Essem pulled himself back to his feet and looked in the direction of the explosion. He knew right away what it was. A house further in had been the target of some sort of heavy weapon. Smoke and flames shot into the sky. Essem spotted a trio of bodies rolling on the ground. One was in obvious pain, and the other two were on fire. His heart sank at the sight, as he knew they were Shade’s Rest citizens.

Essem couldn’t tell where the weapon was fired from, but it didn’t really matter. The aftermath of the explosion came hard and fast as Rotars soldiers poured deeper into Shade’s Rest on foot and in the vehicles.

Essem dropped down next to Kelly’s motionless form. The gangers who had him in their sights just moments ago had turned their attention toward the explosion and were now moving with their fellows. Essem exhaled in satisfaction over his luck then took a closer look at Kelly. She was still breathing. Essem carefully searched her body and found the entrance wound, but could not find an exit hole.

Kelly’s eyes opened with a start as Essem poked around. “Ahhhh!” she rasped.

“Sorry,” Essem mumbled as he placed pressure on the wound.

Kelly moved his hands away, shaking her head. “Don’t bother. I know it’s pretty bad.” Her voice wasn’t much above a whisper and her eyes wandered as she tried to speak. Essem looked at her helplessly. “Kelly, I…” he began, but stopped when he realized it was pointless for him to say anything.

Engine roars and gunfire cracked deeper into Shade’s Rest. Essem knew he couldn’t stay here any longer. The fight was moving and he had to do something. Carefully, he removed the quiver on Kelly’s back, but the effort still brought forth grunts of protest from the dying woman. Securing it on his back and grabbing her bow, Essem checked to make sure it was safe to move then turned back to Kelly one last time. She was looking at him through half-closed eyes. Slowly, she lifted her arm. Essem reached out and took her hand gently, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

He studied her face intently as it twitched involuntary at the pain of death creeping in. Kelly muttered something but Essem couldn’t make out. He leaned in to ask her again, but Kelly simply smiled. Essem froze for a second then found himself smiling back. He brushed his free hand across Kelly’s forehead as her eyes closed. Essem felt his heart sink further, and a tear roll down his cheek. I didn’t even know you.

When he realized that she was indeed gone, Essem placed her lifeless hand across her chest, stood, and then carefully lowered himself to the ground. Essem quickly inspected the dead gangers nearby and grunted in satisfaction as he secured another pistol and a sub-machine gun from two of the burnt bodies. Looking toward the sound of the engines, Essem began his pursuit, being careful to stay close to houses or other cover. Even if he was the only one, he had to do something. Then he stopped, frozen in place as he crouched by a patch of overgrowth. A chill raced down his spine and Essem turned and looked back toward the gate. The chill he felt was replaced with a flush of heat of regret. He couldn’t believe he’d forgotten.

Dad!

* * *

James pressed himself up against the side of the house and peered around the corner. The Rotars’ rough oval shaped formation moved slowly through the streets of Shade’s Rest in a deliberate march. Gunfire was scattered as defenders darted in and out of the homes and behind cover to take shots at the Rotars. Sadly, those shots consisted mostly of rocks and the occasional arrow. Bruce had told James that the town didn’t have a large supply of weapons, and the majority of those were placed at the front gate where Bruce thought they would be needed the most.

James now found himself behind the advancing gang. He had a small band of defenders with him. He felt a twinge of guilt for having pulled away from the gate, but he knew it meant death to stay there. It took all he could to convince those with him to leave, but once the gang had burst through and opened fire, they realized the old man had been right.

From there, they’d been darting in and out of houses, picking off the Rotars when they could. James thought they might have aggravated the Rotars enough to turn around when they picked off two drivers, but that’s when James saw them take out the heavy weaponry. He didn’t know what it was; he just knew it was big and thus dangerous. He and his makeshift squad ran like hell to get clear, and almost everyone made it before the house they hid behind was turned to tinder in a massive explosion.

James knew at that point they had to drive these killers off  quickly. “How many firebombs we have left?” he barked to the five men behind him.

“Three,” one of the men answered. It wasn’t a lot, but it might be enough. James looked back. Only three of the men in the group, himself included, had an actual firearm. The rest had bows or spears and a few rocks. “Make sure you bowmen have the fire. We need to get moving if we’re ever going to catch up. You better hope Bruce has the defenses set up.” He stepped out into the street, signaling the men to follow. “Once they get there, it’s going to get real ugly, real fast!”

As they moved through the streets, James took a look back towards the gate. The carnage was obvious and brutal. It was going to a long time for Shade’s Rest to recover from this. The guilt he felt surfaced once again. James couldn’t look at the destroyed gate, a flaming building or a wounded body without feeling responsible. James cursed himself for getting too involved. He wanted desperately to just leave with Essem and never look back. Essem. His eyes wandered up toward the wall where he knew Essem was supposed to be. He was too far away to make out any details, but the distinct lack of activity of any kind around the entrance to the town sent a clear signal. James wanted to turn right around and search for his son, but he knew any more hesitation could mean even more death. Please, Essem. Just stay alive. When this is done, we’re leaving.

In the distance, James heard the roar of engines die down. “They must have made it to the town hall.” James knew Bruce was there, along with the man they’d brought in.

They were out of time.

Essem pointed toward the end of the house. “Hal, cover us.” He moved his finger toward a portion of the roof that wasn’t on fire, then looked at Kelly. “Can you make that?” Essem was indicating the distance to jump from the ledge of the outer wall to the roof.

Kelly nodded.

“I think so.”

Essem took a breath and backed up as far as he could. The distance was a little over three meters, but the pair would have a running start. Essem knew they had to slow the Rotars’ initial thrust beyond the gate. If the gang managed to establish a foothold , they’d be able to pour in unopposed. Already he saw small squads of gangers trying to move beyond the perimeter that was being set up. And they seemed to be doing it with little resistance. Either the Shade’s Rest defenders weren’t putting up much of a fight or they simply weren’t there. Essem didn’t like that last option at all. James was down there somewhere. His old man wasn’t one to give up easy, though. Essem knew his dad wasn’t stupid either. If hiding meant that he would live, Essem was sure James would do it.

Essem looked back at Hal one last time. “Once we get into position, you worry about anyone else trying to get in.” He jerked a thumb back toward the outer wall. “And don’t forget to use those rocks.” Essem gave a quick glance to the pile of fist-sized stones lying near Hal. “Let’s go!” Essem barked before taking two powerful steps and leaping off the ledge.

He landed with a loud thump, and quickly threw himself forward to avoid rolling over backwards and off the roof. Essem turned and waved Kelly forward. She hesitated at first, then found the courage. Her jump wasn’t as powerful as Essem’s, but it got the job done. She landed closer to the roof’s edgeand quickly scrambled into position. Essem held out a hand, which she used to pull in closer. Both heard a shout from Hal.

