"No Name" Chapters 2&3

Chapter 2

The sun was high when Montgomery awoke from his delirious state. He looked around and was surprised to see people coming up the mountain. He tried to reach them threw his chip but could not. The people looked odd to him he was not sure what it was but there was something about their skin. No that was not what it is called, Montgomery thought to himself. It is their…their cloths; yes that is the word; cloths. Montgomery felt an odd feeling, he decided must be pride, for figuring out the right word. He looked down at his own cloths they were gray and one piece and now covered in his own blood. He looked at the chaired reminisce of the other peoples cloths. They were the same. But the people making their way up the slope to him all had different cloths on. Some colored like nothing he could remember seeing and some were of a thick looking material that had hair on it. Each person’s cloths were different and each looked to be fitted to that persons liking.

As the people in the different cloths approached the transport they spread out and searched the wreckage. A man made his way across the rock mountain slop to where Montgomery had been thrown. The man knelt next to him and opened a bag he had with him. The man made some noises, the sounds frightened Montgomery at first but then a part of his mind that had been long dormant seemed to open up and he realized the sounds had meaning, “Hello, I’m going to help you.”

Thorn struggled to shape his mount right and access the long silenced part of his throat. Finally he managed to form noises. “Th…aaank…you.” He managed with a great deal of pain in his throat. The man next to him pulled out a roll of fabric, similar to the material that Montgomery wore as cloths. He also retrieved a small container with a gel like substance in it, and a container of water. The man pored the water over Montgomery’s head and washed the blood away. He then dabbed the gel into the wound. Montgomery flinched from the gel at first. It made the pain worse. After a few moments the pain subsided and he felt the relief of the gel. The man then wrapped Montgomery’s head with the cloth to keep the wound clean.

“Are you hurt elsewhere?” Montgomery recognized them as words this time but it still took him a moment to understand them.

“I d…do not thhhink so.”

“Can you stand?” Montgomery understood the words but he could not understand how the man did not hurt himself saying them. Rather than torture his throat any more Montgomery nodded that he could. The man help Montgomery to his feet and the started down the mountain.

The next three days were a blur, though Montgomery simply saw them as the passage of time with no point of reference. He knew that they had walked off the mountain. It was the furthest he had ever walked. He had lain down in a hut and fallen asleep, on his own for the first time. And then he started to dream. He woke often in a sweat, images of the crash and the burning bodies flashing threw his mind. At one point Montgomery sat bolt up right screaming. A soft hand gently pushed him back down to the bed. it took a moment for his eye to adjust to there surroundings. A woman was kneeling next to him and applying a damp cloth to his head. “Relax you are safe. Your fever just broke.” She said in a voice that was elegant and rigid at the same time.

“Fever?” Montgomery rolled the word around on his tongue. His throat did not hurt as much when he spoke anymore. He figured he must be talking in his sleep.

“Yes, we think that when you hit your head it damaged you chip and that caused the fever.”

“Then you have a chip?” Montgomery was taken aback by the beauty of the woman’s smile.

“No, I do not have a chip and I never have. I have a feeling that you will come to like the freedom that comes with not having a chip.”

“How can I have freedom when I am responsible for my actions? The chip eliminates my responsibility and makes me free.” Montgomery was confused by the woman’s words and the only response he had was something he had been told a long time ago.

“We will discuss philosophy and ethics when you are better for now you must rest.” The woman rose to leave. As she left Montgomery saw the light come in the door at sharp angle to the right of the door. Sleep once again took him and he dreamed about the woman. He woke a time later the door flap had been pulled aside to let in the midday air. The sun now case a rectangle of light, the copy of the door onto the floor of the hut. Montgomery rolled to his side and jumped with a pain from his crotch. He looked under the blankets that covered him and saw that he was erects. He touched it and found that it was not exactly pain but not exactly a good feeling like when the wind had blown over his skin as he walked down from the mountain. He was confused and did not know what to do. He decided to simple leave it and go back to sleep. He found this harder to do than he had expected but eventually he managed it.

He woke again saw that the women who carried for him was again kneeling over his bed. She smiled at him when she saw that he was awake. “What is your name?” She asked. “You do have a name?”

“Yes, my name is Montgomery.” It had been a long time sense he had used his name but he knew it well because that is what his mind referred to himself as. And what the chip referred to him as.

“Well Montgomery it is good to met you. My name is Luna.” Montgomery smiled at her. He liked the name and thought it fitting of her though he was not sure why. “We are about to have dinner outside if you would like to join us.” For the first time Montgomery realized he was starving.

“Yes that would be wonderful.” She smiled at him.

“Your cloths have been cleaned and are sitting on that stool over there.” She pointed with her thumb over her shoulder. “It is a bit chilly out so there is also a coat on the peg by the door. I assume that you can dress yourself.” Montgomery nodded. “Then I will wait outside.” Montgomery rose and dressed himself. He was surprised to find it such a new and odd experience. After a short passage of time he managed it and put on the coat. It was made of what looked to be a number of skins all sown together. The fur faced inward and was soft and fluffy. Montgomery enjoyed the feel of the fur for a moment and then stepped out side.

