Lizards Hold the Sun by Dani Trujillo

Author:Dani Trujillo [Dani Trujillo]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sin Verguenzas
Published: 2023-04-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

Ice hung in the air. Her breath was white, opaque as paint. Xiomara needed to ask David what the elevation was and just how it was possible for it to be this cold. Leaving her pajamas on underneath, she pulled pants and a hoodie over her head. Tucking into her boots, she wrapped up in the neoprene coat Calehan brought her and pulled a beanie on her head. The Bunchberry tribal seal was beaded into the fold of the knit, the red berries firm under her fingertip. Two berries were finished, the third an unfinished outline. The beads were sewn with a white thread—sinew, she suspected. One of Joy’s many projects, probably.

She slid from the tent and joined Rosebud by the crackling fire. Her hair smelled of smoke. It reminded her of home.

“Thank you.” Xiomara sighed heavily, taking the mug of oatmeal with bare hands.

Opening her eyes, mushroom brown ones stared back at her. Calehan winked as she met his gaze, the corner of his lips pulling up. He was brushing Dreamer, feeding her extra snacks and electrolytes. He fed and groomed every horse they had while everyone else enjoyed breakfast.

Muskwa handed her a mug of coffee. “I couldn’t sneak cinnamon, but I stole these from the café.” He opened his hand to reveal a handful of mini creamer cups in an assortment of flavors. She thanked him and chose a French vanilla one, pleased she wouldn't be forced to drink it black.

“How did you sleep?” Muskwa sat in the camping chair beside her, draping a woven wool blanket over their knees.

“Pretty good.” Was there punishment for lying to your elders?

“Sometimes people have trouble sleeping with how quiet it is here.”

Xiomara laughed. “It is not quiet here. The bugs are so loud! Even the trees make noise.”

Muskwa smiled. “Spoken like a true desert kid.”

She returned his grin, wistful for her warm sky and dry packed dirt. “The desert is not silent, but she comes close.”

“That it does.” Chief Thomas poured himself a cup of coffee, finally returning from a phone call. “My mother used to say that the desert was so quiet it could carry you across time.”

“It definitely feels like that sometimes.” Xiomara watched a bird dive into the water in front of them, rising with a shiny fish trapped in its golden beak. She welcomed the distraction, the bird gathering the attention of the group. The black hole of her own thoughts opened wide and sucked her in.

Javier visited her in the dream world again.

It was starting to freak her out. Was there some kind of connection between Javier and Calehan? Javier only began visiting her after she met Calehan at the berry fest. Closing her eyes, she thought of them beside each other. She couldn’t pin-point any resemblance. Javier’s mother never changed her landline. Did she still have that old family tree? An investigation may need to be launched.

Xiomara brought herself back to reality with the bitter burn of campfire coffee.

It really wasn’t that weird to see him in her dreams.

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