story_brigid_1_1

(sniffs)

(moves forward)

(pats ground with hoof)

Moo!

What is it? You find something?

Moo!

Caught someone's scent? Which way? Take me there.

We notified everyone in advance, and got the surrounding areas evacuated in time. The homes I saw on the way were mostly cleared out too, so if someone was left behind, we got a problem.

Moo!

This the spot? But there's nothing here.

(nudges rubble with snout)

Hey! Don't touch anything! Even if I can't see 'em, what if someone's down there?

Move aside, big one. I need to get past you.

Hello? Can you hear me?

I'm Brigid the nomad. If you can hear me and still move, then try to tap something hard like I'm doing.

There is a prolonged silence. Brigid starts to think her burdenbeast might have be mistaken. She looks around and sees the collapsed houses nearby, as well as the scattered supply packages.

It's been at least twenty-four hours since the Catastrophe. Finding any more survivors at this point is very unlikely.

Okay... no survivor then. Don't worry, big one, everyone makes mistakes.

(stomps angrily)

I know, I know! But I don't hear anything? Do you? Maybe you're smelling something else.

Moo!

Wait...

(lightly taps a stone brick)

(muffled voice)

...There IS someone down there!

I'm here! I'm here! Talk to me. Do you have any light? Are you alone? Or—

—daughter—

Brigid crouches down, pressing her ear to the stone, where the sound is clearer. She leans in close, trying hard to hear every syllable.

Help...

I need you to speak clearer!

Help... my daughter...

Your daughter? So two of you down there, huh? How's your daughter doing? She there with you?

After a series of faint sounds, the woman's voice becomes clearer.

It's dark down here. I can't see much... We're buried. She fainted. I don't know...

I beg you, save us—

Is your daughter near you?

Yes, yes... She's here in my arms. We're trapped under the rocks—

You're holding her? Take a deep breath, then listen to her closely. See if you can tell if she's breathing, or if she feels warm.

...ughh... Yes, yes!

Good. From here on out, you have to keep talking to me.

When people relax all of a sudden, they can quickly lose consciousness, so you need to keep talking to me, slowly.

About anything. Just.. tell me how old your daughter is, the color of your hair, whatever.

The nomad nimbly gets up from the ground, removes her bells, raises them, and steps toward a more open area.

Amidst the sound of the bells and wind, she sends a distress signal to her fellow nomads in the wilds.

...My daughter is 3-years-old. I have red hair...

What race are you? I'm a Perro.

Feline... My daughter and I are both Felines...

What's your name?

My name is Evelyn...

What's your daughter's name?

What's that? I can't hear you.

Nomad? Nomad? Are you still there?

I'm here. I'm sending out a distress signal for my buddies. You're brave. You've kept her safe. Now we just have to wait for my friends to get here, and you're as good as rescued.

What? We still have to wait?

No... no... there's no time....

Don't worry, there's time. You're still with me. Your daughter's still alive, right in your arms. We've confirmed your location, and there are no signs of aftershocks. You're going to be rescued. Trust me!

But I—I can't feel my legs. Even if you get me out, I'll be a cripple!

Wha—

So don't worry about me, or your companions. I beg you, nomad, just save my daughter!

I'm begging you!

Even without legs, you'd still have your eyes and your arms.

You'd still able to see and touch. You protected your daughter from the Catastrophe, and now you want to leave her all alone?

Why?

You don't get it, nomad. You don't understand...

Maybe I don't. So explain it to me. Remember what I said? Keep talking.

But slowly. No more yelling like before. You'll just tire yourself out before you know it.

No...

...Brigid?

Hm?

Nemos! Did you get my message? That was fast!

What message?

I taught you how to listen to the wind before, remember?

Of course you do. How else would you find me here? But that's not important. You're just in time. Over here, quickly.

Our mission is urgent, Wakewoman. We can't afford to waste any time.

I know, it's okay. This is my friend. She's a Taran nomad.

Nemos, who are those soldiers with you...?

The Dublinn rescue team. We're here from Na Saoirsí.

Oh.

So it's a rescue mission, right? The people on that wee nomadic city made it out safe, but some of the others didn't. I found two survivors here.

Right here, under this rubble?

