Quandary

One of the metal tubes which carried the liquid broke. He saw it happen due to the negligence of some of the residents. They had opened a valve on its side which caused the liquid to trickle out from within. As they were collecting it, one of the residents broke the valve. They could not stop the liquid from coming out. It seemed to be an endless flow.

The woman and others worried that the flow would not be endless. They were concerned that the store of liquid would empty. They collected what they could in the containers of metal which they possessed, in basins made from the skulls of the large beasts that had been killed, but this was a paltry amount that would not last an extensive amount of time. It would be consumed by the residents, used on their green growing things, and evaporate on its own. The existence of the leak was kept hidden from the bulk of the residents. The woman feared there would be panic if their security and way of life were threatened. Only the woman and the water-bearers were appraised fully. He was, as well.

The immediate reaction was to plug the hole shut with dirt and other objects. This lessened the flow, but did not stop it entirely. It provided them more time to think on what to do.

They decided that they would follow the tubes to their source and learn the truth of what danger their settlement faced. The woman would lead the excursion. It would take place some time later. They had supplies to gather. They needed to find a way to provide light.

They gathered fat and oil from the animals they killed and began to render it into fuel. The process was slow and difficult. It prevented those parts of the prey from being consumed. The production of this fuel took many attempts, and some of it was wasted.

This was not done in secret. All the residents were told that the woman had a curiosity in seeing where the tubes led. They were told it would further increase the viability and longevity of their settlement.

It took time. Windstorms occurred. More wanderers joined the group. They were put to work. Those who had resided there longer, who were trusted, began to range farther from the protection of their edifice in search of prey to keep up the production and demand of the fat-fuel. No one knew how much would be needed. The woman aimed to bring along as much of it as she could.

The flow of liquid, when the plug of dirt and bone was removed, gradually grew weaker.

They could wait no longer. The woman set out with three others of her group, some of whom had been with her long ago when they were chosen by the strangers in red to push wobbly carts down the distant tunnels.

He was the fifth.