The sun was to his right now and case it light threw the doorway to the left. Luna smiled at him when he appeared. There were a number of other huts a little distance away. He was in the forest that he had so often flown over. Below the tree tops the area was clear and looked of use. He and Luna made their way threw the large trees to a central area. As they approached Montgomery caught the smell of the camp fire and images flashed in his head--

--He was sitting next to the fire with his father. They had sticks with little white balls on the ends which they put over the fire. The fire crackled and sent little sparks into the sky. Montgomery watched them until his gaze was caught by the stars stretched out over head--

--“Montgomery, are you sure you are ok?” Luna said her hand was on his back helping him keep his balance. He looked at her and smiled as he regained his balance on his own.

“Yes, I’m fine.” He looked up and saw the first stars coming out in the fading red of the sky. “Stars" he said pointing. Luna smiled like she would to a child.

“Yes they are stars. If you would wait a little there will be a great deal more of them.” Montgomery was still a bit lost in his memory.

“I have not see the stars sense I would ten.” Luna’s expression changed. Now she looked on the verge of tears.

“Come let’s get some food in you.” Luna and Montgomery made their way to the fire. A man motioned for Montgomery to take a seat next to him. It was the man that had first looked after his head.

“It is good to see that you are up and about.” The man said in a deep but gentle voice. “My name is Haul.” The man put his hand out. On a whim Montgomery took it.

“Mine is Montgomery.” The other man gave Montgomery a solid pump of the hand and clapped him hard on the shoulder.

“Well Monty, this is my village and I hope you will make yourself at home here.”

“Thank you.” Montgomery was then introduced to the thirty or so people of the village before he was handed a slice of meat and some bread. He was at first apprehensive about the food. It shape and texture was not what he was use to, but the flavor was spectacular. He ate four helpings before he was handed a skin. It looked similar to the material he was wearing but was smoother and sealed with some sort of wax. There was a small opening. He looked a Haul with a confused expression. Haul made a motion that looked like he was drinking from the skin. Montgomery imitated it and the liquid rushed into his mouth. It burned and seemed to sear the inside of his nose and throat. He coughed and sputtered. Bending over himself as he coughed out the fiery liquid. He passed the skin to the next person as the whole of the village laughed.

“A man who has never tasted the joy of moonshine!” A man who Montgomery recalled was named Kender said as he laughed at the top of his lungs. Montgomery’s face burned. He could not tell if it was because of the “moonshine,” or the emotions he now felt. He decided it was both and stood and walked a short distance from the fire. Luna stepped up beside him and put her hand to his back.

“It is ok Montgomery. Nobody really expects a Chipped to be able to hold moonshine. Not at first anyway”

“A what?”

“A Chipped it is what you are, or were. It is how we refer to people who still have a functional chip in their head.”

“You mean there are others like me?” A spark of hope lit in Montgomery’s chest.

“Well kind of. The transport Ships go down regularly. We try to get to them but most of the time everybody is dead by the time we get to them. Those that aren’t often end up not being able to move or still have an active chip. Those ones usually go insane or die from the shock. You are the only one that I know of that was not seriously injured and managed to shut down the chip. We are all in unknown territory here.” Luna smiled up at Montgomery.

“Thank you.” Montgomery’s gaze drifted back to the sky. The moon was just rising over the mountains opposite where the sun had set. It was slightly misshapen, flatter on one side than the other.

“The first full moon of summer will be in a few days,” Luna explained. Montgomery had to reach deep into his memory to find the meaning for full moon and summer. He got a good feeling from both the words. “There will be a celebration.”

“That is what your name means.” Thorn said still lost in his memories. “It means moon.” Luna looked at him in an odd sidelong fashion.

“Yes in the ancient languages it means moon.”

“Latin, it means moon in Latin.” Montgomery’s eyes glossed over as he stared at the moon. “My father taught me some Latin, when I was a child. He taught me about the stars. He said that the stars were the language of all the earth. ‘No mater where you are on all of the earth there were always stars.’ He told me. ‘They may be different stars but they are all stars. From the dawn of man people have been looking to the stars for guidance and hope.’” Tears started to well up in Montgomery’s eyes. “I have not thought about my father in fifteen years.”

Chapter 3

Montgomery rose before the sun the next morning. The realization of the rhythm of the sun was deeply moving to him. He dressed and stepped into the predawn mountain light. He walked a short distance finding himself lost in his own thought for the first time. The smell of the forest was magnificent and thickened by the dew that had settled in the night. Montgomery found his way to a small, frost covered, field. The creek that had formed the valley passing peacefully threw the middle of it. He found a fallen tree and sat on the log facing the bright part of the sky. He sat swimming in his freedom of thought for a time.

“Mind if I join you.” Montgomery jumped as he snapped out of his thoughts. He turned to see Haul behind him. Haul handed Montgomery a plate of food as he took a seat on the log next to the other man. They ate together and watched the sunrise over far ridge. When the sun was clear of the ridge Haul spoke again. “I’m surprised to see you adjusting so well to the loss of your chip.”

