by C A Gleason
His skills kept him alive but the more he thought about it, they probably got him into more trouble than normal folks. How many times did a normal person simply walk past danger unaware? When Onnin saw a threat he avoided it if he could, unless he had to deal with it.
Much more difficult to see change in an enemy, going from menacing to suffering, and harder to kill when his blood wasn’t up for battle. He wasn’t looking forward to this.
Revolver low, he was ready to shoot anyone who remained a threat. The noise could be a ploy, a trick to get him to let his guard down and make him vulnerable. Get him to think they were hurt by faking to get him to go to them. Then he or she or they would get a jump on him.
Let them try.
And not smart of them, when he was in this kind of mood. Except why would anybody be thinking about revenge if they were near death?
Most likely they wanted water or even beg him to end their life. It was confusing. He didn’t know what was about to happen. So he tensed as much as he did before any battle, ready to take on even an army of outliers.
The dead men had surely wanted his belongings. Weapons and supplies he spent years collecting. Important ones like clamps for wounds from the war. He would still likely need to use all of what he owned at some point. If not on himself then someone else.
There was still no movement requiring the attention of his revolver. None he could see. Just the sandy ground and sporadic green plants. He quickened his pace, wanting to get it over with. The voice was throwing him off. A curious mystery. The faster Onnin handled it, the better.
Then he could be on his way again, and whoever discovered the bodies would have a story to tell. Hopefully, not one accusing him. He didn’t need any more hardships blamed on him, even if true, and soon he would be far away from whoever and wherever they told such stories.
Similar to what transpired, the witnesses of what he could do in a fight were dead. Anyone responsible for the stories told about him over the net, heard about him second hand or lost their will to fight him and fled.
During the next few days, he would keep his eyes open for anyone who might be after him. Those he killed might be part of an even larger group and might also send reinforcements or a search party to find their missing people.
If Onnin could get whoever was doing the wailing to tell him such information, he would kill him quick.
The voice was louder. Coming from behind a large rock. Practically a boulder. Large enough to hide even himself. No wonder he missed somebody. He hadn’t noticed the rock.
Regret rolled in his stomach. He hoped it wasn’t a woman. He never killed one before, but she sounded like one.
The person was directly behind the rock and probably using it as cover. He froze when he spotted booted feet. Thankfully a man’s. Not a woman’s.
His finger tightened the trigger as he rounded the boulder and relief swept over him when he saw a man lying on his back. He was the one farthest in the distance. He didn’t miss. He shot him with precision that would impress any marksman; a head shot on a moving target.
The man must have been looking Onnin’s way when Onnin pulled the trigger. The outlier was clearly dead, but the voice seemed to be emanating from him.
Impossible.
Onnin squinted to get a better look and searched the area for someone else. He saw no one. Was he imagining the voice? Was this a dream? Was he still asleep? He didn’t feel asleep.
No, he was sure he was awake, so he leaned in when something moved to his right. Near the dead man’s side, under a blanket. He approached slowly, not sure what he was about to find, ready to run if it were some kind of explosive.
Sometimes, there were ancient and powerful weapons from the war set as traps, ones capable of blowing someone to bits and scarring Home.
Cautiously reaching down and aiming the revolver at the same time, he grabbed the blanket by the corner with his empty hand, raising it off the ground to uncover…
A baby.
On his—or her—back. Onnin couldn’t tell whether it was a girl baby or a boy baby. He or she was looking up at him. Girl or boy, he or she didn’t seem to be afraid of him.
Onnin would have rather uncovered an explosive.
15. Royah
Untrustworthy. Even her own mom used the word to describe men, and it kept echoing in her mind as she stood there wondering how to continue their conversation.
Royah didn’t want it to turn into an argument. She didn’t want to storm out of the house in the middle of the night. It was too dangerous.
Maybe Mayah was right, and also about everything else, and the words she chose were a nice way of coating the truth. Except Royah’s opinion differed from her mom. She believed the untrustworthy sort were here in town and also everywhere.
One thing her mom was definitely right about was a new start would put some distance between her and the bad men in Westo.
Royah’s mind raced. “If it’s so dangerous why still call Westo home?”
Mayah tilted her head. “No one notices an old woman like me.”
Royah flinched. Even if it was true. “You’re not old.”
She grinned, clearly appreciative. “Things between men and women will always be a certain way. And sometimes it’s dangerous for women. Especially young and beautiful ones.”
Royah rolled her eyes. “Will you tell me what’s going on?”
“If I don’t explain it right, I’m afraid you won’t go.”
“I thought I didn’t have a choice.”
“You always have a choice. But I want you to believe me.”
“Of course I do.” Royah scoffed. “Who else is there?”
The hurt on her mom’s face made Royah regret asking the rhetorical question.
She didn’t mean it and didn’t mean to hurt her feelings by accidentally reminding her of who she lost.
