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Wrath's Return
A Mummy story
By Deana Lisi
What might’ve happened if Ardeth hadn’t
killed Lock-nah in ‘The Mummy Returns’.
Chapter 7
“You’re WHAT?”
“I’m going with them, Evy.”
She sighed. “I know I can’t stop you,” she whispered, as if her voice would disturb the still unconscious Ardeth. “When you find him, give him a few punches for me, huh?”
Rick nodded. “I will. Don’t worry, Evy, he is only one man, and there will be—” he frowned, not sure of the exact number. “—A bunch of us.”
Evy smiled, nodding.
As Rick turned, to go, he stopped and said, “If—I mean when he wakes up...”
Evy smiled again. “I know.”
Rick quickly went over to her and gave her a kiss.
As their lips parted, he rested his forehead against hers, reluctant to let go.
Evy caressed his face. “Go on. The sooner you leave the sooner you’ll be back.”
Rick nodded and stood. He took one last look at her and left the tent.
Evy crawled over to the tent opening, and lifted the flap to see her husband mount a horse while a dozen Med-jai waited. She watched as they galloped off towards the hot desert sun.
******************
“Do we even know where we’re going?” Rick asked Safti.
“In a way,” Safti said. “We sent out the falcons once more, and Lock-nah has not been spotted again.”
“So you think he’s still at the tomb then?”
“It is possible.”
Rick nodded. “Makes sense. He thinks that we wouldn’t look there because we would believe he’d try to get as far away from there as he could.”
Safti nodded. “We will see.”
Rick hoped that Lock-nah was in fact there, so they could get this over with, and then he could return to his wife and friend. Please, Ardeth, he thought, don’t die on me.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 8
It was night when Ardeth finally awoke. His fever had finally come down, some, and the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was a tearful but smiling Evy.
He tried to smile back without it turning into a wince.
“About time you woke up, sleepyhead,” Evy said to him.
He tried to talk; found it difficult. Suddenly he was being held up, and he felt cool water on his lips. He drank it gratefully, and managed to get out a word.
“Evy.”
She smiled at him. “How do you feel?”
He used a phrase he’d heard Rick say often. “Don’t ask.”
The unexpected answer made Evy laugh, despite the seriousness of Ardeth’s condition.
“Try not to move around, you have a lot of injuries,” she said, as if he didn’t know that.
He nodded slowly, as he counted each one in his mind.
“Rick?” he said, knowing he’d seen him, and wondering where he was now.
“He and Safti went after Lock-nah.”
Ardeth’s eyebrows shot up.
“He managed to get away somehow, when we rescued you.”
He was about to ask something else, but a wave of pain laced through his chest and shoulder, racing down his arm. It left him breathless for a minute.
Evy grabbed the hand on his good arm when she saw what was happening, and gave it a comforting squeeze. She practically yelled over her shoulder, “Hurry up!”
Ardeth looked beyond her to see that some of the Med-jai healers were mixing some concoction. I hope it’s a good painkiller.
They brought it over, and Evy grabbed it and fed it to him.
Ardeth hoped it would be worth the bad taste.
After a few minutes the worst of his pain began to subside, more then he expected, and he was able to breathe easier. He opened his eyes, not having realized that he’d closed them.
Evy broke into a grin when he looked at her.
“Thank God,” she said. “I think you’re gonna be fine, Ardeth.”
******************
Rick, Safti, and the rest of the Med-jai cautiously walked to the opening of the tomb. Safti motioned for some of his men to enter first.
Rick and Safti waited, and a minute later one of them came back out, saying something in Arabic. Rick figured he must’ve told Safti it was safe to enter, for Safti started walking into the tomb.
Rick followed him in, and was surprised to find that it hadn’t been looted. Everything looked to be in place. He and Safti exchanged glances, and continued walking. It got darker and darker inside as they lost the benefit of the sunlight. They took torches off the wall and lit them. As they continued on, Rick half-expected Lock-nah and any surviving men of his to jump out at them.
They searched the entire tomb, and found nothing.
“Maybe he didn’t hole up here after all,” Rick said.
Safti nodded. “I would agree, but for one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“Nothing appears to be missing. Why did he not take anything with him?”
Rick surveyed the room, with its fascinating painted walls and hieroglyphics, to the pottery and beautiful artifacts a person could get rich by selling.
“Good question,” Rick replied.
