by Logan Jacobs
“Thank you,” Dani replied with a grin, “though I’ll confess that the only part of this that I can take credit for is milking the goat and collecting the walnuts.”
“Do you mind if I ask about the mutants who live here?” Sorcha asked. “I don’t mean to sound rude, but everything we’ve ever been told is that mutants aren’t human any more and that they’ll kill you and, well...”
“Eat you?” Dani finished for the blonde, who had suddenly turned red with embarrassment. “Don’t worry, I’m not offended. I know exactly what the Magesterium claims. I certainly heard plenty of it while I was growing up.”
“So you lived outside the walls?” I pressed.
“Until I was twenty,” Dani sighed. “My father left not long after I was born, so it was just me and my mother. She used to help me shave the fur off every morning so no one would know. Oh, and the hats I had to wear, to help hide the ears. Between those and the bushy hairstyles my mother created for me, I was the least fashionable girl in town.”
“So what happened?” Sorcha asked.
“I fell in love,” Dani said with a shake of her head. “Cutest boy in town, not unlike the one you’ve got here.”
I felt my cheeks turn red, though I tried to keep a stoic appearance. Both Dani and Sorcha grinned at my reaction, then Sorcha turned to look at Dani again.
“We were quite the item for two years,” Dani continued. “And then Barbara Kingston moved to town. Her father was some important muckity-muck for the Magesterium and liked to parade around town in his red robe. Barbara set her sights on Jeremy and did everything she could to lure him away. Jeremy remained faithful, though, so Barbara had to resort to other tactics.”
“I’ll guess she was the one who found out you were a mutant,” I surmised.
“I was never sure how she figured it out,” Dani mused. “Aside from the fur, the ears and my agility, there aren’t any other signs. I always suspected she used some of her father’s magical devices somehow, but it doesn’t really matter. She found out and she denounced me. I was arrested before I even knew about her claim. I was tried two days later and sent here.”
“Did that happen to everyone who lives here?” I asked.
“Most have similar stories,” Dani agreed. “Some of the younger ones were born here.”
“But…” Sorcha started, then paused. “But how did all those stories about mutants get started?”
“Oh, there are mutants that will eat humans,” Dani replied. “What the Magesterium won’t tell anyone is that there are degrees of mutation. Those of us who live here mostly have some odd physical quirk as well as certain abilities, like being faster or leaping higher than the average human. But other than that, we are still human.”
“And at the other end of the spectrum?” I prompted.
“Some mutants are more animal than human,” Dani admitted. “Sometimes it’s just part of the mutation, but a few choose that path.”
“They choose to be like animals?” Sorcha asked in disbelief.
“I think they feel that if they’re going to be treated like animals, they might as well act like animals,” Dani sighed. “I suppose that’s a rather simplistic take on the whole thing but the best way I can explain it.”
“Then those wolves we encountered,” I prodded.
“Actually, not mutants,” Dani remarked. “They’re mages.”
“What?” Sorcha demanded.
“Shapeshifters,” Dani replied. “Another dirty little secret of the Magesterium. You see, a shapeshifter can only stay in his animal form for a limited amount of time. If they stay too long, it becomes harder to return to their human form. Some just live out their lives as whatever animal they shift into, while others get caught in between.”
“That’s what happened to those wolves,” I guessed. “That’s why they’re not really solid.”
“Exactly,” Dani said with a nod of approval.
“But I’ve never heard of such a thing,” Sorcha protested.
“Oh, they’re much more careful at keeping an eye on shapeshifters these days,” Dani replied. “But there was a time when the Magesterium didn’t understand what would happen, and they encouraged the shapeshifters to spend as much time as they could in their animal forms. By the time the Magesterium figured out what was happening to all their shapeshifters, they had millions of these things on their hands. As you saw, they’re hard to kill, so the mages figured it would be easier to just round up any that were too close to the cities or farms that were under Magesterium protection and toss them in the wastelands with the mutants and other undesirables.”
“But you spoke to them,” I pointed out.
“We’ve learned that they still have some degree of humanity,” Dani mused. “We had a member of the Navajo tribe with us for several years, and he discovered that they seemed to understand the Navajo language. We don’t why, but we all learned enough to talk to the wolves whenever we encounter them.”
“So there are more out there somewhere, just roaming free?” Sorcha asked.
“I don’t know how many more might still be roaming free,” Dani replied. “I will say that the Magesterium hasn’t put any more inside here for quite some time. Though we did get a shapeshifter who was caught in-between human and badger a couple of years ago. He’s a nasty creature, so we avoid him as much as possible.”
“I had no idea about any of this,” Sorcha mused.
“The early years after the meteorite were a time of great changes and a struggle to survive, and a lot of those events are only remembered by the very old,” Dani noted sadly.
“It’s… extraordinary,” Sorcha murmured.
“But now it’s your turn,” Dani declared with a smile. “Why are you here? I know you’re not mutants or shape-shifters, and I know the Magesterium didn’t bring you here. There’s always quite a production at the gate when they’re sending someone else in.”
“We’re heading west,” I offered. “To get away from the Magesterium.”
Dani cocked her head to the side for a moment, then gave me a grin.
