Lake Merrin

by Samuel Colbran

  Thank Mela, I can see Fish Lane. Nearly out of here!

  Stillwater asks, “Way, are you serious? This is the best action to take?”

  “Boss, don't listen to this hopped-up Gnome! We’re dead men walking if we report. I can't risk it. I’ll follow you, but I don't agree with you and Way,” Gunnar interjects.

  “Why should I not believe in Dawn, Green-Soul?” WayWocket just stares at Gunnar. This is making me uncomfortable. “Pure-Heart, follow the dawn. Listen to Dawn-Hero. He understands that the morn will come.”

  Here we are, standing and staring at WayWocket. At least the gaslights do their job on Fish Lane. Who are these people: Green-Soul, Pure-Heart, and Dawn-Hero?

  Stillwater’s eyes mist up. “Yes, Way, I will follow the dawn. Gunnar, we have to. You can’t stop the dawn, doesn't matter how hard you try.” Now she is speaking like WayWocket. “Head back to the office, do the report, and deal with the consequences as they fall.”

  All I can do is agree. Stillwater has given us our orders. Walking through the street towards the watch-house, some of the Watch patrols see us and let us pass by. Some of their faces go green. What do we look like? I do not care. I am too hurt and too tired to worry about something I have no control over. Silently walking through the streets, everyone is deep in their own thoughts. I am even too preoccupied to complain about the street names.

  At every turn, WayWocket surprises me. I thought he had his head up in the clouds, but this once again shows me how much he understands beyond the norm. I still have no idea what he is talking about, but I guess Stillwater does. Her pace and stride show me she is resolute. Before the morning, she will do something stupid.

  Think, what should I do? Should I just run? I do not want to be strung up for doing the right thing for once. There has to be a better option.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Journal Entry Two continued …

  So, that is how we came to be—wish we had changed to a better name—the Rejects. Come on! But it was our legacy ...

  I am still wondering what Stillwater is planning. Why give up your career over something that has been dealt with? The barracks look gloomy, even though the building is well-lit. Just not my favourite place, and I am a Watchman; well, for now. This silence is really getting on my nerves, but no way to the pits of the Abyssus would I speak out of turn here. I like my head where it is. If I say the wrong thing, Stillwater will chew it off and spit it out.

  Think I have never been in here at this time of night. Well, not sober, or with my face mashed up from some stupid fight. Well, not a fight, more like an ambush. Glad Malik is dead.

  Skeleton crew on. Weird that, at the time when the most crime happens, fewer Watchmen are on. On top of his wooden 'throne' sits that tinker’s dam of a Gnome, Desk Sergeant Saul Tinkertoes.

  “So, what have we got here tonight? Ah, Corporal Stillwater, you had the evening off. Commander Zlata—”

  “Acting Commander Zlata, Saul,” Stillwater interrupts.

  “Yes, of course,” he sneers at Stillwater. A growl rumbles out of Gunnar's throat. “But it is Sergeant Saul to you, corporal! She still has the power to demote you, and I heard that Axel is still in a critical condition.”

  “You are a spineless pencil pusher, Sergeant Saul! When was the last time you actually did some real work? You may have been in the Watch for twenty years, but you are never going anywhere.”

  His face nearly matches his scarlet hair. Never understood why he has that stupid pencil moustache, it looks like a caterpillar decided to nest above his lip.

  “How dare you? I am your superior officer!”

  Gunnar chuckles. “You might have rank, Twinkletoes, but you are not anyone’s superior anything.”

  His face is like a beetroot now. It is very entertaining. He would be a great addition to our act for the fake talent show.

  “You poor, blind man. Can’t see beyond the lacklustre of your desk.” I guess it’s WayWocket’s turn now. This will be good. “See only if you move beyond the desk. Fear, yes, fear! Fear is your latch, your badge. It straps you to the desk. Embrace the dawn. The night is nearly over.”

  “How dare you?” he says, standing and trying to loom over us. All that standing does not make him tall. And I have not even said anything. Do I really need to? “I’ll have you stripped of your tabards! Wait till I tell the Commander, you pathetic excuse for a Dwarf. I know your family threw you out onto the street because you knocked up an Elf!”

