The Gift of Volkeye (21 page)

“Ouch!” Tesh said, rubbing his arm.

“Sing drinks pee pee!”
Bahzee sang.

“I do
not
, you little brat!”

Sing’s face was flush as she delivered one blow after another. Then an idea came to her. She climbed off both of them and took off running. Teshunua and Bahzee looked at each other, puzzled, wondering whether or not they had really offended her. However, they suddenly understood the full purpose of Sing’s retreat…she had gone to get reinforcements!

Sing leapt upon them, attacking with two large globs of shit whisker candle.

“Aw man, Sing, this is
so
not cool!” Teshunua shrieked in disgust.

“Not again!” Bahzee cried as a brown, sticky glob was mashed on her forehead. Quickly, she bench-pressed Sing in the air and then dumped her atop of Teshunua.

“Owwww!” Teshunua groaned. Though hurt, he couldn’t help but notice what had just happened. “Whoa…you’ve been working out, Baz?”

“Well, yeah…but I doubt that’s why I’m so strong,” she said, never taking her eyes off Sing.

“It’s okay, Tesh, she couldn’t explain it properly to me either!”

Sing leapt off the couch, leaving her left hand behind to wipe the remains of Maugrimm’s excrement on Teshunua’s cheek. Bahzee had dodged her, but she’d caught Tesh in the jaw.

“Ugh, now I gotta’ take a bath!”

“At least it doesn’t smell, ya’ big wuss!” Bahzee yelled, sprinting through the room with Sing on her heels.

“Sing, I don’t know what the big deal about wanting to drink Maugrimm’s pee is—you’ve come close enough to doing that already!” she yelled over her shoulder. They came to the corner where they’d had their previous battle.

Sing was closing in on her with a curious look upon her face. “What are you talking about?”

“I mean it’s not just you. We all have. You’ve been wearing that skin cream everyday since you got here, haven’t you?”

“Uh…yea.”

“And your skin is feeling and looking better now, right?”

“Yea,” Sing replied, not liking where the conversation was going.

“Well, that cream just happens to be…a mixture of Maugrimm’s shit and urine,” Bahzee finally admitted. “Remember your first morning here, and I wrote you that note saying not to ask where the ointment came from?”

An expression of horrific bewilderment stole over Sing. She doubled over. “Oh, Bahzee, I really didn’t need to hear that!”

“Just focus on its finer points. Without it, we’d be cracked and bleeding all over. That’s what such cold, dry air can do to you.”

“I think I’m gonna’ be sick, Sing said, turning a delicate shade of green. “Who thinks of this nonsense? How the hell does Maugrimm know that his bowel excrement and urine have health attributes in the first place?”

“Zynathian,”
they answered simultaneously.

“My god, Zynathian Volkeye exists!” Sing said. She was finally making the connection with the nickname, ‘Zynnie,’ she’d heard Baz and Asha use on many occasions. “I’ve heard stories of him for fourteen years now!”

Baz nodded. “Yes, he’s an amazing human being. He’s the reason that my body is this way.”

Eyes widening, Bahzee suddenly realized that of all the stories she’d told Sing of her past, she’d omitted the most critical detail. Was she ashamed? Did she hate her former self
that
much? Or was that particular element of her childhood so painful that she preferred to block it out? Although it was just over a year ago that she’d still been confined to a wheelchair, to Bahzee it seemed like an eon. That person—that life—was long gone.

“I never told you that I used to be crippled, did I?”

Astonished, Sing shook her head.

“I’m only just realizing that I’m stronger than a herd of bulls, and I think I could have killed Felix if I wanted to! Remember me saying how I throttled him midair?”

Sing nodded with recollection.

Wiping himself clean of Maugrimm’s mess, Teshunua looked up in shock. “Are you serious…no exaggerating?”

“Not at all. See?”

Bahzee suddenly walked over and grabbed Teshunua with one hand and threw him over her head as if he were a feather, catching him in a cradling position.

“Dammit, girl! Whoa!” he said, struggling. “I don’t believe this…I weigh almost twice as much as you do!”

