Page 47 of Tyton: The Spider and the Dragonfly (Tyton #1)

Pinga sat in Aunt Jenni’s lab, feet still dangling off of the examination bed, even after her growth spurt.

Jenni shone a bright light in her deep brown eyes. She squinted.

“I need to check your pupils, Pinga, keep your eyes open, please.”

Pinga complied, even though the light hurt.

“Well, I don’t think you have a concussion, but you need to be more careful.”

Pinga opened her mouth to protest, but Jenni cut her off. “I don’t care if Auntie Sparx said you could drive. I have it on good authority that she’s a terrible driver.”

“That’s why I had to drive! She said she was too tired and she would crash.”

“And what happened?” Jenni stood with her hip cocked.

“I panicked and stopped too fast.” Pinga mumbled.

“And?”

“And the airbag went off.”

“Hmph.” Jenni nodded, indicating that the lecture was over.

“Are you gonna tell?” Pinga’s wide brown eyes were hard to resist.

“Auntie Sparx should be more worried about me telling than you.”

Pinga grinned, her teeth overlarge for her small head. The freckles and shock of orange hair that had come from somewhere further back than anyone knew melted what was left of Jenni’s resolve.

“Tell Auntie Sparx that she’s lucky to have you.”

“I will,” she yelled, running out the door.

Sesi removed the fur from a fox caught in the trapline. It was late in the season for the best furs, but they had traded many of them away for other supplies. Callie stirred at the pot of rabbit stew.

“Did you get the potatoes from the greenhouse?” she called when Pinga came in the door. By her expression, Callie could tell she hadn’t. “Shoo,” she waved her wooden spoon. Pinga left and returned ten minutes later. With the potatoes this time.

“When is Momma T coming back?” Pinga picked up her AI learning tablet.

“Not until late. Lusa still needs more practice with the guns before we can take her trading.” Sesi glanced at her daughter. “Are you bored?”

“Her arms are too skinny. That’s why.” Pinga pouted.

“That’s rude.” Callie said. “Your Momma T has skinny arms too and look at how well she shoots.”

“That’s ‘cause she’s bigger.”

“Well, Lusa will also get bigger. And then she’ll remember what you said about her. Just wait.” Callie turned back to the stew

“If you’re bored, go help Grandma,” Sesi suggested

Pinga slid from the table reluctantly. Callie and Sesi shared a kiss when they thought she had gone away.

“Ew!” Pinga called.

“No-one asked you to stay!” Sesi waved her hand. Pinga turned and left.

Sesi sidled up behind Callie and wrapped her arms around her waist.

“Gross, you’re covered in fox.” Callie protested, but Sesi could tell she was smiling.

Sesi nuzzled into the back of Callie’s neck and she melted into the embrace.

“You’re lucky we can’t get pregnant this way or we’d have way more than six,” Callie leaned back into Sesi.

“Inhale. Good. Line up your target. Breathe out. See how the sight moves when you exhale?” Lusa nodded.

Talia brushed the black mop of hair away from her eyes. “Try again. Keep pressure on the trigger and squeeze gently when you’re out of breath.”

Lusa fired. The shot went wide, but it was closer than before. Talia kissed the top of her head. “Good job. You’re doing better and that’s what’s important.”

“When can I go trading?” she whined.

“Don’t look too far ahead or you’ll never get there,” Talia warned.

“If you do that, and you don’t succeed, you’ll think you’re a failure.

You’re not.” Talia took Lusa’s rifle and put the safety on, setting it aside.

“If you focus on getting better, you’ll succeed and it will motivate you to keep getting better. ”

Talia unsheathed a knife and threw it. It hit the target, dead centre. Lusa’s eyes widened. “How long did it take you to learn that?”

“Years,” she said. “And the person who taught me told me the same thing.” She wrapped her arms around Lusa, hugging tight. She’d grown far taller than Pinga and felt awkward and uncoordinated. Talia noticed that she hunched a lot, trying to make herself smaller.

“You’re beautiful.” Talia kissed the top of her head. “And I’m proud of you, and so are your other moms and your sisters.”

“Pinga’s a dick sometimes.”

Talia laughed. “You’re not supposed to say that.”

“Well, she’s not supposed to be a dick.”

“I promise you that she will grow out of it. Just like you’re growing into your body. It takes time.” Talia took her hand and led her back toward the MobilePods. “Also, don’t let your other moms hear you say that.” She winked. Lusa grinned.

As they rounded the corner of the trail, Lusa spotted someone running toward them. “Auntie Sparx!” she yelled and she took off. Talia followed at a much more leisurely pace.