Essem looked up to see Hal taking aim and letting fly with an arrow somewhere behind him. With his hand still holding Kelly, he yanked her forward and let go. Spinning, Essem dropped down into a crouch as a short spear whizzed just overhead. Bringing his pistol to bear, he steadied his aim with his other hand and quickly assessed the scene.

Two Rotars had come around the side of the house. A third was on the ground clutching his leg where Hal’s arrow had struck home. Essem couldn’t tell how the other two were armed and he didn’t wait to find out. He squeezed off one round from the pistol and the bullet impacted in the ground just in between both men. Damn it! Essem cursed to himself as both men split away. One readied another spear , while the other opted instead for a pistol of his own.

Essem tried to track the man but he kept darting back and forth. The ganger’s progress was quickly stopped as another arrow thunked into the ground right in the man’s path. He hesitated long enough to give Essem another chance. He took aim, squinted and fired. The round clipped the man in the shoulder, blowing free flesh and bone. The man howled as he dropped his weapon and hit the ground.

A deep thud struck right near Essem’s foot as the other man’s spear hit. Essem jerked to the side and started to scramble up the roof. He saw the man move away as Kelly and Hal both sent arrows in his direction.

“C’mon!” Essem shouted to Kelly as he completed his scramble to the top of the roof. She followed as Hal sent one final arrow toward the fleeing ganger.

Essem and Kelly laid flat on the rooftop and peered over the edge. He could see that the Rotars had not only pushed through the gate but were close to establishing perimeter. The remaining vehicles had moved in and were huddled close to the entrance, waiting to get inside.

It was then that Essem realized that the gunfire had subsided and that he and Kelly were the only defenders from Shade’s Rest still around. Essem wasn’t sure if everyone else had fled, died or both. He looked at Kelly, while he signaled to Hal.

“Looks like it’s just us. Get out your firebomb.” Essem pulled his free and secured his sparker. He looked up and saw that Hal was crouched and staring at him. Essem mouthed the words, ‘stay down’ and followed it up with a hand gesture.

Moving quickly, he lit the cloth fuses on both pieces of pottery. He pointed toward where he wanted Kelly to throw. She nodded.

“Once we throw these, we need to get the hell out of here.”

Kelly nodded again.

Then Hal screamed.

Essem stole a quick glance and saw that Hal had slumped against the wall. Looking back, he saw close to ten gangers around the house’s edge. Without hesitation, Essem switched targets and hurled his firebomb toward the group while shouting to Kelly to throw hers.

Essem’s hit the ground with a burst of flame that caught three of the Rotars in its radius. The others moved but took aim at the pair and fired. Bullets punched through the shingles and into the wood below, sending splinters toward Essem’s face. Standing his ground, he returned fire, catching one of the ganger square in the chest, dropping him to the ground. Somewhere on the other side of the house, Essem could hear screaming. Good shot, Kelly.

“Back to the wall!” Essem shouted as he grabbed Kelly’s hand to take her with. He jerked suddenly when she didn’t follow. Looking back, he saw a pool of blood rapidly expanding from her midsection.

“Shit.” Essem said as he let go of her hand.

Then the explosion hit.

Essem hunched down over the wall as the approaching Rotars attack force drew near. He couldn’t make out any details, but it didn’t matter. The cloud of dust the force was kicking up as it approached was intimidating enough. He could feel the tension rising in his gut as he watched the rest of Shade’s Rest scramble into place. Essem saw the fear and worry on their faces as some took up their battle positions. He had to admit he was a little worried too. He’d been in plenty of scrapes, but this was shaping up to be the biggest fight he’d ever been in. Judging from the way the two men and the woman by him were shaking and sweating, it was their biggest fight as well.

The trio stared back at him. Unsure of what to do, Essem opted to simply smile. “How are you doing?” he asked weakly, even more unsure of what to say.

The two men returned his question with stares of disbelief, but the woman started to chuckle. All three looked at her, but she continued to chuckle. “Sorry,” she offered. “It’s just kind of funny that we’re all here, ready for battle and all you can say is, ‘How are you doing?’”

Essem started to chuckle himself. Now it was his turn to apologize. He shrugged. “Sorry. I don’t really know what else to say.”

“How about your name? You’re one of the new people, yes?”

He nodded. “My name’s Essem.”

The woman extended her hand. “I’m Kelly. This is Hal and Eric.”

Essem shook her hand and gave a nod to each man. Hal wiped his face clear of sweat and pushed the headband higher up to clear his blonde hair away from his face.

“Any advice? The closest we’ve ever had to a fight is just some basic combat drills and some wrestling.”

Essem wanted to pursue the illogic of never learning to really fight, but thought better of it. He looked over their weapons, then back over the wall. The Rotars were very close. He didn’t have much time.

“They’re going to hit this place hard, no matter what they do. We’ve all got firebombs. Those are your best weapons. Don’t use them unless you can hit for sure. These things will hurt, so you got to make them count.”

Eric shook nervously as he looked at his bow. “I don’t think I can shoot another person. Hunting is one thing; this is totally different.”

Essem thought back to encounter at the dead-velopment. “You’ll be surprised what you can do when you have to.” He stood and looked. The Rotars’ vehicles were in sight, a wedge of charging rattletrap cars and trucks with a monster of a van taking the point. His mind made the image to look like a massive, nightmarish beast. Smoke billowed behind the formation, mixing with dust to appear as a coat of black and brown. The roar from the muffler-less engines gave the beast a howl like a demon from hell. Spikes protruding from the sides of the cars took on the shape of claws and savage teeth, hungry for flesh. The visage ignited the spark of fear in Essem’s belly into a full, raging panic. He took several breaths to steady himself, then looked back at Eric, Hal, and Kelly. “And try not to panic.”

“Too late,” Eric muttered as he stood up next to Essem.

A small section of the wooden wall to Essem’s right exploded into tiny fragments, and several harsh hisses zipped past his ears. Essem dropped back down, and heard the sound like a fist punching rotted fruit. He looked wide-eyed at Kelly who was still huddled behind the wall. Stupid, Essem. So stupid.

Kelly started to scream. Then Hal followed.

Essem turned and saw Eric’s lifeless body crumple next to him. The left half of his face was gone, leaving only red, meaty fragments.

Hal vomited.

“I just…” Essem began, but the words got stuck in his throat.

The sounds of gunfire and its impact on the outer wall erupted all around him adding to the chaos and offensive symphony created by the roaring of the Rotars’ engines.

Essem swallowed hard. Get a grip, damn it! He forced back the panic then braved a peek over the wall just in time to see the lead van break free from the wedge, and the other cars slow slightly.

He ducked back down, grabbed Kelly with one hand and Hal with the other. “They’re going to ram the gate! Hold on!”

