We are now outside the shelter. I close my eyes and shelter them from the sunshine under my hand. I close and open my eyes several times but it seems that the earth also has its own light. My eyes aches much. I have to hold my hand in front my eyes completely. Then I open my fingers slowly. Like the sludge which settles in water after a while being stagnate, my eyes also adapt to sunshine by the techniques I’ve done. Vorarine has closed his eyes too. Fortunately there are still three or four hours left to sunset. Vorarin when sees my contemplation and inattention, comes to me after a slight hesitation and he says:
So?
Now that my eyes adapted to sunshine, I lower my hand and turn my face toward him. Then, I ask in wonder:
So what? What should we do?
All of a sudden the door opens and we force to go aside. Three people come out of the shelter. They pass by us inattentively and this gives us the pretext for move. We take steps just behind them at a short distance. Something strange is teasing me. I can’t understand it. Maybe because I am stepping in a way in which I don’t know what will happen for me. I don’t know whether I can find Mansidan or not.
Time passes in silence for a while until I see those three people like the shadows of the trees in the sunset. I look behind. I see two people who newly have come out of the shelter. We are just between the people but the speed of the people behind us shows that they will outpace us. As I go on my way slowly, Vorarin says hesitantly:
We should be careful about what we say since now.
I ask him:
Do you know anything about the saviors group?
Not much. They’ve different missions.
Why do you want to enter the group?
For the personal reasons. I want to do something useful.
Can you talk clearer?
He looks around:
Be quiet for the time being, some people approaching us.
I hear footsteps of two people who approaches us momentarily. I take the white stick off my knapsacks. Then open it until it turns to a stick. After that, I open the umbrella which is attached to the lower end of the stick and I hold it over our heads. Finally those two people reach us and they admire me for the umbrella, while passing by us in wonder. One of them says:
Look, do you have any stick like this to give us?
They pour some water on the cloth which they have hold over their heads, and then they go away from us.
Well, where should we go?
I need the map.
So I pull the map out of my bag. The irregular and curved lines shows that the map has been drawn by hand. The “Ray”, “Horizon”, and “Hope” shelters are in a line and toward the north, but the “Life” shelter is in the south. Some stopover and new shelters are also shown on the map which one of them is the “Storm” shelter. Vorarin comes closer to me and says:
Well…exactly here. We should get at there.
Then he shows a circle on the map which called “Ralin town”.
The scaling of the map is not correct but beside a line which is drawn as the road, is written 8 km.
We can reach there within two hours. This way, we wouldn’t meet darkness.
We go on our way when those two men have gone far away from us. Now no ears can hear our words. I look behind to be sure of there too. Many people, who are more than ten, have left the shelter. Two of them, ahead of the others, are almost behind us. When I see them, I decide to forgo my question. Vorarin also keeps quiet. We go on our way with the same speed until they pass by us.
Gradually, my brow drip sweat. Compare to night which is too cold, day is too hot. A light breeze begins to blow and burns us like a furnace. The umbrella which I have invented, has no effect on heat and just protects us from the light.it is like a sultry weather near the beach, with the difference that here the humidity of the weather is replaced with a dry and torrid air. Silence makes me look at the nature.
My feet sink in the sand. Here, the ground is still sandy. The ground is covered by the sand, as far as the eye can see, nevertheless normal soil can be seen in some parts. Only a few hills have choked the sandy soil from flowing as water.
In some parts, sands have accumulated and have made different hills. Fortunately, neither of them is on our way, but they may relocate by night. If we look from above, we would see ourselves and the “Down” shelter like a black spot in the middle of an infinite white board. This is such a dull and tedious way we should undergo again. Nothing new attracts my eyes but the sand and the yellow color which offends the eye. Vorarin approaches me and says:
It seems the reds have no difficulty with the nomads. I didn’t see anybody of our people has left the shelter.
Because the nomad has been a legend for them and a reality for us.
Maybe we better waited too.
Thanks God at least we’re not alone.
My feet sink in the sands as in a marsh. It takes no time that my shoes are filled with sand and offend my feet like the prickles. I have to empty my shoes once in a while, otherwise the sores on my feet may bleed again and hot sands may cause blister on my feet.
