Year of the Orphan

by Daniel Findlay

  We gotta get evrywun outta the System.

  Karra looked up at that. Nowuns goin nowhere.

  The Orphan shifted again, easin the pressure on her wrists. Yer not gunna have anythin to lord it over if ya dont get evrywun out. Dont ya get it ya dumb bastard.

  Karra leaned across an slapped her hard in the face. The sting of his hand takin her all the way back to the old days. She’d felt that hand plenny of times but it dint hurt much no more if it ever did. She wondered if she oughta tell him he was gunna be dead soon. How were a man gunna take that news. She dint reckon he was mournin nuthin but himself in his heart. She dint reckon he cared nuthin for the System deep down. It were just a measure to him, a yardstick of how far he thought he’d come.

  Nowuns goin nowhere. If we’re all gunna die, then we’re goin out together. You an me, an all the fucken dregs in this place.

  The rope was bitin into her an from outside the door to Karras office she heard a commotion. He dint even look like he was hearin nuthin. He just stared at the Orphan like he were willin her to disappear but she werent movin. Not even if she could.

  89

  So it were his sister, no mistakin it no more. An the reckonin were comin. He’d covered good ground an his brothers an sisters had come out the deep dark an sum of em what could stand the sun had met him on the sand. The wild wuns aint come, they was blud unto themselves an he dint know what the olders mighta said or who was sent for just that it were time the reckonin be done. The System were sittin out there like a blight waitin to spread. His sister were out there playin with things she dint unnerstand an he could see that down the line she were gunna unleash sumthin she couldnt control.

  Theyd covered good distance. They was made in the dark and the cool an they flowed over the sand like smoke, like they was livin up to their names in the System. He marched em hard, but they was slower in the day, not all could ship up an it were shanks most of the way. He were strapped with sling an blade, an they was lean an hungry an wrapped in rags against the light. Just before dawn they made camp as best they could an the sun come up. He’d seen plenny go sunblind for good an he covered those what needed it best he could an they sat out the long day in shadow while he waited for cloud or sumthin to break the glare. When the sun dropped low they turned their backs to it an they never talked but ten of em turned back to the Glows. Jon watched them marchin away, his hand restin on the handle of his parang. Sister or no sister, he was gunna go in an burn that place an all them slavers an dogs an poisoners. She’d live, she were smart. He dint care nuthin for none of the rest.

  90

  Block an Karra facin each other. The Orphans eyes was wide open now an the two of em stood just starin. Block werent movin he were lookin just like his name. Karra was keepin eyes on, werent flinchin, werent movin none either. Block had blud on him from a cut in the chest but he were holdin onto the short hook blade proper enough an Karra had his own parang danglin easy by his side. She shifted against the rope an the pipe she were tied to shifted a little but neither of em even cast her a glance.

  Karra.

  Block spoke to him but the bald bastard dint waste no time with the hands. He knew what itd come to. He snaked the long blade out an Block slipped around it but the Orphan fancied he were movin a little slow an she wondered where that blud comin through his shirt were leakin from. It were never gunna last long though. Karra went hard but he aint spent the time in the road Block had. The blades clashed dull an metal an they came apart, Block crouched an she seen him heavin from the pain an Karrad picked up a nick on his knife hand, nuthin much but he were touched. Block were still low an breathin hard when Karra took a big swing an the Orphan watched as the Block did what he’d been doin a real long time an stepped inside the blade, stoppin Karras hand at the wrist an pullin the fella close like he were gunna kiss him. The hook came up almost lazy like an he punched it once, twice into his chest an Karra looked surprised an then not surprised at all. The Orphan watched it all an she felt tight in her chest an hot water comin from her eyes an she dint know why until she figgered that sum part of her was goin with him, even after all them years an the scars on her back.

  Block set Karra down on the floor an the commotion an shoutin outside got even worse. Blocks lads was carvin through an the noise of the wind screamin through the hooks was gettin louder an louder. She could hear iron flexin an slammin an things goin over in the wind.

  Untie me. Im tied to the wall.

