Know The Earth, Know Thyself - Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Ingrid, with more confidence this time, took Camellia’s outstretched free hand and followed her down the leg of the bug, towards the door that led to the rest of the body.

“I told the others to expect you. They’ll leave you in peace.”

“Yeah, I was wondering about that last time, when you said ‘us’. Who is ‘us’, exactly?”

Camellia closed her hand around the doorknob where the leg met the body, smiled mischievously...

“Oh, you’ll see.”

And pushed open the door.

Before, when Ingrid first met this woman, in this house, Ingrid was sure she had seen everything.

It was now clear to her that she had not.

There were hundreds of people milling about in the foyer, coming in and out of the doors surrounding the circle with a carved tree, eating various fruits, or just talking to each other, and they were as varied as the jungle outside:

Beings of all shapes and sizes and colors of the rainbow, some less than half her height, others twice that and beyond; pointed ears and extra eyes and gnarled horns and long canines, some approaching sabretooth size.

The sight of this massive array of life was overloading Ingrid’s brain, and she couldn’t help but stare in wild wonder.

“I know, right?” Camellia said, observing Ingrid’s amazement.

They continued on from the door and began walking amongst the mostly crew, the older woman clearly looking for someone in particular.

“There she is!” Camellia exclaimed, pointing a a stocky person with long, fiery red hair who was at least half the height of either of them. “Yo, Ez!”

This “Ez” turned around in the direction of Camellia’s voice, revealing several braids and a beard that reached their waist, partially covering the robe that matched the one Camellia wore.

“Cam! I’ve not seen ye all day!” They exclaimed, in a voice that was higher in pitch and crisper than Ingrid expected. “Who’s yer friend?”

“This is Ingrid. She stumbled on our little hideaway after she met a bear, and I thought I’d invite her back.”

Camellia gestured towards her friend. “Ingrid, this is Esmeralda. She was one of the first to come through and we pretty much built this place from the ground up.

Come through?? What?? How???? I have so many questions!?

Such were Ingrid’s thoughts, but all she could muster was a weak “Er...uh...I...hello.”

The two older women looked at her sympathetically. “I think ye’ve fried the poor girl’s brain, Cam.”

“Maybe,” Camellia replied, smiling sheepishly. She tugged gently at Ingrid's hand. “C’mon, love. I know a place we can talk in private.”