Chapter 18: The New Life 1
Lara and Sandoz ran barefoot on the ground, their hearts pounding as they followed Reya's frantic shouts. Upon rounding the corner of the house, they found her staring wide-eyed at the coarse, dark skin of a boar hanging from a rope beneath the eaves. The boar's rough hide fluttered slightly in the breeze, but strangely, the smell of blood was no longer apparent, as it had been the day before.
"Reya, I thought there was a thief. Why did you shout? Isn't that the skin of the boar that I killed yesterday? It does not even have a smell now. Looks like Grandpa washed it thoroughly before letting it dry."
"Sorry, Miss. I just wanted to throw the used water away, and when I looked up, I saw that hanging up there. Who wouldn't be scared of that?"
"I'm feeling pretty hungry, Reya," Lara said softly, glancing at her unsettled maid. "Do you think we could grab something to eat now?" She tried to steer the conversation in a different direction, hoping to help Reya calm her nerves.
"Yes. The sweet potato is already cooked. Where is Grandpa?" Reya asked while dumping a water basin on the big tree's roots.
Lara watched her and silently studied the basin. It was made from clay. A little carelessness and it would break.
"I don't know. He said he has something to do."
They went inside the house, and Reya took out a wooden plate from the bangerra. The old man had only two pieces of plates. She peeled three medium-sized sweet potatoes and placed them on one plate.
"Miss, I'll get the spoon for you. Just wait a bit." Reya stood to get the spoon.