As Essem braced himself, his mind flashed to everyone else. Maple had left to be with Runner, who was in hiding with the other kids. And his dad. Essem’s stomach soured. His dad was near the gate.

The fireball and the shockwave seemed to hit at the same time. The ledge shook violently as flames shot high in the air. Essem fought to stay balanced, his steel grip holding fistfuls of Kelly’s and Hal’s clothing. Shrapnel and debris rained down in all directions. Essem squinted through the mess, trying to find the van. He couldn’t see it.

The adrenaline kicked in. Essem stood in a low crouch. He shouted to Hal and Kelly. “C’mon, we’ve got to help them. They busted the gate!” Essem pulled the pair along with him.

The outer wall of Shade’s Rest had been built to take best advantage of the houses it was designed to protect. Where possible, roofs were used in the walking wall that surrounded the entire settlement. This made for a rather loping trek as the three pushed toward the gate, which Essem guessed was about thirty meters away.

They heard the sounds of engines, gunfire, and shouts as they neared. Visions of James lying bloody and dead near the gate raced through Essem’s mind. Dad, you can’t be dead. Damn it Dad. Be alive! ‘I’ll be near the gate’ was the last thing James had told Essem before he went to post on the wall.

“Look out!” Kelly shouted as she came to a hard stop. Essem didn’t stop in time and knocked her over. As Hal fell on top of him, Essem looked up to see a small clay bottle, with a flaming top arc over the last house that stood before what remained of the gate’s entrance. It landed less than ten meters from where they lay, bursting into a blob of flame that covered the last run of the walkway and the roof blocking their path.

The trio struggled to their feet. Essem looked at Hal and Kelly, as he freed the pistol from his waist. “Get your bows ready. Let’s get these bastards.”

Kohl walked down the line of vehicles, looking each one up and down. Though their current condition was nowhere near what they originally may have looked like, all appeared functional. All were equipped for fighting, and to Kohl that’s what mattered at this moment. Metal or wood plates provided protection from extended side boards that jutted out from the passenger side of many of the cars. Others had jury rigged rear platforms where his men could shoot and snipe from. In total, Kohl had over a dozen vehicles to use in the coming assault against Shade’s Rest.

Kohl smiled as he finished his inspection, reaching his command car. His second, a well-muscled man who wore a deerskin vest covered with loose hanging trinkets and jewelry, approached him. His voice carried a deep timbre as he spoke.

“Everything’s ready.”

Kohl acknowledged him. “Good. You’ve run the weapons check, Harmon?”

The big man nodded. “Yes, but we’re getting low on fuel. We’ll have plenty to get there, but if we spend too much time zipping back and forth, we’ll run out. We can’t use the geecee’s. They’re too slow when pulling the cars and will probably get shot.”

Kohl agreed. He didn’t want to use any of their pack animals in the coming fight. They were far too valuable, especially the geecees. A common nickname for “genetic constructs,” these beasts were wide and varied and came from before the war. Engineered specifically for a variety of roles, they were common in the years well before the war, when genetic engineering was commonplace and at its height. From cross-breeds to existing animals created for a specific function or entertainment, the rise and use of such creatures truly created a world in which animal and human worked and walked side by side. When the war came, the age of the geecees ended in a flash, but like so many other animals they found a way to survive and even make a place for themselves. Some even became of great value, because of their function, with some even holding greater value than human life itself.

“No, we won’t be using them. Plus, if our plan comes off right we shouldn’t have to push much further than past their front gate. I don’t think there’s much fight in these people. Their leader, yes. The people, no way. Once the ram breaks through their front gate, I wouldn’t be surprised if they start fleeing or surrender right there.”

Harmon followed Kohl’s gaze to the van at the front of the Rotars’ line of vehicles. While the back end was completely cut open, and the tires appeared to be patched multiple times, the front had been reinforced heavily with a sloped and pointed wedge attached to the van’s front end. The wedge ended in a sharp tip and was decorated with various animal and human skulls for extra effect.

“You think this will bust their front gate?” Harmon asked.

“I got a good look at it. The gate is thick, but it won’t stand up to the ram. Once we break through the rest of the vehicles can follow. All we need to create is a perimeter and expand out from there.” Kohl smiled. He felt a great sense of satisfaction inside. He didn’t like the way Bruce treated him, and in a few hours, he was going to pay. To Kohl this wasn’t about getting Tim, Maple and the girl back. It was about teaching a lesson.

 * * *

Essem leaned against the outer wall of Shade’s Rest, looking back in towards the settlement rather than out beyond which he knew he was supposed to be doing. He’d been on duty on the walkway almost immediately after he spoke with his father about what had happened with the Rotars and the meeting with the Elders. Essem wasn’t sure how he felt about it all though. On one hand he wanted to fight. He wanted to show people like Tim that they couldn’t just take what they wanted. He wanted to beat the rest of the Rotars just like he beat Tim. At the same time, he knew that a lot of people might get hurt, even killed. In the few days he’d been here, Essem had come to like several of the people he’d met. The thought of them being hurt because of a problem he had started didn’t sit well with the young man. Ever since Bruce had made the announcement to Shade’s Rest about the possibility of a war, Essem had noticed a change in the people of the settlement. People who had previously spoken and been cordial to the young man suddenly kept their distance and cast disapproving glances. Others tossed scornful comments his way, anger coloring their voices. But it wasn’t universal. Some people, including those he’d never spoken to before, approached him and took the time to say that if there was a fight, it wasn’t his fault, or that of his father. These people claimed it was going to happen sooner or later, and they were tired of running. Essem could tell that for a town that seemed unified on the surface, there was trouble and tension brewing underneath.

“Shouldn’t you be looking the other way?” A voice jarred Essem out of his thoughts.

He looked up and saw Maple approaching. Essem noted that she had cleaned up significantly since being here. She’d been able to bathe, get new clothes, and eat. Her mood had even seemed to improve. She was coming at Essem with a limp in her step, but that was due to the large sack she hefted. She set it down at Essem’s feet with a loud ‘whuf.’ “What are you thinking about?”

Essem stood and faced her. “Not much. What’s in the sack?”

Maple placed her hands on her hips. “Rocks.” She pointed back toward the gate where other residents could be seen hauling similar packages. “We’ve been gathering them all day. Just in case.”

“Good idea.” Essem opened the sack and fished through the rocks. They were all good sized, with nearly all of them as big as his fist or larger. A solid hit from one of these was going to hurt. This was one aspect that made Essem happy. Shade’s Rest had a fair supply of weapons but he knew it might not be enough. The fact that they were improvising in this manner showed a spirit of determination that might be enough to make up for any shortcomings the settlement had for arms.

“How’s Runner?” Essem asked as he turned his attention back to Maple.

Maple looked out over the wall. “She’s good. She’s made some friends.”