Vorarin stops with my groan and looks at me perplexedly. I spread a pad on the sands before I sit on the ground. I am sure that at this time of day, sands are hot as glowing coals. I bend my legs toward my breast and remove my shoes. Vorarin also checks his condition and sits by me. He sinks the umbrella into the sands so that it protect us from the sunshine. Then he becomes busy with his feet. I empty sands out of my shoes, meanwhile the shadows of two people fall on us. I push the umbrella aside to see their faces.
An old man is standing by a young man about thirty, but the direction of the sunshine hides their faces from us. When they see we narrowed our eyes and we try to identify them, they replace the umbrella in its place. I guessed right about them. The old man, who is smaller and unkempt, is the young man’s father. Vorarin begins to speak sooner than me. He asks:
Can we be of any help to you?
The old man shakes his head in sign of positive answer. His son says:
Indeed, we are illiterate. We wanted to ask the waiters for help but they were busy.
Then he takes a set out of his knapsack which is like a cell phone and then he gives it to me:
I want you to specify the way on this set.
At first sight, I find out it is a router or GPS set. Its keys are faded and frazzled. In some parts of the set fractions and fractures can be seen. It is the same router I already used it. I can use it blindfolded. I push the power key and ask them:
Which route I should specify for you? Where are you going?
The old man opens his mouth to answer but he stops talking by his son’s look. Then his son instead of his father immediately says:
You specify a route in which we reach the “Hope” shelter easily.
I look at the old man to know his opinion. He is thinking and it seems something has hesitated him. Their behaviors show that they don’t trust us. Also, it seems this is the first time they use this router. I explain the route for them, before that I specify it:
On the map, it takes two weeks to “Ray” shelter. You’ll have to enter other shelters too. You should pass the “Storm” shelter. This way, you can supply your foodstuffs again. After that you got the “Ray” shelter, you should go on and reach the “Horizon” and then “Hope” shelters. In this route some stopover shelters are being built which make the route easier and shorter. The “Light” shelter is between the “horizon” and the “Hope” shelters. This is the nearest route.
The old man looks at his young son. It is completely obvious that something annoys him, but the young man’s look makes him to be silent.
Yea, this route is good. My father agrees too. Don’t you?
The tensome group which is divided into the two or threesome groups, pass by us slowly. Some of them have a glance at us. The old man and his son, both become quiet. I look at the route guide until they pass by us. The date of the map relates to sixty years ago. All of
the cities and the names of all streets can be seen on it. I look for the “Dawn” shelter on the map, but these locations all have changed since then.
All of a sudden, seeing the Ralin town on the map, reminds me Karisan’s map. At a distance of eight kilometers from Ralin town, I will reach the “Dawn” shelter. My eyes lock on display screen perplexedly. I can’t believe, but as I see here, where I am now, used to be a town! I do calculation again, but I’m not wrong. That’s it; here used to be a town but now there is no sign of it. I look around to be assured that there is no town anymore. I can’t see anything but sand. It seems just this shelter has remained of the town. The thick iron beams which are on the top of the building prove this.
While I am thinking, the voice of the old man who is whispering with his son makes me notice their agitated faces. Their whisper gradually becomes louder insomuch I can hear their words.
You shouldn’t tell. If you want to talk about there with everyone who we see…
Think a little, you silly boy. We should be assured. If they …
No father, we find it alone.
His father frowns and says:
Shut up! I don’t want to die in the desert.
The son just lower his head and groan in whisper when he finds himself doomed to failure.
I try to defuse the situation with my question:
What happened? Should I mark the route for you or not?
The old man banishes his frown and while is looking at his son, says with a slight hesitation:
I’ve a question. How I tell it…do you know anything about the “new world” town?
I shake my head and say:
Not much. Just this much I know that such a town is being built.
Vorarin wipes the sweat off his face and fans himself by waving his shirt. He says:
Why do you want to know about there?
The old man pays no attention, just a flash appears on his eyes and then his dry lips gently ripple.
So it’s true. Can you tell me a little more about it?
I open my mouth to answer him but Vorarin anticipates me and asks suspected:
What do you mean saying these words?
Now I know what’s what. When the old man see himself suspected, he says:
Well… I just wanted to…since I knew that you are Karisan’s colleagues so I asked that question.
