We Dream of Hope

Visitor

Their conversation may have passed the time while doing chores, but now the silence was concerning. The voice was really contemplating leaving her alone, but why was it so hard for him to just agree to it? Sure, Nadia had to admit these conversations were entertaining to her, but it’s not like she couldn't talk to anyone else like this. Maybe Ma’at could give her some attention like the voice did. Even if she knocked at her father’s door, she was sure he could provide her with a stimulating conversation. 

If you talk with him I’ll agree to give you more space, but I can’t afford to leave you alone.

Nadia sighed but was secretly glad he didn’t agree to it. She may have thought in anger, which she realized waws more of a confusing thought than it should have been. 

Which you clearly agree to, so thanks for that. Really, it will mean a lot to Warner to be able to talk to you before it’s too late. 

Too late?

It’s nothing. 

Nadia wanted to press further, but this was a delicate new thing. Pushing from both directions could create fissures and as much as she didn’t want to admit, she wanted this to last a bit longer. 

“Di!” The excited holler came from Ma’at who was quickly zigzagging her way toward Nadia still deep in thought. “Hey, Nadia!” Finally, Ma’at had reached her friend and tapped her on her shoulder bringing her out of her trance. “Di, what’s gotten into you? I’ve been calling you.”

“Wh-what?” snapping her head up, Nadia looked around eyes finally resting as she settled on Ma’at, “Hey, what’s up? I was just about to drop off your clothes.”

“Di, there’s something I needed to talk to you about before someone else told you.” she took the bucket out of Nadia’s hands and put it on the ground, “Listen, okay,”

“Yeah, I’m listening.” the sense of urgency in Ma’at’s voice had her looking around to see if anyone was watching, “What’s gotten into you? It’s like you’ve-” she trailed off, she was here about Warner, that look on concern brushed across Ma’at’s brow told her the voice was getting clever, he knew it was going to happen today. “That little ass.” the whisper came out a bit louder than she would have liked, but Ma’at didn’t seem to care too much. She clearly had bigger important things on her mind than Nadia swearing.

“Di, look, I don’t want you to overreact, he’s not in any position to hurt you. You’ve really got nothing to worry about, but he was found wandering around near your father’s cabin. Someone caught him and took him to the infirmary.” 

Nadia’s father was the only resident to have a permanent structure as his accommodations, no one thought anything about it, if anything it was just understood that he needed the permanent wooden walls and roof, he was the camp’s leader after all. Nadia for whatever reason never felt happy in the confined space, she loved the feel of the tent surrounding her ticking her fingers as a kind wake up. It was at the center of the camp though, so for Warner to be that far inside without anyone seeing him beforehand, he had to have been up to something. 

“Di, it’s Warner.” Ma’at finally confessed the true situation, though not leaving Nadia by surprise. 

“He's sick?” c*****g her head to the side Nadia felt her hands being raised and held tightly by Ma’at. 

“He’s a bit worse for wears. Don’t worry though, he’s being looked after, but he’s asking for you.” 

“Yeah, I kind of figured that's where things were headed.” Because a strange voice told me ten minutes ago. 

At least no you’ve processed it, so you're not completely against the idea of him anymore. 

“Di, if you don’t want to see him that’s completely up to you. No one wants you to see if, he’s got no right.”

“Frankly Ma’at,” Nadia paused thinking back on her agreement, “I mean, I kind of think I should talk to him.”

“What?” Ma’at squeezed her hands tighter and held them close to her face, “Nadia what makes you so willing to-”

“He’s not a threat, it’s been ten years, and I kind of want to know what he wants.” she shrugged and pulled her hands back, “Can you take that bucket to my tent? I’m going to go right there before he gets too comfortable.”

She didn’t turn to look back her feet were planted with a mission, she was going to get this over with, ripping the bandaid quickly and not nursing this sore. Though her stomach was starting to ache with every step closer to the infirmary. She was making good time, but still felt she needed to take a short break before entering the large white tent. 

Its edges were frayed and years of dust and dirt piled on the canvas. This area was cleaner than the rest, but nothing could keep the dust from the ground from flying up when you walked. It was a rarely used section of the camp for the size, when illnesses did run through the campsite the size never seemed enough to contain the bustling commotion. Few people in the camp were able to fix the wounded, Nadia had a particular skill of stitching up the holes, but keeping things sanitary was only a skill she knew for clothes. The tent opened and an older woman emerged head filled with sweat and her face down with disappointment. Upon seeing Nadia though she perked up but help a concern for her safety, 

“What are you doing here?” 

“I heard-”

“Yes, it’s true, but under no circumstances should you want to see him.”

“Please, it’ll just be a few moments. I heard he was looking for me.”

She looked around making sure no one was close for this exchange, “Nadia if I let you in, don’t tell anyone it was me.”

Holding up a finger to her lips, Nadia nodded, “Our secret.”

The woman allowed Nadia to pass by but stood guard making sure no one else entered. 

Inside beds lined the walls creating an aisle in the middle, for all the beds there was one person inside the tent beside Nadia who turned and held a face much older than he should have in Nadia’s memories. 

“Nadia,” his voice held a weight just as his face, raspy, crackled, and struggling through a shallow cough, “I figured you’d-” he paused to clear his throat but that cough wasn’t going anywhere and he held up a finger as his cough produced patches of blood on his palm that he wiped on a napkin the nurse must have provided him with. “Apologies, I have a slow illness that seems to have quickened in its attempt to take my life.”

“Illness?” Nadia stepped back not daring to come closer.

“Relax, it’s not one you can catch.” 

“Why are you here?” surely he wasn’t here to gather sympathy. After all these years, there was something else, the voice wanted her to meet with him about.

“I have very little time left in this world. I want you to know I never meant to hurt you. I-” the cough worsened but he powered through the episode, “I know what’s happening right now. I want you to know that tomorrow I will be truly sorry you have to go through this.”

Nadia rolled her eyes and decided to direct all of her energy into making sure the voice knew she was talking to him, “Are you happy now? I swear if I knew how to keep you out of my life I would do everything I could to make sure I never had to hear from you again.” She stomped her foot now directing her anger toward the frail man in front of her, “And you, you just had to get one last shot in? I’m glad you’re not going to be around much longer. My life is better without you! If my mother was still alive she'd be so ashamed you ever served in the war with her. How could you do this to her own child? I’ve been dealing with a lot today, and for some reason, I had to give you a benefit against everything in my gut telling me differently.” 

“Odion, he’s spoken to you then?”

“For once, I thought what would be the harm?-” she stopped, could Warner have known about the voice, and did he just provide a name to the noise? “Ode-ian?” 

“It’s starting then,” he placed his hands on his face calming himself for a moment, “I wish you could stay in the dark forever, it’s so much safer. Your mother wouldn’t have wanted it, but you deserved so much more. I’m so sorry.” He closed his ground with Nadia and places her hands in his sticking a note in her hand and closing her other one over top, “Please take care.” He exited the tent leaving Nadia gasping for a resolution.