They searched the entire tomb again, still did not find their enemy.
“What do we do now?” Rick asked Safti.
Safti sighed. “Make camp. It is dark by now, tomorrow I shall decide what we must do.”
That must be Med-jai for ‘I dunno’, Rick thought.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 9
Ardeth was asleep and Evy was sitting up by his side, trying to stay awake. She was exhausted, but she wanted to be there if Ardeth needed her. She opened her eyes and looked at him. The concoction the healers had made had put Ardeth to sleep as well as easing his pain, and so far his fever hadn’t risen again. Evy truly believed that they had saved him just in time. She couldn’t imagine what she would’ve done if Ardeth had died. Don’t even think about it, she thought.
Suddenly she sat up straight, with a frown. What was that noise? Her worn out mind wasn’t sure if it was real or imagined.
She crawled closer to Ardeth, to check on him. He was sleeping peacefully, but Evy still didn’t like the sound of his breathing. She reached out to feel his forehead when the tent flap suddenly flew open. She turned, and gasped.
“Lock-nah!”
Lock-nah stood there, wearing the black robes of the Med-jai instead of the red ones that he usually wore. He gave her an evil grin, and started to raise his scimitar.
With rage building inside her, Evy suddenly lunged at him, grabbing his arm. Lock-nah was so caught by surprise that he lost his balance and fell back.
Evy started beating the crap out of him, calling him every name in the book as she did it.
After a minute Lock-nah got over his surprise and threw her off him. He grabbed his scimitar and stood, raising it over his head.
Evy jumped as a dagger suddenly lodged itself in Lock-nah’s shoulder. He screamed, and fell back.
Evy scurried over, and grabbed his scimitar, as Med-jai warriors came running in, having heard Lock-nah’s scream. She stood, holding it, and gave Lock-nah a vicious kick in the ribs.
“That’s for Ardeth,” she said. “Now you know what it feels like!”
Evy went back over to Ardeth as the Med-jai took Lock-nah out of the tent.
Ardeth was looking at her, with an amused expression on his face.
“Got anymore daggers up your sleeve?” she asked.
He smiled. “You are…amazing...” he said.
She smiled. “No I’m not.”
“Yes...amazing woman…” he spoke in broken sentences, still very weak. “You fought…Lock-nah.” He sounded nervous, as if he was afraid she could’ve gotten killed.
“I couldn’t let him kill you!” she said, “Rick would have my head!”
He smiled again, closed his eyes. Evy suddenly wondered where he’d gotten the strength to throw the dagger, it must’ve taken every ounce of energy he had!
“Thank you, Ardeth,” she said. “You saved my life.” Again.
“We’re even,” he whispered, and fell back to sleep.
******************
Rick was sitting in front of a fire across from Safti, neither of them able to sleep, wondering how Ardeth was.
They suddenly heard a squawk, and a falcon flew down to land on Safti’s arm. Surprised, he took out the message, and gasped.
“What?” Rick said, jumping to his feet.
Safti handed it to him, and started yelling to the other Med-jai in Arabic.
Rick's jaw dropped when he read the message.
Rick —come back, darling, I beat up Lock-nah for you! Evy. P.S. Ardeth is better.
“‘…beat up Lock-nah for you’?” he said, aloud. “Oh man, Evy!”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 10
They reached the Med-jai camp just after dawn. The warrior that Safti had left in charge met them a short distance away, and he and Safti conversed in Arabic.
I really gotta learn that language, Rick thought, slightly annoyed.
They rode in, and dismounted. Safti pointed to a tent. “Lock-nah is in there.”
Rick quickly strode to the tent, walking between the two Med-jai guarding it. He went in to see Lock-nah tied up on the ground, sitting up.
Lock-nah looked up at him, and even though he was barely conscious from a wound that Rick could see in his shoulder, he still saw a look of shocked recognition on his face.
Rick grabbed him by the front of his robe, hauled him to his feet, and punched him in the face as hard as he could.
Lock-nah fell to the ground in a dazed heap.
Rick stood there with his hands balled into fists, breathing heavily. Rage flowed through his veins, and he wanted to slug him again. He suddenly noticed the bruises on Lock-nah’s face. Did Evy do that? he thought, wondering if the stab wound had been her doing also. Concerned now, he quickly left the tent. Safti was outside it, about to come in. Neither of them spoke as they ran to Ardeth’s tent.
