Men just have to show up and the entire knowledge of all cultures of the world is handed to them. A woman like me can rebuild our entire civilization from scratch and no one even notices. Bugz turned her gaze back to the lodge, hoping her parents would see the mean look she was giving them. They didn’t.

“Alright, we better close this door before it gets too cold in here. Waawaate, want to get that door?” Frank asked.

From where Bugz sat, it looked almost as though her brother had been shot by her father’s words. As soon as Frank finished speaking, Waawaate collapsed and fell to his side.

CHAPTER 34

Waawaate’s upper body sprawled out of the doorway into the fire’s dimming light. His head rolled as though searching for help. Bugz froze. She could do nothing but stare into her brother’s wide eyes. He appeared to stare through her and into the afterlife. She wanted to reach out and help him, but the sudden realization of her big brother’s mortality kept her pinned to her chair.

“Son?”

“Is he okay?”

“What’s the matter?”

Liumei’s medical training kicked in as she crawled through the questioners and their chatter. She reached to check Waawaate’s pulse and quickly confirmed his breathing.

Bugz remained still with fear as her parents spoke up.

“Leave him alone,” Bugz’s mother said.

“Yes, Liumei, back off,” her father said sharply, before his voice softened. “When someone faints in a ceremony like this, we have to let them be. He could be having a vision.”

Bugz read protest on Liumei’s face but watched her relent after scanning the unhurried looks on the faces of Summer and Frank. “Okay,” she sighed. “He’s still breathing. I’m guessing he’s not diabetic. He looks athletic. Is he epileptic?”

Her parents shook their heads. “He’s having a vision,” Frank repeated.

Bugz’s concern for her brother transformed into anger at her parents for not doing anything to help him. She panicked at seeing the one she’d always assumed was invincible now appear so vulnerable. He’s not having a vision, he’s hurt! She added this moment to her list of grievances.

Feng spoke. Bugz didn’t quite understand what he said, but she could see the effect of his words on his aunt. Liumei sat up straighter, effectively backing away from Waawaate.

Bugz wished for Feng to say something, anything else. She wanted the doctor to look at her older brother, to find out the problem, and to make him well again. She didn’t want Liumei to go along with what everyone said just because of supposed tradition. My brother is dying! Help him! She wanted to scream.

Bugz threw the blanket down and rushed to her brother, who still lay in the doorway of the sweat. As she fell to her knees, she heard the others begin to chastise her.