by V. K. Ludwig
“There he is,” a guy snarled and spit a blob of brown goo onto the moss-covered pavers. He pierced me with his steel-gray eyes, a veil of too much booze and long-lost morals covering his face. “We thought you would never come out of there. Almost feared you saw us and took off through a window from the back. Bet your friend here is happy to see you. Aren’t you? Pretty boy?”
He tightened his arm’s grip around Oriels neck, who stood ruddy-faced with a barrel pushing against his temple. God dammit. Why did Oriel have to bust that chair? I moved my eyeballs to the left and to the right. Where is Monk?
A low flagstone wall marked the property line, crumbled into a pile of dust at one end where a massive Willow towered over it. Instead of my dog, I spotted a wrinkly man who sat on the other end of the wall. Just looking at him, made bile rise from the lowest pit of my stomach. God, that awful smell!
It was hard to tell which part of him caused the vomit inducing stench. Red sores speckled his face. Some had shiny wet centers which oozed a yellowish fluid onto his otherwise grease clogged pores. His mouth, however, was a broad smile which let me see all the way to the back of his throat.
“So…” the first guy continued, and my head flung back at him. “I’m James. That handsome fella over there is Roger. We already learned that I’m hugging Oriel here. And you are?”
My eyes darted back and forth between his wrinkly face and the foam bubbles which had formed at the corner of Oriel’s mouth. We were as good as dead.
“Now that’s just rude,” James said in a low voice, and with a sly smile on his face. “Didn’t your momma teach you manners? If someone asks you a question… you give your answer followed by a ‘Sir’. Now let’s try that again. What the fuck is your name?”
“River,” I snarled, looking up from just underneath my eyebrows. He stared back at me, his eyes so bright I knew he got a kick out of this. Like a child who just unwrapped his new toy from underneath a Christmas tree. He tried to play me, but I wouldn’t go down without my pride.
“Aren’t we forgetting something?” he asked.
We stared at each other for a long moment. My lips pressed into a thin line. Clenched jaws replaced his smug smile.
“Maybe you should let a bullet nibble on his ear. That’ll teach him some respect,” Roger giggled.
James gave a dismissive wave with his gun. “It’s not his fault, Roger. Tell you what… I bet that guy is nothing but a poor bastard. Can’t expect no manners from someone who never got his ass whooped with his dad’s belt or his mom’s slipper.”
Heat shot to my fingertips. I wanted to pull my gun out from behind my back and kill this motherfucker dead. Bastard. The word bounced against my brain and made my eyes twitch.
“What do you think? Where are these poor bastards from?”
Roger laughed up green snot which dripped down his jaw. “Well fed. Clean. They got all their teeth, too! And them fancy holo-bands from the Districts. Clan of the Woodlands is what I say.”
He jumped off the wall and strolled over to me. Ugh! Vomit collected at the back my throat. Not even the dead skunk Monk dragged into the cabin last year reeked this bad. I skipped every other inhale.
“Putty locket,” he said, his eyes fixated on my collarbone. I shrunk back as he reached his gangly oil-stained fingers towards me. “Uh, uh, uh,” he said, pulled his gun out and pointed it right between my eyes.
The coldness of metal touched my chest and gave me goosebumps. He pushed the barrel over my skin. When he wrapped it around the chain of the locker, iron met silver, and metallic clicks and clacks sounded from underneath my chin.
Everything went blurry for a moment as he twisted the chain around my neck. I flung my hands up, my fingers desperately trying to push underneath the chain which cut into my skin. Clank! I took a deep breath but immediately felt naked like a newborn child. The locket…
His dirty fingers played with the lock until it sprung open. My heart raced. Don’t you dare look at her! Don’t look at her! I grabbed behind my back. The only thing I had of my mother. In the filthy hands of this mountain scum. I’m going to kill him.
Bang! A bullet whirled up the dry dirt right next to me before I even touched the grip of my gun. My arm froze.
