A Vignette: The Fall

Dolondo hurried out of the sheltered overhand where he was showing Darvalo the proper way to straighten a spear. He had heard the shout in the distance. "Sturgeon!" They must have seen the first of the sturgeon run. His heart leapt. He hoped that it was true. They had run low on the famous soft chamois hides because they hadn’t the secret ingredient that came from the sturgeon roe.

Darvalo looked up at Roshario who was sitting cross legged working carefully to stitch some beads onto a new tunic. It required the utmost care and couldn’t be left in a hurry. The strings had to be tied off tightly so that the beads wouldn’t fall off.

"Oh go on Darvo, I mean Darvalo. I’ll be right behind you. I know you want to go down, I won’t be but a minute." Roshario said smiling at Darvalo, almost her son. When Serenio had left, Darvalo had moved to her hearth. Dolondo was busy teaching him all sorts of things that a man needed to know, and Roshario really enjoyed having a young person around the hearth again. Since, Jetamio…well, it had been so lonely.

Darvalo nodded and smiled to her, waving as he walked out of the shelter. Outside it was wet. It had been raining all day long and was still drizzling. The air was cool and fresh, perfect fishing weather he thought. Darvalo hurried to the cliff where people were climbing carefully over the edge onto the path that led down to the dock. He could see the temporary square tents set up all along the back of the floating dock, bobbing up and down. But the people hurrying across it were deft and quick, able to walk on the moving structure just as if they were on land. That was how the river folk were.

Darvalo waved to Tholie who was holding Shamio in her arms. "Hey Tholie! Hi Shamio, what ya got there?"

The little girl grinned at the older boy and held out her hand, "Look," she said softly, "It is a feather!"

Darvalo smiled at the girl and let Tholie by ahead of him. "Be careful Tholie. It is awfully wet and slippery."

Tholie smiled at the young man and nodded, "I will. Isn’t it wonderful, the sturgeon are coming. It has been so long since we’ve eaten sturgeon."

Darvalo nodded with a goofy grin. "Yes, I can’t wait. And I’m sure Rosh will be happy to have the roe for the hides again."

Tholie smiled and turned to start down the path. Darvalo watched as she climbed down, waiting until she reached the bottom before he climbed down. He heard Roshario approach from behind him. He turned to smile at her.

"Be careful Darvalo, I don’t want you to slip and fall, its slippery." She admonished him.

Darvalo laughed and nodded, ‘I will." He started down carefully, holding on the side of the cliff wall. Everything was drenched, the path was slick with mud and rock and brown leaves. He cringed as he made his way down. He was comfortable with the route and had just about reached the bottom when his foot slipped on a slick edge. He scrambled for a hold on the cliff wall. It was slick, but he managed to stick his hand into a deep crevasse and right himself. He looked back up behind him at Roshario who was shaking her head in dismay. He waved to her, "I’m ok. Just be careful, it is really slick in places." He stood and quickly made his way down the path. He thought briefly about telling Roshario to use the basket, but they were probably going to use that for the fish. He wondered if they had caught anything yet. When he turned around again Roshario was already on her way down. He started toward the edge of the dock where the crowd was gathered.

Roshario felt the slick mud underneath her mocassined feet. She held onto the side of the cliff with white knuckles. It was awfully slick. ‘It is ok" She told herself, "Just go slow. Everyone else made it fine." But she couldn’t quite push back that knob of fear in her gut. She felt a gust of wind whip her hair around in front of her face so that she couldn’t see. She let go of the wall briefly to move the hair out of her eyes. She looked down at the crowd below. Obviously there was something going on. She thought maybe that they had already taken a sturgeon. She smiled. That would be wonderful. She stepped down the path again, regaining her confidence. She had almost reached the spot where Darvalo had slipped. She could see the marks in the mud. Another gust of wind blew around her and she lost her bearings as her hair whipped around her face again and her leggings flapped around her legs. She reached for the wall and felt nothing. Then she was falling, air rushing past her body. She screamed.

Darvalo heard the scream and turned. "RosharioooO!!!!!!!" He screamed and ran back to the path. He saw her body thump against the trail twice and winced. "Oh MUDO! Please don’t let her be dead!" He ran to the woman and kneeled down at her side. Her eyes were closed but tears were streaming out of them. She moaned.

"Dolondo, my arm. Oh, it hurts, my arm. It must be broken." Roshario said, finally opening her eyes. She saw Darvalo standing, holding onto Tholie desperately. Dolondo was hovering over her in a misty haze of tears. She swallowed. Her whole body hurt, but most of all her arm. She whimpered and moaned.

Finally Tholie took charge. "Come on, we need to get her back up to the hearth. Get the basket lowered. Dolondo, stop crying all over her. She needs help, not tears. You’re going to carry her to the basket. Darvo, help him. You too Markeno. Don’t move her too much.!" She commanded.

Someone had already begun to lower the basket and cried out when it was down. "Bring her over!"

Dolondo wiped his eyes, and knelt to lift her shoulders. Darvalo took her feet and Markeno took a firm hold of her middle. She groaned loudly when the moved her, but she was alright. Only her arm was broken and she was holding it in close to her chest. The men carried her quickly to the basket and set her in gently. Dolondo insisted that he ride up with her but Markeno shook his head. "No Dolondo, it would be too heavy, it might fall." Tholie was already running up the path when Markeno shouted at her. "Don’t run Tholie! Please, be CAREFUL!"