Essem nodded. “Good. I think she’s being accepted here better than the rest of us.”

“Maybe.” Maple rubbed her chin. “I don’t know. People seem to like me well enough.”

“That’s because you cook for them. If you make good food, people will always like you.” Essem let some irritation creep into his voice.

Maple picked up on it. “Is there a problem?”

Essem looked at her. He couldn’t tell if there was a problem or not. Conflicting feelings raced back and forth in his mind. Part of him wanted to yell at Maple, and blame her for their current situation, but another part wanted… something. Essem couldn’t tell what though, which made him even more frustrated. He hoped it wasn’t any sort of deeper feelings. He didn’t want to have anything like that for Maple. He didn’t mind having her and Runner along, but he didn’t want to feel that way toward her, but he wasn’t exactly sure why. He remembered a few conversations he’d had with James. His opinion had always been that ‘women complicate things’ but James never really explained why, and what things were being complicated.. Essem thought it might just be a desire to be with her. He’d been with a woman once, but that was years ago. He remembered the feelings he’d had leading up to that disastrous encounter, and this did feel a little like that. In the end, Essem figured it would be best just to shut those feelings out until after everything was over.

He shook his head. “No. Nothing.”

Essem watched as Maple squinted at him, trying to understand what was going on. She soon gave up and turned to walk away.

Then Essem heard the rumble. It was in the distance but as the moments passed it grew louder. He leaned over the walls edge and stared toward the horizon. Maple joined him  in searching. A small cloud of dust joined the approaching rumble.

There was no doubting it now. The Rotars were coming.

“What do you mean they are going to stay?” The irritation on Elder Notten’s face was obvious. His eyes narrowed and his wrinkled and weathered face began to redden. For his part, Bruce could feel a tingling sensation bouncing around his insides. It was as if ice water was filling his belly. The last time he remembered feeling this nervous was his first time with a woman. While a pleasant feeling, there was a twinge of fear with this sensation.

And yet at the same time, he felt an excitement burn inside of him. In less than two hours, his entire life had been turned upside down. He had been content to be a leader of a settlement struggling to find some stability, the shepherd to a people that both needed and appreciated the steady hand he often provided. Now he was not only facing the threat of an attack from an angry gang of slavers but the verbal assault of those actually in charge of the settlement of Shade’s Rest – the council of five Elders.

But Bruce had also come to realize something else about the Elders and Shade’s Rest, and he had James to thank for it. Bruce had always thought he was part of and led a just and caring community, but it was James and his son, Essem who taught him otherwise. Now all Bruce had to do was convince the Elders of it.

Bruce knew the Elders had always truly run Shade’s Rest with the role of mayor being the executor of the Elder’s will. The Elders had always lived their namesake: the oldest members of the settlement. Since Bruce had become part of Shade’s Rest decades ago, the Elders were always those who were alive before the world changed. Everyone always believed they were best suited to manage the transition and be the guides to all those born after the world changed, giving them a connection to the past while helping to avoid the mistakes of it. The mayor was always chosen by the Elders, but the residents had approval of the choice. It was a system that had worked well for Shade’s Rest and kept them alive and functioning for decades. Bruce could not remember in all his time here or from the stories he had heard of anyone challenging the Elders authority. It made sense, really. After the bombs fell, people didn’t live very long. Those who did suddenly were regarded with a respect they hadn’t seen in ages. Bruce had heard tales and stories about how the world had been obsessed with youth, with the aged being discarded and shunned from society. Now if you were old, it meant you knew how to survive. Knowledge that was invaluable. To defy that knowledge was not only insulting, it was disrespctful and often unwise.

Bruce nodded. “Yes, Elder Notten, they will stay. We are not going to send them out to their deaths just so that we may live and be spared any violence.”

A new Elder spoke up first. It was Elder Shore. He had wild, stringy gray hair that swayed gently as he spoke. “So you wish pain and suffering on our people? Why is this, Bruce? You have always been a good and faithful leader. Why would you choose an incident like this to make a stand?”

Bruce knew this question was coming. He’d even asked himself the very same question moments before speaking. He just hoped that he was right. “Elder Shore, I understand your concern. In years past, even before I was chosen as mayor, we lived a life that was based on staying as far away from trouble as possible. It didn’t matter what form the trouble took; if it was a threat to us and our people, we moved out of the way and kept going.” Bruce opened his arms and gestured to the former grocery store that had become the Elder’s Hall. “We had always been told that we would find a place where we could indeed call home. Some place where we would be safe and never have to move again.”

Bruce shook his head and looked directly at each Elder. “But that time has never come. We have always been on the move, being as nomadic as the slavers that now threaten us.” Bruce pointed to James, who stood in silence as Bruce pled his case. “Or this man and his son. They have wandered all their lives as well. This pair has known nothing but the road all their lives, and they have little to show for it, save for the clothes on their backs.”

Bruce stepped forward, raising a finger toward Elder Notten who looked like he was about to retort. Bruce cut him off. “But this pair has something we seem to lack. A moral center. A sense of justice. When the small girl, Runner, literally fell into their camp, pursued by armed men, they decided to stand and protect her, knowing no more than what they could see.

“And what have we done when faced with the same? We’ve decided to turn them over. Walk away from the trouble. And we think ourselves better than two walkers who have no more than each other?”

Bruce turned and faced James. He placed a hand on the older man’s shoulder. Though he looked James in the eye, he continued to address the Elders. “I wanted to turn him over because I knew that’s what you would have wanted, but James and his son reminded me that if we truly want to not just survive in this world, we need to make that stand for what we believe in.”

Bruce turned toward the Elders and squared his shoulders at them. “They stay, and we will fight if we need to.”

Notten raised a hand. “If you are done, Mayor Haft?”

Bruce nodded.

“You make a strong case, and while I do not disagree with your principles, they are misplaced here. While you may claim to have found a moral compass, you will find that slavers are without any. They will just as easily kill, enslave, or rape you without a second thought. And when they attack, they attack with such ferocity that there are few that can stand in their way.” Notten pointed a finger toward James. “In your effort to show your moral fortitude by saving this man, his son, and those who came with them, you might very well doom us all, and what will that prove?”

Tate, one of the female Elders, joined in. “Elder Notten is correct. Taking such a stand will bring you little comfort when you are lying dead in the street and your sister is being ravaged by these lawless men.”

Bruce was about to protest, but James took a step toward them and spoke. “Look, we didn’t want any trouble when we came here. We just wanted some help. Bruce gave it. He showed me some kindness and even when he turned us down for keeping that man that ganger wants.” James turned back and looked at Bruce. “He made me believe, even if it was for a small moment, that maybe I was wrong about what people in towns and other settlements are really like.” James snorted. “But you took care of that.” James raked his eyes across the elders. “You’re no different than that ganger, you know. The only difference is he uses guns to kill people.”