They went inside to find both Evy and Ardeth asleep, Evy sitting up against a trunk that she had dragged over, her fingers curled around Ardeth’s wrist as if she’d fallen asleep while checking his pulse.
Rick smiled at the sight. That’s my Evy. He studied her face, noting with relief the absence of injuries. He tiptoed over, and knelt next to her. He touched her cheek, and kissed her lightly.
Evy responded with, “Ummm…” and suddenly jumped, opening her eyes.
“Rick! You’re back!”
She threw her arms around him, and wouldn’t let go. She told him what had happened. “I gave him so many rights he probably wished for a left!”
Rick was in as much awe of his wife as Ardeth was.
“Amazing,” he said.
“That is…what I said,” they heard.
Ardeth’s eyes were open, and he was smiling at them.
“Ardeth!” said Rick, overcome with happiness. He put a hand on his good arm. “How you feeling, buddy?”
Ardeth started to sigh, but stopped in the middle of it when his chest protested. “I will be all right,” he said. He saw his second-in-command standing behind Rick.
“Safti.”
Safti came closer, with a smile on his face. It was the first time Rick and Evy had seen him look happy.
“I am pleased that you have returned to us, Ardeth,” he said, smiling more. “I hope I led well during your…absence.”
Ardeth nodded. “I am alive…and so are my friends,” he said, gesturing to Rick and Evy, whose arms were still around each other. “As are you.” He paused, took a couple more breaths. “Yes, Safti…you led well.”
Safti inclined his head in a gesture of gratitude. Ardeth held out his hand and Safti clasped it, their actions saying what words had not.
Evy smiled at Rick, realizing that the two Med-jai were close friends, probably having grown up together.
Someone suddenly called Safti from outside the tent. “I shall return,” he said, and left.
Evy hugged Rick tighter, relieved that it was over, and Ardeth was back with them in one piece.
Relatively speaking, that is.
“My friends,” Ardeth said. “I owe you many thanks.”
He held out his hand again, and this time Rick clasped it, and Evy put her hand over the both of theirs.
“Anytime, buddy,” Rick said. “We could never have saved Alex without you.”
Before the happy reunion could continue, Safti came back in.
“Lock-nah has tried to escape.”
They all looked at him, alarmed.
“Was anyone hurt?” Ardeth asked.
Safti shook his head. “No, but the people are growing impatient.”
Ardeth nodded, slowly. “It will be done. Today.”
Safti nodded and left the tent again.
“What will be done?” Rick asked, wondering what they were talking about.
“Lock-nah’s…execution.”
Evy frowned, puzzled at Ardeth’s tone of voice. He didn’t sound as glad of the idea as she thought he would. I wonder why?
Ardeth was aware of Evy’s scrutiny, but he was too worn out from all the talking and fell back to sleep.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 11
Ardeth slept much of the day, awaking late in the afternoon. Rick was there when he awoke; Ardeth could see that Evy was lying down, asleep.
“Hey,” said Rick. “How are you doing?”
“All right,” Ardeth lied, wishing for more of that bad-tasting painkiller.
Safti came in then, and saw that Ardeth was awake.
“Ardeth? When do you wish it done?”
Evy sat up; the voices having woke her.
Ardeth saw no point in further delaying the inevitable. “Now. Gather the people.”
Safti nodded and went to comply.
Ardeth looked to his friends. “I will need help.”
Rick frowned. “Help? You mean getting up? You can’t get up!”
“I must…I am their leader, I must be present…at the execution, at least.”
Rick frowned. “’At least’?”
Evy answered Rick, so that Ardeth wouldn’t waste any more strength.
“The Med-jai leader is usually the one to perform the execution, Rick.”
“Oh,” was all Rick said to that.
Ardeth held his good arm out towards Rick, who went to grab it to pull him up, but Evy blocked him.
“No, Rick! Not like that!”
“Huh?
“He has broken ribs, for goodness sake! You’ll do more damage to him that way. You’ll have to pick him up—”
“I will not be carried,” Ardeth interrupted.
“I know, Ardeth, we can’t give Lock-nah the satisfaction,” she said with a smile.
Ardeth was amazed that she’d read his mind.
“Rick, you’ll have to pick him up and set him on his feet.” She looked at Ardeth. “Though, if you can walk I’ll be surprised.”
