Among The Grubbs
Bailey stood up.
“I’m gonna check up on Stranger.” She murmured. The elder Grubb inclined his head, Bailey stood frozen for a moment before darting from the hut. She took a deep breath as soon as she left the Grubb Seer’s hut. Pinching the bridge of her nose, she closed her eyes. “
That was a nightmare.” She thought to herself. Rubbing the corners of her eyes Bailey mumbled incoherently to herself. Finally she trotted over to the ladder and climbed down.
Fortunately the crowds of Grubbs had dispersed by now, although those doing their every-day chores stopped to stare awe-struck at Bailey which made her feel extremely uncomfortable and self conscious…
Bailey did her best to ignore the stares as she wandered through the riverside village, looking for Stranger. She must have looked lost as after a while a Grubb hesitantly approached her, looking nervous.
“Erm, you lookin’ fer Steef dude?” he asked. Bailey, not realising he was there nearly jumped out of her skin. Making the Grubb yelp and cower in fright. Bailey looked round at him, she let out a breath.
“Good grief, you scared me.” The Grubb still cowered. “Hey, hey, it’s alright.” Bailey went down on one knee and tapped the Grubb’s shoulder, the Grubb looked up fearfully, Bailey tried to grin reassuring but it just seemed to scare the Grubb more. “Erm,” Bailey tried to think of something to say, “Very quiet on yer feet ain’t ya.” She said finally. The Grubb smiled wanly and slowly stood.
“So, are yer lookin’ fer the Steef dude?” he asked again tentatively, Bailey nodded, the Grubb pointed out of the village, towards the river. “He went that way.” Bailey nodded,
“Thanks.” And began walking again. She glanced back to see the Grubb she had spoken to surrounded by others, as if they were quizzing him eagerly on his experience. Bailey shrugged and continued looking for Stranger.
She found him by the almost dry river outside the village, he was sitting on the bank, neon green eyes distant and staring into nothing. Bailey plonked down beside him. For a while there was silence, then;
“Whadda ma gonna do kid?” Stranger asked quietly.
“I dunno.” Answered Bailey, “It’s up to you.”
“…Bailey…what tha’ ol’ Grubb said in there…”
“You didn’t like it…I know…” Bailey picked up a pebble and flicked it into the little trickle of water that was all that remained of the Mongo River. “I don’t mind though. Really.”
“But
I do. Yer ain’t just a guide fer me kid, yer ma friend too.” Stranger reached out and ruffled her hair. “No matter what tha’ Grubb says. Yer more important.” Bailey shrugged.
“I’m sorry Stranger,” she said after a while, “I know you really wanted to find more Steef.” Stranger let out a sigh.
“I don’t think I can protect these people…”
“You look after me just fine.” Bailey said, Stranger smiled slightly and tugged lightly on Bailey’s hair,
“Yeh, but you are capable of lookin’ afta yerself as well… But it ain’t jist that…Sekto’ll be lookin’ fer us now…both of us…I wanted ter find more Steef because it’d be safe where they were hidin’, so it’d be safe fer you…and fer me as well…”
“We’d be safe here, the Grubbs wouldn’t give us up…they have been waitin’ fer a Steef to come back after all…”
“You think I should stay and be the valley guardian then? Like my ancestors?”
“No…I’m sayin’ that we can’t just leave ‘em at Sekto’s mercy…but it’s your choice, it’s you who’ll be their protector, not me.” Bailey stood up, “I’m off to explore this place. I’ll leave you to think about it.” Bailey went to leave but turned again, “Stranger?” he looked round, “Whatever you decide to do, I’ll follow ya.” Said Bailey before turning and going back to the Grubb village, leaving Stranger with his thoughts.
¤§¤
Bailey wandered through the Grubb village, just observing the Grubbs. She came across some beating rugs outside their homes, others weaving baskets and mending fishing nets. A few children playing in the street. She also came across some Grubbs sitting next the vats sunk into the ground that were filled with brightly coloured dies, dying cloth. She wandered past some fish drying racks and couldn’t help noticing that the fish were few in number and small in size.
Sekto had a lot to answer for.
Suddenly a young female Grubb appeared in front of Bailey. Bailey knew right away she was different but couldn’t put her finger on it.
“Hi!” greeted the Grubb cheerfully, it was then that Bailey realised what had struck her before, this Grubb was not afraid of her, she was smiling broadly and her eyes were bright.
“Hi.” Bailey returned the greeting, she went down on one knee so that they were closer to eye-level.
“The Seer asked me ter show ya around.” The Grubb explained.
“Ah, I see,” Bailey put out a hand, “I’m called Bailey.” The Grubb shook her hand with her own much smaller one.
“Jolee. Although most people call me Joey.”
“Alright Joey, what you gonna show me first?” The young Grubb giggled,
“Bathhouse.” She grinned, Bailey chuckled,
“Could do with it couldn’t I?” she joked, Jolee laughed and taking hold of Bailey’s hand, led the much taller human off.
A few minutes later Bailey and Jolee stood outside a large hut that had steam rising from a hole in the roof.
“This it?” asked Bailey,
“This is it.” Jolee clarified.
“So, whadda I have ter do?” Bailey inquired.
“Well it’s empty right now, I made sure you wouldn’t be disturbed, there’s soap and towels in there, so if yer want to go in and pass out yer clothes I’ll get ‘em cleaned up and see if we got anything fer yer to wear.” Bailey began to protest but Jolee smiled and shook her head, “Seer wishes it.” she replied simply. Bailey raised an eyebrow but conceded.