Royah let out a long sigh. “I’m sorry—”
“It’s okay,” Mayah said.
Then she held up a smooth, gray, rectangular object about the size of her thumb. She let it drop and dangle from the looped string it was attached to.
“A piece of plastic?”
“It’s more important than that.”
Royah looked. “What then?”
“It has information at the center. Apparently.”
“What kind of information?”
Mayah inspected it too. “Not sure. It was worn like a necklace to protect it. I think so anyway. Makes sense, right?”
“It obviously worked so well for whoever wore it before.”
“Royah. It isn’t like you can keep something forever.”
“And now you want me to wear it? What does it do exactly? What makes it so special?”
Her mom looked like she was about to say I don’t know.
“What did Fred say?”
Mayah grinned. “It plugs into a machine. A powerful one.”
“Then what happens?” She waited. “That’s it? That’s your explanation? The reason for me to leave town?”
“Any reason is a good reason for you to leave this town. But of course I’ll want you to visit.” Mayah’s hard, parental expression softened and she forced a grin. “It contains secrets readable only on a machine of great importance. Or it might even take action. This,” she held the necklace higher, “is a mystery.”
Royah didn’t want to embarrass her mom. She seemed so hopeful. But Royah felt bad for her. Good parents would do anything to protect their children, and Royah’s was no different.
Mayah wanted to protect her daughter and she was willing to believe in a bunch of made up nonsense in order to make it happen.
“May I see it?”
Mayah marched over and placed it in her hand. “Here.”
Royah brought it to her and squinted. The letters AD were hand-written. “What’s A-D?”
“A destination. The necklace was discovered with a map. And what’s written on it is why I’m so convinced of its importance. If you do go, we won’t b
e seeing each other for a long time.”
“A long time because it’s far away or a long time because you’re my mom and you’ll miss me so much?”
“It’s beyond Easto.”
“Beyond? Which direction?”
“East.”
“Further east?”
Royah threw her hands up and almost dropped the necklace. Before settling them on her hips. It was the same way her dad used to do it, she’d been told, so she folded her arms across her chest instead.
“It’s all poisoned air out there! Unlivable! I’ll die!”
“You can wear your suit.”
“The last time it was worn, it was worn by a colonist! It reeks! I’ll have to scrub it clean.”
“What if the people who went out there stayed because it’s safer? Better? I’ve been listening to the radio for years. I think there are towns out there.”
“Full of outliers.”
“Maybe. Maybe not.”
“Of course there are outliers.”
“And in Westo too. Right now, as we speak!”
Mayah’s sudden anger reddened her face and she waited until she was calmer before speaking again.
“It doesn’t mean they’re all bad. East is dangerous, but between the quadrants is hardly different. Don’t forget where I came from. Before I considered Westo my home.”
The quadrants comprised of the towns; Northo, Southo, Easto, and Westo. Then there were all the places between them. Some towns were named. Some were not. And some changed over time.
All the land within the quadrants were habited areas because they were well-known. Elsewhere was uncharted and considered hazardous. Because of the desperate people who were suspected to live out there.
Royah allowed her hands to dangle at her sides and unclenched her fists carefully so that she didn’t drop the necklace. “You made contact with these towns?”
“No, but I heard them over the net.”
“Anyone can be on the same frequency and there are lots of frequencies. You can’t be positive where those places are. Anyone can pretend to be anywhere.”
“Doesn’t it make sense that there would be other occupied areas of our planet? Even if there is poison?”
“Not everyone belongs in a town.”
“We’re all human, Royah. We’re all capable of good things and bad things and things in between. Don’t ever forget. Some emergers get lost along the road of life. They lose who they were going to be. It is likely there are lots of people out in the east and some of them must be good. I’ve given this a lot of thought.”
“You’re only mentioning it now. How long ago was the necklace discovered?”
“A few weeks.”
“Weeks? That’s how long it took for you to decide to push me out of your life?”
“Royah.” Mayah wasn’t falling for her attempt at manipulation. “My Royah. There’s plenty of land out there. Obviously. There’s the entire planet of Home, but everyone we know lives within a few hundred miles. There’s gotta be more livable land out there. There’s more out there than we know.”
“Harsh living though. Anyone who can survive, would have to be formidable. If you were so curious, how come you never went? Out of town I mean.”
“And leave you and your dad? Never. After I settled here, I only thought about what was next for us. And now, and what is most important, what’s next for my daughter. I don’t want to pressure you into what I want you to do, and if you choose not to go, it’s okay, really. But I want you to have a family of your own one day. You can’t live with me your whole life.”
“Of course I can. Who’s going to take care of you?”
Mayah grinned and for a brief period of time, a rare one, there was silence between them.
Her mom was right, but Royah wasn’t ready for her to be. Sometimes she wanted to be a little girl forever. She felt like that when she was around her mom. But she was a grown woman now. She should start acting like it.
Everyone needed to go their own way—in one way or another—eventually.