  Say what now?

  “And you, you drug reject. You are just a waste of space. You should have stayed as Cyric's pet. You will never be a real Gnome!”

  A movement, so quick I blink, and it is done. It is Stillwater, with her hand wrapped around Saul's throat. She has lifted him up and over the desk. She looks around to give any onlookers a stare that would chill the blood. His face is turning a nice blue colour now.

  “Listen, and listen well. I care little for you and your imagined authority. If you ever insult my people, we are taking off the tabards and going a few rounds in the duelling pits. Then I’ll show you that you are the pathetic one, not my people!” And with that, she drops him three feet to the ground where he lands on his arse and glares up at Stillwater.

  Rubbing his neck, he yells, “You'll pay for that, Stillwater!”

  “Will I? You are the so-called night sergeant. Where were the patrols for the warehouse district? Why were the gas-lighters not doing their job? The grain bins were nearly poisoned! If we hadn’t disobeyed Zlata's orders tonight, you would have been eating poisoned bread in a few days’ time!”

  Here we go. I thought she was going to be subtle. I guessed wrong.

  The little fool splutters. “What do you mean? You’re wrong, Stillwater!” This guy is too stupid to do all this. He turns to a Watchwoman and snaps, “Corporal Lien, where is the duty roster?” The young lady runs off and returns with papers. “Give that here! Let me see … There! You are wrong! Ursula's and Kurt's squads were assigned to that area.”

  “Sergeant, there is a note attached to it too,” Corporal Lien says, pointing.

  “Foolish girl, give me that!” His eyes cross the page. Must be something interesting written on it because his face goes from red to pale. He passes the note to Stillwater. What does it say?

  “I see that your duty roster was changed by Acting Commander Zlata.” Stillwater clears her throat. She is becoming calmer after reading the note. After what has happened today, I can see how hard it is for her to stay composed. “I see you are not at fault. For suggesting that you were, I am sorry.”

  “Truly?” Saul asked. At her nod, he continues. “You need to speak to the Commander immediately—Axel, I mean. Maybe even the Count, if you tell everyone that I helped. On second thoughts, um, I just can't believe that someone in our proud organisation would do this. We are here to protect the public. Where do we go from here?”

  “Well, Saul, I will be writing up a report outlining the evidence we have, which includes the poison that they were going to use. I am going to keep your name out of it. I will state that I discovered the note and the missing patrols myself.”

  For Jara’s sake, they are taking their time. This is becoming boring. I just want to do this thing, go home, and sleep. He is mad, she is mad, blah, blah, blah, they kiss and make up. Now we will write reports, WayWocket will do his thing to find out what that stuff was, and then we are kicked out of the Watch. Even if it points straight to Zlata, it is naive to think that she doesn’t have contingency plans for this.

  Back to the conversation. Saul stammers “No, um, no, Stillwater. You, you don't have to keep my name out of it.”

  The sweat starts to drip down his face. “If I don't, there will be no one left in here I will truly know who is honest.” Wow, know how to balderdash the crowd, Stillwater. “We need you here to corroborate our claims. When I take this to the Count, no one will be able to sweep it under the rug.”

  Saul bends forward and lowers his voice. “You
didn’t hear this from me. There is no way for you to show him this report if you are not part of the Watch. I have seen the reprimands that Zlata wrote up on you. She has discredited you. No higher official will even look in your general direction.”

  Gunnar interrupts, “Hey, boss, this moron—” Sticks his thumb in my direction. “—is going to be presented with some trumped-up reward. He’ll appear to be Zlata's pet, so we can go in with him and tell the Count.”

  I would really like to punch that bloody Dwarf in the face—hard! Breathe in and out. I am the master of my emotions. “Yes, Joan, you could do that, but I have no idea how. I mean, it is not like we are in a registered Charter and you can use—” Everyone is now smiling at me, not weird at all. “What? What did I say?”