She waved at him and slowed. He was right, but she needed to get to the top to receive Roshario, and take her to the hearth. Not that she was a healer, and now both Shamud and Serenio were gone. Who would help Roshario?? A stab of fear pierced her heart. She suddenly wondered if Roshario would be ok. She had to be ok. She just had to.

Roshario felt herself being lifted in the basket and turned her head ever so slightly. She saw Dolondo looking completely distressed. She smiled at him, a weak smile, but a smile nonetheless and it helped. He nodded and moved to climb back up the path.

By the time Roshario had been raised Dolondo, Darvalo and Markeno were standing ready to carry her. Tholie had already gone to the hearth to start water boiling.

The men lifted Rosh out of the basket and slowly moved toward Dolondo and Roshario’s hearth. When they entered the hearth Tholie instructed them to lay her on the bed. She was getting some willow bark tea ready and a hot poultice of comfrey leaves ready for her. She knew some herbs, but she was by no means a healer and was sure that she wouldn’t be able to set Roshario’s arm. She cringed at the thought. If it wasn’t set she might not be able to use it again. The thought terrified Tholie, but at least Rosh was still alive. The fall alone could have killed her. She had been very lucky.

Roshario lay on the bed and gratefully let Tholie help her sip the bitter concotion. She knew that there was only so much Tholie could do for her, but she was grateful nonetheless. Dolondo stood at the entrance with Darvalo and looked at her wistfully. "Rosh, what can I do? Oh dear Mudo, you’re going to be ok right?"

Tholie looked at Dolondo. "She is alive, but she is in a lot of pain, and …I, I don’t know enough to help her. We need a healer. You’ll have to send someone. But hurry, it can’t wait too long." Tholie said as she laid the warm poultice on Roshario’s arm. Roshario hissed at the pain and gritted her teeth.

Tholie apologized, "I’m sorry Rosh. You should sleep, it will help you forget the pain."

Roshario grimaced and watched as Dolondo rushed out of the shelter to find a runner. ‘I can’t sleep. It hurts too much. Oh Tholie. I’m so afraid. What if it doesn’t heal right???"

"Don’t you worry, we’re going to get a healer here for you. They’ll be able to set it right and you’ll be fine. You just have to hold on a few days." Tholie said a matter of factly. She noticed Darvalo standing in the doorway. ‘Darvalo. I…"

"It’s my fault! I didn’t watch to make sure she came down ok. I even thought of telling her to use the basket to come down…it was too slippery. It is my fault!" He cried, tears squeezing out of his eyes despite his attempt to hold them in.

Roshario and Tholie both looked at him, "It wasn’t your fault Darvalo. It was an accident. Even you fell!" Tholie chastised him. "Don’t you dare think it was your fault. She is going to be ok. Just need a few days to get a healer here." Tholie sighed. It was going to be a long few days.

The next morning Roshario woke up fevered and dreadfully hungry. "Tholie, Dolondo?"

Tholie heard the soft, weak voice calling. "Rosh, what is it? What can I get you?"

"I’m starving…and I’m freezing." She said.

Tholie looked at the sweat wetting Roshario’s hairline and forehead. "Fever. You’ve got a fever. I’ve got to give you some yarrow. That helps fever. And hungry? Would you like some broth. Yes I think that will do."

Roshario nodded wordlessly and rested back against the pillow. "Help me sit up?"

Tholie nodded and adjusted Rosh’s furs so that she could sit up and lean against them. Then she left the small shelter and went to the main hearth. There was warm grain porridge and hot water. Tholie collected two bowls of porridge and a cup of steaming water to steep the yarrow in. When she returned she set the food down and started the yarrow steeping. Then she sat down on the edge of the bed. She looked at Roshario’s arm again. It was swollen, it was about the size of her thigh, and a deep purple and green. It was horrid, and she was sure it hurt terribly. She thought to add willowbark to the yarrow. Not that it would help that much. She looked tenderly at Roshario then. "Dolondo sent Ralado to bring a healer. He should be back as soon as he can."

Roshario nodded, hopelessly. She hurt everywhere, she almost felt like dying. She tried to smile at Tholie, who was being so kind, helping as much as she could. Tholie helped Roshario eat by feeding her and Roshario began to feel even worse. ‘Oh, I can’t even feed myself. I’m useless!" she cried, tears rolling down her cheeks again.

Tholie shook her head, "Now that just isn’t true. You’ll be fine once the healer comes and sets your arm. You’ll see, it will heal to just like before. You just need to rest now."

+++++++++++++++++++

A week passed and when Ralado returned he looked worn and very upset.

"What is the news?" Dolondo shouted as he ran to the young man. He didn’t even stop to let the boy rest. He needed to know now.

Ralado looked at the ground and then looked at his leader, "The shamud from that cave was gone. I’m sorry. They sent a runner on to see if one of the other caves can send a shamud. It will take some time though. …I’m.. I’m very sorry Dolondo." The young man said quietly. Dolondo looked at him, shocked. No healer was coming. His Roshario was going to remain in pain, and her broken arm unset. He wondered if this was the Mother’s curse for something he had done wrong. Dolondo put his hand on the man’s shoulder. ‘Well, thank you for going. It means a lot, to me, and to Rosh." He said, with a strange lump in his voice, before he ran off toward the shelter where Rosh was lying, useless and in pain. It was time to break the bad news.