“Hush, little baby, don’t you cry…”

Sing’s awe matched Teshunua’s perfectly. When Bahzee had thrown him, Teshunua’s head had almost touched the ceiling!

I wonder if she’s stronger than Maugrimm?

“Hey, Baz…Bahzee. Let me down, so we can see what you can do,” he said, eager to test her ability.

“Sure. What do you want me to do?”

“I don’t know. What can you do?”

Bahzee looked to the opposite end of the room. There was a large empty cauldron—big, cast iron, and about four hundred pounds. She went over to it, clueless as to how this would work out, for it was bound to be quite unwieldy (even if it was the smallest cauldron in the room!).

But what if I’m strong enough to the point where its width won’t even be awkward?

Deciding to give it a shot, she took a pair of leather gloves out of her coat pocket then gripped the massive piece of iron by its edge. Next, Bahzee knelt over and placed her left hand near the base of the cauldron. She leaned back to her right side, attempting to hoist the bowl into the air with her left hand.

Tesh and Sing were nervous, because nothing was happening and it looked as if Bahzee would hurt herself.

“Hey Baz, don’t strain, okay. If it’s too much, we’ll try something smaller.”

Sing nodded, agreeing with him. “Be careful, dear,” she said.

“No, no, no, I’m fine—it’s not even heavy. It’s just...frozen...to the…flooooor!” Bahzee growled as she pulled up the cauldron.

Sing and Teshunua both flinched as the cauldron and rock beneath it were separated from one another, making a terrible racket as if the Igloo was collapsing. Bahzee stood at ease and without fear of being crushed. Sing and Tesh were silent, attempting to cope with what they’d just seen.

Getting over the initial shock of her ability, Bahzee began to walk back and forth. Meanwhile, Sing and Teshunua’s mouths hung open. Next thing they knew Bahzee was jogging around the room, carrying a fifth of a ton overhead!

Finally, Sing spoke. “Oh my goodness! How in the…
What?!”
A string of incomplete thoughts was all she could manage.

“And she can still lift more, I know it!” Teshunua said.

Bahzee threw the cauldron in the air. It hit the ceiling, cracking the ice and breaking stalactites. She caught it with ease as the ice came crashing down around her.

Sing shrieked. “Bahzee, be careful!”

Bahzee waved her trophy back and forth in the air. She might as well have been holding a five-pound bag of sugar!

Sing gripped Teshunua’s arm. “We have to show them. There’s no way that we can keep this miracle to ourselves!”

“Yeah…let’s go.”

4

“Okay, Maugrimm, I promise I won’t say anything, I swear!” Asha said, swinging to and fro.

Maugrimm was torturing her, as to make sure that she didn’t embarrass Bahzee and Teshunua by saying the wrong thing out in the open.

“How’z it feel ta’ be upside down, matey? Gravity treatin’ ya’ okay?”

“If you don’t let me down this instant, you will never be able to call me mate again!” she bellowed, watching an upside down Toodles’ head sway back and forth along with her, trilling.

Or are you laughing, too, you little shit?

“Hah! Ya’ been sayin’ that since the day I first...”

“Ouch!”

Mawg had accidentally let Asha fall flat, as he was suddenly stunned to silence.

“What the hell was that about?!” Asha snarled, massaging the back of her head. However, as she looked to see what had diverted his attention, she understood.

Bahzee had just walked in, carrying an impossible burden! All too quickly, Asha realized this was Zynathian’s doing. However, she did not share the enthusiasm of the others, thinking this far too risky of a first attempt!

“BAHZEE SUNKHAREI, YOU PUT THAT CAULDRON DOWN NOW BEFORE YOU GET KILLED! WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?”

Zynathian, you’re sumthin’ else, matey!
Mawg thought in complete contrast to Asha’s worrisome mood. He ogled Bahzee, as she wielded a piece of iron that not even most beasts would have bothered with, let alone anyone human!

“It’s okay, Mommy, I got it. It’s not even heavy—see!” Bahzee began jogging in place.

“Down.
Now!”

“Bloody hell, Bahzee, do ya’ realize how much weight you’re carryin’? Zynathian has really done it this time ‘round!”

“DOWN!”