  Block came to her an cut the cord but he stayed kneeled over his head hung low an she could see the blud poolin next to him on the floor, mixin with the dust. She got her hands free, not lookin at Karra, not lookin at their blud mixin together on the floor, just plain not lookin at nuthin but searchin for Blocks eyes. He raised his head up an she saw how skinny he were but his eyes was smilin at her even though his mouth werent quite there.

  We done it Orphan.

  Block I gotta tell ya sumthin.

  His shoulders heaved an sum more blud come outta him an when he spoke it were like he were short of breath.

  What is it?

  The Reckoner, its my brother. Hes blud Block. Kin. Unnerstand? The Reckoner is blud to me an he’s comin here to put the place to the torch. Do ya unnerstand me?

  91

  The wall of sand’d come up behind em like it were meant to be, an in the cloak of dust and dark theyd met no trouble. Theyd picked a spot on the wall an them few that was still with him had gone up an over not seein a soul as their heels hit the packed sand. He’d pushed on through the streets, takin flame from their own fires an put a torch to their shacks an the wind was doin the rest, spreadin it from roof to roof an people was runnin here an yon in a panic, the dust an fire blindin em to their end. There was wasted bodies evrywhere in the shelters an shacks an he saw dozens of peeps stumblin in the dark, fleein from sumthin, like his recknin had started without him. Werent much for him an them with him to do but see it were done proper. They burned as they walked, carryin fire with em an settin it against house an scrap alike, just burnin as they walked an he dint see no sign of his sister. Evrythin were parched an ready to spark. The dustd cut the distance down close an the flames was glowin an eerie red, blasted this way an that by the wind. It howled in here, different from the outside. The gusts shot an blasted through rope an down between their narrow tracks. Jon checked his back. Din have nuthin but a coupla lads with him now. All but the yungens had lost their taste for it as they come close but he werent forgettin. He were made from rememberins an he owed a reckonin. He could feel they was workin their way into the centre of the bastard place, runnin out of things to burn an the flames was catchin up to em an leapin the rubbish piles an catchin on anythin dry which was near enough evrythin. He walked with his blade out, but even though there was people movin towards the East an runnin along some of the tracks to the left an right nowun paid no special attention to him an his two yungens. When he looked close the place looked part destroyed already. He wondered just what were goin on here before him an his kin had come. It was fallin apart, a shadow itself. The three of em came around a curve in the road, walkin slow an stoppin to smash sum bottles into the fastmovin fire an they went up with an blast, filled with sum kinda clear stuff that werent water that were certain. The two lads with him could walk plenny good in the day or night but they was driftin along, startled at the place. Jon guessed theyd never seen so many fellas packed together under the open sky. Werent many who could come as far as the System an fewer who wanted to. He figgered the pair of lads with him were seein it all new an wonderin what it was they was burnin.

  Been a long time comin to this place, dont shed no nevermindin tears for em.

  The boys looked at him an back at the destruction, seemin bewildered. They came further round the hook an the road ended in a square of dirt, surrounded by high dwellins. The flamesd overtook em now an the smoke and dust was gettin real thick, blowin across them, sendin rubbish and metal flyin through the air but he hadta see the middle of th
e place, to know it were all done. Out of wun of the buildings right in front two figures was standin all lit up by the flames an he hadda sinkin feelin deep in the pit of his guts. He’d been hopin they was gone an outside the walls but it figgered they was last to leave. Werent no turnin back now anyway, nuthin to do but stand.

  92

  The Orphand never seen a storm quite like it. Heavy like she’d never known. The air were the colour of blud where it were lit by the burnin System. Evrythin was glowin, like the whole place was on fire an she could smell the scorch of burnin tyres an knew the Stacks, her home, were finally burnin too. The wind made a noise like screams an under it she could hear the faint sounds of people an panic but she couldnt see moren shadows of it in the haze. She were near blinded by the gusts but she pulled her wrap up over her mouth an leaned into it. The Orphan hefted Block again, pullin his arm around her shoulder an the two of em supported each other to the door where there was fallen fellas from both sides, tangled with each other so you couldnt tell who mighta been fightin for what, or who. As they come through the door the heat of the flames hit em hard and she could feel sumthin shiftin, sumthin real bad comin. She peered through the smoke and dust when the wind blew swirlin clouds sideways an she could see people, looked most like women an yungens, draggin each other across the road an towards the East gate. That were gunna be the safest place outside the circle. Wun of Blocks fellas come up to them, lookin askance at Block who had his head down an the blud spillin in ropy draughts outta his side.

