The Last Tree

Chapter four

It was dark by the time they made it to the next town over. The horse is panting and in need of water. Brother squid also needs to soak. His skin is starting to itch in the dry heat. "Do we need to go into town? The horse looks like it needs a break. I'm sure there are stables for it to rest in."

"That's probably a good idea. The only problem is that I have no idea what a stable is." He frowns down at the girl in front of him. Emily just grins getting off the horse to lead it.

"Just leave that to me brother squid. I'll take care of it and get us a place to stay. You look like you've been under the sun for weeks. Do you need water?" She holds up a canteen, water sloshes violently as she thrusts it towards him.

"I can't have that kind of water Emily. I do need to soak so if they have a place for that it would be great."

"You mean a bath?" He looked at her questioningly. "You have water in a tub and you soak in it."

"Ah," he nodded, "yeah that."

"Yeah they all usually do. It's a great thing called plumbing." Brother squid joined her off the horse. "Most houses have them. People actually liked to keep clean. Let's go find an inn and stable before it gets too dark." They walked in silence into town. Only stopping in front of an inn. "You stay out here with the horse while I go in and get us a room and find a stable." Emily disappeared into the door after he nodded. He only stood there for a few minutes when she came back out. A boy followed close behind. "Yeah sorry, the horse doesn't have a lead or a saddle but my brother will happily help. It listens to him." The stable boy nods nervously while motioning them to follow him. Brother squid follows for now. The horse whines softly. This has been the most it has been around humans. Again Adam doesn’t count because he is a part of the forest. The horse is very anxious to get him back. So is brother squid. He worries for the boy. The boy doesn’t know much of human interactions since he was ten. Brother squid soothes the horse by whispering gently and patting its back. He guided it to the stables that make both of them nervous.

“So why must the horse be in this place?” Brother squid inquires. Emily looks at him incredulously.

“So it doesn’t escape and get picked off by horse stealers who wanna make a few bucks.” She waves her arms around while the stable boy nods vigorously.

“Well I guess we will both accept that reason. The horse agrees to not being stolen but requests water and food.” The both look at him weirdly.

“Yeah.... there’s water already in there and some hay and other feed.” The stable boy motions jerkily.

“Yeah, how about you let me talk.” The girl sighs, “you’re just to weird for normal people.” The stable boy nods in agreement, brother squid hasn’t got any idea of what he could have said that was ‘weird’. What ever that means. “Anyways we need to get the saddle bags from the horse and head to our rooms brother.”

“Alright,” brother squid nods absently, “then I am ready for this bath you have talked about Emily.” He shushes the horse of it’s nerves. It will be fine in here for the night. “It is much to dry, how do you humans live.” The stable boy gives him odd looks and shows the horse where the feed is. The horse is very concerned for the horse population here. It thinks this ‘feed’ is tasteless. But brother squid thinks it will have to do, better than nothing.

“This is why I don’t take him anywhere.” Emily whispers to the stable boy who cracks a smile. “Anyways brother lets go back to the inn.” She carries one of the saddle bags to him. It’s the one with his water, he happily holds onto it protectively. These humans make such interesting things, brother squid is very impressed. It always happens when Adam makes something but to see other things they make is different. Adam makes things that is one with nature because he is part of it. These humans try to fight nature. It doesn’t make much sense to fight something that is part of something that brings life to everything. But humans have been different from Adam since he was born. He is part of his tree. He will be part of her forever. He will not age physically anymore. His timer has stopped, much like brother squid. The sister trees continue to grow with the passage of time. They just will never rot. It is because of the way plants and animals are different.

He is brought out of his musing when Emily shuts the door to their room. It has two beds and another little room attached to it. Brother squid hasn’t quite figured out what this little room is for. “That is where you can soak.” Emily points to rectangular thing that has an indent in it. “You turn this lever for hot and this one for cold.” She pulls and pushes to show me how they work. “And then you plug the tub when you twist this.” She twist it and it stops some of the water from going down the hole. “And when you are done you unplug it by twisting it back.” The water goes down the whole.

“Fascinating but I cannot let my water waste by letting it go down the hole.” I grab the saddle bag and twist the thing so the water wouldn’t go down the hole. And pour out the salt water into the tub.

“It smells different from regular water.” She makes a face, “why?”

“Because it is different. This water has salt in it. I have to soak regularly in it to keep hydrated. It’s why I did not drink from your water. I’m like a frog that way. I’d dry out without continuously soaking.”

“Oh, ok,” she nods, “but what’s a frog?”

“Ah you probably don’t have those because everywhere is so dry. Frogs and toads are amphibians. They are small little animals that croak and stay by water ways. They have big legs and hop around like a rabbit.”

“Oh! I think I’ve seen some at the capital. Are they green and stick to walls and stuff?”

“Some are and generally they climb trees. But yes I think you know what I’m taking about. I will soak all night, do what you must for the rest of the day and make sure to get rest before we leave tomorrow.” He smile at her before transforming back to his original form. Brother squid sinks into the tub gratefully. The water heals the damage done by the suns harmful rays. And the squid basks in the cool water happily grateful for the reprieve. He worries about Adam and his sister trees. Though he can only worry so much with out doing anything and the cries of the other stones can only be ignored for so long. He knows that when he gets Adam he will also get the stones from that hateful man. They will be free and that man will be no more.