by B. Buechter
“What happened?” He was still holding the arm he had to pry the knife from and cradled her trembling body in his arms.
“I-I-.” She paused and debated telling him the truth. “I don’t want to talk about it. It’s probably from blood loss.”
He waited for a moment. She did not intend to elaborate any further, so he let her be. The remainder of the evening was spent in complete silence. Jake and Eva retired for the evening, much earlier than Tommy, who returned from the food hall hours later. He felt the cold heavy latch to the door lock and made his way to the back room. With a singular candle, he studied the book he had found in the city.
***
A mundane routine was established for the remainder of Eva’s recovery. Morning hours were spent strengthening her leg by increasing the weight on it each day. What began as a short limp across her shack soon expanded to the end of the street, and then the edge of the colony. When she returned in the afternoon, she would hastily scrawl in her journal. Most of the entries were battles of her own mind, fighting between saving the McAvoys’ father and continuing to survive in a ‘mundane but safe existence’ as she described. On the very last page was a running list of pros and cons alongside possible escape plans. It was only when she realized the sheer number of pages she had filled with ramblings that she stopped. Every fiber of her being screamed for her to avoid the horrors behind the barbed wire. And yet, the itch to feel her blades sink through warm flesh was buried deep in her soul. Somewhere.
Jake and Eva had spoken very little since he stopped her from ending her life. He knew that something had come over her in that moment. And the fear he saw told him that it had happened before. Other than occasional small-talk during the day, the home was silent. He had even chosen to take his evening meal in the food hall. His preferred seat, Eva’s table.
Tommy was the only one who seemed to be enjoying the change of pace. Mainly taking advantage of his free time by studying the art of growing crops. And when he did return home, he made a place at the foot of Eva’s bed where he read literature from the Old Times. Soon, he became an apprentice of the farmers in the colony. In his pocket, the metal statue of the peaceful mystery man. He believed it brought him good luck. After the first few days, Jake had even grown accustomed to his increased absence.
Not one Gang had attacked the colony in the weeks that Eva spent in recovery. During the day, they would hear the sound of footsteps and muffled voices from time to time, but no raids. Zero casualties. Eva had nearly forgotten about kissing Jake. At the end of her recovery, she was strong enough to take long walks near the forest to clear her head. It was one of the few times that Eva felt truly at peace.
At the end of the third week, she decided to reward herself with a longer walk around the edge of the forest. This was the gateway to the rest of the region. A path she would have to take if she decided to rescue Jake and Tommy’s father. With her bare feet touching the soft grass, she began walking down the border of trees. Deep and lingering breaths, she drifted into a meditative state. She imagined roots springing from her feet deep below the earth. A soft wind brushed against her face, tousling her hair, carrying the scent of fresh flowers and the rain-softened earth of late summer. Her only passing thought was that the Nomads may have had this ‘connection with nature-thing’ figured out. Out of nowhere, a decision shot through her like a bullet. It was like an explosion of energy coursing through the ground, up through her body. Epiphany in the bliss.
With one swift motion, she turned on her heels and jogged back to her home. The tingling of her injured leg had not completely alleviated yet, so she still ran with a slight limp. Jake and Tommy were tidying her home. As she burst through the door, it nearly knocked them both off their feet. Tommy had reached for his weapon, brandishing it at the door until he realized who was standing there.
“I have made my decision.”
Jake’s face contorted to confusion and then fear, “What?”
“About your father. About the Wolves. About a lot of things.”
The brothers looked at each other. Tommy’s heart was racing but he maintained a straight face. Jake shifted his weight from one foot to the other impatiently. The silence was maddening. Waiting for the answer was pure torture. She opened her mouth to speak. They were shocked.
Chapter 6
“We’re going.” Those were the words Jake and Tommy had been hoping for since they first met Eva. However, the comment that followed was completely unexpected. “Tonight.”