So will I, Ardeth thought to himself.
Rick did as his wife had told him, and had to hold Ardeth’s good arm tightly as he had a hard time keeping his balance, on wobbly legs.
Evy reached out to him, but couldn’t figure out where she could touch him without hurting him.
It took Ardeth a few minutes to compose himself, physically. Standing had made his pain increase, and he couldn’t shake the dizziness in his brain. His ribs and arm hurt horribly, and all he wanted to do was lie down again.
“Can we make this quick?” he heard Rick say to someone, sounding concerned.
He opened his eyes, not remembering having closed them. Safti was there, looking worried, with the same predicament as Evy: where to touch him?
Safti nodded, in answer to Rick, and held the tent flap open as Rick helped Ardeth out.
The Med-jai people broke into smiles to see their leader. At the sight of his many injuries their hate for their enemy deepened.
Rick looked for somewhere to sit Ardeth down, but he said:
“I must...remain standing.”
Rick made a face at him as if to say, yeah right, as if you could. He could see Ardeth turning paler, and could hear the labored breathing that he tried to hide. Rick held onto him tighter, hoping they could hurry this up.
Safti came out of Lock-nah’s tent, pushing him out ahead of him.
Evy expected Lock-nah to try to get away, and she looked at the gun in Rick's holster to see that he was resting his hand on it.
Lock-nah stopped where Safti made him, and watched as Safti walked over to Ardeth. He took a step, to run, but was grabbed roughly by two other warriors.
Safti said to Ardeth, “The usual way?”
Ardeth slowly shook his head.
Safti looked surprised for a second, but nodded, and walked back towards their foe.
“Lock-nah!” Ardeth called out.
Lock-nah looked at him.
Ardeth hesitated, but then said something to him in Arabic.
Rick sighed, annoyed again that he couldn’t understand.
Lock-nah was silent for a second, before making a short reply.
Evy looked to Ardeth, in shock at what she’d heard.
Safti then raised his scimitar, and plunged it into Lock-nah’s midsection. Lock-nah made no sound, he simply fell to the hot sand and lay, unmoving. Safti knelt beside him and checked for a pulse. There was none.
Evy watched Ardeth instead of the execution. She saw that at the last second, he averted his eyes.
“Rick,” Ardeth said softly, his legs not able to hold him any longer. They brought him into the tent and laid him back down. The exhausted Med-jai Chief fell asleep instantly.
“What did they say to each other?” Rick whispered to his wife.
Evy sighed. “Ardeth said: ‘I wish it hadn’t come to this, my one-time friend.’”
Rick's eyebrows rose. “You’re kidding me! They were friends?”
Evy nodded, with a sigh. “I guess so, at some point.”
“What was Lock-nah’s reply?”
“He said: ‘I wish it hadn’t either.’”
Now Rick's jaw dropped. “A sudden change of heart? After all he’s done?!”
“I don’t know. Maybe it was sarcasm; he meant he wishes it hadn’t come to his death.”
That sounded more like Lock-nah. “I guess we’ll never really know,” said Rick.
Evy shook her head. “And neither will Ardeth.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 13
Late that night, Evy couldn’t sleep, not being able to stop thinking about what had been said between Ardeth and Lock-nah. She left Ardeth’s tent and found Safti sitting in front of a fire. She sat next to him and smiled.
“Looks like you got what you wanted,” she said to him.
He looked at her, puzzled.
“Remember what you said in the car the other day? About if Ardeth didn’t kill Lock-nah, you would.”
He nodded. “Ah, yes.”
She sighed. “Ardeth and Lock-nah were friends? When was that?”
This time Safti sighed. “The three of us grew up together. Ardeth was my best friend, and Lock-nah was...Lock-nah. He was always an unpleasant person. No one liked him, but Ardeth was too nice. He felt bad for him, and befriended him.”
“Really? How old were they?”
Safti thought back for a minute. “Ardeth and I were about 10, I think. I am one month older then he; Lock-nah is two years older. But Lock-nah was very immature. If anything, he seemed younger.”
Evy nodded, trying to imagine a 10-year-old Ardeth. The mental picture made her smile.
“Lock-nah was cruel, he pretended to be Ardeth’s friend because of who Ardeth was: the son of the Med-jai leader. He used their ‘friendship’, if you could call it that.”
“That’s sad.”