Bruce watched helplessly as James turned toward him and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I appreciate your efforts. We’ll take our man and get as far away as we can. Hopefully you won’t have to give this place up.”

Bruce’s eyes followed James as he made his way out, until a voice brought his head back around. It was Elder Shore. “A moment, please.”

Bruce looked. James stopped and turned. Shore continued. “Just because my fellow Elders do not like our mayor’s brashness does not mean all of us do. While it is true Mayor Haft has defied our will, perhaps he is right.” Shore turned toward his fellow Elders. “I say we put it to a vote on whether we make a stand.”

Bruce watched in amazement. He could see the looks of anger on Notten’s and Tate’s faces. They attempted to speak, but Shore continued. “Those in favor of taking a stand against these slavers and accepting our mayor’s defiance raise their hand.”

Time seemed to slow as Bruce watched as Shore’s hand raise, followed closely by the two elders, Thomson and Swann, who had remained silent for the entire debate.

The nervous tingle Bruce held in his stomach the entire time suddenly faded away, replaced by euphoria.

“It seems we have a majority, Mayor Haft. There is no need to ask the opposing question.” Bruce looked over at Shore. The Elder’s face held no emotion as he stared at Bruce. “They may stay in the settlement, and you are now charged with making sure we are ably prepared for an assault.” Shore’s tone dropped. “Please, Mayor Haft. Do not make us regret our decision or our faith in you. The lives of all of Shade’s Rest now truly lie in your hands.”

James followed Bruce as he turned and made his way back down the stairs from the walkway. “Wait up.” James felt heavy with the guilt Bruce had just dumped on him. Though he couldn’t hear most of the conversation the leader of Shade’s Rest had with the Rotars leader, James heard enough to know that a lot of it had to do with him, Essem, Maple and Runner and that none of it was good.

Bruce’s details to the rest of his talk with Kohl confirmed everything else. Trouble was coming to Shade’s Rest and James felt responsible. James pleaded. “Bruce, what can I do to fix it?”

The pair had already started walking deeper into the settlement, but Bruce stopped at this and turned to face the older man. “Fix it?” He spoke with exasperation. “There’s no fixing this.” Bruce gestured beyond the wall. “I know his type. I’ve seen it before. Full of himself warlord who can’t see beyond his own ego. He doesn’t get what he wants and now he’ll punish us for defying him.” Bruce sliced the air with his hand, calling for an end to the discussion. “No. There’s no fixing this. Any blood that is shed over this is now on your hands.”

Inwardly James cursed the moment Runner fell into their camp. Everything had been fine for him and Essem until that moment. From there it had all gone downhill as far as James was concerned. But what would have happened to Maple and Runner if you hadn’t been there, old man? James thought to himself. Either way, James couldn’t let this go. He had to fix it. “No. There has to be something. I know this is my fault.”

Bruce turned back around and glared at James. James watched his face. He could see the anger. Then something changed with Bruce’s expression. James could see Bruce’s brow begin to furrow, and his eyes squint. He was started to look conflicted. James wasn’t sure what to make of it. “Your fault?” Bruce let out a heavy sigh. James knew for sure the man was conflicted. “I’d like to blame you. Really I would. Some old-as-dirt road hagger comes into my town and begs for help, then brings trouble in the form of a gang of angry nomads. I’d like nothing more than to set this at your feet, and then string you up by them.” Bruce raised his hands in exasperation. “But this one’s on me. It’s all my own damn fault. I should have given you up right away.”

Bruce’s last words hit like a punch to the gut. It was tough to hear such callousness, but he wondered if he would do the same if the situation was reversed. Still, James wasn’t sure what he was hearing. First Bruce was blaming James and Essem, now he was taking the fall. James knew something wasn’t right. He held up a hand in a calming gesture. “Bruce, take it easy. You’re not making sense. We can figure this out, and solve it.” James saw the tension in Bruce’s face fade slightly. He knew he had a chance. “First things first. Where are the rest of your defenses? Where do you keep the weapons?”

Bruce shook his head. “No, the first thing I need to do is report to the Elders. They need to know and make the decision.”

James blinked in surprise. “Elders? I thought you were in charge.”

Bruce continued to shake his head. “I make sure everything runs within the settlement, but the elders make all the choices.”

James studied Bruce’s face as he spoke. He could tell something was bothering the other man even more when he spoke about the Elders but couldn’t tell if it had to do with what had just happened or if there was something more going on.

Bruce started walking again. “You better come with. They’re going to want to talk to you.”

*  *  *

James stood inside the wide open square room. The shape was familiar to him from his youth and early years. He remembered that his mom had always used the term ‘market’ when describing these types of buildings. His dad had always called it a grocery store. Either way, James’ furthest memories of these buildings were always pleasant. They involved him asking for sweet treats and often being lucky enough to get them. After the bombs fell, James’ memories changed dramatically. He had nightmarish recollections of scrambling and searching for food, or even fighting others for a scrap or package of something. Inside, he chuckled at the idea of a building holding shelf upon shelf of food that anyone could purchase or trade for. Such a thing was a luxury from a world long gone.

Now James found himself alongside Bruce in one of these buildings. The center area had been completely cleared out, replaced with five chairs upon which each of the Elders sat. Behind them against the wall was a series of curtained off areas that James guessed must have been their living quarters. To the right looked like a general assembly area. Stumps, chairs and crates were scattered about. Behind him were tables of various lengths and sizes. Some were set up, others folded and still others of a more permanent nature. This must be their town hall. It almost seems like a throne room. James stood in silence as Bruce finished up his report to the Shade’s Rest Elders.

“So, Mayor Haft, you feel that this Kohl and the rest of his gang will return soon with a show of force?” One of the Elders with a shaved pate that only served to accentuate his wrinkled face spoke.

Bruce nodded. “Yes, Elder Notten.”

“And there is no more hope of negotiation?” A female Elder who sat buried in furs and animal skins, her hair pulled back tightly into a ponytail spoke in a pleading tone.

“I don’t believe so, Elder Tate,” Bruce answered, regret in his voice. “I have seen his type before. He feels he is superior to all those he meets. Much like a spoiled child, when he doesn’t get what he wants he throws a temper.”

Notten answered back. “But he is not a child. He is a slaver with likely many weapons and soldiers at his disposal. And he presents a serious threat to our settlement – a settlement we’ve had for a very short time. A settlement we have all come to love in this time.”

Bruce nodded again. “Correct.” He paused. “Elders, what would you have me do?”

The group of five looked back and forth at each other. James could feel his stomach tighten. He knew what was coming.

It was Notten who spoke. “The choice is clear, Mayor Haft. Turn their man back over to them, along with the woman, the child and the two travelers who brought them here.”

