Background
Liz is hesitant to tell Tommy about Kai Zita because it is a strange story. Linda comes to the rescue.
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Previously:
"We've been talking a lot. We've got to keep an eye out for our sign to tell us where we will get help for our car."
Tommy was curious and wanted to help out. "What do you mean by 'sign'? Did someone tell you to look for some sign on this road?"
Liz and Linda exchanged glances.
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Liz began her and Linda's answer by checking with Tommy to see how much they had already told him. Had they told him anything about their stalled car? And what else had they told him?
"Well, I do know your car was stalled & you have been walking a long way for a long time."
In unison, the two ladies agreed.
"Have you ever heard of Kai Zita?" Liz was looking for a taking-off point for their remarkable experience. She was having a difficult time broaching the topic of them seeing an anachronistically dressed Native woman who seemed to materialize out of the fog then dissolved as mysteriously as a shape-shifter.
"Can't say that I have," said Tommy.
Liz rolled her eyes and pursed her lips in frustration. She exhaled a puff of air and glanced at Linda with a pleading expression.
It was really difficult to know where to start without sounding as if the entire incident was a product of their hallucinations. They had been experiencing optical illusions throughout their time staring into the fog.
Linda, sensing Liz's awkwardness, exclaimed, " Wow, look at how all of this land is burned. It looks like miles and miles of it are blackened."
Tommy commented about how some entire towns can be basically wiped off the map. There are people who hear the town next to them was destroyed. Because the wind changed, the fire is miraculously moving away from their town. They are ready to evacuate just in case the wind shift back in their direction. "What a way to live."
He explained how the Natives have always done controlled burns to routinely clear underbrush and open pasture lands where fires would otherwise flare-up.
The areas they strategically burned, greened-up to become rich grasses for wildlife. This left acres of land for all kinds of crops to feed cattle that fed the Native people and vegetables for healthy eating.
His expression and tone changed. "That was before the colonists invaded our land. When they arrived there were laws made that we had to observe. One problem was they believed fire was a destructive force with no good purposes.
"They would not let our People do their controlled burning of specific sections. We were threatened to be jailed if they saw any such activity. And this is the result." He waved one arm while gripping the steering wheel with the other."
Tommy expressed puzzlement when he told of the horrible fires reported that occurred in the early 1900's. "You'd think the government people would learn to listen to us. But they seem to do everything they can to let us know we are a big annoyance."
Tommy raised his voice. "'Know your place' is what they'd say." Tommy slammed his hand on the steering wheel. "They have all the power."
There was sad angry silence. "I'm sorry, it's not your fault. I don't mean to take it out on you. It's just I get filled with rage when I think about our history. Even today we are a forgotten people."
Liz agreed with Tommy. "I get angry about all of it too. It seems I'm learning about new horrors all of the time. Things we never learned about in our history classes.
"Somehow we got off-track. Liz, you were telling about your experience when you two first got to this area. You said your car was stalled on the road somewhere behind us. So who was this Kai Zita you mentioned?"