Safti nodded. “Yes. As they grew, Ardeth would hear stories of Lock-nah’s doings, and would be afraid to believe them, because of his feelings. He hoped that they weren’t true. As I said, Lock-nah was using him.”
Evy shook her head. “What did Ardeth do?”
“Lock-nah then challenged Ardeth to the fight, for the Med-jai leader’s title.” He sighed, remembering how shocked Ardeth had been at the challenge. “They both received minor wounds. Ardeth won the fight, but because of his feelings spared Lock-nah and exiled him.”
“Oh! I’d been wondering why he’d done that instead.”
Safti nodded. “He could not kill his ‘friend’.”
Evy sighed yet again, saddened by the story. “And now that Lock-nah is finally dead, I wonder how Ardeth feels about it.”
“We know how he feels. You understood his words to Lock-nah.”
Evy nodded.
“That is also why he had me kill him in the manner that I did. He could not bear to see him beheaded.”
Evy didn’t tell him that Ardeth hadn’t watched the deed. “At least Ardeth is safe now, though.” Until the next crisis, whatever it may be.
“Yes. Finally, our sadiq is safe.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 14
For the next few days, all Ardeth did was sleep. He hardly ate or talked, seeming depressed. They all knew why.
At the moment Rick was sitting next to his sleeping friend, waiting for him to wake up. He was worried about Ardeth’s depressed state, as was everyone, but Evy had said not to rush Ardeth into talking about it just yet. A lot had happened to him in the past week, and Evy knew that he had to get himself together before he could talk about it all.
But Rick was impatient, and couldn’t wait any longer. He had argued that Ardeth couldn’t get better physically if he wasn’t all right mentally and emotionally. Evy had been forced to agree with that.
Ardeth suddenly shifted his position slightly, and opened his eyes.
“Hey buddy,” Rick said. “How ya feelin’?”
“A little stronger,” Ardeth replied.
Rick's eyebrows rose. Ardeth’s answers lately had been ‘all right’ or something to that effect. This time he actually said a real sentence. That was a good sign.
“And how are you dealing with the ‘other’ pain?” he asked.
“What do you mean?”
Rick hesitated. “Everything that has happened.”
Ardeth lowered his eyes, not answering.
“Evy talked to Safti, he told us about…the past.”
Ardeth nodded. “None of this should have happened.”
Rick was quiet, hoping that Ardeth would continue.
He didn’t, however. “What bothers you, exactly?” Rick asked. “Talk to me, Ardeth, I’m your friend, I want to help you.”
Ardeth looked at Rick, grateful that he cared. He was surprised that it wasn’t Evy who’d got him to talk, as he’d expected. Rick obviously beat her to it.
“I think what bothers me the most is how a person could do those things to someone who’d been a friend to them.”
“So you feel betrayed,” Rick said.
Ardeth nodded.
“Ardeth, you know as well as anyone that there are people out there who live for their own gain,” Rick said, feeling like he was talking to Alex. “Lock-nah was one of them.”
Ardeth nodded again.
“He didn’t care who he hurt, or what he had to do to get what he wanted. He wanted to be the Med-jai leader. He would’ve done the same thing to anyone, it wasn’t against you personally, in a way,” he paused, not sure if he was getting across what he was trying to say.
“What I mean is, if someone else was the Med-jai leader, he would’ve done it to them.”
Ardeth nodded. “I understand.”
Rick saw that he did, but was obviously still upset at Lock-nah’s death.
“Ardeth, think of all the people you’ve saved, now.”
Ardeth looked at him. “Saved?”
Rick nodded. “Lock-nah was a treacherous man. Think of all the people who won’t be hurt or killed now because of his doings —including yourself.”
Ardeth nodded, and Rick could see that it made him feel better to know that he’d prevented potential deaths.
“Think of your tribe, Ardeth, and how many of your people you saved, too.”
Ardeth’s eyebrows rose, he apparently hadn’t thought of that, in his present state.
“You are right,” Ardeth said. “Lock-nah was a criminal —a murderer.” He remembered how the O’Connell’s had nearly gotten killed all too recently because of Lock-nah. They’d all nearly lost their lives—
—Evy had, but she’d gotten it back.
The thought made him close his eyes. “I am sorry, my sadiq, after what Lock-nah has done to your family, I am ashamed to have felt that way.”
Rick noticed he used the past tense.