James wasn’t sure which reaction he was going to take. Part of him wanted to rail against the five elders, to vent all his frustrations on groups such as this that he had seen so many times before. But another part wanted to simply turn and leave. Grant them their wish, and be rid of this place forever. James had seen this before. It was one of the reasons he never could live among others. I’m too old to listen to this crap. These idiots need to know what they are doing,who they are hurting.

Before he spoke, he looked over at Bruce. He saw the man’s jaw was clenched tightly. Beads of sweat were forming on his forehead. James looked down and saw Bruce’s hands clenched into fists. James realized that Bruce had made his decision, and it wasn’t the same as the Elders. He found himself feeling for the settlement’s leader. James could tell there was much more going on between Bruce and these Elders than he wanted to know. It’s not the time, old man. Just let it go. Just make it easy on him.

James placed a hand on Bruce’s shoulder. “It’s okay, Bruce. We’ll just go.” He looked toward the Elders. “We don’t want to cause any more trouble.”

“No.” Bruce spoke through gritted teeth. It was almost a whisper at first, but Bruce said it again, louder this time. “No.” He looked toward the Elders. “We’re not doing that. They’re going to stay. All of them.”

Bruce studied Kohl’s face. At first he saw the widening eyes that clearly showed surprise. It was obvious to Bruce that the younger man wasn’t sure what he had heard. That look of surprise quickly melted into realization. To Bruce’s eyes, this realization looked a lot like someone had told Kohl a big secret. A secret that made him angry.

Bruce didn’t like to judge people from appearances. Not in this day and age anyway. He’d met far too many people whose cover never matched the contents of their book. But with Kohl, Bruce found that old prejudices died hard. From the moment Bruce saw the man, with his sloppy, miscut hair, ragged clothes, and posture that smacked of arrogance, Bruce knew he wasn’t going to enjoy the negotiations.

He could tell right away that the man was not only a liar, he was something that Bruce despised even more – a slaver. He was beginning to realize that what James and Maple were claiming was likely true. It didn’t make the situation any easier for the leader of Shade’s Rest. Bruce was willing to turn the man over to Kohl and his gang, but something nagged inside him. He couldn’t shake the feeling that simply turning his back on this matter wouldn’t solve the problem. He didn’t fully know the conditions Maple, Runner and the others were living under. And yet, at the same time, he wasn’t sure why this was his concern at all. He had an entire settlement of people to look after. People who expected Bruce to do what was right by the Community. People who expected him to keep them safe. Getting tangled up with a nomad gang was the exact opposite of that. Maybe he’ll be reasonable.

“My what?” Kohl uttered, some shock still in his voice.

“You heard me. I have one of your men.”

“And how did you come to have him?”

Bruce could sense a growing irritation in Kohl’s voice. Or maybe he won’t be reasonable. “He was brought to me in chains. The people who brought him in claimed he tried to kill one of them, as well as hold one of them captive. What do you know about this?” Bruce worked hard to seem sincere.

It was clear Kohl wasn’t buying it. His voice had nothing but irritation in it. “I want my man back.” Kohl looked past Bruce toward the settlement’s outer wall. “And if you’ve got my man, then you have something else of mine. The woman who brought him in, and the men with her; they’re the real criminals here. They stole from my camp, and killed one of my men. Give them to me. I want justice.”

Bruce shook his head. “A woman did come in with your man, but she had nothing on her. She couldn’t have stolen anything.”

“She took that child.” Bruce watched as Kohl gritted his teeth. He could tell the man was becoming more agitated. “That child was an orphan under our protection!”

Kohl tried to sell the line, but Bruce wasn’t buying it. Still, he worked to keep his face and voice calm. The last thing he wanted was a fight. “With respect, Kohl, I think you’ve made it very clear to me what your kind of ‘protection’ is.”

Kohl stepped in close toward Bruce. He saw Kohl’s face twisted in anger. His eyes were darting quickly between the settlement and Bruce. He knew Kohl wanted to act on the feelings inside. It was obvious Kohl didn’t like being spoken to in any sort of defiant manner. What Kohl said next confirmed it.

“You watch yourself, man.” Kohl hissed as he pointed toward the outer walls of Shade’s Rest. “You think those walls would hold us back if we came at you full force? Not a chance. They’d fall in a heartbeat.” Kohl’s eyes became wild. “Then the rest of you would go. One by one. We’d kill those who fought us, and those who didn’t–” Kohl let the word linger. “Well, they’d be spared of course.” Kohl chuckled a bit. “I’m not some sort of heartless bastard. They might have to work a little harder to earn their keep.” Kohl smiled at Bruce. “Do you get me?”

Bruce leaned in close to Kohl’s face. He could smell the scent of burnt meat on Kohl’s breath. It mingled with his stale body odor. The resulting smell made Bruce slightly ill. These negotiations didn’t go at all like Bruce had hoped. Short of an outright firefight here and now, they were going the exact opposite of what Bruce had hoped. He was being put in an impossible situation, and Bruce could feel his own anger start to bubble up. Even if he did turn the ganger over, Kohl would come back to ‘punish’ Bruce and Shade’s Rest. Holding on to him would only bring a fight. Bruce’s aggravation simmered in his mind. Why? Why now? This is the best place we’ve ever found. I’m tired of running. I’m tired of making these people move every time a threat comes around.

No more.

He looked at Kohl. Bruce tried to keep his voice calm, but failed. “I wanted to come out here and have a respectable conversation with you, Kohl. I wanted to find out if what they said about you was true. I wanted to find some sort of peaceful way to resolve this.” Bruce shoved the ganger back. At the edges of his vision, Bruce could see Kohl’s men raise their weapons. Kohl just stood there, shocked. “Now it’s impossible!” Bruce looked toward the trucks Kohl and his men had. His hands gestured wildly “You want a war? For what? One man and two slaves? Do you really want to come back here guns blazing, possibly losing more of your men in the process of just getting one?”

Kohl found his guts and took a step toward Bruce. He pointed toward the wall. “I want is my man, and those with him. You willing to risk losing your town over some people you barely know and don’t give a shit about?”

Bruce wasn’t going to back down. Not now. He couldn’t. If he let Kohl bully him here, it would only make things worse. “We’re done here. You’re not getting a damn thing from me. Get back in your truck and get the hell out of here.” Bruce turned his back to the man and made his way back to the gate.

Kohl shouted back. “You’re going to regret this! You made the wrong move, old man!”

Bruce whipped around and came at Kohl. He pointed back toward the guards along the walls. “It’s going to be you who’ll regret this if you don’t leave. Now!”

Bruce watched as Kohl slowly backed up, never breaking eye contact. As he swung himself into the truck, Kohl paused for only a moment. Making a pistol shape with his hand, he pointed it at Bruce and pretended to fire. With that, the trio of trucks revved their engines and roared off down the road.

