by B. Buechter
She winced when Jake read her mind, “Are you sure you know where you are going?”
“Yes,” she lied. Luckily, he could not see her face contorted in uncertainty. She masked her wavering voice.
“I trust you,” he whispered back.
You shouldn’t, she thought. “Thanks,” she said.
It felt like they had spent hours weaving through the endless mass of branches and bramble. Rustling leaves, crunching grass, and the snapping sound of tree limbs combined with the nauseating smell of greenery was becoming too much for them. A thick cloud of moisture made it difficult to breathe. They were desperate for fresh air and Eva needed to prove to herself that she was still able to get through this place.
Halfway down the road, Eva was finding it difficult to feel the markings on the trees. It was almost as if something or someone had deliberately worn down the carvings in this part of the forest. She stopped and carefully drew the outline with her fingertip. One tree felt completely smooth. Were they on the correct path?
“Something wrong?” Of course Jake had to open his mouth.
She paused. “The carvings are, how do I put this, worn away. I can barely make them out.”
“Please don’t tell me we’re lost.”
“I thought you said you trusted me?”
“I do. Just not this place. I just feel like we are being watched.”
Just then, a howl from a few feet away sent a chill down their spines. Panting of a coyote, fox, or mountain lion was now within an arm's-length. Something was closing in on them. Eva pulled out one of her blades and yanked the rope, pulling the brothers towards what she thought was the safest route. The animal bolted, chasing them as they ran through the trail. No one was sure whether they were on the right path anymore, but it no longer mattered. Soon, the trail stopped and Eva, Jake, and Tommy squeezed between trees and an endless thicket of sharp bramble. Just when they thought that the predator was going to pounce, it was distracted by another noise and disappeared into the void. The three turned around and let out a collective sigh.
Thank whatever led me through this. Eva’s mind was elated the instant she could smell the crisp air. Finally, into the early evening, they had fought their way out of the forest. Suddenly, her mind was flooded with the saying that the merchants had taught her about the markings on the trees. X marks certain death, + will never free you, O is your savior. Her instinct had not led them astray. They made it through the forest unscathed.
The West side of the region was completely different than what Jake and Tommy were growing accustomed to. Standing at the edge of a bluff, the city was almost obscured by the edge of the forest and the horizon. A large colony was nestled in a valley to their left, and the unmistakable sight of five Gang compounds dotted their right. They were noticeably smaller than either the Serpents or the Tigers domain, but their fires burned brighter. She had not been to this part of the region in years. It was nothing like she remembered. Great.
Jake took notice. “You look confused.”
She threw her hood over her face while Jake and Tommy untied their tether, “Yeah. I haven’t been here in a while. The colony has doubled in size. And the Gangs… There were only two before and neither were the size of any of these.”
“Do you know which one belongs to the Wolves?”
“No… And I’m not about to use the trial-and-error method.”
“The Western Rovers know this part of the region, for sure. Most likely they won’t be aggressive to us.”
“What the heck do you mean by most likely?”
“Like I just said, Jake. It’s been a while. They may not remember me.”
“Do they even know who you are?”
“They know of The Wanderer. But they may not remember that it’s me.”
Jake threw his hands in the air. He believed Eva was being annoyingly nonchalant about entering a Rover colony that could be hostile. She took off down the bluff before the boys could react. The three of them could be walking into a trap, and she thought nothing of it. Tommy had already rushed to the edge of the cliff, leaning over the side, looking down at her. Jake ran after him.
Eva was over halfway through her descent when she noticed the brothers were not following. “Are you coming?”
“We could have used the rope,” Jake proposed. “This is really dangerous.”
Eva was just waiting for him to stop whining. “Okay. You are wasting time.”
“Seriously,” Jake looked at his brother and pointed at Eva. Tommy shrugged and took the first cautious step over the side, hanging onto a boulder overhead. His brother huffed and moaned, then followed after him. Rocks crumbled off to his side and some of the natural hand grips were not solid. Once or twice, he reached for what he believed was a sturdy piece of earth and nearly plummeted the forty feet to the rock-strewn ground below.