“Don’t be, Ardeth. We’re all human, we all have feelings.”
Ardeth smiled. “Thank you, Rick, for being the friend that Lock-nah wasn’t.”
Rick smiled back.
Suddenly, they heard a sniffle.
Rick reached over to the tent flap and pulled it open to see Evy standing there wiping her eyes.
“Oh!” she said, startled.
Rick laughed. “Eavesdropping?”
She smiled and came in, tucking a handkerchief into her pocket. “That was so sweet,” she said, referring to what she’d heard. She then realized what Rick had said.
“No! I wasn’t eavesdropping…well, not intentionally. I was about to come in when I heard you talking, but I waited, so that you could have your talk alone, instead of having to stop because some lowly female barged in.”
“Shukran, Evy, that was very considerate of you,” Ardeth said.
She looked at him, surprised that he hadn’t countered the ‘lowly female’ bit, but then she saw that he was smiling, so she laughed.
“So do you feel better now, about everything?”
Ardeth nodded. “Yes. I am extremely grateful to you both, for all that you have done.”
“You’re extremely welcome!” she replied.
“Just try not to get into anymore trouble, huh?” Rick said. “Because we made need you to save our butts again someday.”
“Bite your tongue, Rick!” said Evy. “I pray to God that none of us ever needs saving again.”
“I second that,” said Rick.
“So do I,” said Ardeth. “But rest assured that should that time ever come, I will be there.”
Evy smiled. “Same goes for us.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 15
The day came that Rick and Evy were to go back to Cairo, after having stayed with the Med-jai for a month, while Ardeth recovered. He was up and around some, still sore and not back to full strength, but definitely improving.
Evy hugged him carefully, trying not to touch his mending ribs and arm.
“You make sure you take it easy, Ardeth,” she said.
Ardeth smiled. “Do not worry, Evy, I will be good.”
She laughed, “You’d better!”
Rick and Safti were standing a short distance away, watching.
“I do not wish to see you go,” Safti said. “Ardeth enjoys you and your wife’s presence very much.”
Rick nodded. “We enjoy his, too.”
“I believe that this is a good time to say ‘thank you’ for helping save our leader,” Safti said.
Rick stuck out his hand, and they shook. “I was happy to help the Med-jai, after all the help they’ve given me. We worked well together, ‘Softy’.”
Before Safti could ask him the significance of calling him that, Evy and Ardeth came over, and Evy surprised Safti by hugging him.
“Ma’assalama, Safti!”
“Ma’assalama, Mrs. O’Connell.”
“Call me Evy,” she said smiling.
He smiled back. “Evy.”
“Take care of yourself, Ardeth,” said Rick, sticking out his hand.
“I will,” Ardeth said, shaking it. “I must say thank you again.”
Rick put his hand on Ardeth’s good shoulder, and gave it a squeeze. “Likewise.”
Rick and Evy got into the car, and as Rick started it up, Evy called out:
“Remember what I said, Ardeth! ‘Cause we’re coming back in a few days to check on you!”
Ardeth smiled, and waved as they drove off.
After they disappeared, Safti said, “Ardeth?”
“Yes?”
“I have a question that perhaps you can answer.”
Ardeth looked at him. “What is it?”
“Rick kept mispronouncing my name, and whenever he said it, he seemed to think it funny.”
“What did he call you?”
“’Softy’.”
“’Softy’?” Ardeth said. He looked at his friend, all 6’5 of huge, muscled, strong desert warrior, and he did the only thing he could in such a situation.
He busted out laughing.
Safti frowned, not understanding it. Ardeth gasped and clutched at his ribs with his good arm, but kept laughing anyway.
“Ardeth? Are you all right?” Safti said, touching his arm.
Ardeth nodded, trying to stop laughing, hunched over slightly.
“I am all right —ouch!— ‘Softy’?” He kept laughing.
Someone called Safti then —as he was still acting leader— and he sighed at the bad timing. He looked at Ardeth, who waved his hand as if to say ‘go’. Safti tentatively let go of his arm, and Ardeth started to go back to his tent, still chuckling.
As Safti walked away, he couldn’t help but think to himself, has everyone gone mad?
THE END
‘Ma’assalama’ Arabic for ‘Goodbye’
‘Shukran’ Arabic for ‘Thank you’
‘Sadiq’ Arabic for ‘Friend’