Saved Girl sent me Chapter 7 of "Andi Lost." Here it is. If you haven't read Chapters 1-6 yet, click here: CHAPTER ONE. When the entire story is completed I'll post it in its entirety without all this commentary at the top.

Andi--Lost!

Chapter 7

Copyright © Saved Girl

     Andi opened her eyes and winced. Everything was swimming in the small room. As everything started to come into focus she started up in surprise.

      "Wh-where am I?" she said.

      "Don't you remember?" Aiyana said looking up from the cooking pot.

      Suddenly Andi did remember. She asked hesitantly, "How is Cory?"

       "He is fine. Have some, uh, what do you call it?" Aiyana asked motioning towards the pot.

       "Um, do you mean breakfast?" Andi suggested.

       "Breakfast! Sure I'd love some. Don't you dare eat it all, Andi," came Cory's cheerful voice from the skin on the floor.

       "Cory," Andi exclaimed, going quickly to his side. "How do you feel?"

       "Fine, except for the fact that my stomach is empty."

       "Could you bring us some please, Aiyana?" Andi asked, chuckling.

       As Aiyana brought them the food, Talise entered the hut carrying some wood.

        "Good morning. I sorry there not enough food but we been having some hard times lately," Talise said.

       "It is fine. If it wasn't for you we would probably still be lost and Cory would still be sick. Thank you so much."

       Aiyana smiled at her. "You are welcome."

       Andi cleared her throat. "If you don't mind my asking, why were you two dressed as men when we first met you?"

       Aiyana sat solemnly down beside them and said, "To protect ourselves. Most people would no want to rob and hurt two braves, but would consider Indian women easy prey."

       Taking Andi's hand in hers, Aiyana said, "You are troubled about something, my young friend. What is the matter?"

       Andi looked down at her clothes in embarrassment. "Well, I don't understand why you helped us. I mean-"

       Talise cut her off. "You mean that you have heard and believed that 'Injuns' are bloodthirsty savages that only murder and destroy. Now you confused because that not way we act."

        "Right. I just don't understand it."

       "Wait a little while. Aiyana and I will explain to you when time the time right. But you be sure of one thing. We are a good example of how Indians really act."

       Andi and Cory settled into deep thought as they ate their food. Andi noticed the beautifully woven baskets sitting around the hut and some small, painted wood figures.

       In a few moments Andi spoke again. "I hope you don't think I am being nosy but I was wondering what you two are doing living out all alone out here, and why you can speak English.

       "That a long tale, and I not sure if Cory strong enough yet to hear it," Talise said slowly.

       "Aw, come on. I feel fine, really," Cory protested.

       "As you wish. Once, many, many seasons ago, I was a young Indian girl in a Yokut village. I was the chieftain's daughter and very pretty. Then one day-"

       Andi looked at her expectantly. This should turn out to be a good story!

Saved Girl sent me Chapter Six of "Andi Lost." Here it is. If you haven't read Chapters 1-5 yet, click here: CHAPTER ONE. When the entire story is completed I'll post it in its entirety without all this commentary at the top.

Andi Lost!

Copyright © "Saved Girl"

Andi stared at the Indians. They looked just like small male Indian warriors with long robes, and firm stances. They had white men's hats pulled down low over their faces.

 
Andi wondered fearfully who the hats had once belonged to.

 
All at once a thousand thoughts flashed through Andi's brain.

 
She pictured her brother a few days before, recounting to her the latest hair-raising tale that he had read. It had been full of savage, brutal Indians who ran around massacring innocent people and scalping them.

 
She glanced over at Cory. He was slumped over on his horse, unconscious. She swallowed hard.

 
As one of the figures stepped closer, Andi shrank back. To her surprise the Indian knelt down beside her and said haltingly, "You just little girl?"

 
The Indian motioned to the other figure and they both removed their hats. Andi gasped in surprise as she realized that one was a woman and the other a girl about Melinda's age.

 
"Where you from?" the Indian girl asked. Her English was slightly better than the woman's.

 
"We live in Fresno. My friend over there is bad sick."

 
The woman quickly crossed over to Cory and laid her hand on his head. She quickly drew it back and started speaking in a strange language to the girl. The girl ran out of sight while the woman untied the rope that held Cory to the saddle.

 
"Here," she said. "Help me with boy."

 
Andi scrambled off the ground and helped carry Cory to a hut. The girl was inside stirring something in a big pot. She was now dressed like a typical Indian girl, with a deerskin skirt and a fur robe around her shoulders.

 
She smiled shyly at Andi and helped ease Cory onto a bearskin that was on the ground.

 
She dipped a clay bowl into the pot and handed it to Andi. Andi took a tentative sip and was surprised to discover that it was pretty good. She ate ravenously. When she was done sat watching the two women tending to Cory.

 
"Is he going to die?" Andi asked.

 
The girl turned. "I not think so. Oh, my name is Aiyana, and my mother's name is Talise. What your name?"

 
"Andi. My friend's name is Cory."

 
As Aiyana turned back to her mother, Andi started to feel the effects of the last few days. The room started to whirl and the bowl slipped from her hand. She wildly tried to grasp something but fell heavily to the floor.

 
Her last thought before she lost consciousness was, I wonder what an Indian woman and her daughter are doing living alone and speaking pretty good English.

                                                                            [Read Chapter 7!]