His son, like an extinct volcano which roars just in itself, looks at his father with no word. In my opinion they are same as other people and I can’t call them spy. Hearing my opinion, Vorarin’s hesitation is reduced and he says:
What do you know about it?
The old man dishevels his long hair on his face so that protect it from the sun stings, then he says:
I want to know the exact location of this town.
Vorarin looks at the old man’s eyes anxiously:
Maybe you want to go there? As a matter of fact, how do you know about it?
No matter how we knew it, but you just mark its location on the map for us.
Essentially, what do you know about it?
He shakes his head and says:
Its name proves everything. We wouldn’t have these miseries there. We have lived a painful and repetitious life. So we want to live there like the human beings not as a…
His son finally cut his father’s words and says:
What’s the problem about that, what happens if we live there?
Vorarin sneers at them and says:
Nothing will happen but when you reach there, there would be no place for you. Further, this is just an experience, if it works, but nothing is certain.
Vorarin words’ affects the old man late, so he remains unchanged. Then vorarin points at the son and says:
You mean that in these buildings each with fifty floors there is no room for us?
Sun movement makes Vorarin to set the position of the umbrella again:
Not the fifty-story buildings; they are just seven-story buildings, and furthermore, they have a capacity of less than five thousand people. All of the “Hope” inhabitants know this and have occupied all the places.
In the same time, the son stops searching in his knapsack, pull out a picture and says:
Isn’t it?
The picture shows a city which its streets are full of cars and its towers and skyscrapers reach the sky. The people are living their lives; the life which has destroyed many years ago and now the way of life has changed entirely.
If you assume this not ten percent, but one hundred percent retarded in comparison with the “New World “, then you can say yes, it is the same town. I say it again, this is an experimental plan.
Their countenances show as if they don’t agree with Vorarin. The son pays no heed to us and tries to intimate his father something. The old man, who seems doesn’t like to hide this from us, tries to calm his son by shaking his hand. Then he turns to me and says:
If you want to help us, just mark its location on the map.
Vorarin shrugs inattentively and says:
Seven kilometers over the “Hope” shelter.
I look at the map and find the “Panisora” mountain. Then I mark the place at a distance of seven kilometers from it. Vorarin gives back the picture to old man. The son takes the route guide from me and after a simple appreciation, they depart for their dreamland. Vorarin watches their going. I look at the people who are leaving the shelter continuously.
It was agreed that it remains hushed up until it comes to good result, and being tested on few people.
I reply him:
This isn’t a case they could hide it.
He makes a sound without he opens his mouth in confirmation. Then he says:
God only knows what problems would happen with this people.
Surely they have thought about all aspects of this case. What do you know about there?
It is the first town which has been built after the world destruction. With this town, we can come out of the shelters; the narrow and dark shelters. The Fear of death finishes. You can walk there carefree without you have to walk with death. You don’t need to wear glassy clothes. You can order food and buy clothes with money.
Money?
This is why it’s called new world. There are clothing store, grocery and also restaurant. Some other shops are being opened which belongs to the rich people. They do this just for fun, because nobody has redundant money. They have money just insomuch they can buy “Railar” clothes and feed themselves. For the time being, just one of those people could buy a shirt since the clothing store opened.
Railar clothes? How they earn money? Who pays money? Should you pay for clothes and food?
People who live in “New World” town must pay for themselves. Neither Railar clothes nor Railar food accrue to them and nor any share of Railar will be given to them. Railar is the headquarters or, in common language, government of the “Hope” shelter. Railar is responsible for supplying foodstuffs for the people, I mean they resolve people’s needs for free, as you did in the ”Hope” and “Life” shelters. The foodstuffs which you were receiving, were from the Railar. This town is also built by Railar to allow us come out of this dark and worthless life, and we’ll be able to back to our previous lifestyle. It’s enough living as animals. We should back to thirty years ago when everything was good.
Passing some people by us cuts our talks. A woman has fallen on a man and begs water from him continuously while groaning. The man pays no attention but finally he is forced to leave her on the ground. The man curses almost loudly, then bends over his knapsack.
The rest of the group don’t stop for them and go on their way. The woman, unlike the man, has a nice face but the dirt on her face hides this beauty. She has a slender body and is of medium height. The man is similar to her in body and height but his muscles show him as a man. No delicacy can be seen in his body. His face is covered by beard and is fretted. The man leaves his knapsack and brings a water flask to the woman’s mouth:
Come on, open your mouth, hurry up you goddamn, they went away. Till when I should suffer for your sake? Hurry up! Or I may regret.