Eva and Tommy reached the bottom long before Jake had even made it halfway. He hugged the wall and inched down to the next step, cursing and complaining. As he looked down at the ground, he realized how much further he had to go. Sweat was causing his hands to become slippery and droplets slid into his eyes, burning them. Carefully, he rubbed his forehead with his sleeve. And as he closed in on the ground, he could hear the sound of Eva’s boot tapping in impatience.
“You know Tommy,” she jeered, “Sometimes I think you are more mature than your brother. Even though he has, like, ten years on you.”
Tommy held up ten fingers and then another four. Fourteen years older than him. Eva giggled. Jake grunted and shook his head, trying to focus on the final few steps. When he only had about ten feet left to go, Eva coaxed him to jump. He refused. Shaking violently, he finally felt his foot touch soft ground and nearly collapsed to his knees in relief.
“Jake,” Eva touched his shoulder. “You must start overcoming fear. If scaling a wall is difficult for you, well, yeah.” She decided to bite her tongue and not finish her thought.
Trying to avoid the topic of murder for a while seemed to be the best option. He shot a hateful look at her and she pulled her hand away. As he passed them, he shoved his shoulder into hers.
“I grew up under a hill Eva,” Jake called back without turning his head. He was already heading toward the lights coming from the colony. “I have never had the pleasure of climbing a tree or any of that shit.”
But Eva was poking and prodding at him for a reason. To her, anger was a necessary seed for ruthlessness. In an attempt to ready him for what was to come, she tried to keep him hating something. Also, it was rather convenient for him to attack her and effortless for her to taunt him. She almost laughed. Almost.
The moon was hanging high in the air, brushed by thinly veiled clouds. By now, Jake was far ahead of Tommy and Eva. They nearly lost him over the cresting hills a few times. He was mumbling something to himself as they neared the town. The wind would carry his voice back to the other two, but they weren’t able to make out the words.
An hour had passed as they entered the outskirts of the colony. The mismatched metal buildings felt welcoming and familiar, but the atmosphere was different. Unlike the colony that was protected by The Wanderer, these Rovers did not seem nearly as fearful. Gardens lined the front of every home, brimming with different fruit trees and vegetable plants. All of the homes had windows and smaller herb pots hanging underneath them. Ill-assorted clothes hung on lines between the rooftops and a few of the inhabitants were out tending to their crops.
The Rovers who had spotted them instantly stopped and watched the intruders. Jake swallowed hard and looked over his shoulder, noticing a crowd forming behind them. Brandished weapons glinting in the moonlight distracted him enough to nearly trip over Eva who had slowed her pace. She spun around and pulled out one of her blades, pressing it against Jake’s throat.
“Woah.” He threw up his hands and pointed to the angry mob that was closing in around them.
One of the dark silhouettes spoke. “From which Gang do you hail? We would like to know wh
ere to send the bodies.”
“None.” Eva sheathed her blade but kept her face hidden. “We are no enemy of yours, Rover.”
“We are just travelers,” Jake squeaked as he felt a cold gun barrel press against his temple.
“Ha!” the shadow stepped closer. “Laughable at best. We have not seen travelers around these parts in some time, and we know the trade routes and the traders who travel them. You come bearing weapons and no goods. What ally does this?”
“The Wanderer,” said Eva. “We come with questions if you would help us. We wish to infiltrate one of the compounds.”
The energy of the crowd shifted. Twinkling shards of metal relaxed and lowered towards the ground. The pistol at Jake’s head was removed and holstered. A murmur through the mob rose and fell. And then, the same voice spoke again.
“We know of The Wanderer,” he stated and took a step closer to Jake. “But he has not shown his face here in some time.”
“She,” Jake corrected as he felt the man’s powerful arm around his shoulders. “It isn’t me. It’s her.”
