began to worry that they had all died and that the village would be left in shambles. Why wouldn’t he listen to me? The barrack before the drilling site was the largest barrack on Shaviro. Over three hundred soldiers probably were stationed there and most of the artillery was kept there. We had stopped there when we were on the way to the drilling site, and I remembered just how big that building was. Nova and his men didn’t stand a chance against that thing…
I stood by the windows in the front part of the hut for most the day, watching and hoping to see them soon. I didn’t let myself spend too much time wondering why I was so concerned, I just knew I was and couldn’t shake it. Finally, in the late afternoon, I saw a lot of movement. Women and the men who stayed behind were rushing towards the west, but out of my sight. What was going on? Had they returned? Surely they had when everyone seemed to be rushing about. But then there was nothing. No one passed by the window, and Nova didn’t come back to the hut. Hours passed and there was nothing still. I began to believe he was dead, but then wondered why the Navani wouldn’t come kill me on the spot if he was.
I gave up and headed to bed. I laid on the cot and stared up at the ceiling as time passed, my head clouded with so many thoughts. It was like I was fighting myself. Why should I care whether or not he was alive? He had taken me prisoner, chained me, and gagged me. Yet, he had fed me, allowed me to shower, and taken my binds off. And while I had every right to hate him, I knew that his death would be mourned. The tribe needed that hotheaded, stubborn man to lead them. What would happen if he was dead? I couldn’t shut the thoughts out long enough to rest, let alone sleep.
Then the door opened and I shot up from laying down to sitting on the bed. I looked through the doorway connecting the two rooms and saw Nova walk through the door, slowly closing it behind him. Something shifted in the air, a depressing tension settling in over the hut. He moved somberly to his bed, not even glancing in my direction as he did so. I sat and watched him, relief coming over me knowing he was okay. He didn’t even look badly injured, just a few wounds and grazes from bullets on his arms and sides—nothing that looked fatal. Nova wore a grave grimace, looking completely defeated and depressed. I wanted to ask what was wrong, but that was a stupid question.
Nova sat down on the edge of his bed, putting his head in his hands. It was almost like he forgot I was there for the moment. He let out a heavy, shaky sigh. His hands then rubbed his face. I thought maybe he wanted to be alone but didn’t have the strength to say it, so I stood from the cot to move into the kitchen area of the hut. As I walked through the doorway, he spoke from behind me, “Why did you try to help me?” he asked, his voice quiet and soft.
I stopped in my tracks and turned to look at him. He still sat on the bed with his head in his hands. I tried to find an answer for him, but I didn’t have one. “I don’t know…” I whispered.
“There had to be a reason to it,” he snapped, standing from the bed. “You wouldn’t have warned me if there wasn’t a reason. Why did you try to help me?” he pressed.
“I-I…” I stammered, trying to find my words. I tried to clear my thoughts and give him an answer that was honest. “Just because I hate you doesn’t mean I want your tribe to be in danger. I know they need you as a leader…”
His eyes narrowed at me and he slowly began to pace towards me, “I’m attracted to you too.”
My eyes widened and jaw dropped. What the hell? “I didn’t say that…” I managed to get out, my cheeks burning a scarlet red. How in the world did he get that from saying I hated him but didn’t want his tribe to be in danger?
Nova neared me then, his form towering over me. “I know that’s what you meant, though,” he breathed. He stood against me then,
I stood by the windows in the front part of the hut for most the day, watching and hoping to see them soon. I didn’t let myself spend too much time wondering why I was so concerned, I just knew I was and couldn’t shake it. Finally, in the late afternoon, I saw a lot of movement. Women and the men who stayed behind were rushing towards the west, but out of my sight. What was going on? Had they returned? Surely they had when everyone seemed to be rushing about. But then there was nothing. No one passed by the window, and Nova didn’t come back to the hut. Hours passed and there was nothing still. I began to believe he was dead, but then wondered why the Navani wouldn’t come kill me on the spot if he was.
I gave up and headed to bed. I laid on the cot and stared up at the ceiling as time passed, my head clouded with so many thoughts. It was like I was fighting myself. Why should I care whether or not he was alive? He had taken me prisoner, chained me, and gagged me. Yet, he had fed me, allowed me to shower, and taken my binds off. And while I had every right to hate him, I knew that his death would be mourned. The tribe needed that hotheaded, stubborn man to lead them. What would happen if he was dead? I couldn’t shut the thoughts out long enough to rest, let alone sleep.
Then the door opened and I shot up from laying down to sitting on the bed. I looked through the doorway connecting the two rooms and saw Nova walk through the door, slowly closing it behind him. Something shifted in the air, a depressing tension settling in over the hut. He moved somberly to his bed, not even glancing in my direction as he did so. I sat and watched him, relief coming over me knowing he was okay. He didn’t even look badly injured, just a few wounds and grazes from bullets on his arms and sides—nothing that looked fatal. Nova wore a grave grimace, looking completely defeated and depressed. I wanted to ask what was wrong, but that was a stupid question.
Nova sat down on the edge of his bed, putting his head in his hands. It was almost like he forgot I was there for the moment. He let out a heavy, shaky sigh. His hands then rubbed his face. I thought maybe he wanted to be alone but didn’t have the strength to say it, so I stood from the cot to move into the kitchen area of the hut. As I walked through the doorway, he spoke from behind me, “Why did you try to help me?” he asked, his voice quiet and soft.
I stopped in my tracks and turned to look at him. He still sat on the bed with his head in his hands. I tried to find an answer for him, but I didn’t have one. “I don’t know…” I whispered.
“There had to be a reason to it,” he snapped, standing from the bed. “You wouldn’t have warned me if there wasn’t a reason. Why did you try to help me?” he pressed.
“I-I…” I stammered, trying to find my words. I tried to clear my thoughts and give him an answer that was honest. “Just because I hate you doesn’t mean I want your tribe to be in danger. I know they need you as a leader…”
His eyes narrowed at me and he slowly began to pace towards me, “I’m attracted to you too.”
My eyes widened and jaw dropped. What the hell? “I didn’t say that…” I managed to get out, my cheeks burning a scarlet red. How in the world did he get that from saying I hated him but didn’t want his tribe to be in danger?
Nova neared me then, his form towering over me. “I know that’s what you meant, though,” he breathed. He stood against me then,
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