Apocalypsis 01 - Kahayatle

when it seemed so right.   I’d actually been prepared for something more primitive when we’d set out to live in the swamp.  
    I stepped up into the closest chickee hut and felt like I’d practically just been offered a canner-free, four-star hotel room.   I followed Bodo into the second one and Peter came in behind me.   These huts were partially over root systems and partially over water, lifted up above all of it by several feet, on thick poles that almost looked like the ones used for holding telephone wires up in towns.   We all stood in the center together, looking around and then back out at the group of fierce-looking indians on the bank.  
    “So, what do you think?” I asked quietly, trying to have a private meeting with my mini-tribe.
    “I think we got very lucky,” said Peter softly.
    “I like it,” said Bodo.   “But I’m a little bit worried dat dey just accepted us so easily.   Dare’s something going on with dem.”
    “You know, me too; something bugs me about this whole thing a little.   But I don’t see as how we have any other options right now.   Do you really think they’d let us say no thanks and row right out of here?”
    “Probably not,” said Peter, looking scared now.   “So are we staying or testing that theory?”
    I looked at their two faces, not wanting to be the one to make the decision for all of us and take responsibility for their lives like that.   But they were waiting for me to do it, and I couldn’t imagine chickening out now.   My dad had raised me to fight when I was being attacked - to be strong when adversity came my way.   Now was not the time to go all wimpy on my friends.
    “Let’s stay, but keep our eyes and ears open.   Anytime one of us sees anything at all that looks wrong, we talk about it, no matter what.   Deal?”
    They both nodded.  
    Buster came over and licked my exposed ankle, looking up at me with his happy doggy eyes.   One bark was all it took for me to know that he was on board with our plan too.

CHAPTER NINE

    TWELVE SETS OF HANDS ADDED to our three made quick work of our boat unloading chore.   Within thirty minutes we had everything inside the chickee hut nearest the landing place of our boats.  
    “You keep the grenades for now,” said Kowi.   “We will come for our share when we have something to keep them in.”
    “Where can we put our boats?” asked Bodo.   “We don’t want to lose dem.”
    “We’ll secure them where they are for now.   Once you’re ready, we’ll show you a good place to keep them out of sight and where you can come and go - it’s not the same way you came in.”
    “Thanks, Kowi,” I said.   “We really appreciate you doing this for us and not shooting us full of arrows.”
    He smiled.   “I’m glad we sent Yokci in to greet you first.”
    “Why?   Because he sucks at fighting?”
    “Let’s just say, he’s a little slower to anger than some of the others.”
    “Or you can chust say he’s slower and dat’s all,” said Bodo.  
    I tried not to laugh at his stark honesty, but I probably shouldn’t have bothered since Kowi chuckled.  
    “I like you … Bodo is it?   You’re from Germany, right?”
    “Yes.   How didt you know?”
    “Just a lucky guess,” he said, winking at me.
    One of the girls from his tribe came up and stood next to him.   She stopped close enough to him and stared me down hard enough that I got the picture immediately.   I half-expected her to pee on the guy’s leg, she was being so obviously territorial.   “Everything is done,” she said.
    Kowi glanced at her and said, “This is my girlfriend, Coli.”
    “Hi,” I said, warily.   I didn’t have a lot of patience for jealous girlfriends, especially when there was no need for it.
    “Hi,” she said, putting her hand on Kowi’s arm.
    I rolled my eyes, turning away so she wouldn’t see it.   “Okay, then.   So, when do you want to start training?” I asked, going over to stand at the entrance to the hut with Bodo and Peter, who were going through our things.   Peter had already started organizing the food on a small set of shelves that were built in to the far side of the hut.
    “Tomorrow.   And if you want, you can come have dinner with us tonight.”
    “She needs to take a shower, first,” said Coli.
    I took a deep breath so I wouldn’t be tempted to walk over there and slap her across the face.   Her tone couldn’t have been more rude.  
    Peter was giggling