“Would it have something to do with that gun you’re carrying?” she asked.
“You saw that?” I demanded.
“It was hard to miss,” she pointed out. “And I’ve seen and heard a gun before. I’m just curious how you were able to get your hands on one.”
“It’s…” I stuttered and then looked to Sorcha.
“He’s a gun mage,” she explained.
Well, so much for keeping it a secret.
“Oh,” Dani muttered as she studied me more closely. “Now that must be giving the Magesterium fits. I would say you could stay here, but I can’t speak for everyone, and I’m afraid mages aren’t welcome here, even if they can produce guns.”
“There’s a safe place we’re trying to get to,” Sorcha added. “But we had to duck in here to escape some mages that had followed us.”
“Hmmm,” Dani mused.
Our quiet time was coming to an end at that point. The mutants who had avoided us up to that point started to emerge from the other areas of the school. The first few who shuffled into the room ventured in and out of the kitchen, but refused to speak to us or even to look at us. That was followed by two women who deliberately stared at us as they walked by, but still wouldn’t speak.
The impasse was broken by a young man about my age with curly hair, slanted eyes, and tufted ears that swiveled like a cat’s. He stomped into the room with a group of young men and women on his heels and stormed over to our table.
“These aren’t mutants,” he spat as he looked us over. “They’re normals.”
“They are,” Dani acknowledged. “And they’ll be on their way again soon.”
“What the hell are they doing here?” he demanded.
“They got lost,” Dani replied with a shrug.
“Bullshit,” the boy declared.
“Portal mages make mistakes,” Dani pointed out calmly. “And we’re not animals in here,
no matter what the Magesterium claims. So I’ve helped them as best I could, and I’ll show them how to leave.”
“We should kill them and eat their bones,” the boy sneered.
“The only meat you’ve ever eaten is chicken and fish,” Dani pointed out. “The closest you’ve ever come to tasting human flesh was the time you got in a fight with Roderick and bit his finger. Now, go away, Peter, before you do something really stupid.”
Peter scowled at Sorcha and me, but another adult had arrived by then. He was a tall, well-muscled fellow with pale skin, winter gray eyes, and white hair. He looked normal, but he grabbed Peter and two of the other youngsters by the nape of the neck with one hand and carried them back to the hall. The rest of the group followed obediently, and Dani gave us a reassuring smile while the man threatened to beat the kids senseless if they didn’t learn some manners.
When he returned, he moved so quietly I wasn’t sure his feet actually touched the ground. When I looked, I realized he had two padded paws rather than human feet, and he moved with an ease that I’d only seen in animals.
“Dani,” the man said when he joined us at the table. “I know you mean well, but people are upset about them being here.”
“I can guess who,” Dani sighed. “I wish she would just come here herself instead of sending Peter and his minions.”
“They’re normals,” the man pointed out. “I don’t wish them any ill, but there’s too much risk if they stay. The Magesterium will come looking for them once they figure out they’re here. And you know where that leads.”
“All I offered was some food, drink, and a place to rest for a moment,” Dani replied with a touch of heat. “I haven’t invited them to move in, and I don’t think they would even if I had. I’ll send them to Vance and that will be the end of it.”
“See that you do,” the man growled.
He nodded to the three of us and then left the room as quietly as he had arrived.
“I’m sorry about all of this,” Dani apologized. “You’ve already admitted that the mages are searching for you, and it’s better for everyone if they don’t come here.”
“We understand,” Sorcha assured her.
“Who’s Vance?” I asked.
“He’s a portal mage,” Dani replied. “He lives here in the wasteland, though he pops out from time to time to pick up supplies or get news.”
“There’s a mage living here?” Sorcha asked in surprise.
“Well, hiding here,” Dani admitted. “But he’s the only sure way out.”
“So how do we find him?” I pressed.
“I’ll take you back to the old road,” Dani replied. “There are a couple of places he likes to hang out, and they’re both on the road. The first place you should check is Short Hills.”
“Short Hills,” I repeated.
“A pre-magic mall,” Dani explained. “He likes to hang out in the old stores there. It’s where he spends most of his time. If he isn’t there when you arrive, he’ll turn up sooner or later.”
I spotted some of Peter’s minions lurking near the door and stood up. We had definitely worn out our welcome, and that was while they believed we were normal. I didn’t want to be around if they discovered we were mages.
“Thanks for everything, Dani,” Sorcha said as she stood up as well.
“Let me show you back to the road, at least,” Dani said with a smile as she rose to her feet with a distinctly catlike grace.
I saw her frown at the youngsters as we returned to the long hall, where a few more mutants had gathered to gawk at us as we made our way back to the front doors. I slid my hand into the pocket where I had stowed the Colt as some of the surprised and amazed looks gave way to more heated and hate filled expressions, though I hoped I wouldn’t have to use it, for Dani’s sake.
We made it out of the school in one piece and without starting any fights, though more than a few of the mutants had looked willing to test our mettle. Dani made a point of walking beside us as we made our way across the parking lot and then taking the lead as we climbed down the hillside. She picked a more westerly direction once we were at the bottom of the hill, one that led us past an old drainage ditch and a collection of buildings that had probably had a wall of glass along their fronts at some point. But the glass was gone, and nature had started to reclaim most of it. I could still pick out the cars, though, hundreds, if not thousands, of them, in the parking lots and inside the buildings. A few still looked like they could roll down the highway, if you had the fuel.
