Apocalypsis 01 - Kahayatle

you can.”
    He didn’t say anything in response, but I knew it was helping our cause that free krav maga lessons had just been thrown into the pot.  
    We reached the canoe and Bodo helped both Peter and me climb into it.   I was really glad I wasn’t being called on to paddle because my arms felt like they were made of rubber - the super flimsy kind.
    “I guess we’ll see you tomorrow, Nokosi,” said Jeremy.  
    Now he was going to use the nickname too,   I guess.   I lifted my hand in a weak wave.   “See ya.”
    “Wouldn’t wanna be ya,” said Peter, in a voice so quiet only those in the canoe could hear him.
    We all giggled as we pulled away, letting the current and a lazy paddle dipping in the water spin our boat around and point us back home.
    ***
    I nearly cried when I got back to our hut and found three small mattresses lying on the floor and Buster’s fuzzy butt parked right in the center of the middle one.   He came running over with a bark to greet me, making me feel like a million bucks.   I bent over to give him the attention he craved and to accept his five hundred licks of welcome.
    “Holy mackerel, mother of little baby fishes, is that a bed?” whispered Peter.   His hands came together up at his chest, making a bunch of rapid little claps, his face glowing with deranged delight, which only served to get Buster even more excited.   He left me to go lick-attack Peter’s ankles.
    I put my hand on Peter’s painted shoulder, patting him with my fingers.   “Ease up there, Mary.”
    He swatted me away and clapped some more.   “Shut up.   You’re spoiling my prayers.”
    “Who are you praying to?   Holy mackerel?”
    “No, to the swamp gods.”
    “Swamp gods.”
    “Yes.   Shush.”   He closed his eyes and moved his lips in silent prayer.
    I rolled my eyes.   “I think you’re more apt to find a swamp monster out here than a god, but whatever floats your boat.”   I dragged my tired butt over to the mattress, the middle one of the three, and sat down with my legs crossed, making room in my lap for Mr. Wiggly Fuzzy Buns himself; I giggled with sleepy-silliness, thinking about how my dad used to call this sitting ‘indian-style’.
    “Someone left some food here for us,” said Bodo, his mouth already full.   “I think it’s deer meat.   Delicious.”
    I held up my hand above my head and behind my back.   “Hand me some.   I’m too tired to move.”
    Peter came over shortly with a wooden platter, covered in meat and some grilled vegetables I didn’t recognize.   I didn’t care what they were - I inhaled them all, and then licked the plate clean, only giving Buster a few little pieces.   I was quite certain he’d already been fed if his round belly were any indication.   My stomach groaned loudly with the sudden influx of food - more than it’d had in there in a long time.   I chugged the fresh water from the bottle Bodo gave me when he came to sit down on the mattress to my left.   When I was finished, I put both the empty bottle and the platter on the ground near the head of my mattress and laid down on my back.   Buster settled between my legs and rested his head on my thigh.
    “So, you are da queen of da swamp.   How does dat make you feel?”
    I sighed.   “It makes me feel loaded down with responsibility.”
    Bodo laid back and turned his head to look at me, folding his arms behind his head.   “Don’t worry.   You haff me and Peter to help you.”
    “That’s good to know … no great to know,” I said, as I lost the battle to stay awake and drifted off to sleep.
    ***
    We slept through the night and into half of the next day.   Nobody bothered to wake us up, but when I stood up to go pee, I found another pile of food on the shelves that looked as if it had recently been brought in.   I walked over and tore off a hunk of heavy bread filled with whole grains, seeds and nuts.   I sniffed it first, finding it smelled just like the yeasty breads I was used to from back in the old days, when my dad would shop at the local organic market.
    I took a bite and breathed out a sigh of pleasure.   Damn, that tastes good.
    I popped the rest of it in my mouth and moved off to find some privacy.   Buster followed along beside me, sniffing as he went.
    By the time we got back, the guys were sitting up and we had company - Kowi and Coli, standing just outside the hut.
    “Hey,” he said, his eyes going to the cut on my cheek.
    “Hey.