Once out of sight, Bruce turned back towards the gate . He stormed in and turned toward the men just inside the entrance. “Where is he?” Bruce could not conceal the anger in his voice as he spoke. The guard clearly knew who Bruce was looking for, and gestured up the access steps to the walkway along the outer wall of Shade’s Rest.

Bruce vaulted the steps, making his way past the guards and citizens who had come to watch the exchange between he and Kohl. It did not take him long to find James. Bruce walked up and stopped directly in front of the man. James met his gaze.

“I’m sorry.” James spoke quietly.

“You’d better be. You may have just killed us all.”

Kohl looked at the outer wall of the settlement he and the rest of the Rotars scouting party had stopped in front of. He was certain this was the place. The merchant, Barris, had been a wily son of a bitch as far as Kohl was concerned. Kohl hated people who acted all coy, like they knew something he didn’t. People who acted like they were better than he was. There were few things that annoyed Kohl more. People needed to know their place. Why was that so hard for some to understand? Kohl wanted to kill Barris, or at least make him hurt but he knew he shouldn’t. Despite Kohl’s feelings about the merchant, one of the unspoken rules in this area was that it was best to leave merchants and traders alone. Killing one could not only bring bad luck, but word would eventually get around. Very few settlements made it in the world without outside contact.

The trader had mentioned the settlement during his dealings with the Rotars. Kohl had heard about the settlement known as Shade’s Rest, but didn’t really pay much mind. Barris kept hinting that Shade’s Rest would have useful goods and services for trade. It made Kohl curious, and with the recent tension caused by Maple and that young girl she took with her, not to mention the loss of Tim and Dan, Kohl felt he could use the distraction.

The outer wall looked secure. It was wood. Thick timbers in most places, though there was obvious signs of fresh patching with lumber, steel and other scavenged materials. Some memories of recent history started to come back to Kohl. If he remembered right, the previous occupants of this settlement went down sometime in the last year. Kohl couldn’t remember who he’d been told was responsible, but he did remember that it wasn’t a group he wanted to run into. The Rotars were a fairly nomadic group themselves, and they were in need of a few things. Hopefully this would be a peaceful trade.

Beyond the wall, Kohl could see a few rooftops, chimneys and smoke from fires. The new occupants certainly seemed active. Faces continued to pop up over the top of the outer wall. While some looked curious, most looked concerned. Kohl’s group had about ten people, divided up over three trucks. They didn’t hide the fact that they were armed. Why would they? Kohl always felt it was better to present a face of strength than any other sort. It kept away those who didn’t want any trouble. Those that would deal with you likely had strength of their own. That meant that things stayed peaceful. Most of the time anyway.

After Kohl had announced their intentions to seek trade and do business, it was time to wait. Thankfully it didn’t take long. The front gate opened. Kohl took note. It was a single, thick door that slid just wide enough for a group of four to exit. Three men and one woman. The three that hung back were armed, but the lead man didn’t appear to be. Kohl hopped out of the passenger side of the truck and met him halfway.

“That’s far enough,” the man said.

Kohl held up his hands in a peaceful gesture. “Easy, man. I’m just here to trade.”

The other man paused. “My name’s Bruce. This is Shade’s Rest. What are you looking to trade?”

Kohl held out his hand. “Kohl. We’ve heard about you recently.”

The man started to extend his hand, but stopped. “From who?”

Kohl pulled his own hand back. “Easy there. We heard about you from a merchant by the name of Barris. Said he stopped by your town a few days back. That’s all.” Kohl smiled to make his point.

Bruce rested his fists on his hips. “Sorry. I’ve learned you can’t be too careful.”

Kohl nodded.

Bruce pointed to the trucks. “So, what do you have?”

“We’ve got plenty. We’ve got ammo, some foodstuffs. We can give your people some combat training. Looks like you might be still doing some work. We’ve got a workforce if you need something built.”

Bruce cocked his head. “What do you mean ‘workforce?’”

Kohl didn’t like his tone. This Bruce seemed too suspicious. “What do you think I mean?”

“We don’t need or use any slaves here.”

Kohl squinted. “Who said anything about slaves? They’re not slaves. They can come and go as they please in our camp. They trade their skills for the protection me and my men provide.”

“Is that so?” Bruce urged him on.

Kohl nodded. “Of course. In fact I just had a few people leave the camp entirely. They weren’t happy with the arrangement, so they left. No questions asked.”

Bruce let it drop. “We don’t need any laborers.”

A silence fell between the two men. Kohl could tell this Bruce had standards. Kohl pegged him as a man who always tried to live by ideals rather than necessities like he did. Living by ideals won’t get you far in this world. “So, Bruce. What do you have to trade?”

“We’ve got clothing, wool and leather. Medical supplies. I don’t know what kind of foodstuffs you have, but we’ve got some as well. We’ve also got tools. Tools for gardens. Tools for your homes.” Bruce pointed at the trucks. “You have more vehicles? We might be able to repair them for you.”

Kohl found himself becoming bored. While the medical supplies might be needed, Kohl had his sights on other things to help ease the tension his camp was suffering from. He stepped in closer to Bruce. “Nah. I don’t need any of that. What have you got for fun?” Kohl let the word slide out. “My people need some fun, Bruce.”

Bruce’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”

Kohl playfully punched him in the shoulder. “Recreation, Bruce. My men need something…” Kohl paused and leaned his head over to look at the woman in the group standing behind Bruce. “… new to play around with.”

Bruce’s expression stayed flat as did his tone. “We don’t deal with that here.”

Kohl smiled back. “Bruce, both you and I know everything’s negotiable.”

Bruce leaned in. “I don’t deal with slavers.”

Kohl felt irritation crawl up his spine. He didn’t like the term and hated the charge by Bruce even more. He doesn’t know me. He doesn’t know what we do. Who does he think he is, calling me a slaver. I don’t keep my people locked up behind walls, Bruce. “I’m not a slaver. I told you that.” Kohl let the irritation show in his voice.

“Call it what you want. We’re done here.” Bruce turned and started to walk back.

Kohl felt a sting in his gut. He really didn’t like Bruce’s attitude. He was doing exactly what Barris had done – acting like he was better than Kohl in some way. Kohl could feel the urge to teach Bruce a lesson start to work its way around his head. His hands clenched into fists and his jaw startd to tighten. “The last man who turned his back on me found his face in the dirt on a hole through his gut.”

Bruce whirled around. Kohl heard the sounds of rifles being raised and cocked. “Are you threatening me? You’d never make it away from here alive.”

Kohl smiled. “You think this is all I brought with me? Don’t be stupid Bruce. If I really wanted to, I could take everything you offered for trade.” He looked again at the female guard. “And more.”

