- Text Size +

Chapter 17



“Kevin,” Emma hated to insist on talking to him at that moment, she could see he had things on his mind but she needed more answers. She followed him back into his house, leaving AJ and Nick outside.

Kevin turned to face the young woman standing before him. He knew she wanted more explanation as to why he didn’t return. Why did he let so many people who had believed in him, continue believing he was dead and not knowing life on the outside was possible? He rubbed his eyes and took a seat.

“I know you think I’m a coward for not returning, but I valued my life as much as any other person. Returning would be a death sentence.” Kevin hoped she would understand but he doubted she would. She, like many other rebels would if they found out that he lived, felt betrayed.

“How did you convince the Luminary that you were dead? How did you make it further than any other person who has tried to escape?” Emma sat down and kept her voice calm. She knew that if she let the anger she felt towards Kevin creep to the surface she would explode and she would get no answers from him.

Kevin sighed and looked down at his hands. “Br…The Luminary let me live.”

“I don’t understand; if you were a threat…”

“After I escaped he found me here and we made a deal. We were raised as brothers after all. He would let me live in peace outside the city, here, with these people, if I promised I would never return and that I would never raise a rebellion against him. He threatened that he would destroy me and this entire village if I ever tried.”

“So it’s more than your own death you would be causing?”

Kevin nodded. “The Luminary promised to hunt down anyone who left Endwise in search of life outside. He couldn’t risk them finding me…” Kevin thought of the people who had died trying to find a better life. All those wasted lives because of his deal that allowed him to live; he couldn’t help but tear up.

Emma stood and moved closer to Kevin, wrapping her arms around his shoulder she hugged the older man. “I understand your decision and the choice you had to make.”

“Emma,” Nick and AJ came into the room and noticed that Emma quickly dropped her arms from around Kevin. Both men felt a twinge of jealousy.

“Hey guys. I’ve talked to Kevin; he’s made me understand his decision.” She decided to leave out the details of what she was told. If Kevin wanted Nick and AJ to know, he would tell them in his own time.

“Oh look at the time,” Kevin interrupted and stood, grabbing a few items and heading towards the door. “The mayor will be wondering where we are.” He smiled at the other three and held the door as he waited for them to exit before leading them to the Mayor’s house.

“Is that the Mayor’s house?” Nick asked pointing to the largest building he could see.

Kevin chuckled and shook his head. “No, that is the lumber mill. The woodcutter’s son is also a skilled furniture maker and has even done a few decorative sculptures with the wood that he helps his father bring in. They use that building to cut the wood and make the furniture. Nobody actually lives there.”

“Are jobs here passed down from father to son then?” Emma asked.

“There are many sons that end up doing what their fathers did because they helped their fathers growing up and learned the skill. With the skills they acquire they can easily take the spot, but it doesn’t always happen. The woodcutter’s first and third sons work with him, his daughter has a great knowledge of plants and what they can be used for and his second son, well after years of searching, he has found he likes to watch the sheep.”

“That sounds boring,” Nick and Emma agreed.

“It seems to give him joy. He is doing a service but it also gives him time to paint and since he watches the sheep he earns his linen for the canvases.” Kevin added. “There are enough people willing to trade him for a painting that he could stop watching the sheep and only work on his paintings but he enjoys the peacefulness of watching the sheep.”

The three former citizens of Endwise knew that paintings were a form of picture. There were very few pictures outside of books that could be purchased in Endwise and those they could were too many credits for most people to use on something like that. Nothing new was created since using paper in that manner was considered a waste.

“People trade for that?” Emma asked incredulously though all three were thinking it.

“They do,” Kevin never really thought about why anyone wouldn’t want one in their home, but then again, he had grown up one of the elite in Endwise and had many luxuries that many others did not. “We’re here,” Kevin motioned to the Mayor’s house.

“This is the Mayor’s house?” AJ was stunned that the leader of the town did not live in a large mansion but a simple home not much bigger than the rest of the houses around town.

“It seems he’s not here,” Kevin noted the painted wood sign that simply said ‘out’. “It’s likely he’s with Mary’s family, I should have known.” Kevin shook his head and turned to walk back in the direction they had come from.

“Would you like a tour of the town?” Kevin asked. He could show him the different areas and expose them to all the different kinds of jobs that the town needed to be done in order to survive. He had already decided that tomorrow he would take them with him hunting if they cared to join him.

*~*



Emma washed her face and prepared herself for bed. The walk around town had been uneventful and frankly she had stopped paying attention part way through. Her thoughts were on the people of Endwise. Kevin may have chosen to stay and keep the town safe, to keep himself safe, but Emma needed to go back. She couldn’t let all of those people keep thinking that Endwise was the only way of life and that they had to follow the Luminary’s rule in order to survive in the post-apocalyptic world.

“Emma,” Nick’s whisper interrupted her thoughts.

“Nick,” She replied as she turned to face him.

“I just wanted to come and thank you for taking me and AJ with you.” He smiled at her. She wanted to smack the smile off of his face; it was his smile that she had first noticed. The thought of him remaining behind the walls was too much to bear so she had asked him along. Her heart jumped into her chest as he approached her and wrapped his arms around her pulling her closer.

They stood holding each other for a few moments before pulling away. “I’m glad you will have a chance at life here.”

“What do you mean ‘you’?” Nick caught the words quickly. He didn’t like the tone in her voice at all.

“I can’t stay.” She whispered and turned away. “I can’t be like Kevin. I can’t ignore the masses that are still suffering under the Luminary’s control. If we don’t stop him now then who knows how many more generations will be forced to die when they start blinking red.”

Nick put his hand on Emma’s shoulder and squeezed it lightly. “Emma,”

“Nick, don’t.” She wiped the tears from her eyes. She knew she had to do what her mind had decided but her heart was practically begging her to stay with Nick.

Nick turned Emma to face him and cupped her face in his hands using his thumbs to wipe the tears that were falling from her eyes.

“Emma, I can’t let you go back. It’s a death sentence. The minute they see you returning they will lock you away and kill you and nobody will know that you made it out, nobody will know that life outside the walls is possible.”

“But staying here and doing nothing is a coward’s way.” Emma protested and tried to push Nick away but he stood fast.

“No. We will find a way to get word to the others together. We will find a way to break the walls of Endwise. Stay with me…” His face was now close enough to hers that she could feel his breath as he asked her to stay with him.

Emma moved her head up to meet his, her heart beating frantically as their lips brushed together.

The door creaked behind them and they moved apart quickly, Emma wiping her eyes and Nick pretending to straighten his shirt. When they didn’t see anyone at the door Emma smiled at Nick. “I will stay.” She said as she moved closer and wrapped her arms around him.

They stood together for another few minutes. By the time they left, the figure in the hallway had gathered himself and made his way to the room where his bed was located.