Royah almost asked if Mayah wanted to go along with her but didn’t. She wouldn’t want to put her mom’s life in danger. It would also defeat the purpose of doing something on her own, whether it was her mom’s idea or not.
Was she really going to do this?
Royah huffed and dangled the necklace in front of her as if seeing it for the first time. “Where exactly did Fred find it?”
“Underground.”
“Why did he give it to you?”
“He thinks he’s too old to investigate for himself.”
“But you aren’t going either.”
“I’m too old too.”
“Stop saying you’re old. You’re not…Oh, I see. Me going was Fred’s idea.”
“It is not our quest. It can be yours. If you want it to be.”
“What if I don’t? What if I don’t go? What will you do then?”
Mayah shrugged. “I haven’t thought about it.”
“Fred can sell anything. Even some made up story. You believe anything he says.” Royah felt things in motion inside her. “Underground where?”
“Deep. The depths of what used to be a military base.”
“He’s too old to go on a quest, but not too old to go rooting around underground?”
Mayah laughed. “I’ll tell him you said so. The mystery about what happened to the first people of Home is related to what’s in your hand. I’m sure of it. Where it was found, A-D, whatever it means, it all has to do with the war but even if it doesn’t answer some questions about the great mystery of what happened here, I believe it will answer…”
“Answer what?”
“More…”
“More what?”
“Maybe enough more to make things better. Not just Westo but everywhere on Home.”
“What if the necklace can be plugged into something where Fred found it? I might not have to follow the map after all.”
“He said everything down there was destroyed.”
“Yet what he found endured.”
“Within a fireproof lockbox he wedged open.”
Royah stared at AD written on the plastic. “What if it turns out that there’s nothing on this? Got zapped or something and now it’s blank.”
“Then you’ll find out. And we’ll know…and you’ll have seen what’s east of Easto. Someone must go. There must be civilized explorers again. I want one to be my daughter.”
Royah studied her. “May I see the map?”
Mayah pointed. “Over here.”
16. Royah
Mayah walked Royah over to the kitchen table, took the map from the front pocket of her coveralls, and spread it out.
Royah lined up the necklace where AD was written on the map. “Same handwriting.”
“Yes.”
“From here it looks like it’ll be...hundreds of miles. Hundreds of miles east.”
Mayah watched her as she examined the route.
“You’ll let me drive the scoutbike?”
Scoutbikes were driving vehicles used by the colonists before the war to travel short distances. Base to base. Ignored by the soldiers because of access to their war machines.
The maintenance for the scoutbikes—not destroyed during battles—were kept up because of their simplicity. As long as the solar battery was still functional, and hadn’t ruptured or exploded, the bike itself would drive.
Or it could be fixed by someone who knew what they were doing, like Royah’s mom, who owned the one her father used to drive them into Westo.
“No.”
Royah couldn’t believe it. “No?”
“No. I might need it.”
Royah was speechless.
“I think you should remain on foot. At least for a while.”
“Maybe I should go naked too! And without guns!”
“Royah.”
“It’ll take me forever without a scoutbike! And there are plenty of them. Even in Westo. Maybe I shoul
d wait until I, until we—”
Mayah cut her off. “I know it doesn’t sound like the best way, but a scoutbike draws attention.”
“They hardly make a sound.”
“The ones without artificial attachments. A lot of scoutbike riders consider themselves to be racers. And racers are typically men. The bikes have always been desired tech but someone on foot attracts less attention.”
“Or it makes them an easier target.”
“Wait until you get further east before you consider travelling by bike. Until you’re out of sight of towns.”
“But you said there are towns out there. Once I get far away, won’t somebody with a scoutbike be safer as opposed to somebody walking around? And it isn’t like I’ll go around telling people what I’m up to.”
“I want you to do this but I want you to be safe.”
“Then send me with an army.”
“Someone who has a scoutbike has something of great value, something to steal. And someone on foot is simply another emerger walking around out there. You’ll blend in as opposed to drawing attention. You go racing around too soon and soon, you’ll have thieves on your tail.”
Royah blinked at her and exhaled dramatically. She acted this way around her mom for some reason. Outside their walls she was mature, an adult.
Royah’s view angled down at the map again. “I wonder what A-D stands for.”
“It must be some sort of code. The name of a town maybe? I can’t tell where it is exactly. The letters take up a lot of space. Your destination could be anywhere within the A and the D.”
“They wrote it so big. I wonder if it was on purpose.”
“To hide something maybe. Probably because whoever wrote it understood how important it is.”
Royah looked over the large letters, each one covering uncountable miles. “What path should I take?”
Mayah scratched at her gray haired head. “Look here at this mountainous region to the left, you should go there first.”
“West!”
“What? See some scenery.”
“Please be serious, Mom.”
“Okay, okay. Make sure and pack your sense of humor. You’re going to need it.”
Royah smirked. “I think I lost it somewhere a long time ago.”
