Chapter Two

Akra

Mai woke with the minister’s pointing finger still clear in her mind. She smoothed away her sleepiness, circling her face with her hands three times. Usually this was done with some water, but not today. They had barely enough water to drink. It was important they conserve the water they had left. She stretched, happy to be awake, and ready to continue their journey.

Last night Mai and Long had slept in the desert with little more than the clothes on their backs, a small amount of food and a pouch of water. Their home, an igloo shaped hut with a warren of cool rooms underground in the flat desert lands, had disappeared behind them yesterday. So had their family. Mai’s selection had been a wonderful surprise to her mother, but it also brought a hidden sadness. It was a shock to her younger sisters and provided her older brothers with bragging rights.

Yesterday they had left behind the dark cloud mass that seemed to hover over their village. Mai had heard the elders speak of a curse, but she didn’t believe in curses. She believed, like her brother Long, that it was an act of will from one of the other powerful nations. Mai trusted her brother, but they didn’t always agree. Even though he was incredibly lazy and at times very annoying, he was still her brother. Like yesterday when he argued with Mai because she wanted to bring her favourite pet, Barka. The grumpy little lizard had bitten Long so many times she had lost count. Once Long had threatened to step on him until his guts would come out. He didn’t do it, but he came very close. Thankfully, Mai had come to her senses. She knew better than to take Barka on such a harsh journey—they had barely enough food to last the first part of the trip. Little did she know the tiny lizard had wriggled his way into her packsack and he was yet to greet the day.

Mai stood up and stretched. A hot day lay ahead of