Saiyi had been working the fields all morning. She was helping the younger children with their lunches. This was always a time of day that had a lot of commotion. The day was hot even in the island's shadow. A breeze picked up blowing some spray from the island falls over Saiyi's face. She looked up at the edge silhouetted against the daylight sky. Dawn and dusk were the only times the town was illuminated by direct sunlight. Out in the wastes the sun beat down. Saiyi couldn't help but wonder what so much sunlight must feel like. She looked up at the edge again. She could see the falls running over the side from her spot on the hill. She ate her green spread sandwich in thought. She wondered how much water the islands held. The heaven of her people seemed so close from here, but she knew that at its lowest point the island was more than 400 meters from the ground. Though when she lay and pondered the rock and earth above her head it seemed just out of reach.
She imagine water deep enough that you could not see the bottom. The deepest water she had ever seen was the tanks they collected the water in. That was only a few meters deep and she could not imagine much more water, let alone bodies of water so large that you could not see an end to them. She had heard the stories about the world before the God War. It seemed like fairy tales. Human cities with millions living in them and enough food and water for everyone. She got irrationally angry at the Old Gods for destroying it all. But she knew that such thoughts were blasphemy. The Old Gods punished man for their hubris and… and… Well she couldn't remember it all, but her father assured her that this is just the way things were meant to be. Perhaps these intrusive thoughts would end up denying her entrance to the islands after death. She sighed ad stretched her hands up to the island above.
"Hey dreamer." Zeeri walked up and perched next to her. She handed her a flask. The water inside was mixed with algae. Saiyi preferred pure water, but that was a luxury she could not often indulge in. It was reserved for special occasions only.
"Do you ever wonder what it's like up there?"
"Not really. I'll find out after I pass on. I like to keep it a surprise." Zeeri looked out into the wastes and smiled. She always had a way of brightening Saiyi's days.
"Ok. I'm done dreaming. Shall we go check on the little ones?"
"Lead the way boss." Zeeri said sarcastically. Saiyi responded with a rude gesture.
"Bitch!" Zeeri cried. The girls laughed and made their way back to the field. The falls forgotten for the time being.