“A woman,” he paused. “That is correct, isn’t it? I admit, I had not spent much time in this colony until they elected me their leader. Indeed, you do have a deadly air about you.”
The leader’s choice of words was very unusual. They seemed meticulously put together and much more eloquent than other Rovers, let alone, any Nomad or Gang member. Either way, it did not sit well with Eva. She had not changed her stance since hiding her weapon. Tommy had backed up to where his brother stood and all eyes were on her, The Wanderer.
“Is it true that you are she?” a woman’s voice called from the crowd. “One who walks in shadow behind footprints of blood?”
Why do these people speak so weird? Eva scrunched her nose under the darkness of her hood. And what the shit did she just call me?
“If by ‘footprints of blood’ you mean killed many in my lifetime,” she replied. “Then sure. I protect those who cannot protect themselves. And I guess you could say that I also ‘walk in shadow’.”
“Shadow encompasses your past,” the man corrected. “Does it not?”
“Yeah,” Eva stretched out her response as she lowered her hand to her gun. “But I would prefer not to speak of it.”
“There is no need for bloodshed.” Damn. How did he see me? The leader had spotted her fingers wrapping around her holster. “You are welcome here. Our feast hall is open to you and your friends. The bartender knows much about this region. She can answer your questions. Albeit, her poor mother was taken into a compound in the East. But she is both strong and knowledgeable. We have but one simple request of you, though.”
Eva was not going to risk being attacked before making it into the compound. “All right. What is it?”
“We would all like to see the face of The Wanderer,” his outstretched arm pointed to the largest building in the town. “In the feast hall. Because here, in my colony, we have no secrets. I think it would be wise of you to oblige.”
“Fair enough.” She raised one eyebrow as the crowd led them into the hall.
Tommy, Jake, and Eva followed behind the Rovers. Large lanterns burning with bright fires lit the room to near daylight. Parts of the ceiling had been cut away to make for better ventilation, so the air was not thick with smells of old alcohol and rotting food scraps. Rather than rags, most of these Rovers were clad in leather armors. Belts wrapped around their legs and torsos supported weapons of varying lengths, sizes, and designs. Men and women drank together, loudly announcing their previous hunt. The smaller children practiced fighting with wooden weapons near the corner of the hall, awaiting their dinner. What Eva found highly unusual was the smile on everyone’s faces. They were not masked by pain and suffering. These people were warriors. Genuine survivors. She was about to instruct Jake and Tommy to sit while she spoke to the barkeep, but the leader of the colony was standing on a table calling out to his kin.
“My good family,” he boomed. “I would like to introduce you to some friends. One of which, you may know from tales that surface around the region.”
That was when Eva finally got a good look at their leader. Dark skin hardened by the sun, wrinkled but tight on his muscular arms. Around his mouth, a curly beard of silver that connected to his crown in tufts. His arms were outstretched, both burned with snakelike tracks undoubtedly from the whips of the Gangs. Callouses caked over his palms. His armor, crafted by hand, outlined his bulky physique as he proudly displayed a string of silver daggers crisscrossed in front of his chest. And although his face bore one pinkish scar from his nose to his left cheek, the peace behind his sapphire eyes was admirable.
He jumped onto one of the tables, beckoning for Eva to follow. “This woman. You have heard of her in stories… perhaps from whispers throughout the region. She comes to us with questions. Her famous blades may be stained with the blood of many enemies, but her heart is pure and untouched by hate.”
I don’t know about that, she joked to herself and stepped onto the wooden table.
Their leader instructed her to remove her hood. Everyone was watching intently. Gripping the thick cloth, she let it slide softly back behind her head. And then came the longest suspense that she had ever witnessed. Her leg stung faintly. All she could feel were the eyes of hundreds of people and the only thing she could think was the number of ways this could end badly for her and the McAvoy brothers.
