Botanicaust

with them. “ You are a great healer. Thank you. ”
    Osula nodded acceptance, then again glanced at Brin before directing herself at Tula. “ You come with us. Get yourself marked. So you be safe. Maybe teach Heide the spirit healing? ”
    Every muscle in Tula ’ s body seized. Tears came to her eyes. Even after their horrible stories about the Protectorate, they wanted to take her in. “ I can ’ t teach spirit healing. It ’ s something my people are born with. ”
    “ You all got the spirit healing? ” Brin raised his brows.
    Tula nodded. “ Because of our skin. The sun makes medicine in our blood. ”
    Osula sighed deeply. “ The kisses. You give medicine in kisses. ”
    “ All your babies born with the gift? ” Brin asked, his arms around Heide.
    A strange longing rose in Tula, a desire to feel a little body hugged against her. She ’ d never considered a child of her own. Children in the Protectorate were community property. Pregnancy and birth, regulated by Medical Operations, required genetic testing and modification prior to implantation in order to guarantee a viable embryo. The mother endured gestation completely under glass to prevent chemically addicted — or worse — babies. Once born, children were raised in the Gardens. Until now, her patients had always been enough to satisfy her nurturing.
    She shook the feeling off. “ The green skin is poisonous to babies. ”
    “ Genie modifation. ” Osula said, so pleased with herself, Tula didn ’ t have the heart to correct her pronunciation. “ You get more than power to make food. You get power to make medicine. ”
    “ I suppose you could look at it that way. But the … medicine — too much is poison. Too much sun makes poison for adults. Our city has houses to protect us and our children from the sun. ”
    “ You walk in the sun. ” Brin said, cocking one eyebrow.
    Tula nodded, all too aware of her mortality. She ’ d been full of chemicals for so long now, she barely felt the effects. Burn Operatives had genetic treatments several times a year to heal their organs. Tula didn ’ t have that option. Her liver and kidneys would eventually fail processing all the toxins. She wondered how long she could stay alive outside. “ I will die soon. ”
    Brin ’ s scrutiny slid to Levi where he slept, and Osula put a hand over Tula ’ s. Her eyes shone in the light of the fire. “ For him. ”
    “ This is a story worth telling. ” Brin said, his eyes glistening.

    Levi flexed his burned shoulder as he watched Tula hand the baby to the cannibal woman and say a few, tearful words. Then the family disappeared from the hollow, the scarred man looking back once and raising his spear in goodbye. Tula watched them go in silence, and then began to pack their things, lost in her own thoughts.
    Awkward with his damaged arm, Levi attempted to help, but Tula shouldered the entire load. “ Which way? ” she asked.
    He pointed north.
    Over the next few days, the land rose slowly, until they crested a hill and a vast body of water opened up before them. No opposite bank in sight, the lake lay placid as far as they eye could see.
    “ Reservoir. ” Levi gasped.
    “ Reservoir? ” Tula repeated, shading her eyes from the sun glaring off the water.
    This had to be the reservoir the salt trader described, only four or five days southeast of the Fosselites. In spite of his aching tiredness, he swept Tula into a one-armed jig. “ A landmark. I know where we are. ”
    Glad to hear her laugh, he led the way west along the bank, his steps full of purpose. Toward the end of the day, the reservoir narrowed to river size. Ahead, they spotted the cage of a pre-Botanicaust bridge stretching over the water. Rusted out hunks of cars and crumbled pavement spread from shore to shore.
    Tula sucked in a loud breath. “ This is from before? From Botanicaust? ”
    He nodded and smiled, remembering his own awe at his first ancient ruins. Then he drew his face into serious lines. “ We need to watch for cannibals. This is a likely crossing, so bands may wait in ambush. ”
    Tula paused, looking up and down the river. “ Levi, you heal. Next teach me swim? ”
    His chest clogged. He hoped to reach the Fosselites within days, where he prayed to find a home for Tula. People she would be comfortable with, who would accept her without moral judgment. There would be no time to teach her to swim.
    But he couldn ’ t tell her no. “ It would be an honor, Tula. ”
    She