence amused Phoebe.
Amina noticed.
"My mother still sends me messages reminding me to
visit more often."
Cornelia immediately nodded.
"That sounds like a mother."
"Exactly."
The room laughed again.
The tension eased further.
Little by little.
Question by question.
Conversation by conversation.
The girls had arrived frightened.
Exhausted.
Uncertain.
Now, for the first time since leaving Daral Valley, they
found themselves surrounded by people who seemed determined to help them.
Not judge them.
Not punish them.
Not decide their fate.
Just help.
…and somehow that felt stranger than anything they had seen
on the journey to Purushapura.
The examinations had not yet begun.
For the moment, Amina had simply given the girls time to
settle in.
Unfortunately for Amina, giving Phoebe and Armintie time
meant giving them opportunities to ask questions.
Lots of questions.
Today's topic was Kanem-Bornu.
Or, more specifically, a travel guide Phoebe had found in
the hospital waiting area.
Armintie pointed excitedly at a photograph.
"Have you been here?"
Amina looked.
The photograph showed a glittering skyline rising from the
middle of a vast body of water.
Bridges connected artificial islands.
Hotels towered over marinas.
Lights sparkled in every direction.
Amina immediately laughed.
"Idris Island?"
Both girls nodded enthusiastically.
"Yes!"
Amina shook her head.
"No."
The answer surprised them.
"No?"
"No."
Phoebe frowned.
"I thought everyone from Kanem-Bornu goes there."
Amina laughed even harder.
"I assure you they do not."
Armintie looked disappointed.
"Never?"
"Never."
"You don't want to?"
"Not particularly."
The girls exchanged confused looks.
The brochure described Idris Island as one of the most
glamorous destinations on Earth.
Amina noticed.
"I know."
"Then why not?"
Amina shrugged.
"Too crowded."
Phoebe blinked.
"Too crowded?"
"Far too crowded."
The answer sounded suspiciously like something Vera would
say.
Amina pointed at the photograph.
"Besides."
"That's not even near where I'm from."
Phoebe frowned.
"It isn't?"
"No."
Amina tapped the image.
"First of all, that's in the Sea of Tsade."
"The what?"
"The Sea of Tsade."
Phoebe looked confused.
"You mean Lake Chad."
Amina immediately shook her head.
"No."
Phoebe blinked.
"No?"
"We don't call it that."
Armintie looked intrigued.
"Then why do all the maps call it Lake Chad?"
Amina smiled.
"The same reason many maps call my home
Kanem-Bornu."
The girls waited.
Amina leaned back.
"The names are useful."
"They aren't wrong."
"...but they aren't the names most people use."
Phoebe tilted her head.
"So what do people call it?"
"The Sea of Tsade."
Amina answered without hesitation.
"My grandmother would probably glare at anyone who
called it Lake Chad."
That image made both girls laugh.
Amina continued.
"...and nobody I know introduces themselves by saying
they're from Kanem-Bornu."
The girls looked surprised.
"You don't?"
"No."
"Why not?"
Amina thought for a moment.
Then asked:
"Do you tell people you're from the Blade?"
Phoebe immediately answered.
"No."
Armintie nodded.
"I say Daral Valley."
Amina pointed.
"Exactly."
The girls paused.
Then realization dawned.
"Oh."
Amina smiled.
"Kanem-Bornu is the federation."
"The international name."
"The name on treaties."
"The name diplomats use."
"The name that appears on maps."
She tapped her chest.
"...but people usually identify with where they're
actually from."
Phoebe frowned.
"So where are you from?"
"Ife."
The answer came instantly.
Both girls stared.
"Ife?"
Amina nodded.
"Ife."
"Where's that?"
Amina laughed.
"There it is."
Cornelia, who had been quietly reviewing paperwork nearby,
finally looked up.
"It's one of the constituent countries."
Phoebe looked even more confused.
"Country?"
Amina nodded.
"Country."
Armintie's eyes widened.
"Wait."
"So Kanem-Bornu isn't really one country?"
Amina made a face.
"It is."
"...and it isn't."
That answer helped absolutely nobody.
Amina noticed.
"Think of it this way."
"The federation is one nation."
"One government."
"One passport."
"One military."
"One foreign policy."
She paused.
"...but there are many countries inside it."
"Many identities."
"Many cultures."
Phoebe frowned.
"...and you identify with Ife?"
"Very strongly."
Amina smiled.
"My mother would be horrified if I didn't."
That earned another laugh.
Armintie glanced back at the photograph.
"So somebody from Tsade would probably care more about
Idris Island?"
"Oh, absolutely."
Amina nodded.
"They'd probably spend an hour explaining why it's the
greatest place in the world."
Phoebe grinned.
"...and you'd disagree?"
"I'd politely explain why they're wrong."
The girls laughed.
Amina smiled.
Then looked back at the brochure.
For a moment she seemed nostalgic.
"Though I admit."
The girls looked up.
"The view from the island is impressive."
Phoebe immediately pointed.
"Aha!"
Amina rolled her eyes.
"One nice thing."
"That's all you're getting."
The girls burst out laughing.
...and for a few minutes, the hospital room felt less like a
hospital and more like three friends talking about home.
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