by Mark Fenger
Chapter 2
Tom smiled at the girls. “Oleg is an all-round muddle when it comes to introductions, I’m Tom, Tom Cain.”
Revolver Girl met his gaze with steel in her brown eyes and nostrils flared. “Agatha West.”
Tom crouched by Willow who had buried her head in her sister’s chest. “And you are Willow and Nikki Keats of course.” Willow turned to look at him. “Pleased to make your acquaintance ma’am, who’s your furry friend?” Tom shook hands with the quilted bear.
Willow giggled, buried her face again and tucked her bear tightly to her chest.
Nikki laughed. “She’s had him since she was a baby. I actually named him as a joke when I was five.” She blinked and lowered her gaze. “He’s called umm.…” She coughed into her hand.
Tom tilted his head to the side with a grin. “I didn’t quite catch that.”
Willow peeked out at him. “Sir Furrybottom, she named him Sir Furrybottom.”
She held the bear out to Tom and he shook hands with it again. “Pleased to meet you.” He glanced at Nikki. “Do I have to bow or something, if he’s a knight of the realm and all.”
“No….” Nikki blushed. “He’s just a toy.”
Willow playfully punched her sister in the shoulder. “Is not! He protects me from bad men.” She glared in Giles and Oleg’s direction.
Oleg laughed. “We’re not bad little lady, just misunderstood.”
Agatha faced Oleg with a tight-lipped smile. “That’s what they all say.” She held a pretend noose around her neck. “You’ve got it wrong sirs, I’m not a bad man.” Then she made a noise like a trap door falling away and mock-hanged herself.
“Not funny.” Giles deepened into his sulk.
The screams below faded, but the maniacal laughter of the Draggers continued as the sun faded from the horizon. The Mist came most of the way up the tower and obscured everything in the town below. In the distance other towers, islands of refuge, protruded above the Mist, and way on the other side of town, a half-dozen trade zeppelins floated, among them the Myrmidon, Tom’s home for the past two years.
Tom wrapped his jacket around Nikki and Willow, Oleg broke a bit of wood from the tower wall and began whittling with his knife while Giles and Agatha stared sullenly at eachother.
After some time, Oleg looked up from his carving. “All you might as well rest. Me an’ Giles‘ll keep watch. Mist’ll be gone by mornin’ most like.”
Willow and Nikki curled up together in his jacket to rest, but Tom didn’t feel like sleeping. The cold mountain air bit through his linen shirt, and the constant laughter below set his teeth together like a vise. He sidled over to Agatha. “So what brought you to Milton? Don’t see too many Indians in these parts.”
“Passing through, like yourself.”
Tom nodded. “It’s that kind of town.”
“Uh huh.” Agatha rolled her eyes at him. “Look enough of the small talk. When are you gonna get my gun back for me?”
Tom blinked in surprise. “Oh… I wasn’t plannin’ on it. Oleg seems to know how to handle it. He’ll do any shootin’ we need done I suppose.”
“He can’t shoot like me.”
“Yes, I’m sure you’re a very good shot for a girl and…”
“And what? Go on. And an Indian? Like we don’t know how to use guns? What, I should carry a bow and arrows around and slap my mouth while I holler and carry-on?” She demonstrated. “Woo woo woo! Dance around a campfire for your entertainment?”
“Hey keep it down over there.” Giles said, then closed his eyes and turned his back on them.
Tom grimaced. “Whoa, no need to be sore about it Agatha, I didn’t mean no harm.”
“You’re as bad as them if you don’t get my gun back Thomas Cain.”
“Hey, that’s layin’ it on a little thick don’t ya think? I tried to stop ‘em before they had a gun. I’m not risking my life so you can have your little pea-shooter back.”
“It’s not a pea-shooter, it’s a custom-made thirty-eight Sturm model ninety, with vulcanized rubber grips, a flip-up pinhole sight and custom-milled cylinder.” She narrowed her eyes. “And it was my Dad’s.”
Tom knew a little about shooting, but Agatha was starting to get under his skin, so he decided to return the favour. “Way I see it, it’s a gun, like any other. One end goes bang and kills things. It’s best you to stay away from that end.”
She growled in response and sunk her chin into her chest.
“Yeah, good idea.” Tom sat down next to her. “Time for some shut-eye.”
Between the laughter below, the cold, and the uncomfortable wood floor, it was a long time before he fell asleep.