  WayWocket pipes up, doing a little jig, “See, see, follow Dawn. He shall illuminate the path! Yes, yes, I was right. The dawn!”

  Stillwater smiles while she watches WayWocket bounce around. “Good work, Lone. After being kicked out—not that I want that to happen—we can go to the Hall and register ourselves as a Charter. Then there is no way they can impede us from attending the ball. Well, Saul, keep your nose out of this, and you should be fine. Better yet, side with Zlata ...”

  “Yeah, yeah that sounds like a good idea!” He touches his nose like he has a big secret. “As long as I am in her good books, um, I can help out.

  Always out for yourself, aren’t you, Saul? Every time I have come in here, he has just been some grumpy tool behind a desk. Now he is a coward too. I swear he even has a cushion so he can raise himself up higher.

  “I am glad you understand, Saul, as this is the only way I can think to proceed. The last two years, being slowly pushed out of my position, it feels like this isn't the place for me anymore.”

  “Don't leave on this note, Joan!” Saul says, dry washing his hands like a frightened mouse. “Yes, you have been pushed out, but you have been here since you were a young snapper. We'll get past this, don't worry about it. Once that happens, we’ll need good officers, and you are one of them.”

  “Thank you for your sentiment, but where were you when I was transferred to the Rejects? Where were you when corruption began to stain these hallowed halls? Where were you when Zlata made all these new 'rulings'? You are a good administrator, Saul, but not the best judge of character. This has been coming for a while. I don't want to leave, but there is nothing here for me now.”

  Judging by his souring expression, that does not sit well with Saul. I guess having the truth thrown in your face makes you pissed! “Well then, Corporal Stillwater, you are dismissed! I expect your report on my desk by the morning!”

  She salutes Saul. His face shows his anger, but I can still see fear in his eyes. That is strange.

  Stillwater turns to us. “Downstairs. Let’s finish this.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Journal Entry Two continued …

  Thinking back to when we created the Rejects, I am still proud of what my comrades did that night, or was it morning by the time we finished? They threw it all away, and we became Adventurers ...

  Stillwater turns as we leave and says, “Once we get downstairs, the first thing we need to do is patch up. We don’t want to look like this when we report the crime.”

  We all nod our approval. I know I am feeling tender, but I will not let anyone have the satisfaction of knowing I am in pain—especially Gunnar. Come to think about it, I have given reports during my army years, but I have never filled in an official statement before. I assume it involves lots and lots of paperwork. Well, what is the harm in learning a new skill? At least after this, we will not have to live in a dank dungeon.

  “Joan, why are you doing this? I can see that you have a moral obligation to do it, but still, it is going to cost you your career.”

  “Bloody Abyssus, you are a dim-witted white-bred.” I was talking to Stillwater, but I guess I get an answer from Gunnar! “This is our job! We fought and won, but the main point is to report it, so the higher-ups understand what is happening. Also, putting it on record means that Zlata can't hide from it, and if she does it will become more obvious.”

  “That’s enough, Gunnar. Yes, Lone, we are doing it because it is our duty. Again, you are not duty-bound to sign or do a report, but I would appreciate it.”

  One thing I dislike more than being bored is being silent. Well, WayWocket is humming a little, but it is not a tune I know so it is not very entertaining. Walking into the office, I still love looking at those lights; soft blue, floating in the air, so beautiful. Wish I could get some of those lights for Pela’s place, but how do you turn them off?

  WayWocket jogs over to his table and grabs a couple of vials. “Here, here, drink this! It will make all the pain and hurt become floating memories of the past.” Looking at the potion, swirling blue, lit with its own light. WayWocket sees my hesitation. “It’s good! See?” Downs one of the vials. “Drink! All pain will go away, like the morning mist off the lake.”

  Down the hatch, I guess. My whole body goes numb. Feels like ice water has been thrown on me. But as it passes the hurt areas, it suddenly heats up and—pop! All the pain and soreness has gone. What is in this potion?

  Stillwater has finished her potion as well. Her whole being is radiant with an inner glow, but that could just be a trick of light. She looks at me and asks, “So you will be making the report with us, Lone?”