“Right.” She said and went into the bathhouse. Inside it looked a small swimming pool with a large rectangle sunk into the floor, deeper at one end and shallower at the other. The water could easily have come up to Bailey’s neck at the deep end.
Soon Bailey was sinking gratefully into the hot water of the bath. Bailey dunked her head under the water and came back up, her hair wet. She leant against the pool’s side and relaxed for a while.
This was definitely the life.
After she’d bathed and washed her hair. Bailey clambered out and wrapped herself in one of the huge towels hanging on the rail by the poolside. She approached the door and opened it fractionally.
“Joey?” she called in a low voice.
“’Ello?” came the reply.
“I’m done.”
“Oh, here ya. They took the measurements from your old clothes and made these.” Jolee passed a pile of neatly folded clothes and her old sneakers through the gap.
“Well damn,” Bailey said, “They did that quick.” Jolee shrugged. But looked pleased. “Right, I’ll be out in a mo’.” Bailey said and shut the door.
¤§¤
After a while Bailey came out of the Bathhouse with her damp hair wrapped in a towel and dressed in the clothes the Grubbs had made her. She had to admit they were beautifully made and a lot of care had gone into making them, she made a mental note to find out who had sacrificed the time and effort and thank them.
She was now wearing a green shirt with elbow length sleeves that had a little embroidered design that looked like some kind of animal on the sleeve and bell bottomed trousers made from loads of strips of material of varying shades of green.
She grinned at Jolee.
“Ya like?” asked Jolee, Bailey nodded,
“Yeh, very much, who made ‘em.” But Jolee shook her head,
“They’re very shy, finding them would be a bad idea, if you want to thank them I’ll tell them for you.”
“Yeh, please do. Thanks Joey.” Joey beckoned to her,
“C’mon Bailey, I got someone to do your hair.” Bailey blinked, Joey laughed, “See-”
“Seer wishes it, right?” finished Bailey. Jolee giggled,
“You got it, c’mon.” and Bailey allowed herself to be led away.
“So whadda ya mean when yer say ‘do my hair’?” Bailey asked as they walked.
“Ya’ll see.” Jolee said mischievously. Bailey rolled her eyes in an amused sort of way. Finally they reached another hut, on one of the woven platforms off the ground. After climbing up three ladders and Bailey getting irritable at her towel turban for keep coming loose, they got to the bead-curtained entranceway. “Mam!” Jolee called, “Mam! We’re here!” another female Grubb, older the Jolee poked her head out,
“Ah Joey! This is our guest I take it.”
“Yup!” Jolee turned to Bailey, “This is me Mam.” She explained. Bailey bowed slightly and held out a hand, the older Grubb shook it.
“You must be Bailey,” Bailey nodded, “I’m Mali, Joey’s mother.”
“Pleasure to meet you.” Bailey said politely. Mail drew Bailey and her daughter into the hut. “Now if you’ll take off that towel and just sit there Bailey.” Bailey did as she was told while Mali bustled around gathering what she needed, Jolee bouncing around and chattering excitedly. “You must have patience to put up with my Joey.” Mali commented when she returned to Bailey,
“She’s a good kid.” Said Bailey dropping a conspiratorial wink at Jolee, Jolee returned it with a grin.
Mali began brushing Bailey’s hair with a stiff brush while it was still damp. Bailey wondered why she had a brush when Grubbs didn’t have hair… As if reading her mind Jolee, who was sitting on a small stool, answered the unasked question.
“Steef brush.” She said matter-o-factly. Bailey’s face twitched as she tried to fight a smile.
“Hope the previous owner of this brush mastered pest removal…” she thought amusedly to herself.
After a while with the soothing motion of the brush Bailey found herself completely relaxed and her eyes began drooping. Jolee’s giggle made her throw off the soporific effect of the brushing and she mock growled at Jolee,
“You laughin’ at me?” she asked, Jolee stifled more giggles.
“Ya looked so funny, noddin’ off there were ya Bailey?” Jolee laughed. Bailey gave a small smile. Mali came around to Bailey’s side, three green beads in her palm.
“What are they?” Bailey asked curiously.
“It was traditional for the Steef valley guardians to wear these.” Mali explained. Bailey remember the amber-tan beads Stranger had in his mane of fur and nodded. But she frowned slightly.
“But I ain’t a Steef-”
“You are a guardian, maybe not of the valley, but of your Steef friend.” Mali said. Bailey’s eyes widened fractionally for a second but she nodded in consent. The older Grubb mother took one of Bailey’s bangs and plated it tightly, fixing the three wooden beads at the end. She stood back. “There, all done.” Bailey rose and fingered the plait with a smile on her face.
“Thank you.” She bowed slightly to Mali, the Grubb clasped her hands and returned the bow.
“You’re very welcome.”
“C’mon Bailey.” Jolee said, grabbing hold of Bailey’s hand and leading her from the hut.
“Bye Mali.” Bailey called before she was led down the ladder. Mali smiled as she tidied her home. Bailey was a good creature she decided, with a good heart. But even she, who had never seen battle knew that Bailey was a warrior who could hold her own.
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And just for visual reference, here’s a piccy of ol’ Bailey decked out in her Grubb threads.