To Find A Home 19

“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.”