  Boss OK?

  Gunna be fine.

  What you want us to do?

  Go round up anywun else from your fam an then run around the ring an get evrywun ya can out the gate. Dont leave nowun behind yungfella, yhear?

  The kid nodded an was off, dirty soles of his feet kickin up dust, an she saw him grab another young lad and disappear up the cut into the fire and haze. A good kid she reckoned, an the best she could do all considered. She hadta get the Block outside an get sumthin in his wound. Block were still carryin the parang he’d taken off Karra an around the pointer finger on his other hand was the bitta jute he usedta always keep tied around the hook blade. She remembered that wun from a long time back an near smiled. The hook were in his pocket now but he always kept the string wound like a reminder. Fucken Block. Gettin stuck for his troubles. Gettin stuck for her. She pulled him up again as he started to sag an dragged his arm further over her shoulders. He dint weigh much, that were lucky, an the days out on the sand had toughened her up for just this kinda thing. Were bout the same as draggin the Wide Open Road she reckoned, cept Block dint have no sail. She knew she had the madness on her, like she were just holdin on. She dragged Block out inta the little square an towards the mouth of the road. He were half standin, nearly helpin her an she looked down to give him a lift an when she looked up there was three fellas comin towards her, all black against the glow. They was masked up but there was sumthin familiar about the bigger wun in the front an it din take moren a few steps for her to recognise him an for all the pieces to fit. She felt Blocks head raise up to see why she’d stopped an then all of a sudden he were standin upright an on his own two feet, eyes sorta clear after all that. His voice were hoarse though an she hadta lean close to hear his raspy whisper.

  Thats the Reckoner aint it.

  It werent a question but she answered anyway.

  Yep.

  Hes burnin our place down aint he. Just like he promised ya.

  She dint answer. The smoke was all around them now, makin her eyes water an the breath catch in her throat.

  93

  He’d been sayin his whole shortlong life that the game were chess not checkers an when it all come to it he figgered it werent neither of them, it were just between what he knew he had to do an what he wanted to do. Woulda been easy to sit it out, the Reckoner were a badfella that much he knew an just as he’d got rid of a bad old bastard, another wun sprung up right in his place. Block were glad he aint never had the time to become the bad old bastard hisself an it had plenny to do with the Orphan he reckoned. She’d been there most his life, an it were strange how theyd all come back together like sumthin more were workin that day down at the auction block. Couldnt never put nuthin past the old fella an he knew well enough like most of em did that there werent no such creature as coincidence livin in the System. Here she were, standin right beside him, just like she had been for a long time. He guessed he loved her, reckoned he did for certain now. Loved her better than any of the other lads an lasses whatd been part of his crew. Too late for any of that nonsense now though. This were his System an he knew he’d gotta stand for all of em or he werent nuthin better than the last. He straightened up his shoulders an spat into the dust.

  Dont do it Block.

  The Orphans voice were real low.

  Please dont. Ya cant save this place. Its already done for.

  He looked sideways at her.

  Gotta try though Orphan.

  An he straightened up, walkin forwards real quick, swingin Karras parang in a loop an keepin the hook blade level an steady as he came up on the Reckoner. The blades met dull an Block clean forgot the blud leakin out of him an lost hisself in the knife fight like he were in a cipher. Roll right, move left. Slip an cut. He were movin like he were yung again an he were beatin him back. The Reckoner were faster than anywun he’d ever fought but he were gettin tired fendin off the Block an his two fellas behind him werent movin an if they did he knew the Orphan were gunna be moren a match for em. The place was burnin around em an the dust was chokin but Block were seein clear an breathin in clean air sumwhere from outta the roilin clouds of poison. This were his place, this were where he were always meant to be, defendin this place against all comers, leadin em outta this muck. Leadin em back to them places he were always readin about in the papers, takin em back to the stories he’d been collectin for years. Stories where they din always live in dust. Outta the dust. That were where they was gunna head. Outta the dust.

  An it were done.