“Don’t you get stupid,” James shouted, taking his pointed gun away from me and pushing it into Oriel’s mouth. Oriel wrestled his face away. His body jerked. Soaked light brown strands hung over his eyes.
“Holy shit,” Roger blurted out. His mouth turned into a wide grin, and a whiff of infection tickled my nostrils once more. “You’re right. He’s a bastard. But not just any. Uh-uh. It’s Katherine’s bastard!”
I am what? How did they know my mother’s name? Calm down, River. They’re just trying to mind-fuck you.
“You’re kidding,” James said, his mood almost cheerful. “Ay, boy. That changes a thing or two. You’re Kate’s son. The least thing I can do for her is let you live after… “ He let a primal moan escape from his mouth. “After what she had done for me.”
James and Roger joined in a laugh so gleeful, my clenched fists dropped like boulders by my sides.
“Oh she was a good fuck,” he shouted.
He’s lying! I didn’t want to hear this shit.
“I pushed that whore’s mouth down on my huge cock until she had sucked me dryyy,” he continued and licked his lips. “Ah, she screamed a little in the beginning. But I swear once I pushed my Long John Silver inside of her tight pink cunt, she begged me for more.”
Roger howled out like a wolf. It’s not true. It's not true. It’s not —
“Oh, you think I’m lying, huh?” James asked, and I startled. “Black long curls. Brown eyes. A scar running from the corner of her eye down to her earlobe on the… well, I’ll be damned, but I don’t remember which side the scar was on. Guess I paid too much attention to her round ass that day.”
My heart pounded against my ribs. This had to be a nightmare. Wake up, River! We shouldn’t have split up. Shouldn’t have come here at all. For a moment I thought I should make an abrupt leap. Maybe then they’ll shoot me. Then perhaps I won’t have to listen to this anymore.
“How ‘bout ya give us that boomstick hidn’ there,” Roger pointed at
my back.
I didn’t move. Rooted to the ground, I stared into Oriel’s droopy eyes.
“You aren’t the smartest, are you?” he said. “Perhaps you’re Olaf’s son after all… he was a dumb motherfucker too!” he snorted. Who the fuck is Olaf?
“Come on now,” James said. “Give him your weapon and your holo-band. I see you’ve got an interactive map on it, that’ll get in handy once we show up to get your women.” He gave me a wink “I’ll swear by the sweet lips of your mother, we’ll let you go.”
Oriel struggled me a nod. How could sweat drip down my spine when I felt as cold as a night in January? I looked around once more. Monk!
He sneaked up to James and Oriel with the quietness I thought only a lynx could have. My dog crouched behind the pair and stood on four flexed legs, ready to leap at his prey.
When I undid the buckle of my holo-band and threw it to the ground in front of me, Roger walked up closer, his stench repulsive and overpowering. Staring at my holo-band, he bent down.
“Sick’em!” I shouted.
Monk jumped up and aimed his jaws at James’ gun hand. Bang! Roger turned to look at the turmoil. Too late, idiot. When he turned back at me, my barrel tickled his lips. He held up his hands and opened his mouth to say something, but I aimed at his knee and pulled the trigger. He slumped to the ground pulling on his leg.
“Aaugh,” he screamed and sobbed.
A third shot. It’s echo bounced from brick wall to brick wall through the old neighborhood. Monk yelped something gut-wrenching as if a bear mauled his insides. Where is he? Where the fuck is my dog? I turned, my eyes darting from a shrub to his face, to a trunk. What the…
A blow struck against my temple. Warmth trickled down my face and made the gra
vel beneath me appear like tourmaline gemstones, with splatters of red here and there. I hit the ground with an oomph and unconsciousness crept up on me. In and out. Screaming voices. More shots. Now I knew who I was. Or… what I was.
Chapter 6
A white lie
Ayanna
How hard could it be to convince them? After all, people quivered whenever someone talked about the clans. Nobody in his right mind would volunteer for a year among savages unless they had a death wish… or a baby wish.
The polished marble tiles gleamed underneath the mix of sunlight and fluorescent light bulbs. A wave-shaped table stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows. Colorful stools surrounded it and invited everyone to sit down and kick back.