Yeah, right where I was standing. A mum and her kid. The mum's still conscious and talking, and the daughter's alive, but unconscious.

So I take it you'll keep searching elsewhere?

Yeah. I already sent a message for my companions in the area. It's always faster working together, then we can move on right quick and keep looking for more.

Well, we're here now. You can go continue your search. Dublinn will take it from here.

Wakewoman, the mission The Brigadier gave us was to—

I know, but there are two Taran survivors down there, and last I checked Dublinn was a Taran movement. Am I wrong?

We'll take over the rescue mission here. Does that work for you, Brigid?

Of course. This isn't the first time we've worked together like this, it's not like you need me with all those extra hands.

Follow me. I'll show you the exact spot.

...We can split our forces. Some of you will stay here to handle the rescue, while the rest can come with me.

Wakewoman.

You sound worried. How are the mother and daughter doing?

The nomad gave a good summary of the situation before the nomad left, but even with all of us working together, it'd take a while to clear the rubble and give them some breathing room before we can rescue them.

Our main task is to save the refugees who've been encircled by the Victorians, and we can't put that off for long.

And we can't afford to split up either, or it'll take even longer.

Exactly. Also, the mother insists on speaking with you. She says she wants to talk to the person in charge.

Then let me speak with her.

Hmm... Haven't we already been through here? Isn't this where we discovered the mum and her daughter?

Looks like Nemos and the others have left, so they must've been freed a while ago. You sure your nose is working, big one? We overfeed you or something?

Moo, moomoo—

(charges forward)

*sighs* Where you off to now? I was only kidding, okay? Don't run off!

You—

Uh...

The rubble conceals the body buried deep beneath. It isn't until she gets closer that Brigid notices a hint of bright red on the gray surface, covered in dust and dirt.

The hint of red is actually a few locks of hair—a woman's hair.

...Evelyn?

(weak breathing)

She's still breathing... Hey, Evelyn! Wake up!

Evelyn!

*Cough* *Cough* Ugh...

You're Evelyn, aren't you? Why'd they leave you behind?

...Where's Nemos and the Dublinn soldiers? They were supposed to rescue you—

Ma'am...

...Rescue my daughter... Take her away from here...

I beg you...

Don't give up on her, and don't come back for me... Just take her!

...What?

I already... told you... before.

What did you tell me? I don't know. You'll need to say it again.

The nomad begins digging through the rubble with her tools. But working alone, her progress is too slow, and the woman's voice grows ever fainter.

These stones... I'm sure I'm... Infected...

Even if I survive... no one... will take me in...

...And my legs... I can't move them...

I'll just be a burden.

Hrrh...

No, no, no! You're wrong!

You've got it all wrong!

Ma'am, please... Keep your distance, please...

I... I—

'I'll rescue you.' 'I can still save you.' What should she tell her?

Any of those would be a lie. Brigid soon discovers that the rubble has already shifted from the previous rescue efforts. The broken bricks caught around the woman's waist are both supporting her and slowly killing her.

....'It's always faster working together.' And the fastest way was—

They split open the bricks above your head, removing the connection holding both sides together. All the broken bricks and rubble, all that weight, came tumblin' down right on top of you.

They did it because they knew you'd protect your child. They knew you'd hold out, at least until she was safely out of your arms.

Right?

Ironically, rescuing the child had directly led to abandoning the mother. Even had they come back for her, they would not have been able to free her.

But Nemos... How could she have let them do this?

I know they could've rescued both, if only they'd spent more time on it.

(wailing)

*cough* *cough cough* Don't waste your energy, ma'am.

...I—you—

Need anything else?

Yes. I heard them call you Wakewoman...

You mean Nemos? I'm not Nemos, or a wakewoman.

...I can't tell if you're real or not... but...

Can you wait... until I take my last breath... and...

...bury me properly... as a wakewoman...?

I...

Ngh... *cough*...

The woman can barely speak. Her chest heaves like torn bellows, rapidly but to no effect.

It is evident that her time is almost up.

*cough*

The woman furrows her brow, and her ashen face suddenly flushes red with pain.

Ugh...

The nomad stops her useless digging. She places her dirty palm on the woman's tense, wrinkled forehead.