“Ah, pipe down, woman, and stop bein’ so damn scary! Zynathian wouldn’t have gave ‘er such a gift if he ain’t intend on ‘er using it!” Maugrimm said, rolling his eyes. “Like I was saying…put it down and let’s see how easy it is for ya’ to get it up again.”

“Bahzee, you’re going to hurt yourself!”

“No I won’t, Mommy.”

Bahzee did as Maugrimm asked, quick and easy. She now held the piece of iron above, rebuking her mother’s worry.

“See, Mom.”

Asha had to be the only person in existence that would have been more worried than in awe of such a thing. While the others glared at Bahzee in disbelief, she was completely unimpressed, scared that Bahzee’s back would give out at any moment. (And though she’d kept calm so far, she didn’t appreciate Maugrimm undermining her orders. After all, she was the parent! It upset her that Bahzee was taking so long to do as she asked. If she kept testing her, Baz was going to see a side of Asha that she rarely let out!)

“Yes, baby, that’s very nice, but could you please stop showing off before you hurt yourself. You may have a limit and just don’t know it yet! Let’s wait and see what Zynathian says about this—then if he’s comfortable with it, I’m fine with it too. But I want his opinion before we start assuming that any amount of weight is suitable for you!”

No one seemed to hear her. Even Toodles (who scurried about her ankles) was too distracted by Bahzee to pay Asha any mind.

“EXCUSE ME, AM I MISSING SOMETHING HERE?! THE LAST TIME I CHECKED, I
WAS YOUR MOTHER! SO UNLESS SOMETHING HAS CHANGED RECENTLY, YOU WILL RESPECT MY WISHES AND
PUT THAT GODDAMN CAULDRON DOWN, NOW!”

“Yes, Mommy.”

Seeing the change in tone, Bahzee got her act together, finally doing as her mother asked. Losing her temper was such a rare occurrence that Bahzee had forgotten how Asha could be when incensed. Asha got up and made her way toward Bahzee, scolding her in a murderous whisper.

“When I tell you to do something, you do it, Bahzee! You don’t ask questions! You don’t say,
‘No, Mommy, I can handle it!’
You do my bidding first, and then we can discuss
‘why?’
Do. You. Understand. Me?”
she spat, seeming like she was ready to throttle her daughter. However, Asha could see the hurt in Bahzee’s eyes, and it weakened her defenses a bit.

Kissing Bahzee’s forehead, she said, “You little hard headed snot, I love you, so of course I worry. You are the most important thing in my life, and I will not see you hurt under any circumstance—especially when you spent your entire childhood in a hoverchair!”

“Yes, Mommy. I’m sorry.”

Asha kissed her once more. “Let’s wait and see what Zynnie says. It would be a shame to undo his hard work by hurting yourself before we’ve even been able to question him.”

The others were severely disappointed. Knowing they were now doomed to ponder Bahzee’s talent for days, they all sat down in the most impatient of moods.

Asha couldn’t believe them. “Oh, stop it. This is not your daughter! And if you really loved her, you would be just as worried as I am…especially
you,
mister!” she finished, glowering at Teshunua.

His black skin went purple, as he blushed. Sing lowered her head, wondering how Asha could have been so tactless. Maugrimm looked as if he could have killed her. Asha stared at the ceiling, knowing that she had goofed again. As she turned away, completely avoiding Maugrimm’s look, she was scolded by an…

Ahem!

Everyone looked to the end of the room, shocked at what they found, as they hadn’t heard anyone enter. Their gleaming smiles gave way to cries of joy.

“Zynathian!” Asha ran over and pounced on him, almost knocking him down.

Recovering from Asha’s blitz, Zynathian found himself immediately scooped up by an ecstatic Maugrimm and swung about in the air. Bahzee rushed to embrace Lyn Sha, who had just entered with Khyeryn and a huge gust of snow following.

“Oh, how’s my sweetie? It seems as if it’s been ages!” Baz covered Lyn Sha’s face with kisses, as she carried her over to Sing. Lyn, being quite excited herself, hugged Bahzee about the neck in a headlock, kissing her in return.

“I missed you too, bubblehead!” Lyn giggled.