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This can’t be happening. It’s all too insane. I can’t possibly have seen my own skeleton on a platform in a museum. None of this can be true.
I’ll make it not true.
I collect the pieces in my hands and stand again, turning quickly to Ehd. He ducks down, covering his head as if he thinks I’m going to attack him, but I can’t even fathom consoling him at this moment. Instead, I race out of the cave and down the path to the lake. I run all the way to the water’s edge and then fling the pieces far into the lake.
I hear Ehd’s steps as he comes up behind me.
“I have to get rid of them,” I tell him. “I have to get rid of these pieces. If they aren’t here, then I’m not here. I won’t be there when Mom’s team comes. If the pieces aren’t there, then I can’t be there.”
The words catch in my throat. I sound like a crazy person, and for the first time, I’m glad Ehd understands nothing of what I have said. Again, my body gives out, and I fall to the rocks, but Ehd is there to catch me.
He wraps his arms around me from behind, holding my back to his chest. I cry, and I scream, and I try to wish it all away as I turn around and wrap my arms around his neck and bury my face against his body.
Ehd holds me tightly and securely as I continue to bawl.
“How?” I cry as I slap my palm against his chest. “How can this be happening? How can any of this be true?”
I don’t know how long we stay by the edge of the lake. At some point, I vaguely sense Ehd standing up and carrying me like a baby as he walks slowly back to the cave.
The cave where I—at some point in the future—am destined to die, cradled in his arms.
Chapter 4
“You made me a comb?” I stare at the wooden carving in my hand.
The base is the knot of a tree limb, and it fits perfectly into my hand. Three prongs of slightly irregular shapes stick out from the base. As I run my hand over it, I’m shocked that there isn’t a single rough spot in the wood.
“How did you make this so smooth?” I ask as I turn the comb over again. “You must have been working on this for weeks. Is that what you’ve been doing when you go off and hide on the far side of the lakeshore?”
Ehd sits back on his heels and rubs his thighs nervously. I look at him and furrow my brow.
“You made this for me?” My voice cracks, and I feel a tear escape from the corner of my eye. I look back at the beautifully carved comb in my hand. “Oh, Ehd…I don’t even know what to say.”
I see Ehd’s shoulders slump when I look back at him. He looks positively crestfallen as he looks away from me, and I realize that since he doesn’t understand my words, he only sees my tears.
With the carving grasped tightly in one hand, I throw myself at him and hug him tightly around the neck, nearly knocking us both over. Ehd wraps his arms around my back to steady us both, and I wrap my legs around his waist to sit up in his lap. I look down and place my hand on the side of his face as my emotions flood through me.
“I think this is the most beautiful thing I have ever s
een, Ehd.” I continue to smile at him as I lean over and touch my nose to his.
Ehd lets out a long breath as he stares at me with pure adoration. Though he has rubbed his nose against mine many times, which seems to be his version of kissing, I have never before initiated the same contact. He is obviously pleased by it.
“Ehd, I can’t imagine a more perfect gift.” I scrape the tips of my fingers over his bearded cheek as I run my nose from the tip of his up to his forehead. I kiss him lightly. “You obviously spent a lot of time on it, and I haven’t given you anything. I don’t know why you think you need to make me something, but I really love it!”
A sound from the fire distracts me, and I look over to see the pot of grains and meat has started to boil over. I snicker to myself, untangle from Ehd, and quickly move the pot away from the fire.
“I should probably try this out, huh?” I run the comb through my hair, which is pretty tangled at this point. An actual comb, primitive as it is, works much better than the piece of smooth driftwood I’ve been using. “This is perfect! Let’s see if it works for you!”
I take hold of Ehd’s hand and pull him over to me so I can reach his hair. He lets out a soft grunt, but I think he actually begins to enjoy it.
“Maybe your hair isn’t so bad,” I say softly as I comb through his thick locks. “Maybe we can get it up in a manbun and make you look like one of those buff actors!” I laugh and run my hand over his much smoother hair. “I think you’d be a hit.”
I get all the snarls out of half of his hair, then switch hands to reach the other side.
“Maybe if I gave you a good massage, that would be a decent thank you.”
I use the comb with one hand, and massage his shoulder with the other. Ehd leans back a little, and I reach my free hand around to rub the firm muscles of his chest. He tilts his head up to look at me, and I lean over, cup his chin, and kiss him.