From there, we turned down a street lined with small one-story homes. They all looked exactly alike, as if the builder had thrown them up at the same time, and then moved on to his next project. I spotted a few numbers still clinging to a spot above the doors and decided that was the only way to tell them apart.
“I’m afraid this is as far as I can take you,” Dani huffed as we stopped at a street corner. There were two poles at each corner, one with an octagonal sign that said ‘Stop’ and the other with two smaller signs with street names.
“I really can’t say thank you enough,” Sorcha reiterated.
“I was happy to help,” Dani insisted. “I just wish I could have spent more time talking to you. It’s nice to see a new face and hear some news from outside the walls. Not that I would wish this on anybody, but, well, there you go.”
“And this will take us to Vance?” I asked as I stared at the crumbling road.
“It joins up with the old trail just ahead, but I would stay on this one,” Dani explained. “It’s well-traveled, so you probably won’t run into any more of the shapeshifters. And yes, you should be at Short Hills before nightfall.”
Dani shook our hands and gave us both a hug. She waited at the corner and watched us walk away until a wide turn in the road carried us out of sight.
“I can’t believe she was a mutant,” I mused. “We were always taught that they were evil.”
“Have you ever met a mutant before?” Sorcha asked.
“Once,” I replied. “A kid near the farm. He seemed normal, but the mages showed up one day and declared him to be a mutant. I found out later his parents filed down his teeth and nails so no one would guess he was a mutant. Of course, that started all sorts of rumors about how he would slip out at night and hunt. I think every sheep or cow that had disappeared over the last thirty years was eventually blamed on him.”
“And yet, he was probably just like Dani,” Sorcha sighed, “Just trying to fit in.”
“What about you?” I asked. “You must have met mutants on your journeys.”
“None like Dani,” Sorcha replied. “The first mutant I ever met was at the Magesterium school. They brought him in to show us how dangerous mutants were. It’s funny, though. At the time, I remember thinking he wasn’t really what they claimed, but then one of the mages gave him a shock and he went wild. I realize now that it was probably one of his mutations. What would have been a mild shock to us was very painful to him.”
“That’s terrible,” I murmured as I tried to picture being trotted out in front of a pack of children and shocked until I went crazy from the pain.
“The next mutant I met was one that was definitely more animal than human,” Sorcha continued. “It was a woman, though she couldn’t speak, and she walked on all fours. She roamed a forested area in Bavaria, and she had attacked several locals and travelers. The Magesterium wanted to bring her in alive, to study I guess, but the locals were too afraid. They sent out a search party and killed her.”
“How did you encounter her?” I asked.
“I was with Arthur and Bunda,” she sighed. “Arthur was convinced we could save her and help her find her human self. We found her in a cave, and I tried to link minds with her. I found her humanity, briefly, but as soon as she smelled the hunting party, the animal took over.”
“I guess there aren’t many mutants left outside the wastelands,” I pondered. “The Magesterium seems to swoop in quickly once they know one exists.�
��
“But if Dani is right, why do they arrest all mutants?” Sorcha asked. “Why not just find those that are truly dangerous?”
“But then they would actually have to look at the person,” I pointed out. “Find out if they’re more human or animal. It’s much easier to just make an assumption and lock them all away.”
“Like Dani’s rival,” Sorcha added. “Why play fair when you can send your competition into the wastelands?”
As we’d been having this conversation, I’d been aware that we were being followed again. It wasn’t the wolves because I could hear our pursuers moving through the fallen leaves and weeds. And I could see them as well, though they were fast.
“I think Peter and his minions decided to tag along,” I whispered.
“Do you think they’ll leave us alone, or will they try to do something?” Sorcha asked as she glanced over her shoulder.
“Not sure, but they’re young enough and stupid enough to decide to attack,” I replied. “I have one bullet left in the Colt, but I think I can call up the Ruger again. I just need a good spot to set up my shots.”
“There’s a house just ahead,” Sorcha said as she nodded toward a small house tucked beneath a massive oak and set back a good distance from the road. “It looks like it’s still in good shape.”
“Not too many windows or doors,” I mused. “So it’ll make it harder for them to get in.”
There was a crash behind us, and I whirled around to see Peter and two other mutants jump down from the branches of a tree. Peter grinned and showed off a pair of pointed teeth. One of his companions, an older boy with a lion’s mane and the jointed legs of a big cat, roared and leapt toward us.
I just cleared the gun from my pocket in time. I pulled the trigger just before the boy landed on us, and the blast echoed along the street. I was close enough to hear the thump of the bullet as it caught him in the chest, and to smell the first drops of blood as he dropped to all fours in front of us. He heaved like he was about to throw up, and then a fountain of blood poured from his mouth.
Fortunately, Peter and the other mutant stared wide-eyed at the lion, and neither had noticed that the Colt had disappeared from my hand. I felt the emptiness in my palm and ached to hold it one more time.