A Day in a Life in After World: Farsid

by Eric Johnson

flat boat steamer was just pulling in. He was enjoying watching the exchange between the porter and the captain when his toast arrived. He took a bite of toast and then tried to focus on the porter. It was merely as an exercise. When he touched the mind of the porter he found it simplistic and very linear. It was full of greed and deceit. Most minds he touched were simplistic and followed just one or two lines of thought. The porter’s mindset did not surprise him and even bored him.

  The breakfast arrived and he was very glad he had tried the sour whip. It did compliment the braised beef very well. He saved his strawberries for desert.

  When he was done eating he sat for a few more minutes letting the food settle. The boat captain and gone, though his flat was still in dock. The porter was now seeing to another boat just docking. It looked as though he was already demanding portage fees from the captain and they had not even tied off yet.

  Very satisfied with his meal, Farsid gave the hostess two gold coins and did not wait for change. That was more money than she would make in a month and was more than many people would see in a year. He would definitely be back here.

  It was time to go see to his goods. The trade house here in Saint Ellwood was a hub and he could find buyers for nearly anything here. Yesterday he came into town with a load of coils of copper wire. Much of it was corroded, but a good smithy would melt it down and purify it. After last night’s knowledge find, he planned on promptly dumping this for anything he could get for it. He was upgrading to trading in gems. With any luck he could become the region’s biggest gemstone trader. The cache would give him a good start anyway and he knew all the contacts to get more.

  He arrived at the trade house and the house master was working with a cart of melons. Farsid decided he would wait and sat on a bench to wait his turn.

  He espied a comely woman arriving on a one horse buggy. He smiled inwardly to himself and focused his attention on her. He got more than just exercise out of some of his practice.

  He focused on her face first, then the curve of her chin, the softness of her cheek. In doing so he achieved a view of her mind. It seemed much more complex than other minds he has seen lately.

  As he looked a little deeper the woman stopped the conversation she was having with a trade house worker and looked around. At the same time what he could see of her mind was replaced with running water. All he could make out was a waterfall and the sound of the cascading water ringing in his ears. The trade house around him faded away and he had a feeling of being disconnected from himself. He was standing on a stone at the top of a tall waterfall. He shivered from the cool mist of water that was settling on him. The roar filled his ears and the sound even pounded on his chest.

  The rock beneath his feet was covered in algae and one of his feet slipped. He managed to catch his balance but nearly fell down the falls.

  He tried to remember how he got here and focused back on himself. He realized he was not there. He was in the trade house. He focused on the trade house and it rematerialized around him. He could still hear the dull roar though in his ears from the waterfall.

  He snapped to attention when he realized what had just happened. Someone detected his probing and trapped him inside of a thought. This had never happened before. The thought that someone could even do this to him intrigued him. He unconsciously pulled his coin purse from his belt and fished inside. He withdrew a coin. The coin. He would be better prepared this time.”

  He closely examined the coin, there was a scratch on one edge. His focus was complete. He could picture every nick and groove on the coin. He turned his attention towards…”

  A sudden ruckus broke out in the trade house. All the trader workers were running over towards one of the carts. Farsid returned the coin to the pouch and got up to go investigate the trouble.

  It turned out not to be worth his time. Some mouse had stolen a melon. What was left of the carcass was barely recognizable after the traders got done with him.

  As everyone broke up, the house master called him over.

  “Mr. Farsid!” he greeted him, “Thank you so much for waiting and sorry about the little disturbance.”

  “No worries Master Protus.” Farsid returned. “Have you found a buyer for my copper?”

  Protus nodded. “Aye, I have. Technologist guy. Uses it to build electrics with.”

  The trader spit on the ground as if the words tasted bad in his mouth.

  ‘”Excellent.” Farsid responded.

  “What can we load you back up with?” the house master inquired.

  Farsid shook his head. “Nothing at this time. In fact I would like you to sell my cart and horse and use my credits to get a good riding horse.”