She did not reach for her weapon, but Jake and Tommy were ready for a battle. Unexpectedly, the whole room erupted with cheers. The volume was deafening. Eva was confused. She had not done anything for these people in ages. So, why were they cheering for her? Their leader could sense the confusion.
“You are a legend around here,” he said as he helped her back to the floor. “Every man, woman, and child aspire to be like you.”
“They shouldn’t,” Eva said shortly.
“And why is that?” the man led her over to the bartender while Jake and Tommy entered the line for food. “You strike with honor. Protect the weak and afraid. Why would any warrior not aspire to be like this?”
The words fell out of her mouth before she could think. “Because I was not always this way.”
But the man paid no attention to her comment. He was busy introducing Eva to a woman named Elaine. Then he turned to her, bid her farewell, and mentioned his name.
“William,” he said and disappeared into the crowd.
Eva cleared her throat and studied the barkeep for a moment as she swung her legs around a stool. Like the other Rovers here, she wore leather armor and carried a dozen different weapons. She was in the middle of cleaning tin mugs when William had instructed her to help The Wanderer. Her forehead wrinkled as she slammed a cup onto the bar.
“Yeah,” she said with a shockingly high pitched voice. “You have questions? Oh and don’t expect me to be bowing to you or anything. I don’t give a shit who you are. I am only doing this because Will asked me to help.”
“You know what?” Eva laughed. “I actually like your attitude. Straight-forward and no beating around the bush.”
The woman was speechless. She rubbed her partially-shaven head. Neither of them were sure how to continue, so Eva just started asking questions.
“My friends and I are trying to find the Wolf’s compound,” she began but was interrupted.
“Truthfully,” Elaine leaned in towards her. “Those two do not look like your friends.”
Eva laughed loudly. “No, they’re not. More like… burdens.”
“Interesting,” she grinned. “But I thought The Wanderer only traveled alone.”
“I did. But I found those two in a vault near the hills, through the forest. Y’know, in the East.”
“Vault?”
“Yeah. Apparently they were built back in the Old Times as safe havens for some. They haven’t been opened since then. Well, until recently.”
Elaine paused. “The Beforetimes. There may be more then.”
“
Not around here,” Eva was handed a plate of food. “At least, not that I’m aware of. Anyway. We are trying to get in-.”
“The Wolf’s Den, yeah got it. Suicide mission in my opinion.”
“Trust me. Your opinion is not far from mine. Jake and Tommy’s father is being held prisoner there. I promised to get him out. Tonight.”
“Then I will keep my opinions to myself… So, it’s the closest compound to here. And don’t worry about time. Those servants are forced to work late, but they hardly ever start working until midday.”
“Well that’s a relief. Any insight on ways to get in there without being spotted?” Eva took a few bites of food.
“There is a tunnel from the Beforetimes that runs from the colony border to their camp. Last I checked, it hasn’t collapsed.”
“And that was when?”
“A few weeks ago. But that’s your best bet. It isn’t exactly a direct route and there is no map, but my best guess is that it opens up to the center of their common yard. Most of the Gangs around here use the tunnels for trade. So, if you spend too long in the underground, you may be in for a fight.”
“Great. Thanks.” Eva said sarcastically and finished her food. “Unrelated question. Why does William talk the way he does. It is extremely odd.”
“He reads a lot.” The edge of Elaine’s mouth curled upward. “And he writes fantasy stories about the castles and dragons. He reads them to me sometimes.”
Eva tilted her head. Elaine flushed.
“Don’t get me wrong,” she spat. “He is our best Warrior, which is why he leads us now. But being the best means you sacrifice some sanity. I mean you should know right? You are supposed to be one of the best, too.”
“I mean I don’t believe I’m insane,” Eva crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair. Elaine had already left the conversation and tended to patrons on the other side of the bar.
She returned from serving drinks and propped her elbows on the chest-high wood. “You know. You aren’t at all like I pictured. The stories always make you seem older and stronger.”
Eva was rather offended. “Well stories are just that, right? Stories.”