Page 75 of For the Strange and Surprising

Day Eighteen

Today is by far the best day I’ve had on the island.

I’ve spent the last few hours in the village with Rinya, posted up on a stone bench surrounding the water fountain in the square. My ass is numb from sitting on the unforgiving surface, but I’ve enjoyed learning who’s who and what they do in the tribe.

It’s been informative, though it’s not what I consider helpful. At least, not with the current thoughts that tumble around in my mind.

“Can I ask you some…” I scrunch my face. “Some girl questions?”

“Who else would you ask? Isolde?” Rin faintly smiles at my discomfort. “That’s what I’m here for, Ada. I’ve been waiting for you to bring up the topics.”

“Right. Uhm.” I tip my head to stare at the cloudless sky. “Are there OBGYN’s here? Like a gynecologist?”

Her brows knit together as she blinks. “A what?”

“A doctor for ladies?”

She shakes her head.

I twist to face her and quietly inquire, “Who do you go to for your lady parts, Rin?”

“Why?” She gasps, then whispers harshly, “Are you pregnant?”

“What?” I cover my forehead. “No. I have this birth control rod in my arm, and it’s supposed to be removed soon.”

“A rod? In your arm?” she skeptically repeats.

“Yeah,” I drawl.

As I drag out my response, a man sits a few feet from Rinya. His head is turned so I can only glimpse his profile, but I’m sure it’s the man I followed into the forest. My skin crawls with Poko’s closeness. And I’m once again perplexed by his lies and involvement with the gray mist.

I nod my head in his direction, hoping Rin will look.

“Nope.” She scowls as she discreetly glances behind her. “We have midwives for pregnancy and checkups. But you’ll have to get Imryll or one of the clinic doctors to remove that rod thing. They handle all the major incidents and procedures.”

“The clinic is like an emergency room?” That actually makes sense to me.

She stands and pulls me with her. “That’s what my dad calls it.”

“What do you do for birth control?”

“Long term or short term?” she counters.

“I don’t know.” I shrug. “I’m just curious.”

Rinya directs me to a cafe table of sorts outside the bakery. She positions the chairs, so we’re side-by-side, observing the Mongrels as they go about their day. I feel as if I’m being watched too. And when I seek out the attention, I find Imryll’s jewel green gaze tracking our movement.

“There are teas and herbal medicines,” she explains. “Those are the most common in our age group.”

My eyes are comically wide as I stare at her. “No condoms?”

“Nope.” She pops her lips.

I cough. “I’m sorry?”

“That’s an Earth thing.”

“Well, fuck,” I mumble. “What about periods, menstruation?”