Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: July 5, 2025
"I see," Anketam said thoughtfully. He didn't ask how the old man had come about his knowledge. Old Blejjo had little to do, and on the occasions that he had to do some work around The Chief's castle, he made it a point to pick up gossip.
There was a bite in his voice. "Now, wait," Basom said apprehensively, "I didn't say anything like that. I didn't mean it that way." Blejjo pointed his fishing pole at the youth. "You ought to be thankful you've got Anketam for a supervisor. There's some supers who'd boot you good for a crack like that." Basom cast appealing eyes at Anketam. "I am thankful! You know I am!
"I ran all the way here to tell you!" He was grinning widely and panting for breath at the same time. "You suddenly got an awful lot of energy," Blejjo said sourly. "What happened?" Anketam asked. "The invasion!" Basom said between breaths. "Kevenoe himself came down to tell us! They've started the invasion! The war's on!" "Than what are you looking so happy about?" Anketam snapped.
And Zillia seems pretty keen on him, too. If her father doesn't object, everything ought to go along pretty smoothly." "Her father might not object," said Blejjo, looking down at his feet as they paced off the dusty road. "But there's others who might object." "Who, for instance?" Blejjo was silent for several steps. Then he said: "Well, Kevenoe, for one." Anketam thought that over in silence.
Blejjo went on with his careful work, knowing that Anketam would take care of whatever it was. Anketam recognized the voice. He stood up and called: "Over here, Basom! What's the trouble?" A minute later, Basom came running through the trees, his feet crashing through the underbrush. Blejjo sat up abruptly, an angry look on his face. "Basom, you scared my fish away." "Fish, nothing," said Basom.
They walked in silence for a while, trying to ignore the glaring sun that brought the sweat out on their skins, soaking the sweatbands of their broad-brimmed hats and running in little rivulets down their bodies. "I kind of feel sorry for that boy," old Blejjo said at last. "Oh?" said Anketam. "How so? He'll get along. He's improving.
There was a long silence while the men walked six paces. Then Jacovik said: "I'll do whatever I can, Ank. Whatever I can." There was honest warmth in his voice. Again there was a silence. "Blejjo," Anketam said after a time, "do you mind coming out of retirement for a while?" "Not if you need me, Ank," said the old man. "It won't be hard work," Anketam said.
The river's full of 'em. Come along." "Don't see why not," said Blejjo. "What do you think, Basom?" The younger man smiled and shook his head. "I'll stay around home, I think. I'm too lazy today to go to all that effort." "Too lazy to loaf," said Blejjo, laughing. "That's as lazy as I ever heard." Anketam smiled, but he didn't say anything.
The day that the war intruded on Anketam's consciousness again had started off just like any other day. Anketam got his fishing gear together, including a lunch that Memi had packed for him, and gone over to pick up Blejjo. Blejjo was the oldest man in the village. Some said he was over a hundred, but Blejjo himself only admitted to eighty.
Anketam turned away and started towards his own village. Most of the others had already begun the trek back. But Jacovik, Blejjo, and Basom were waiting for him. They fell into step beside him. After a while, Jacovik broke the silence. "Well, Ank, it looks like you've got a big job on your hands." "That's for sure," said Anketam.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking