Breakfast and a Show

Why do morning people do this to themselves? I glare at the bright surroundings as the sun beats down and makes the metallic mishmash buildings even more reflective than they already are.

“You really hate the sun, huh?”, Ingrid asks me as my eyes adjust to the brilliance of the sun kissed buildings.

“Why do we have to do this?”, I annoyingly question as we walk towards The Good Grub!

“It’s only the first time we’ve even done this.”, Ingrid retorts with a pep in her step. I scowl at the girl in annoyance as she turns around and meets my gaze.

“How are you so chipper right now?”, I ask still not able to gather much energy.

“I’m a scout.”, Ingrid answers with one of her wonderful smiles. “When you do that you don’t get to be picky about the time you have to be awake.”, She finishes. My glare fades away. How can I be mad at someone with such a stunning smile?

Instead I merely return her a weak smile of my own and walk alongside her.

-- -- --

It does not take long to reach The Good Grub! Ingrid and I sit down at a small table under an umbrella large enough to cover even a car. It only takes a moment for the young server, Esther Porter, to walk up to us.

“Welcome to The Good Grub! Best grub in all of Arizona!”, Esther greets us in a chipper voice. She really has become quite good at this, I almost could not tell it was fake friendliness.

“Don’t ask.”, The server answers Ingrid’s question before she can even ask as the chipper facade fades. “It’s just what I’m told to say.”, She finishes as she puts two menus on the table in front of us. “I’ll give you a little time to look it over. I’ll be back in a bit!”, She adds full of fake cheer once again as she walks away to another table.

A silence falls over the two of us as I peruse the menu. I usually get the same thing here but the morning might be different than later in the day. But before I get too lost in the menu I look up at Ingrid. I was about to ask what she wanted when I notice she is staring at the thing without holding it up.

“Are you okay?”, I ask as I put my menu down. Ingrid does not say anything as she continues to simply stare at the piece of paper. “Can you read?”, I ask her as realization dawns on me that Ingrid most likely did not have the basic education I have. She still does not say a word but looks surprisingly little trying to make herself smaller like a child caught in a lie.

“No.”, She finally speaks with a meek voice. I give her a smile as I rest a hand on one of hers.

“It’s okay. I can teach you later if you want.”, I tenderly utter trying to put her at ease. I return my hand to my side of the table as I lift the menu up once again. “For now though.”, I continue, “We can order the same thing.” My gaze meets her as I add, “That okay?” She nods timidly in agreement.

-- -- --

“Hey!”, A commanding yet melodious voice yells loud enough to be heard over the din of New Yuma. “Let me in!”, The voice continues, “I got this dipshit for you to question!”

The gates to the town open and a tan fit woman lithely slides through before the gates are fully open, dragging a man missing his right arm behind. The stranger lets go of her unconscious hostage as two security officers carry him away.

The cool gray eyes of this stranger meet mine and feel as if they pierce my very being. That empty gaze fills me with a sense of dread that not even the doctor’s or the security chief’s seemed to do. She strides over to where Ingrid and I are sitting but stops mid stride as we hear a caw. In response to the sound the stranger puts up an arm as a massive bird lands on it. Despite the bird being probably twice this woman’s size she does not appear to have any difficulty holding the bird aloft.

“Had your fill huh?”, She says to the bird as she begins to rub a finger into the top of the bird’s head. I would be concerned for the woman but the bird seems to enjoy it.

“A vulture?”, Ingrid asks the stranger before even asking her name.

“Oh, You know these birds? You’re right, but it’s a California Condor to be precise.”, The outsider responds as she begins to walk over to us once again. If she was bothered by the bird’s extra weight she was not showing it.

“My father had one when I was younger.”, Ingrid answers as she slowly puts out a hand towards the, I guess, vulture. I can only presume that she is trying to show the bird that she is no threat to it. “She passed some time ago but we were inseparable for a few years.”, She adds as the impressive bird cautiously lowers its beak to the girl’s hand. Ingrid proceeds to release a peculiar sound from her mouth. It reminds me of the not dead but not alive we dealt with despite it being different, it was most certainly not something human. I cover my ears at the sound as the woman covers an ear with her free arm and turns her head towards the bird.

“What the hell!?”, The woman yells in frustration as much as in surprise as she turns her head back to Ingrid.

But before Ingrid can answer the vulture releases a bit softer of a sound in, what I can only assume, is response to the girl and begins to rub its head against her hand.

“You can speak bird?”, I ask Ingrid as her bright smile is on full display while she continues to interact with the bird.

“Yeah, I’m a little rusty but it seems to get the point across.”, The young bird lover answers. Before the woman or I can ask anything more to Ingrid about her bird speech capabilities Ingrid lets out one of her wonderful laughs. She truly is in bliss with this huge bird.

“His name’s Cal.”, The woman says as she watches the interaction between Cal and Ingrid. “And I’m Sarah. By the way.”, Sarah adds obviously annoyed.

“Sarah…”, I think aloud as I look over the woman. “Sarah Garcia?”, I inquire as a name appears from the recesses of my mind.

“That is me.”, Sarah says as Cal lowers himself to the ground next to her.

“I’ve heard of you but never actually met you before.”, I say as I watch Ingrid seemingly ignore us while interacting more with Cal. “Was that a raider you brought in?”, I inquire of the outsider.

“Yup!”, Sarah responds as she sits in Ingrid’s former seat and also begins to watch the playful pair. “I was headed back here anyways so it worked out.”, She adds as she grabs Ingrid’s can of juice. She gulps down the liquid and lets out a contented sigh before she sets the tin down again. The two of us sit in silence for a short respite as Ingrid and Cal happily play together.

“Cal!”, Sarah says as she stands up to her feet. “We gotta meet up with the security team.”, She continues as Cal lets out, what I can only say is, an upset sound. The bird however does not object and simply flies up to Sarah’s shoulder. Ingrid lets out a sigh of discontent as she watches the pair walk away.

“I hope I can see more Cal.”, The taller teen says as she gloomily walks back to her seat and sits down. I never would have thought Ingrid would be so emotional about a bird, but I suppose that shows how little I actually know about her despite living together for almost a month now.

“How does she move so well even while carrying that large bird?”, I muse aloud.

“Despite his size, Cal’s not that heavy.”, Ingrid answers without a second thought.

“How would you know that?”, I inquire, “You didn’t lift him.”, I add.

“I did have one growing up.”, She retorts. She lifts her empty can and finally notices it no longer has juice in it as she continues, “I’m mostly just guessing since he seems to be about the same size as Gale was.” She sets her empty tin down in irritation.

“You’re pretty confident for someone only guessing.”, I sharply respond to her explanation.

A pause in our conversation falls between us. Our chat seemingly at its end.

After a moment, I snap my fingers and look in towards the restaurant’s interior as I speak, “Excuse me Esther!”

“Yes?”, The server steps out under the gigantic umbrella with her fake smile.

“Ingrid here needs a refill.”, I explain as I point at the empty tin and return her fake smile with one of my own.