Lusa jumped and Sparx caught her.

“Speaking of dicks,” Talia said once they had all caught up to one another.

“What?” Sparx said.

Talia and Lusa shared a knowing glance. “Nothing,” they said in unison.

Sparx rolled her eyes. “Tornit came back today. There’s something we need to talk about.”

Talia nodded her head toward her daughter. “After dinner. Lusa, go help Grandma with your sisters. I’ll put the guns away and then check on your other moms.”

Sparx watched her walk away. “She moves like you.”

“She does.” Talia checked the chambers and put the safeties on.

“Any sign of uninfected men?” Sparx asked hopefully.

Talia shook her head. “It’s beginning to worry me.”

“Why?” Sparx tilted her head. “I thought you wanted to kill them all?”

“Nothing would please me more.” Talia frowned. “But with a bunch of soon-to-be teenagers, the likelihood that one of them will run off with some infected oaf and undo everything we tried to do here grows higher.”

“Romeo and Juliet?” Sparx offered.

“No. None of us will stop them. Women making stupid choices for the sake of men is a really old story.”

“Men aren’t that bad.”

Talia bit the inside of her cheek and looked away. “Do you know where the Adlets come from?”

Sparx frowned. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“Of course you don’t.” Talia shook her head. “Niviarsiang refuses to marry a boy. She marries a dog instead.”

“Got it,” Sparx grinned. “I’m cool with furries.”

“You’re lucky Sesi isn’t here.” Talia rolled her eyes. “The Adlets are their offspring. They kill Niviarsiang’s father. In other stories, they’re always murderers and cannibals. All because Niviarsiang wouldn’t marry a man, we’re the bad guys, so make of that what you will.”

Sparx tilted his head.

Talia sighed. “Do you think a woman made up those stories?"

She gathered up the rifles and ammo boxes and headed towards the storage shed. “Dinner is in about an hour,” she called.

The door to the MobilePod slid open, but she found no-one in the kitchen. There were no lights, but the sun squeezing through gaps in the blackout curtains. A faint blue glow came from the bedroom. Talia smirked and locked the door.

“About time.” Sesi held her prize, bound with the last Lumijute on Earth. The luminescent cord glowed from between her teeth, but Talia could tell Callie was grinning.

“I know you don’t have the patience for this part, so I figured I’d get started for you.”

“So thoughtful.” Talia leaned over and rewarded Sesi with a passionate kiss. Then she turned her attention to Callie.

“This is amazing!” Sparx said between mouthfuls.

Callie joined them at the table with a plate of rolls. “Thanks. Siku taught me. I had no idea what I was doing at first.”

Sparx’s eyes widened. “Uh...” He motioned his hands across his face.

Callie drew her hands across her cheeks and felt the rope marks. She blushed and ran from the table to clean up.

Sparx pursed her lips and side-eyed Cat who rolled her eyes. “I already know.” She kicked Sparx under the table.

Pinga and Lusa were the last kids to go to bed. Cat put on a pot and Callie passed around ceramic mugs. Sparx waited until the tea was poured to break the news.

“Tyton is falling.”

Sesi nodded her head slowly. “We got a few more years than I was expecting, so I’m grateful for that. Who’s all planning on coming here?”

“Tornit said most of the Adlets. There are a few women who want to try and do what you did. Still no men though. Except for Cam, but…”

“Do we have the MobilePods?” Talia cut him off.

Sparx nodded. “We’re prepping transports. We’ll need more space cleared around the lake though.”

“Did you know there’s a prophecy about this lake?” Everyone turned to look at Callie.

“What?” she shrugged. “I use the learning pods for more than just pictures.”

“Fine, Miss doesn’t-look-at-naughty-pictures .” Sparx shook h er head. “What’s this prophecy?”

“Something about the last of humanity gathering and dying here at the end of the world.”

Talia raised her eyebrows and took a large sip of her tea.

“Very hopeful.” Sparx huffed. “Glad I asked.”

“Maybe they just meant men .” Talia added. “I’d be okay with that.”

“But you said...” Sparx sputtered

“I said I’d be okay with that.” Talia put her mug down. The rest of you can do whatever you want.”

Callie laughed. Sesi sighed. “Alright. Looks like I have some planning to do. Thanks, Sparx.”

They shut off the lights and gathered under their furs, the linen sheets having long since worn holes.

Callie in the middle, holding Sesi and Talia together like glue.

Pinga and Lusa stirred, but did not wake.

Amka, Panik, Kuak and Ila slept in Grandma Cat’s MobilePod.

The last of humanity around a lake, under the stars.