Lisa's Way

Chapter 6

Several people wanted to thank Lisa for uncovering the truth. She didn’t want their thanks. It was partly because she was ashamed of herself. She hadn’t meant to get so angry. She hadn’t planned to say to the Council what she had. She did not want to make them mad at her. She was an invited guest. She wanted to solve problems, not insult people.

Mainly she wanted to tell Little Wolf that his ordeal was over. She acknowledged the congratulations politely but swiftly. She jogged to the part of the building where the jail was. No one was on guard, and the keys were out in the open. She took the keys and unlocked Little Wolf’s cell.

“It’s all over. You’re free to go.” The warmth in her voice surprised her.

She was more surprised when the young man smiled broadly, and hugged her tightly. “Thank you very much, Lisa Herbert.” He let go. “I owe you my life.”

Lisa raised her hands. “No, please. Your thanks are payment enough.”

“There must be something I can do for you.”

“No. Go back to your people. Live out your years...”

“I cannot,” he mumbled.

“What?”

“I cannot go home,” he repeated. He hesitated a moment. “I was in love with a woman of my tribe. Her father would not let her marry me. He claimed I wasn’t a good enough warrior to marry his daughter. She loved me, and we tried to flee together. We were caught before we got too far. He persuaded the elders to exile me.”

“That’s why you were this far south.”

Lisa looked at the sad young man for a moment. Where will he go now? Even if I have proven his innocence, he won’t be welcome around here.

Come to think of it, I might not be too welcome now, either.

Her back stiffened, and she smiled. “You say you owe me your life? Well, Little Wolf, I accept.”

“What?”

The nodded towards the doorway. “Come with me. Let me tell you my story.” As he followed her out, she continued. “I’m not from this world. I came through the hyperspace portal on my world to this one.”

“The portals are open again?”

“Just the two. I came here because back on my world, there wasn’t any place for a smart young woman. I could teach, or tend the library in my town, but the women at those jobs weren’t that old. My only other choices were to give up and get married, or to go someplace else. I figured out how to operate our portal, and here I am.”

“Why come to this town? What does this have to do with me?”

“The leaders down in Great Junction sent me here to deal with the problems the farmers were having.”

“You are that woman I heard about.”

“You didn’t know before now?”

“I overheard others speak of what you did. I never heard your name, or what you looked like. Why did the leaders send you to this town?”

“I guess it was a test. They wanted a reason to believe me when I told them why I came to White Rocks.”

“You passed your test.”

“More or less.”  Lisa let Little Wolf open the door to the outside. “I did help the farmers, and I’ve helped you. But I’m not as sure as I was that I can really make much more of a difference here.”

“You have done well. That isn’t enough?”

“It’s a bit more complicated than that. Besides, I need some time to think about everything that’s happened.”