The brothers did not make a sound. Both were convinced that she would refuse to rescue their father, especially after finding out that he was being held in a Gang compound, but neither wanted to question her change of heart. Eva was unsure how to read the room. This feeling of optimism was foreign to her. She stood in the doorway smiling, with hands outstretched. Jake and Tommy did not say a word or express any sort of gratitude. Her toes curled in the dirt as she shifted her weight to her uninjured leg. She dropped her hands to her side and groaned, trudging over to her bed. Climbing to the other side, she pulled out her journal and opened it to a specific page she had marked.
“I’m not sure what’s gotten into you,” Jake finally said. He chose his words carefully to not change her mind. “We are grateful… but we… didn’t think you would want to go back inside one of those places.”
“And you’re right.” She scanned her writing and flipped to another page. Jake furrowed his brow and looked around in disbelief and confusion.
“Wait, what?”
“I said, you’re correct. I really don't want to step foot in there. In any compound. Honestly, I don’t know exactly why I’m doing this, but I am… For some reason, I want to. Maybe it’s to prove something to myself. Maybe I’m hoping that the nightmares stop if I face my fears.”
Jake put a hand on Eva’s shoulder. “Like I said before, you help people. You have a good heart.”
“I just figured that if I’m going to die, might as well do it helping someone. I mean, you are right, I do help people. Usually I’m not waltzing right into a trap, though. But… maybe I can make amends for some of the shit that happened years ago.”
Tommy’s smile had not wavered. He was bouncing in his seat, tugging on his brother’s clothing. If they were able to pull it off, an infiltration of a Gang compound to save a slave, it would be the first time he had seen his father since he was two years old. Eva glanced up, smiled, and then returned to her journal, frantically turning back and forth between pages, nearly ripping them from their fragile binding. The tips of her fingers followed her eyes through the notes, drawings, and lists she had written in the previous weeks. Jake waited with bated breath for her to find what she was searching for.
“I have never been into the Wolf’s compound,” she admitted, shutting the journal. “I know the forest decently enough. Certain traders knew the paths and taught The Rovers years ago. If we get caught, that’s where we run to. If we get separated, that’s where we meet. But I need you both to answer truthfully on this - if I’m going to help you.”
“What?” Jake rubbed his hands together and bit his lip.
“Are you prepared to take another person’s life?”
Any joy in the room was instantly sucked out. Eva’s smile had faded long before, replacing it with a slight frown. No one moved a muscle. She believed it was a simple question and was not about to waste her time on a plan if neither of them were willing to protect themselves. But they did not seem to think an answer was so easy.
“Are-are you sure you are feeling up to it?” Jake’s shoulders sank. He was hesitant now that Eva had decided to help them. Tommy had pulled his weapon from against the wall and stared at it with glazed eyes.
“Oh, so now you’re having second thoughts?” She tossed her notebook on the bed and walked over to them. “When it’s me out there. Risking my life. Saving your stupid asses. Then it’s okay? But then I kill someone, and you judge me for it. You call me ‘cold’. And when I risk my ass for nothi
ng in return - nothing - and ask you whether you can do what needs to be done… you refuse.”
“I’m not refusing,” Jake yelled and corrected himself. “We are not refusing. I just don’t know if I can kill anyone yet.”
“Then when Jake?” Eva’s voice raised as she walked over to the door and slammed it shut. “When is the day that I need to mark down? Huh? That way we can all prepare. Perhaps you should practice on animals? Would that make it easier?”
“No need to be an ass about it.” He shoved her. “You don’t understand.”
Eva ignored the shove. She knew if she would have lingered on it, even for a moment, she would have dropped him to the floor with a black eye.
“No Jake, I completely understand,” she barked. “The weak don’t last long around here. Not in this world. That is why people like me exist…. cold-blooded-killers. But the difference between the relationship I have with these Rovers and the one I have with you two is that they aren’t completely useless. Shit guys - You want to be a farmer? Or maybe a blacksmith? A cook? Sure. That may be better suited for you. Then get to it, because you have done nothing for this colony or for me. It takes guts and overcoming fear to play the game I play. And if you lack nerve, then there is no point in me going any further with this decision.”
