drumming circle 

another group of those : half humans : burnt by the Pulse : possibly made mad : by the pain : have surrounded our camp : i’m angry at myself : i didn’t even know we were being followed : perhaps the winery itself: had been a trap : & we’d blundered in : blind as bunnies

Stella immediately : moved to protect Rueben : who wriggled away : someone needed to acknowledge : her baby bro : was growing up

Milky growled : the boy looked : like he’d turned to stone : it was the girl who suddenly : took the initiative : dashing into one of the smaller rooms : emerging quickly : with a couple of big white plastic buckets : the type bulk food for restaurants like mayonnaise : use : obviously something goes into the wine : anyway : it doesn’t matter : she started drumming on the base of one : tossed the other to the boy : who caught it : & quickly did the same 

the Pulsers stopped : confused perhaps : Rueben understanding quicker than us : broke free & ran into the same room : returning with 3 more buckets & 3 empty wine bottles : to use as drumsticks : for extra bangability 

soon we had : a wild rhythm : going : including wild roars : hollers : screams : & yelps : as well as a canine chorus : from Milky : delighted he could join in : the chaos 

by the time we realised : they’d all fled : we were having : a crazy rumpus : of a war dance crossed : with wild animals fighting

before we met you : when we were : when it was : just : the two of : us : we discovered : they didn’t seem to like noise 

i’m Priya : this is Ben 

Stella & i grinned at each other : then at the little ones

i think this calls for a feast