I wanted to open a window and let in some of that crisp air which promised scents of wet leaves and loam. Instead, the vent in the center of the ceiling began to blow. Is that lavender?
It clattered but barely managed to drown the nerve-wracking click, click, click of the analog clock on the wall. Two black and a thin red pointer, each cycling around the pizza-eating tabby cat in the middle. I arched my brow at this souvenir of the past. With every click, my chest tightened. I had to be smart about this.
“Sorry to keep you waiting,” the counselor said as she entered the room and waved a chunky man inside. The way he squinted his heavy-lidded eyes reminded me of a mole. Who is that guy?
“I found Benjamin here wandering the hallways,” she said and gestured to the assembly of peach, butterscotch and seafoam chairs.
“Hehe,” he reached out for one. “I had some trouble finding the room. It is confusing though because the room numbers split by that small corner with the enhanced water fountain.”
“Yes, very confusing,” the counselor agreed politely. “Now, shall we get started? I am talent counselor Aubry, and we are meeting here today to discuss your application for the exchange with one of the Clans.”
My heart dropped into the pit of my stomach. That guy applied for it as well? I took a few rapid breaths of the lavender scented air. Calm down, Ayanna! Adapt and adjust!
I dipped my head. “Ayanna.”
“Right,” she said. “The brave woman everyone talks about.”
Cold sweat ran down my spine. Her eyes mustered me, the question written on her face: is this girl a danger to herself? Should we lock her up for her own good?
“From what I understand, the council is looking for a volunteer to travel to one of the Clans as a teacher?” I asked.
“That is correct,” she activated the projector in the table's center. “The Clan of the Woodlands. Nestled into a chain of deep forest, national parks, and prior reservations. Much closer to us than the other clans. And we have a few trade agreements with them. Their teacher passed away a few months ago, and they can’t find a replacement. They are considered safe for now, but don’t let that give you the wrong ideas. They are still very… um. Just look for yourself.”
She twirled her finger, twisted her wrist and flung her palm up. Three-dimensional pictures appeared in front of us. Each one of them looked so realistic, I wanted to touch the shiny thorns on the pinecones and let the ebony dirt crunch in my fists. Water rushed from somewhere in such deep gulps, my tongue rubbed along my gums.
Another picture showed a child. A little girl. She stared right back at me, her face mud-crusted and a chicken between her elbow and waist. The shack beside her stood crooked as if the walls couldn’t handle the constant breeze of the wind.
“I volunteer myself for the assignment,” I said matter-of-factly.
Aubry and Benjamin both gasped for air.
“Ayanna,” she said and allowed herself a few more seconds to compose herself. “I called you both in today because we want to be completely honest with you. This is an exceptional project and carries dangers. I need you both to understand that.”
“Who else applied?” Benjamin asked. He scratched the skin on his arm. Then he let his eyes dart back and forth between the girl and the grim-looking giant in the background.
She sighed. “Only you two. And even that came as a surprise to me.”
“I will do it,” Benjamin said with a nod.
I jumped up. “No. I will go. I meet all the requirements.”
My hands clenched into tight balls. I won't let him win this!
Aubry’s brows pushed the mottled skin on her forehead into pits of concern. She took her sweet time and fiddled her oversized trumpet sleeves back. Then, she took a sharp breath. “I couldn’t possibly endorse this. Ayanna, this assignment is dangerous, especially for a …”
Trying to think of a better word she suffocated her own voice.
I took advantage of her hesitation. “I could be wrong, but did you just mean to say woman?”
“What? No, of course not,” she shook her head a dozen times.
“Phew.” I placed my hand on my collarbone in a gesture of relief and sat back down. “For a moment there, I feared you wanted to discriminate against my gender. That’s silly of me, I know. Such an old-fashioned notion, isn’t it? The Districts value equality, correct?”
“Exactly,” she said with a lackluster smile. “See, Ayanna, the council asked for very specific qualifications. This is not like your regular teaching job. The project requires someone with a background in history, and I am not sure if you —”
“Oh but I do have a background in history,” I said.
