Free Whisper Gatherers by Nicola McDonagh Page A

months since I have felt the warmth and deeply cleansing of such a luxury.”
    He gave out a sigh and smacked his lips. I took his actions to infer that he was still empty-bellied, so went to the grubbox for more food. I took out a packet of ricebread and held it out. “Would you care for some?”
    “I would indeed, if it can be spared. In fact, as I am little unwell, perhaps I will partake of just a small amount.”
    Opening the wrapper, I gave him half, then sat back down and ate the rest. Elijah munched slowly. “Help yourself to more water. These roundels have a tendency to stick.” He gulped, reached over to the box and extracted a small tube of water. He drank in tiny sips, took another bite of the disc then put the rest on his thigh.
    “Are you no longer hungry?”
    “I could consume the rest, but I will save some for Lilith. We must conserve our rations.
    Not knowing if he was in on all this Carnie stuff, I was unsure whether to tell him of what I saw in Lilith’s restroom. Tapping my fingers on the arm of the couch, I said in quite a throw away manner, “Elijah, have you ever eaten meat?”
    “What? No, never. I have no desire to.”
    I continued my interrogation by leaning forward, resting my chin upon my knuckles and squinting with one eye. “Have you ever witnessed any of your flock consuming such food stuffs?”
    Elijah furrowed his brow and passed his fingers through his mud-caked, dark hair. He lowered his eyes for a sec then stared at me. “I did once. It was several weeks ago, when a Wolfie took the first of us. The beast left behind some stray bits of innards and the like. We were hungry in the extreme, spring was late in coming. There was little to forage or steal out in the edge of the Wilderness. It was before we befriended a Woodsfolk and had only a sack or two of grain left. I was getting firewood and heard a most unpleasant slurping sound. I thought it was the Wolfie returning to consume what it had dropped, but when I peeked around the tree I was hiding behind, I saw one of our own chewing on a piece of offal.”
    I did not react to his words, instead, I simply said, “Go ahead, finish your food, Lilith is not hungry.” He bent his head, sighed and ate. There was more to this Lilith fem than she would have us all believe. A Carnie for sure, and resourceful. It was she who freed Elijah, but not Daniel. Oddly indeed. Elijah drained his water tube and rose.
    “I will rest again. There is no telling what will take place from here-on-in. Will you not to bed?”
    “Nah, have a bad case of the jitters for some reason. Can’t seem to settle.”
    He smiled thinly and left. I wondered how long before we would be free of this strange place, hoped it would be soon. I went to the pooproom and relieved myself. Then did it again. Nerves. Not surprising I suppose, but not nice. I rinsed my hands, shook off the excess liquid, went back into the communal room and flopped onto the cosycouch. Tiredness washed over me. I let my head loll back, vowing to close my eyes for no more than a sec.
    “Adara, wake.”
    I felt a hand gently rock my shoulder and opened my eyes. Orva knelt in front of me. “We must leave. Come quickly and quietly. We must not awaken the others.”
    “What? Are they not coming too?”
    “No, not yet. Not until we have figured out what to do with them.”
    “But Elijah is unwell. There is not so much grub and Lilith…”
    “Do not concern yourself with the fate of these two insurgents.”
    “Elijah is not like that, he is good and kind. Also, I think he is in danger.”
    “From whom?”
    “Lilith.”
    “I think not. She freed only him. Therefore, she is more fond of him than you would like.”
    That I could not argue with. I stood and Orva placed two grubboxes onto the floor.
    “I have brought more provisions. They will be fine for many moons to come.” Orva gestured for me to go to the exit, I hesitated and she all but dragged my limp bod to it. She took a swift look back