Redemption: Supernatural Time-Traveling Romance with Sci-fi and Metaphysics by Jacklyn A. Lo Read Free Book Online

duty or fear, but given out of love. Lu reaches out a
hand to feel their child moving in her belly and a broad smile lights up his
face as though it is the first time this has happened. In truth, it began
months ago. Mi is nearly at full term and it will soon be time to bring this
baby into the world. But not today. Today there is work to be done. Today the
tribe must prepare for the coming hunt, the hunt which will bring them food for
the hard months ahead.
    Hugging her man once more, Mi
climbs to her feet, stretches her aching body and makes her way out of the
cave, one hand supporting her back. The sight as she emerges into the morning
light fills her with joy. The entrances to the caves stretch away to the right
and left. In front of her the plain is filled all the way to the lake with the
people of her tribe. The lake sparkles in worship of the Sky God, reflecting
his glory to the world. To Mi’s right the womenfolk get themselves ready for
their work of gathering enough food for the hunt, cleaning the animal skin bags
and tending to the fish that are drying in the cool morning breeze. To the left
are the men, sifting through piles of stones that were collected in the last
few weeks. Mi watches them with a fascination that never seems to fade as they
chip away at the flints, making the heads and blades for the weapons they will
use on the hunt. Others work at sharpening long wooden sticks or attaching the
flints to them with strips of twisted bark and leather. Here and there children
run between the adults, playing with bits of bone and stones they have found
lying around. A boy, naked like the other children, though already well covered
in thick, dark hair, holds the skull of a small buffalo and pretends to charge
at his playmates, who fend him off with their toy weapons. As Mi watches, the
boy trips over a rock and lands heavily on the skull, breaking off one of its
horns. She steps forward.
    “Hurt?” she calls, worried about
the boy. He doesn’t reply, but jumps nimbly to his feet and carries on his
game, the broken horn left forgotten on the ground.
    Mi senses Lu behind her as he
walks up and places a hand gently on her shoulder.
    “I make,” he says after a moment,
pointing towards the other men.
    “Go,” says Mi, ushering him to go,
and as he makes his way over she turns away to join the women. She walks near
the cave of Bak, the leader of the tribe, and as she passes, Mi bows toward Bak
as he sits in the entrance to the cave surveying the work. He has a slightly
aloof look, as though he considers the industry acceptable, but he of course
could do far better himself!
    Funny, Bak, thinks Mi, the haughty
expression on his face almost causing her to burst out laughing. She manages to
stop herself though. It is not good to offend the leader. No laugh! No upset Bak! He is old and soon he will announce Lu as
his successor. He has been preparing Lu for this important role for many
months. Mi smiles at the thought of her Lu as the new leader of the tribe. She
glances back towards her man to see him already busy securing a spearhead to a
long shaft.
    “Mi!” She turns to see who is
calling and sees Ka waving from among a cluster of women busily stitching skins
together. “Here.”
    Waving back, Mi makes her way
through and sits next to her on a fallen tree. Ka leans across and places a
hand on her belly.
    “Soon,” she says, smiling happily
at her. Ka has known Mi since she was a baby, and helped to raise her following
the death of her mother during childbirth. Though Ka has no children, she
cannot disguise her excitement at the idea of Mi giving birth. “Soon he comes.”
    “He,” echoes Mi with a nod. She
knows for sure that it is going to be a boy. She cannot explain why, she just
knows. Running a hand gently over her belly, she bends down and picks up one of
the skins spread out among the groups of women. It is a strong antelope skin,
already cut into shape, and will make a fine, strong bag. Snatching up