  He looked down an saw the Reckoners blade in his chest, near the same place that he were already bleedin an he looked up at the Reckoner who was bleedin from a ton of small nicks an breathin hard but still standin, still holdin the hilt of his blade an lookin kinda surprised, covered in sweat an ash an dust.

  Blockd been dreamin. Always been his trouble the dreamin. Even in a knife fight. That were Block all over, he knew hisself. Could always fight sleep, but not the dream. He looked up at the Reckoner again an saw the Orphan come from the side, nowun else movin, an saw her punch a short blade into her brothers ribs over an over again until he fell sideways in the dust. Block an him fell at the same time an he heard the terrible wailin cry of the Orphan as she cut at the Reckoner an sliced his hands as he dropped his blade an put em up to fend her off. He lay sideways in the dust an watched as she sat over her brother, put her knee into his ribs an pulled his head up, ready to drag the blade across his throat an he saw her stop an he knew it were gunna be okay.

  94

  Buildins was burnin in a great ring around em an she sensed a movement behind her. Karras place was burnin but from the alleys next to it come six or seven lads, armed up an led by the wun she’d sent to get people out. They musta seen whatd happened an they was walkin ready for blud. She took her blade away from Jons throat an stood up, backin away an lettin him fall back into the dust. She dint right know whatd stopped her but she were done. She dint want this no more. The yungen she’d sent out lookin for folks came up to her an stood lookin at her an her bludy hands and made a move to walk past, blade up an out, fear an murder in his eyes. Evrywun was masked up an there werent no tellin who were who. She couldnt see moren twenty metres anymore an they was lit by fire reflectin off the dirt in the air.

  Hold.

  Her voice came out strongern she thought she were able. Jon were lyin on his back bleedin in the street an Block were face down in the dust an it were all still for a long minute. Jons two lads hadnt moved
neither an she was caught between em in the wind. It werent gunna come out right, never did an this werent no cipher an there werent gunna be nuthin to win at this rate. Nuthin but keepin the lives she had left in her hands.

  No more. We done. No more burnin. Get out there an get whoevers left out the East gate. All of you fellas, you too.

  She gestured towards Jons lads.

  Get evrywun out.

  The Ghosts looked at Jon, his face a mask of pain an he nodded.

  Lissen to her, shes blud.

  Blocks lads hesitated an the yungen whod taken charge came in close to her.

  He just kilt the Block, we gotta end him.

  She stared into his eyes an after a moment he dropped his gaze an it were like she’d come home, like she’d found sumthin she dint know was lost.

  You gotta look after the Blocks peoples. Thats all of em left alive in this place. Dont go killin them other fellas over there. I said no more blud, no more. Go save who ya can like I told ya an get em outside the walls. Block put these peoples ahead of hisself, now do the same. Go do what I say.

  The yungen raised his eyes up an looked at her afore he nodded real sharp an took his boys off into the smoke again. She’d see em outside the walls she reckoned. She hoped. See em with whoever was left alive. Karrad done for this place long before Jon had come. An now Block were dead an she dint even have time to mourn him. He were face to dust like a dog an she were gunna have to leave him here. There were an almighty crash behind her an Karras place came down, spittin embers at her back an makin Jon on the ground flinch and moan at the heat. Her shirt caught an she slapped out the cinder.

  Get up.

  Jon rolled to his side, gaspin with pain but he sat hisself up an climbed to his feet, blud runnin through his fingers from the holes she’d put in him. She dint feel nuthin lookin at em, just turned an looked at Block. It werent right. She stepped to him an rolled him over in the dust, wipin the red earth off his lips an closin his eyes proper. She left the earth on his brow, werent never afraid of dust were Block, never feared the earth or nuthin that walked on it. She took the hook and laid it on his chest fore pressin her lips to his, tastin the iron, her brow against his, markin herself with his sweat an the dust. The wind whipped around them an she looked down at him, tryna commit it to memory. Blade up, that were how he were gunna stay. Lookin up through the smoke at the stars, with his hook close an in the middle of the place he belonged. He’d got there in the end. He’d got his System. She turned her back an started through the smoke, barely breathin, an she figgered that sumwhere behind her, Jon were followin.