Tommy plugged his ears with his fingers. His knees were pulled deep into his chest. Jake clenched his fists tighter. Eva gritted her teeth. She dared Jake to say more to her. At that point, she would have knocked him back with a handful of his teeth. One more word was all it would have taken. Neither of them wanted to lie to her because she always knew when they were. They lacked confidence in their abilities and that was the truth.
Tommy was deep in thought while the other two argued. He did not want his brother to speak for him any longer. All he wanted to do was save his dad. If that meant killing someone in self-defense, so be it. Nevertheless, he was not sure whether he could actually do it. He stood up, grabbed his blade, and slammed it against the metal wall. The clang was deafening.
Eva spun around with a hand on her holstered gun. She relaxed when she saw Tommy proudly brandishing his weapon. Still, she could see the uncertainty in his eyes, but kept her lips sealed. It was better than nothing. He made his decision. Walking over to her, the young boy turned his head up and nodded, using his weapon to point to the door. She messed with his hair and gave him a one-armed hug. With her hand on his back, they both turned to the outlier. Jake, the older brother, remained hesitant.
“Well?” she taunted, “You have a decision to make. I need a hundred percent commitment from both of you. Kill or be killed, Jake McAvoy. We will be entering into the mouth of a beast. If you survive this, you will have your father back. If not….”
She shrugged.
Perhaps Jake just wanted Eva to stop badgering him. That, or the profound feeling of seeing his father made him speak up. “You’re right,” he breathed.“I can’t keep letting others fight my battles for me. Plus, if I continue to do nothing, my father will think I’m weak. I will try.”
“Not good enough.” Eva stood firm. “I need you to swear that you will ignore the urge to freeze. Even if it feels impossible. Because in a compound, you must protect yourself. Before someone kills you, you have to kill them. You’ve seen only an inkling of what these Gangs are capable of. It will be much worse if we get caught.”
Jake strengthened his stance and took a labored breath, “I promise that I will take a life if needed. But I cannot promise that it will be easy.”
“Nor do I expect you to,” she relaxed her shoulders. “It’s not easy and it never gets any easier.”
“Seems to be easy for you,” Jake whispered under his breath. She heard him, but said nothing. He was right, anyway.
Immediately, Eva got to work. She pulled out pieces of blank parchment and started drawing an outline of a compound. They were losing sunlight and needed to be across the forest before dusk. One could easily become lost if they ventured through the night. It was risky, going to the West on a whim, but she knew a colony of skilled Rover Warriors that may be able to aid her. That is, if they still existed. With each intruding seed of doubt, she ignored it and moved on. Eventually, she had completed a decent blueprint.
“Compounds are all built in a similar way,” she explained, pointing to each area on her map. “For the most part, they have one surrounding wall made from fencing reinforced with thick, metal plates. Most have one or two gates into the yard. Usually, they are heavily guarded and, obviously, a dumb idea for us to enter through there. And I am sure you recall that the top of the fence is covered in barbed wire. Basically, these places are impenetrable.”
“Then how do we get in?” Jake’s hope was dwindling.
“I’m getting to that,” she pointed to a tunnel outside. “We have two options: disguise ourselves as Servants to learn where your father is being kept. But that would mean that we are without weapons. Or we could enter through any sewage system. These were built in the Old Times and they run all around the region. Drawback on the sewage system is that it is a maze of tunnels, but most Gangs have some sort of map or marking to tell which way to go. So, it may take a while to get inside. Also, we don’t really know where in the compound the entrance opens up.”
“And if we disguise ourselves,” Jake started, “Then we are sitting ducks in the center of all of these armed guards.”
