by R. K. Gold
He was almost there and didn't hear anyone in pursuit. He turned around to see Lyo and Myskin were gone. He reached the eye and limped into the clearing.
The change to calm was as abrupt as stepping out of an ice pool and into a sauna. Struggling to stand straight, he put his hand out and rested against a tree.
"A tree?" he said, shocked. He couldn't remember the last time he saw one alive, let alone covered in green leaves. He plucked a loose piece of bark and held it up to his eyes. Something from the earth was actually alive. He was used to the mutated plant life in the east, the shriveled and contaminated remnants of a world he never knew.
"What is this place?" he asked and pocketed the bark.
The road to his left was perfectly paved and looked brand-new. It led toward a vibrant downtown where people walked in and out of concrete and brick buildings. The cars on the road, though empty, still had tires on them. No one appeared to be living in them for shelter. Ahead, Jakobe saw families walking to green space and parks. They laid out picnics and kicked around a soccer ball while others put on full body armor suits and entered the storm. An intricate stone structure extended into the storm. It hollowed out a gutter for water to pass through and run through the city.
A city in the eye of the storm. The first real city he had ever seen. He heard the west still had some cities like this, but never imagined one would be in the divide itself. He approached the park where the families sat. A few looked up at him, the strange man, soaked to the bone from the rain and covered in dirt.
The children looked interested, even smiling and pointing. A few ran toward Jakobe before their parents caught them by the waist and pulled them back. The parents watched him nervously. They didn't reach for weapons. They didn't seem like they knew what to do when they saw a stranger.
A blur flashed in Jakobe's peripherals. He spun in place to keep up, but they moved too fast. Jakobe pulled his revolvers from his holsters, and the families in the park grabbed their children to run away. "I don't want to hurt you," Jakobe said and turned in place, looking for his mark. Just when he thought he found the hunter, a blunt object struck Jakobe in the side of the head. He was unconscious before he hit the ground.
19
Jakobe came around in a basement. A large red eye inside a red diamond was painted on the concrete ceiling. He knew it was a basement because the only light source was a window at the top of the wall, just below the ceiling, and half the window was blocked by the ground. He rubbed the side of his head and stood up. His body ached with every movement. Even the bruise on his back flared up again.
"Is anyone there?" he asked and stumbled toward the front of his cell. He put his hands on the bars.
They threw him in a prison. One that looked like it had gone unused for some time. The toilet had no water in it, and the stone floor was covered in hay. There was a single mattress in the corner, so stained, Jakobe was relieved he woke up on the floor.
"Is anyone there?" Jakobe asked. It hurt to speak. His throat felt raw and scratched from how dry it was and all the dust he accidentally swallowed in the storm. He was surprised to hear something move. He heard a metal pail fall over and a ring of keys jingle. A short man with a wide gut and narrow face walked down the stairs. He whistled as he approached the cage and reached in a messenger bag.
"Drink up," he said and handed Jakobe a water sack. Jakobe didn't hesitate to drain the sack of its contents. He made sure he squeezed out every last drop before handing it back to the man.
"Where am I?" he asked, out of breath. It was easier to speak after drinking the water.
"The city in the storm, of course," the guard replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Now you need to rest, though."
"Why am I in here?"
"Trespassing."
"Trespassing?"
"You need permission to pass through our city."
"I didn't even know it existed; how could I have gotten permission?" Jakobe coughed, and the man handed him his personal canteen. "I can't take that."
"We have plenty," he said and kept it out for Jakobe to take.
"So, trespassing," Jakobe said and finally took it.
"We aren't a violent group. We're just the safest route from east to west. If you want any realistic shot at reaching the west, you gotta go through us."
"That storm, it was worse than I could've imagined."
"You took the stepping stones too. Good thing you were smart enough to take the main road. The storm is worse off-road."
"How much worse could it get?"
"Pits that reach the core of the planet itself," the man replied and took back his canteen.
"So what happens now that I'm here?"
"You'll speak with our council and our mayor. If they both deem you fit to cross, you'll be allowed access to the west."
"And if they don't?" Jakobe gulped, knowing all too well the usual fatal outcome of trials back home.
"We're not savages; you'll be allowed to return home," the man replied.
This didn't settle Jakobe's nerves. Back home was as good as a death sentence. He sat back on the ground, feeling too lightheaded to look up at the man any longer. "When is this trial?" he asked.
"When the mayor returns from the west. You'll be in this cell until the end of the week as a precaution. I'm sure he will find you fascinating."
"Why is that?"
"He's from the east, and we don't see many travelers from the east anymore."
"What's his name?"
"Titus, at least I believe that's what he said it was when he first arrived."
"You believe?"
"He says we're all his family, and his family should call him Robe."
Jakobe's jaw dropped. So Robe was alive after all, and Lyo could've seen him if he just braved the storm.
STAY TUNED for more episodes…
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About R.K. Gold
R.K. Gold graduated from the University of Maryland in 2014 with a B.A. in English and is now pursuing a M.S. in Economics from the University at Buffalo.
He is a non-genre specific author who enjoys reading and writing about characters searching for their purpose in life.
About Laurèn Lee
Laurèn Lee was born and raised in Buffalo, New York. She loves hockey, chicken wings and spending time with family, friends and her boyfriend.
Reading and writing are her life’s passions and becoming an author is her ultimate dream.
As a child, Laurèn became enamored with the Harry Potter series. As an adult, she loves psychological thrillers and mysteries with a twist.
Also By R.K. Gold
The Little Black Book
Just Under the Sky
Brinwood
Third Life
Also by Laurèn Lee
Charlotte’s Pact (Demons in New York Book 1)
Liam Rising (Demons in New York Book 2)
Adriel’s Reckoning (Demons in New York Book 3)
When Houses Burn
Cranberry Lane
Running in Circles
We’ll Begin Again