The woman implores him on the hot sands like a fish in frying pan. She has put both hands on her stomach like a fetus and agonizes. But the man pays no attention to her and he rises while cursing:
You don’t deserve any favor. Come along! Get up, I fell behind. Bitch! Don’t you want I leave you here, do you?
He drinks his glass of water and then puts his knapsack on his shoulder while he cleans his mouth with his sleeve. He goes toward the woman, takes her hand to lift her up, but suddenly a voice says by my side:
Leave her alone!
The man leaves her and looks toward the voice. When I look at my side I see Vorarin whose eyes are filled with anxiety and pity. He takes his pad off the ground and goes toward the woman. Then he spreads out the pad on the sands, lifts her up slowly and makes her lie down on the pad.
Zairas, take and bring me my knapsack and the umbrella. Hurry up!
The people who pass by, just look at us, and with their looks they interfere in our work; in the meantime a man who is standing at a distance of a few meters from us, looks at us once in a while. His eyes are full of anxiety, and he plays with his fingers. Sometimes he looks toward the shelter, and sometimes he looks at the woman who groans. He seems is waiting for someone or maybe his aim is something else.
When the woman’s groan turns to a bitter cry, he becomes more agitated as if he is to hang up. He looks around and strokes his face continuously.
I go toward Vorarin’s knapsack and pull the umbrella out of the ground and then I go toward the woman. I put the knapsack near Vorarin and dip the umbrella into the sands so that its shadow falls on the woman. Her man says derisively and cruelly:
It seems some people are here who feel pity for you. I wouldn’t leave you alone so easily. Don’t think you can cheat me acting like this.
Then he laughs again. I wait for Vorarin’s command:
What should I do?
She suffers from kardik. We should give her medicine before she becomes worse.
We have to take her to the shelter. They have medicine.
No they haven’t medicine anymore.
I say to that man loudly:
Hey you, do you have any drug for her malady?
He shrugs like the fools and while a quick flash lights up his eyes, he says:
No, but even I had it, I wouldn’t waste it for this bitch.
Vorarin dips his hand into his knapsack immediately but with a slight hesitation. Then he takes out a small box of pills. Now I realize his hesitation; all eyes focus on the small box and stop going. The number of the people isn’t so many but it may be troublesome. Their looks at the pills are as toothily as of the hungry wolves.
The people are leaving the shelter one by one or in small groups but here more than five people are standing. The man when sees the pack of the pills, as if he is hypnotized, jumps and all the people take a step forward with him.
I anticipated this through vorarin’s hesitation. For this, I gather all of my hate in my fist and pound that man’s face so that blood drops scatter out of his mouth and I see their glitter in the sunshine for a second. Seeing this, people take one step back and some proceed on their way. All the people look at me frightened and they seem review this scene in their minds. The man falls on the ground on his breast at a distance of a few meters away. He gets up hardly on all fours and stares at the blood flowing out of his mouth. Then he wipes his mouth off with his sleeve and stands on his feet hardly.
During this time, Vorarin puts a pill into the woman’s mouth and helps her to gulp the pill with water. The dried tear drops have washed away the dirt on her face and have left some clean routes, as flowing water makes stream. But this is not her first cry; the tracks of her cries in the past also can be seen on her face.
When the man rises, the woman stops moaning, but she squeezes her stomach with her fingers. When I look at her carefully, I find more beauty on her face. The long eyebrows, a rather tiny and proportionate nose to her face and finally the big red eyes which make her face attractive more than the other parts, even than her lips.
She seems to be less than twenty five or six. Her face looks tired. The man, with his red eyes, roars like a dragon but it seems he is doubtful about his decision. He rubs her face and stares at me:
Alright, I’ll settle with you. It isn’t time to do it but we’ll meet again. I donate this corpus to you.
Then he turns back and follow his group. Midway in his way, he says some curses and threatens continuously. The people also go on their way with the end of the event. I steel can see the hesitation and the regret about the pack of the pills on their faces but my fist affected them so that they would rather to go than taste it.
Chapter 11
The bloody sands