Bruce hesitated. Kohl could tell he’d made an impression. A hint of a smile crept across Kohl’s face. Now you’re beginning to see who’s really in charge here, aren’t you Bruce? This made Kohl happy; made him feel good. If this was like other trade negotiations he’d done in the past, Bruce would calm down and see some reason. Or at least apologize. Kohl liked it when people apologized to him. Once the apology was given, they’d be able to conduct some proper trade.

Then, for some reason Bruce smiled. “I’ll tell you what. I’ll make you a deal. I’ll give you something you really want, and then you get the hell away from our town. And don’t ever come back.”

Kohl smirked. This wasn’t what he expected to hear, but Kohl found himself intrigued. “Bruce, there is nothing you have that I would want that bad.”

“How about I give you your man back?”

Kohl cocked his head. “My what?”

Hey everyone. There will be a slight delay in this week’s entry of ‘To Find A Home.’ Sometimes things get the better of you, and sometimes Life hands you stuff you weren’t expecting.

That’s kind of what we have here.

But please be patient. Everything should be back to normal later this week, and next Monday. If you want to stay updated, you can find out all the details through various links below.

Thanks once again for your support.

Skies of Glass Twitter Feed

Chris’ Facebook Page

Chris’ Google+ Page

Fear the Boot’s Facebook Page

Essem slammed the hammer down the final time, driving the nail flush with the surface of the board. He exhaled sharply, then wiped the sweat from his forehead. He took a moment to take a look at the work he’d done. In the past three days he’d been able to transform two of the rooms of the house he’d been assigned from rotted wrecks to actual living spaces.

Both he and James had been given jobs on work crews. Bruce’s settlement, Shade’s Rest, had been working hard at turning a relic from the past into hope for the future. The hard work, along with the ability to get a decent meal, made an immediate difference in Essem’s mood. He was actually enjoying what was going on here, and what he was doing. For the first time in weeks, Essem was relaxed, even though it was just a bit.

James was another matter. Essem noted that he worked hard, but when the two would sit down together at night, James didn’t have much to say, and what he did say was never positive. Essem wasn’t sure what he was looking for to be different this time though. Every village or settlement the two had found themselves in over the years, James had acted the same – indifferent.

Runner and Maple were earning their keep as well. Runner’s age and size meant she was assigned to simple cleaning crews, much like the other children. She took care of clearing and moving rubble and debris. Essem noted that she didn’t seem to mind the work that much. He thought it odd for a kid. He hated doing work when he was young.

Maple was another matter. She’d been assigned to the kitchen and he realized that Runner was right; Maple was a good cook. The strange thing Essem noticed was that Maple didn’t seem happy. He couldn’t understand this. She was free. Tim was no threat to her and she’d even been able to get paid in some supplies for whenever they were going to get back on the trail. When he’d had a chance to talk to Maple about all of this, her response was simply, “I was stuck there, and now I’m stuck here. One prison to the next if you ask me.”

Essem put his tools down and grabbed a drink of water from his canteen. He felt it was time to catch some air, so he announced his break to the other people in his crew, and stepped outside.

The air was crisp and put a good bite to his skin. The sun was high in the sky and it gave a nice warm contrast to the chilly air. Essem made his way around the settlement. He had to admit they’d done a good job of securing it. The wall that had existed already had been reinforced where needed or rebuilt where necessary. The guard posts were secure and the approach to the settlement had been well-cleared and some decent defenses erected. The interior needed a lot of work, but Essem agreed with the priorities. You can’t have much of a settlement if you don’t have some way of protecting it.

Essem rounded a corner that brought him to the central square. A number of people made their way back and forth through this area, but Essem sought out one person in particular.

Tim sat chained to a series of heavy blocks in the shade of a tree. He flicked at the worn and wilted grass around the base of the tree, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. He only looked up when Essem stood right next to him.

“And what do you want, friend?”

Essem looked at the strength of the shackles on his ankles and the length of the chain. “I just came to see how you are doing.”

Tim looked back down at the grass. “I doubt it. You just came here to make sure I was still stuck. Don’t tell me you suddenly had a change of heart.”

“No.” Essem wasn’t sure what else to say.

Tim looked back up. “Unless you’ve come to tell me that my situation has changed. That’s what it is, isn’t it?”

Essem didn’t answer. He stared at Tim a bit longer, then turned and continued walking.

“Seriously? You’re just going to walk away? You just came here to gloat?” Tim scoffed. “I bet you don’t even know what ‘gloat’ means do you? You’re just some idiot road hagger.”

Essem stopped but didn’t turn around. He stood there reviewing the words. He had to admit he wasn’t completely sure he knew what ‘gloat’ meant. Essem never thought of himself as stupid. There was a lot he knew and a number of skills he had. He’d never felt stupid, but something in the way Tim spoke to him always made him angry. Always made him feel like he wanted to hit something.

Essem turned. He walked back up to the chained ganger. “You know that one way or another, you’re going to die, right?”

Now it was Tim’s turn to stare back, unresponsive.

“If Bruce and the rest of the settlement decide to serve justice or if we do. It’s going to be the end for you.”

“The end for me?” Tim shook his head. “No, I don’t think so, friend. These people won’t do it. They don’t believe you, and they’re not killers.” Tim raised his nose toward Essem. “And you? You and your old man are killers, but only when you need to; when you have to. Maple sure as hell won’t do it. She gets mad enough all right, but when the kill is helpless right in front of her, she melts like sugared ice on a cake.”

Essem could feel his anger start to rise. He was beginning to question ever coming and talking to Tim. He wasn’t even sure why he was doing it in the first place. He wanted to lash out and hit him, but he held back. He could hear his father’s voice in his head. ‘Don’t do it. It’s what he wants you to do.’

Tim could see that Essem was clenching his fists. “Am I making you mad, friend? It’s kind of funny that I’m the prisoner, but you seem to be the one restraining yourself.” He chuckled at his own joke.

Essem felt his father’s restraining words vanish in a wave of rage. Essem’s fist lashed out striking Tim hard on the side of his face. The ganger sprawled to the ground. Essem felt the rush adrenaline surge as he leapt on top of Tim, straddling him. He rained several more blows down on the man. “You’re worthless!”

Essem couldn’t tell if the ganger was groaning or laughing, but the clanging of a bell stopped Essem’s assault cold. His eyes darted around for the source, but Essem couldn’t find it. Instead, he saw people running back and forth, many with worried looks on their faces.

Essem got up off of Tim, reached out, and stopped one of the residents as he ran by carrying a bow and a makeshift quiver of arrows. “What the hell is going on?”

The resident panted as he looked Essem up and down. “There’s a big gang approaching the gate. Everyone is getting into position.” He pushed Essem’s hand away and resumed his hurried pace. Essem looked down at Tim. There was no doubt now. The ganger was laughing.

Tim spit blood from his mouth. “I bet you it’s the Rotars. Maybe I’m not worthless after all.”