  “You getting out of the business?” Protus sounded a little worried.

  “No.” Mr. Farsid assured him. “I am just getting out of the junk business. I want to trade in something with less bulk.”

  “Good, good.” Master Protus said. “I will get that taken care of for you.”

  A sound like water caught Farsids attention and he dug his pinkie in his ear to try to remove the irritation. It still persisted.

  “I will be back in a bit to check in with you.” Mr. Farsid said. He was ready to be out of town and finding that cache, but he had this mental issue to contend with.

  As he walked away from the house master he reached down for his coin purse only to find it missing.

  He felt weak in the mind and in the knees. His coin was missing. The sound of water in his head increased.

  The bench! He had set it down on the bench when the fracas started. He rushed back there and it was not there. He even checked beneath the bench. He patted himself down again to make sure he did not put it away wrong but it was well and truly gone.

  “Master Protus!” He called out. “There has been a theft!”

  All work in the trade house ceased and a group of trade workers ran from their posts to the gates and pulled them closed and barred them.

  The sound of water was still there. He had to ignore it, fight past it, and concentrate on getting his coin back.

  “What is missing Mr. Farsid?” The house master asked.

  “My coin purse has been lifted!” He livid. “I had it while on that bench moments ago! When the mouse stole the melon I came over to see what was the matter and then spoke with you. Erstwhile during that time someone lifted my purse!”

  “Search detail!” The house master stated and raised his arms. A worker came up behind the house master and patted him down. Trade workers set about searching everyone including each other. Each person we searched at least three times by different people. All the active cargo on the floor was searched as well. After about fifteen minutes all the trade workers lined up.

  “Report?” The house master barked.

  “Master Protus,” a head trade worker stepped forward, “we have searched everyone and have not uncovered the stolen goods. We must assume they have left the house.”

  The roaring in his ears was becoming painful. He was not sure how much more he could take of this. He needed his coin now!

  “Open the gates!” The house master commanded. “Organize search teams for anyone who was here when the theft happened.”

  “Master Protus!” One of the men said.

  “What is it?”

  “Master, there was a furry here, on the bench with him.” He pointed back to the bench where Farsid had just been sitting. “I don’t see him here now.”

  Farsid responded absently. “A furry?”

  He could not remember anyone sitting next to him. He looked around the trade house and his eyes landed on the comely woman. She was still there, next to her cart and she was staring intently at him. He remembered now what she was doing to him. Somehow he had forgotten it was her.

  Angry at being attacked in this way and panicked about his missing coin tipped him over the edge. He screamed out loud. “Aaaaayyyy
iiiieeee!”

  Everyone around him seemed to lose their balance for a moment and looked dizzy. The woman that was staring at him collapsed to the ground. The sound of the water was gone.

  Farsid quickly regained his composure.

  “Are you okay sir?” The house master seemed genuinely worried.

  Farsid looked at all the shocked faces around him. Suddenly everyone forgot that he had screamed out and went back to organizing the search.

  “You were saying about the furry?” Farsid prompted.

  “Yes sir,” the trade worker said, “he was grey furred with a mottled pattern.”

  “Get everyone out looking for a grey furry!” The house master ordered.

  “Give me a minute.” Farsid stated.

  He walked over towards the comely woman. A small crowd of workers had gathered around her body. When he arrived he could see she was lying in a pool of blood. It appeared that she had suffered a nose bleed that would not stop. It was obvious she was beyond saving.

  “Who was she?” Farsid asked.

  A couple of trade workers shrugged.

  “Melonia Brazil.” Came a voice behind him. He turned to see the house master had followed him over.

  “What happened here?” The house master asked one of the house workers.

  He shrugged. “She was standing by her dray as still as stone and then just fell over.”

  “This is all we need.” The house master stated. “She was a visiting house master from the delta. She is originally from across the gulf.”

  “I would have liked to have met her.”