  “Yes, Joan, but there is one little thing though … Could you please show me how to do a report?”

  Hearing Gunnar huff, Stillwater smiles. “Sure, Lone. Don’t worry, it isn't that hard. You just need to describe everything that happened. We'll explain that we were investigating, and that you were there as our back-up.” Another scoff from Gunnar.

  “Gunnar, you will need to supply the reasoning behind why we were there, starting with the links you found between the murders and break-ins. After that, record your recollection of the events in the order that they happened.” He nods, heading over to his filthy desk and patting a huge rat.

  “WayWocket, autopsy the corpse to see if you can uncover how and why they turn into goo. Also, analyse the mould they were going to use to poison the grain.”

  “Yes, I am looking forward to analysing those marvellous things.” WayWocket's eyes start to widen more and more, then he pulls out the shrunken dead goon. “See, my little friend, you will give me all your little secrets. What was that? Yes, I will be using my good knives, and I will be nice and gentle. You will give me all the secrets. Those beautiful secrets.”

  Okay, he likes to play with corpses. Nice to know!

  “Lone, you will be coming with me so I can show you the proper way to fill in a report for the Watch.”

  “Sure thing, Joan.” This will be interesting—well, hopefully just not boring. “So, where do we start?”

  She gathers all the writing equipment. That must be the new inkwell-free quill I have heard of. It has the ink in the pen itself, such a genius thing. “You know how to use one of these?”

  Wow, they are so small, and there is no feather. I do like the feather on quills. “No, but I used inkwells and quills in school.”

  “It isn't that hard. Just apply pressure.” As she presses onto the sheet of paper, ink starts to be absorbed into the paper. What a marvellous thing. “But if you press down for too long, all the ink will rush out and ruin your report. Then you have to start over.”

  “I think I get it. So, what is the first thing I have to write down?” I ask.

  “First thing is to list all the Watch members who were present at the scene of the crime, the date, location, and approximate time.”

  I start on that. I should just put Lone Solo; that is what they know me as. “Okay, next?”

  “Good, good. Now we do a basic outline of the events. As you came in at a different time, we will say you were there as back-up, watching our back to make sure we didn't get ambushed.”

  This is not hard to do. “Should I mention the knock-ou
t poison I witnessed?”

  Stillwater looks up from her own report and replies, “Not yet, that comes later. This is just a brief statement of the crime.”

  Okay, that is simple enough. Not too hard, just writing up stuff. “Is this okay?” She looks at my report and gives me a nod of approval. “Now what?”

  “This is the hardest part of the report. You need to write down, in your own words, everything that happened. Don't leave out any detail. If you think it’s necessary, draw small diagrams, so it is as clear as possible for the higher-ups. The more information, the harder for Zlata to hide it.”

  I think a good flame could hide it. Well, does not need to be a large flame, but enough to burn all these reports so no one can read them. But hopefully, we will make some copies of these before we turn them in.

  “One question; some of my methods are not quite what the Watch would do. Should I still go into that in detail?”

  “What did you do?”

  How can I tell her it was straight-up murder? I did not identify myself, but that is how you survive, damn it. “When I saw you and the others follow the first three, I then saw you were being stalked as well.” She is not going to like me for this. Breathe in and out. You did what had to be done. “So, I followed. I noticed some of the guards fell the other way. I suspected that there could be a sniper on the roof. My instincts were right, and you can see my handiwork at WayWocket's station. After that, I followed the two who seemed to be ambushing you.”

  “Stop right there. Did you do your duty protecting the city from a group of terrorists, and not only that, also protecting your fellow Watchmen?” I nod shamefully. “Then whatever force you used must have been necessary. Write it as such.”

  “So, you do not think I committed murder?”

  “I don't see it as murder. If they succeeded, then the grain would have been poisoned and that would have triggered events I can't even comprehend. We would be dead and hidden away somewhere. Lone, you did something heroic tonight. You saved us from being ambushed. You defeated a known gang leader. Even if Gunnar doesn't appreciate it, I want you to know that I do.”