Stone Seeds Read Online Free PDF Page B

a long strange moment she looks to him like a puppetwithout strings, a pile of rags praying to the baobab, and then she twitches, shudders with life. She cries out then, and getting up. Staggering toward Jengi and her son.
    Jengi dumps Tomax on the ground at a safe distance from the fire. “One minute,” he says. “The Egg Men will be on the scene in one minute.” Glancing up at Tomax’s mother. And then, “He needs a doctor.”
    â€œA doctor?” She looks at him. “This is edge farm land, Jengi. There’s no doctor.”
    â€œMamma Zeina.”
    â€œMamma Zeina?” She examines Jengi’s face.
    â€œShe’s a Sinta. She’s in the killing forest right now. She was a doctor in the before. I can pull Tomax through the hole in the fence, the one that I just came through.” He pauses. “I can do it if you help me.”
    They are face to face. “Jengi. The killing forest?”
    â€œYes.”
    She looks down at her son. She steels herself. And then slipping her hands underneath his armpits, then eases her arms through, makes a loop of her right hand, left wrist. Now she can feel Tomax’s heart thrum against the knuckles of her right hand, and the palm of her left. He’s alive, she keeps telling herself. For those who believe in miracles, there seems to be one on the edge farms every day. Jengi takes Tomax’s feet.
    They stagger toward the fence with Tomax’s long, heavy body between them.
    Tomax hears the crackle of fire, swish of the killing trees. The Egg Mens’ truck wheels, getting closer.
    And then the coolness of the forest. Smell of dark moss.

THE FENCE
    ZORRY IS SITTING IN the nipping saplings just inside the fence.
    Sees Mamma Zeina coming toward her through the dark mouth of the forest. Things move around her but Mamma Zeina trudges onward. Crackling of bracken under slow, heavy feet.
    â€œYou’re late.”
    â€œI been busy child.” Mamma Zeina sighs. Wipes her hand across her forehead. Leaves a palm print of blood. She seems to see Zorry for the first time. “You alright?”
    â€œI’m alright. Why you late?” Zorry asks, a little peevishly. She’d spent several anxious hours the wrong side of the fence to the killing forest, dark things moving around her. There’s an edge in her voice.
    Mamma Zeina eyes her. “This your first time in the killing forest?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œAnd you spent it alone?” Mamma Zeina appears to consider this. “That’s good work, Child.” And then, “You’ll do, Zorry.” Smiles. “Mayhap you’re cut out for this work. Ever think of that?” Scratches herself. “You got bitten, Zorry?”
    â€œNo. Don’t think so.”
    â€œNot bad, not bad.” Mamma Zeina says. “You did well.” Mamma Zeina seems to take the thought and deposit itsomewhere. Rolls her eyes. “Follow me.”
    Zorry follows.
    â€œI heard something,” Zorry says. “When you were gone. At first I thought it was a bomb but it seemed too small. And then another one. It came from t’other side of the forest. From the Edge farmlands.”
    Mamma Zeina rubs her forehead, doesn’t answer for a while, and when she does it’s an answer to a question Zorry didn’t ask.
    â€œGood news is I found a plant on my way back. Almost tripped over it. In fact, you might say that it found me.” Mamma Zeina lifts her sack to show Zorry. The sack is wriggling. Mamma Zeina holds it away from her stomach and soft parts. Zorry eyes it. “Gotta take it home and splice it to the root.” Mamma Zeina says. And now, as though it heard her, the plant struggles harder. And then a gnawing sound, like it chews on the sack.
    Mamma Zeina grins. “Come on, Child. The Egg Men are about to check this length of fencing. The bombings get them Egg Men jittery. We’re in the wrong place at the wrong time,