...How's this? I've seen Nemos, er, the wakewoman do this before.

A gentle touch can take away the pain and soothe the sick. Comfort parents who've lost their kids.

But with the hands of a nomad...?

(nudges Brigid with snout)

Go cozy on up to her, big one. Maybe a wee bit of warmth will help.

...Wakewoman? Ava... did you take Ava with you? My daughter...

She's safe now. You can relax. Don't talk.

Ah—Ahh... thank you. Thank you so much.

*cough* *cough* You're still here. I want to...

What is it?

I want to see Na Saoirsí...

Na Saoirsí? Okay, I'll remember that.

Ugh... Argh!

It hurts... it hurts so much...! B—but... my legs are already numb... why——

Agh——*cough* *cough cough*!

Moo!

Don't talk anymore.

...Grkh...

Go to sleep, Evelyn.

*cough*...ahh...

The woman takes a final, heavy breath. Her torso, which is sticking up from the ground, goes limp. Brigid suddenly realizes the woman's body must have been crushed in half by the stones some time ago.

Moo!

(nudges Brigid hard with snout)

I know, buddy. We need to get her out of there. Can't let her end up in a tuskbeast's belly.

Come here. Lend me a hand, err... paw.

Let's take her to see Na Saoirsí.

The Dark Woods allow the nomad passage. One nomad and one burdenbeast, carrying the departed to the edge of the forest.

Further along, at the end of the road, stands the bright city of Na Saoirsí, built of bricks and stones.

*Huff*...

Sorry, Evelyn, I couldn't make a big enough bonfire. I can't return the fire to you like the wakemen do, like you wanted.

Also, I don't think you were infected? The Infected usually explode after death, but even after waiting for nightfall, nothing happened to you.

But even if were, you shouldn't have died like that.

On the way here, I thought about taking you to the ruins, to see the real wakemen, but you said you wanted to see Na Saoirsí.

So after giving it some thought, I took you here.

(soft wailing)

Look on the bright side? Maybe...

Maybe Ava's already back in Na Saoirsí with Nemos by now. And if I bury you here, you won't get in anyone's way, but you can still see them from here. Maybe even... hear them.

(brings some wildflowers and places them in front of the grave)

Thanks buddy, but could you get me some flowers like <i>these</i>—

Ah, forget, I'll get 'em myself. You stay here with Evelyn.

Brigid leaves the Dark Woods and ventures out into the open plains.

Here, the sound of the wind will no longer be disrupted by the rustling leaves. She will be able to clearly convey her words to her friend.

Wayward wakewoman, if you can still hear me...

The pledge you once made with your heart's flame, is it still in effect?

If it is, then why do you abandon those who can be saved?

If not, then why do you make such empty promises?

I am full of anger and doubt. I hope you'll come see me.

So that, under cover of darkness, with the Dark Woods as my witness,

I will see whether you still walk alongside me, from a thousand miles away.

...And now to pick a few flowers.

She should be here by the time I get these flowers and weeds twisted into knots. Just like before, she'll climb over the ruined stone walls and cross the cape where the lighthouse went dark... to see me.

She'll be here before sunrise.

There are two small bundles of nondescript flowers, one wrapped in leaves and placed in front of Evelyn's tiny grave, the other tied into a knot and placed at the nomad's feet.

She waits until dawn, just to dispel her lingering doubts. However, by the time the sun rises, all the questions she wanted to ask have lost their meaning.

She can wait no longer.

(gently nudges Brigid with snout)

She didn't come.

(gentle rub)

Do you think she's always made this choice, every time, and I just never knew?

She was always a wee different from the other wakemen. But ever since she left the ruins and the wilds, and went to the cities on the wheels...

She hasn't been the same.

Moo, moomoo—

I know, big one. It's past sunrise. She's not coming.

Okay, let's go! We've waited long enough.

Brigid stands up with the help of the burdenbeast. She leaves the knot where it is. Her limbs are a bit stiff, both from sitting too long and the bitter cold.

She takes one last glance at the burial mound in front of her, ignoring the sun-drenched nomadic city behind her.

Goodbye, Evelyn.

Quite a long while after the nomad leaves, another pair of hands picks up the withered, yellow knot on the ground.

Brigid?