Luffs (Transcendence 1.5)

Ehd is awake, looking at me tentatively.

“Everything is okay, Ehd.” I press my hand to his chest when he tries to stand and his eyes glaze over. “Just relax here. Everyone is okay. You take care of the kids, all right?”

I get the two babies on the furs next to their father, and he wraps a protective arm around them both. He stares at Lah in awe, and I grip Ehd’s hand for a moment before returning to my father.

Dad cleans off my arm and then rubs numbing cream on my skin. I wince as he makes a small incision and then pushes the implant into my arm. He cleans off the cut and then places sterile gauze over it.

“There are some cloth diapers and pins in there as well,” he says when he’s done.

I rub at my arm, and Dad reaches over to take my hand.

“Are you happy, Elizabeth?” he asks. “Are you really okay here? It’s not easy, but I can try to return again. I could bring you anything you need.”

“We have everything we need,” I say reassuringly. “We have plenty to eat, a warm place to live, and we’re together. Now that we have Lah back, I think everything will be fine.”

“But are you happy?” His eyes fill with tears.

“I am happy, Dad. I know it seems strange, but I don’t think I could be happier, not even if I went back home with you. I have Ehd. I have our children. I love them all.”

“I’ll try to derive some solace in that. I’ll also try to convince your mother of the same thing, but she’s not so easily swayed. She wanted me to use that injection on you and force you to come back with me.”

“I can’t leave Ehd. I won’t.”

“I know.”

Chapter 9

Bright sun greets me as I leave the cave to find a tree. My steps are light, and I smile to myself as I cross the snowy ravine and make my way to the edge of the forest. I find a small pine tree and quickly chop it down with the flint axe.

As I drag the small evergreen back to the cave with a smile on my face, I wonder why I haven’t done this every winter. I remember the first time I decided to decorate for Christmas and how long it had taken me to cut down a tree. I’m much better at it now and have even tried to knap my own flint tools. They keep breaking, but I’m determined to figure it out.

Winters are long, and it’s important to keep myself occupied with a new task, especially one that can benefit the family.

I consider for a moment, trying to determine exactly how long it has been since I first arrived in this prehistoric land. When Ehd found me in that hole, it had been springtime; I remember that. Lah had been born late the following summer. She became ill in the winter, Dad took her away, and Lee was born the next winter. This will be my fourth winter at the cave with Ehd.

Nearly five years since I left my own time, my parents, and my friends.

I smile again. I miss my family terribly, but this is the life I chose, and I’m content.

I shift the evergreen to my other hand and drag it behind me as I shuffle through the cave entrance. Lee starts to howl as soon as I walk in.

“Ma, ma, ma, ma!”

“Hello there, sweetie!” I say with a smile. “Are you hungry? Mommy’s been gone for a while, huh?”

I set the tree against the cave wall. Lee crawls over to my feet and I pick him up. Frustrated with her younger but bigger brother, Lah wiggles her butt around, trying to mimic his movements and move across the floor, but ends up belly flopping instead. I snicker and reach down to pick her up, too.

I settle down on a fur and Ehd rushes over to help me get both babies situated, one at each breast. It isn’t easy, but trying to feed one without the other just made for cries. This way was ultimately easier.

Once the kids are fed and curled up for a nap, I go back to the tre

e. Using three logs from the woodpile, I create a triangle to use as a base and set the tree up in the middle of it. I use bits of an old hide to get it to stand up, snickering as I imagine Linus and Charlie Brown wrapping their tree with a blue blanket.”

“Hark! the herald angels sing, Glory to the new-born King!”

“Hoh!” Ehd glares at me from the fire, and I laugh.

“Is that your commentary on my singing?” I place my hands on my hips and wrinkle my nose at him. “Too bad. I’m going to sing every Christmas carol I can think of.”