Page 24 of Caveman Alien’s Horn (Caveman Aliens #26)

24

- Cora -

It’s a long walk through the jungle. Korr’ax carried my backpacks and keeps asking if I need a break, but to my own surprise I have no great trouble walking for hours as fast as I can. Only a few days ago, I would never have thought it was possible. Maybe a vegetarian diet just doesn’t work for me.

At sunrise Korr’ax insists on a break. He gives me travel food, dried meat, and equalled dried fruits. We drink tepid water from the last creek we crossed and go on.

As usual, my mind can only think of Sprisk. I can’t believe he would trap those vismonks, and then afterwards state that it was necessary. Did I misjudge him that much? But it all checks out. He was always skeptical of Eric, and Eric also kept his distance.

And he did abduct me. I should have known he would do other things that on Earth would be called unethical.

But my anger doesn’t last. I miss him already, his easy smile and his warm touch and the way he would do little things to make the day easier for me.

We walk for the whole night and then the whole day. The jungle is its usual dangerous self. Korr’ax often stops and listens, then turns around and leads us in an arc around some mysterious danger.

He’s obviously good at this, but even so, I don’t feel as safe as I would with Sprisk. Sprisk was born for the jungle, as deadly and natural a part of it as a raptor. But Korr’ax had to learn it.

When we see the red Mount in the distance, I’m dizzy with exhaustion. Korr’ax leads me through the gates and over to the foot of the Mount, where he sits me down by a big table before he runs up a set of carved stairs up the Mount.

It’s strange to see it from up close. It was a sight I was determined to never see.

Everything is calm. Boys from the tribe serve me grilled meat and fruits while I admire the great portrait of Piper. The red of her hair is so striking it feels like a three-dee image.

The other cavemen keep their distance, which I appreciate. I’m not in a sociable state of mind.

Three girls come running down the stairs. I’m not surprised that Alba, Bronwen, and Astrid are here for Bryar’s delivery.

“You came!” Astrid exclaims as she comes in to hug me. “I knew it!”

“You look great!” Alba says and wipes her eyes. “I mean, except that travesty of a dress. Did you join a gym?”

“Hey, you made the dress,” I chuckle, unable to hold back some tears of my own. “This design would make anyone look good.”

“Thank God you’re here,” Bronwen sobs and hugs me, hard. “We were so worried about you and about Bryar… She’ll be so relieved! She has a midwife now!”

“Don’t oversell me,” I sniffle. “I was only four months into the Certified Midwife program. At least two years from graduation. I hadn’t even done my first clinical rotation when the Plood abducted me. Any woman with a kid of her own would have more experience with childbirth than me.”

“Bryar knows you didn’t graduate,” Astrid says. “And we all realize you might not be able to help more than just about anyone else. But who knows. Also, I agree with Alba. Girl, you look stronger than you did just a few weeks ago! Does Sprisk run a Pizza Hut franchise?”

“He fed me well,” I admit. “How are things up there?” I look up at the Mount.

“Yeah, we should get you up there,” Bronwen says. “We think it’s about to happen.”

I follow them up the stairs. To my surprise, I’m not feeling all that nervous. First of all because I’m numb inside after leaving Sprisk. And also because this is out of my hands. I never claimed I would be a great help with this. There’s probably not much I can do here, on my own. If something goes wrong, I’ll have to just rely on common sense. But maybe an emotionally numb girl is exactly what’s needed.

“Oh, that’s incredible!” I exclaim when we’re up on the top platform of the Mount. The jungle lies below us, thousands of acres of treetops, lit up in dramatic orange from the setting sun. “You can see the whole jungle!”

“Just about,” says a voice behind me. “At least the important parts.”

I turn around. This girl is clearly pregnant, but not about to pop. She reminds me of Christina Hendricks, with her fiery red hair and beautiful face. “You must be Piper. That picture downstairs does not do you justice.”

“Thank you,” she says and comes in for a light embrace. “I’m so happy to finally meet you, Cora. Did they give you something to eat? What can I get you? Just tell me, and I’ll get it. Anything.”

I peer into the opening to the only cave up here, lit with torches and oil lamps. I spot Korr’ax and someone on a bed, surrounded by furs and leather sheets. It actually looks pretty nice. “Well, boiling hot water is traditional. Clean rags. Something to wrap the baby in. Some empty pots.”

“We have all that,” Astrid says and nods to the fire, where steam is rising from a big pot of water. “And anything we don’t have, we’ll try to get.”

“All right,” I state. “Just give me a minute.”

The girls tactfully wander over to the small circle of chairs by the cave entrance.

I look out at the jungle. I’m pretty sure I know which direction the clearing is. But it’s far away, probably farther than I can see even from up here. When it gets dark, if I have time, I’ll look again and see if I see a tiny spot of pale, blue light on the horizon. I will imagine Sprisk at his campfire and wonder what he might be doing. It will be almost as if I’m there with him.

Almost.

Before then, this has to happen. I did want to be a midwife, many years ago, before I knew that I had both PCOS and endo. Now, I can’t even remember why I wanted it. But it seemed important at the time.

I have some basic knowledge about physiology and how the process is supposed to be handled. I think the most important thing is to be calm and cheerful, be the emotional rock that Bryar can cling to, no matter what happens. In fact, I’ll try to be as much like Sprisk as I can. I’ll try to channel his towering confidence and competence. I’ll be Bryar’s rock, and Sprisk will be mine.

I wash my hands in piping hot water and walk past the girls, into the cave. “Korr’ax, please wait outside for a little while.”

“Yes, Cora.” The huge chief of two tribes and hundreds of grim cavemen bounces to his feet and hurries out, acting like the stereotypical nervous father-to-be.

Bryar is lying back with a thin leather sheet over her legs and waist. She has a big, round belly and is clearly just a short time away from the delivery. “Hi. I’m Bryar. Sorry about dragging you here.”

I go in close and take light hold of her hand. “Hi, Bryar. I’m Cora. Here’s what you need to know. I was four months into a two-and-a-half-year midwife program when I was abducted. That was years ago. I just walked through the jungle for twenty-four hours, and I’ve been up for much longer. I’m freshly heartbroken, and I was a hermit until a few days ago. I’ve never before been present for a childbirth. Anytime you want, you can tell me to get out. But until you do, I’ll do my utmost to help bring your baby into the world in the best way I know how.”

Bryar relaxes and lays her head back, clenching my hand as if she’ll never let go. “Oh God, yes. Thank you so much for coming, Cora. Did he force you? I told him to not force you, but to respect your decision, whatever it was. It’s just that he’s not the take-no-for-an-answer kind of guy.”

“No force was used,” I assure her. “How are you doing?”

“I think I’m fine? But something is happening. The water broke, and I now count to two hundred between contractions.”

I sit down in the spot Korr’ax just left. “Let’s see. That’s about three minutes. We should get ready. Korr’ax is the dad?”

Bryar draws herself up to a half-sitting position. “Yep. There’s just no other possibility. So we expect the baby to be big. What was that about a heartbreak?”

“ That is a long story,” I tell her as I gently push the sheet down to reveal her huge stomach so I can listen for a quick little heartbeat.

“Mhm,” she sighs. “Best kind.”