“Pretty much,” she agreed. “We are going to be vulnerable either way. However, I know of a Rover colony who, as I recall, are very strong warriors. They have been able to keep the Gangs from reeking havoc in their town. They may have more information. But, I didn’t say this was going to be easy. My opinion - sewers, after we speak with the Warriors. With that option, at least we can funnel any enemies down one of the tunnels and kill them carefully if we’re discovered. If we stand in the middle of the compound dressed in rags with no weapons, we may as well welcome the hail of bullets.”
“What if the tunnel opens to the middle of the compound?” Jake pointed to the big open space on her map. “Then we are exposed anyway.”
Eva wasn’t going to lie. “True. On one hand, we would have as much fire power that we could carry with us. It isn’t exactly a stealthy entrance, but we also aren’t barging through the front door. To be clear - I’m not even positive as to what the Wolf’s form of trade is. I believe they delve in leathers. If that is the case, their servants do not work all night, and we have a greater chance of making a discreet entrance. That is why I am taking the risk to go at night. If most of them are asleep, we may have a decent chance.”
Jake was not about to argue with her. His heartbeat was deafening but he reluctantly agreed. “Fair enough. I’m ready to find our father as long as you are sure those warrior-people can help.”
They wasted no time. Eva nodded, rolled up her plans, and hid them underneath a bookshelf. Jake and Tommy dressed in the leather jackets that they had been given a month prior. Each of them grabbed their weapons, Eva with the only gun. She double checked her ammo, filled the magazine and holstered it. Wiping down her blades, she sheathed them behind her back. A backpack just underneath her weapons was filled with various gear and supplies. It was only a matter of minutes before they were ready. Before they left the colony behind them once again, they scarfed down a meager meal and set off.
The three started their journey towards the forest, only carried by the sound of their footsteps and accompanied by their imprints in the grass. The sky was painted in colors of orange, pink, and purple swatches as dusk briskly approached. At the next hill, they could see the dense line of evergreens ahead of them. The tops of the tallest trees unveiled the vastness of the forest as it crested over the horizon. The foliage was packed so densely, it was nearly pitch black after the first few yards. It was no wonder that few dared to travel into this darkness.
As they reached the border, they stopped for a moment. Eva turned to look at the sun which had fallen behind the hill. Time was against them if the
y were to arrive on the other side of the forest in an hour. They would have to hurry.
Jake nodded when Eva told him to pick up the pace. “Got it.” His attempts to clear his mind of any feelings, doubt, or fear was becoming increasingly difficult, almost impossible. And yet, with each step, he pressed on.
The brothers and The Wanderer did not get far before they were encompassed by complete darkness. Behind them, they could still make out the faint light of dusk, but nothing but a black abyss lie ahead. Claustrophobia began to set in. Eva grabbed a rope she had in her pack and wrapped it around her belt. Then she tossed either end to the boys who knotted themselves to her.
“Do not pull me,” she whispered. “And do not wander. Try and keep up.”
Jake and Tommy were pulled through the infinite darkness blindly. Eva lead the way. Neither were sure how their guide was able to navigate, but each turn was precise. Through the soles of their boots, they could tell that they were on a rocky path, occasionally bumping into a tree or nearly tripping over a fallen log. Once or twice, the sound of nearby predators nudged them into each other. Yet, Eva said nothing. Sometimes, they were not even sure if she was paying them any attention.
She wasn’t. When she first moved into the Rover colony, the traders in the region trained her in navigating this forest. Sunlight never reached the pathways, so they were forced to find a way through using their other senses. Those who were able to navigate successfully utilized a combination counting their steps and feeling for markings on the trees. Traders were afraid of being followed by the Gangs, so they marked the trees with three different symbols: an X, +, or O. One of the symbols marked the true path through the forest. The other two would lead to an endless labyrinth of roads that never truly brings you back to the main road. But Eva was unsure which symbol was the correct one. It had been quite some time since she had traversed here. She went with her instinct - O.