“What to you mean?” Montgomery asked surprised by the man’s statement.

“I would assume that losing the chip would be like losing you mind. I expected you to be a blank slate, like a newborn child cast into a man's body. I expected to have to teach you how to talk and what the things of the forest were. I expected you to be reclusive and not venture out of your hut for a long time. But I see you here alone watching the sunrise on our little valley. It is as if you have come home.” Montgomery sat and thought about Haul’s words for a short time.

“For the first time I have memories of my life," Montgomery said. "I remember my childhood. My mother and father use to love the forest. I remember going camping at a very young age. I remember my father teaching me what he knew about the forest and what lived there. I remember my mother teaching me how to look at the world and find peace in what I saw. I remember sitting with them in a field like this watching the sunrise just like you and I are now. I had a sister; she was younger than me by a few years. I loved watching her marvel at nature. She seemed to have no fear. For the first time I am remembering these thing. I believe that you might me right I believe that I have finally come home.” Montgomery was surprised when a tear rolled down his cheek. Haul made a grunt of satisfaction at Montgomery’s answer and they sat for a little while longer. The sun slowly climbed in the sky and Haul stood.

“Come, it is the time of year to plant the crops. I would like to teach you how to farm the land.” Montgomery followed the other man as they walked down the valley. They followed the creek until the valley suddenly widened into a vast field. The creek lost its natural meandering and became a channel that was guided and directed around the field. The other men and women of the village were there with horses. For the first time Montgomery was introduced to the children of the village and was surprised by the emotions that it provoked in him; he had not seen a child sense he himself was a child. He felt the strong pull to protect them and care for them as everybody in the village seemed to do.

The people in the field were cutting into the land creating places for water to flow and mounds to plant in. Haul led Montgomery around the whole field explaining the way the water was to flow and what crops they would grown in what places. He explained the rotations of the crops and the reasons for every structure and action they did to the field. The use of the horses was explained to him and how the plows worked. He was surprised to find one of the plows was made of something he recognized. It took him a moment to place the lettering on the side as being from the transport that had placed him in this odd place. It was the first time he had thought of the crash sense that day. His feelings were mixed and he pushed them away not knowing how to deal with them at the time. When the sun was high the work stopped and a meal was shared by the community to which Montgomery was quickly coming to love. After the meal Montgomery’s tutorial was finished and he took up a tool and went to work with the others. He found something deeply moving about the act of physical labor. It was as if the earth reached threw the tool and deep into his soul and showed him the deep light and richness of the world around him. All that he had been taught in the morning seemed to solidify in him and bind him to the land like a tree rooted deep in the soil.

As the sun settled above the western ridge Luna came to Montgomery. “It is good to see you finally smile.” She said with a bright smile of her own.

“I think this might be the first time I have ever been happy.” Somehow Luna’s smile brightened even more.

“Come on, everyone is going back up the village.” Montgomery was almost disappointed to have to leave the field and the work that had endeared itself to him so deeply. He used one of his hands to wipe the sweat from his brow and felt a throbbing in it. He looked and found a large blister on his palm, Luna’s breath caught. “It looks like we will need to bandage that up as well.”

“Apparently we will.” Montgomery hefted the pick he had been using to clear a ditch and walked with Luna up to the village.

That night he dreamt about her and woke in the middle of the night to an unexpected flood and emotion and feelings and wetness. In that flood of emotion he understood something about human nature. He discovered what the human form was meant for and what the word, he had heard on rare occasions as a child, meant. In that moment of overwhelming pleasure and crippling pain he discovered what lust meant. In reflection of it he saw the humans were meant to pass on part of themselves to the future.

The next morning Montgomery discussed this with Haul in the field. At first Haul seemed embraced and uncomfortable but soon realized that it was more of an academic matter. They worked the field once again and by the end of the day had the seeds sewn and the water flowing into the fields. That night was the full moon and the celebration of the coming of summer.

After the feast Montgomery sat for a time watching the dancing and allowing himself to get lost in the music. He had never heard music before and found its call irresistible. The drums matched the beat of his heart and instilled a passion that he had not known before. The flute called to the new found freedom of his soul. Hum of the strings lulled his mind into a place of peace where he found happiness. When the voices of the village rose in harmony with the interments Montgomery wished with all his heart that he had known the word so he could add to the enchanting flow of emotion that seemed to bind the people of the village together. He saw the dance and wished for the chance to let his body join in the flow of the music and let the sound guide him as he guided the music and those around him.

Throughout the night He stole glances at Luna and often times caught her looking at him. He also saw Kender looking at Luna and felt a pang of emotion he had never even imagined before. Every once and a while he felt Kender’s eyes on him and could not help but think that the other man hated him. He never made a move toward Luna but sat thinking about the new forms of human behavior he was now subject to. The celebration went on long into the night and when it finally disbanded he fell instantly asleep in his hut.