This was easier than sending a child to bed early at the start of daylight saving time. A relict of old times we couldn’t seem to shake. Did she really think I came this unprepared?
I plunged my fist onto the projector to shut down the images. Then, at the wave of my wrist, I activated my holo-band and pointed at the white and purple transcript. Pushing my butt to the edge of my chair, I extended my arm as far as it let me and she squinted at the projection.
“I took several courses on twenty-first-century history. You’ll see its quite expansive, from how they used fuzzy animals to predict the weather, up to the point of the collapse.”
The counselor rubbed her finger across her forehead. “I see.”
I got her where I needed her. She wouldn't discriminate against my gender. I had all the qualifications. Nobody could —
“Excuse me, ladies.” Benjamin scooted his chair closer to the table. “I agree that Ayanna meets the requirements, but I would like to point out that I exceed them. And by far. Not only have I worked as a teacher for over twenty years, but I also studied history. And I have a minor in international relations and general politics. Besides, my heart aches at the thought of what those men might do to her. The things I heard… my oh my. I wouldn’t wish them on my worst enemy.”
He flung his eyes up to me with a sheepish expression on his face. This half-blind rodent played hard.
Aubry shoved in her chair, pushed back, then sat up straight once more. She glanced up to the ceiling and indecision clouded her face. Does she really consider him over me?
“Hmmph.” Aubry rose as if a flea had nibbled on her behind. “Please excuse me for a moment. I will need to discuss this with councilwoman Svea. It’ll only take a moment.”
As soon as the door fell into the lock, Benjamin placed his palm onto my hand. “I believe you are a courageous woman, Ayanna. Really! Volunteering for a project where you would be surrounded by testosterone filled men?” He let out a whistle. “I would pull my hair out.”
His honeyed voice made every muscle in my body tense up. I wouldn’t give up on my chance of happiness so easily. I did the only thing I figured would make him withdraw. Hey, he wasn’t the only one who could play dirty.
I put on my most serious voice. “Thank you for your sweet compliment. All I can do is give it back to you, really. Personally, I find the things they do to men are far more disturbing.”
“What do you mean?”
“When I first heard the rumors I couldn’t believe it. I mean, between a man and a woman… I guess it still runs in their primitive gene
tics. But what they did to that male engineer seven years ago.”
With each of my words, concern grew on his face and created a bushy unibrow above his eyes. I leaned into him and placed my hand to whisper in his ear. “A friend of mine works for the diplomacy department. The public wasn’t supposed to see the pictures, but she showed me two of them and…”
“And what?” He pulled the collar of his shirt underneath his sweat covered face.
I shook my head and buried my cheek in my hand. “All I can say is that I wish I would never have seen them. His ripped pants, the blood. What was left of him didn’t resemble a human being anymore.”
His spine jerked into a stiff posture. “What did they do to him?”
“I would say the counselor is right.” I stood and pushed my chair against the table. “This was a bad idea. Imagine men so desperate they don’t even differentiate between men and women anymore.”
I walked over to the window and bathed my smirk in the sunshine. Unless another crazy showed up now, I felt pretty confident I had the gig as good as in my pocket.
As soon as Aubry stepped back into the room, Benjamin heaved himself out of his chair. The old leather-bound document folder trembled in his hands as he apologetically sunk his head.
“Please don’t take this the wrong way, but I have changed my mind about this project.” Spinning around with force, his sweat-stained chair tumbled to the ground. “Please accept my apologies.”
Without a second glance, he squeezed himself between the chair and Aubry, whose gaze followed him open-mouthed.
“What on earth was this?” she asked.
I lifted my shoulders in a long drawn out shrug. “I don’t have the slightest idea,” I said, biting my lower lip to jail the laugh which clung to my tongue.
Three barely audible knocks on the door called both of us to attention. A girl dressed in white linen robes entered the room, richly embroidered with orange lotus blossoms and fern green vines.
