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The three travelers had so many questions to which they hoped they would soon get the answers. But the outsiders weren’t saying much as they followed them to wherever it was they lived. The two men – Kevin and Stuart –seemed perfectly capable of carrying the tied deer and their back packs with ease, and refused Nick and AJ’s offer of help. Maybe they didn’t think a couple of city boys had the strength or stamina for it, and that pissed AJ off a little.

 

“They’ll be plenty for you to do if you decide to stay” Kevin told AJ, noticing the sullen look on his face. He remembered when he’d first arrived. He’d been made to feel welcome, but also a little useless, as if he wasn’t capable of hard manual labor. Over time though, he’d earned their respect and admiration and could now be considered one of the best hunters amongst the villagers.

 

“Is it much further?” AJ asked. They’d been walking for such a long time, he felt sure his feet were ready to give up. He was ready for a sit down and something to eat.

 

“Only about another mile” Katherine grinned as AJ sighed.

 

“How many people live there?” Emma asked again, desperate for information. She wondered why they couldn’t just answer her questions as they walked. What were they hiding?

 

“You’ll see soon enough” Stuart replied as the travelers could see something in the distance.

 

Expecting to see high walls and armed guards on patrol, the three Endwise escapees were pleasantly surprised to find the complete opposite. Children who’d been playing on the outskirts of the village came to greet the hunters and also look at the three strangers they’d brought with them.

 

“Who are you?” a little boy asked curiously. It wasn’t often they had visitors, especially not wearing such strange items of clothing. 

 

“Elijah, these are our new friends Nick, AJ and Emma” Stuart told the boy, then turned to the travelers “you’ll have to excuse my nephew; he’ll probably want to know all about you”

 

“Nephew?” Nick murmured. The word wasn’t familiar to him.

 

“My sister’s boy” Stuart replied, and then realized they probably didn’t know what that was. He remembered when Kevin arrived and was just as clueless. He wondered how the people of Endwise lived with such ridiculous rules, but then guessed that they didn’t know any different. “Oh right, I don’t suppose you have family like that where you’re from?”

 

“No” Nick replied and thought back to the execution of his parents when he was only a young boy. 

 

“There’s a lot that’s going to seem unfamiliar to you” Kevin told them. He knew exactly how they felt, having been a stranger to the village a few years ago.

 

The travelers looked around in amazement as they walked through the village. People of all ages were going about their business, stopping to wave at the group of hunters with their three strays. But it wasn’t just the people of the village who had the travelers in awe; it was the buildings, the animals and everything else. They’d never seen anything like it.

 

“Is that a horse?” AJ asked, louder than he’d intended. He’d seen them in books, but had come to realize that you couldn’t believe everything you read, as they’d found out with the deer.

 

“Yes it is, have you never seen one?” Katherine laughed, causing AJ to feel a bit embarrassed.

 

“Katherine, don’t tease” Kevin warned her. He remembered the day he’d escaped Endwise, and all the oddities he’d come across once outside. It took some getting used to. “Take no notice of her AJ, she doesn’t mean any harm by it. Come on, we’d better hurry, we’ve only got a couple of hours until tonight’s celebrations, and the Mayor is going to want to meet you all too”.

 

“Mayor?” Emma asked, hoping this wasn’t just another word for Luminary. She completely missed the fact he’d mentioned some kind of celebration.

 

“Don’t worry, I know what you’re thinking…just…shrug off all thoughts of the Luminary and Endwise because this place is completely different” Kevin explained.

 

Kevin and the others led them to a large building made of stone and wood, as if it had been built on to and extended over the years. There were people coming and going and it was a real hive of activity.

 

“What is this place?” Emma asked as she observed people entering carrying armfuls of stuff.

 

“This is the marketplace” Katherine replied “it’s where we do all our trading and where we’re gonna trade that deer I caught earlier”

 

“Really, how interesting, what will you trade for?” Emma asked, eager to get in there and see for herself.

 

“I don’t know yet, it depends what’s on offer, and as the three of us hunted together we’ll each get things we need” Katherine replied.

 

Emma wondered if Katherine was related to or married to either Kevin or Stuart, not that it mattered to her, but she was just curious.

 

The inside of the marketplace was much larger than it appeared on the outside, and the aromas wafting around the place were mouth-watering for the three fugitives who’d lived on nothing but ration bars and berries for the last few days. Nick lifted his nose into the air, sniffing appreciatively and wondering what smelled so good.

 

“It smells good doesn’t it” Kevin agreed “Ginny’s traditional recipe stew, passed down from generation to generation to…ah, you get the picture! And it tastes as good as it smells”

 

“Mmm” Nick almost drooled, but then realized he had nothing to barter with. His expression soon changed.

 

“Don’t worry, we’re not about to let you all starve. It doesn’t work that way here. Even though we trade for food, clothes, household items and whatever else we need…we also wouldn’t let anyone go without. We all make sure that those too old or unable to work are looked after” Kevin explained. “Like when I first got here. Everyone was so hospitable and I had no shortage of offers of places to stay.”

 

“Make sure you save us some of that Ginny!” Katherine called out to the older woman who was doling out her stew from a huge black pot.

 

“Will do” Ginny called back and winked at the new arrivals.

 

The travelers had never seen anyone as old as Ginny; she had to be at least forty and even had a streak of white in her otherwise dark hair. Back in Endwise, no one ever lived to be that old.

 

After walking away from Ginny’s stall, they moved through the throngs of people, taking in everything else. There was a small crowd gathered around another stall, a sweet smell emanating from it.

 

“Deanna’s cakes are the best, isn’t that right Kevin?” Katherine looked to the tall dark haired man for his agreement.

 

“You won’t have tasted anything like it back in Endwise, that’s for sure”Kevin nodded in agreement. “But we’d better hurry and do our business. The marketplace will be closing soon and we have to get ready for tonight”.

 

“What’s tonight?” AJ asked. Everyone seemed so friendly, but was that just a cover? Were they really going to execute them for entertainment, or something else as sinister?

 

“There’s a wedding being held tonight” Kevin replied “it’s tradition here that they take place at dusk and carry on until the early hours. Everyone is welcome to attend, if they want to, and there will be music, dancing, eating and drinking for all.”

 

Back in Endwise, marriage ceremonies were carried out by the Luminary and were just a few minutes long. There was no fuss and no celebration afterwords; just a piece of paper and your new allotted living quarters. The travelers liked the sound of this new kind of wedding ceremony.

 

“And naturally you’re all welcome to come along and join the festivities” Stuart told the travelers and walked away to continue with his business.

 

After finishing up their trading in the marketplace, Kevin asked if the three escapees would like to go back to his home to get cleaned up and have something to eat. Having nowhere else to go, they all followed him to his wooden house not far from the village center. The house wasn’t very big, but had a flower garden in the front and looked really pretty from the outside.

 

“Please, come in” Kevin turned and told them before walking in “my wife should have something for you to wear Emma, and I’m sure we’re about the same size Nick. As for you AJ, we can ask Gerard from next door, he’s about your height. That’s if you’d like to come along tonight? Or would you prefer to get some rest? You’ve had a busy few days after all…”

 

“No, we’re going” Emma replied for all of them. They weren’t that tired that they were willing to miss a chance to get to know all about these people and their way of life. Sleep could come later.

 

“Good, I was hoping you’d say that. Now let me introduce you to Kristen” Kevin announced as a pretty blonde woman appeared by his side. “Kristen, meet Emma, Nick and AJ; they’ve escaped from Endwise and will be our guests until other arrangements can be made”

 

“You poor things” she shook her head “come on, let’s get you fed and out of those ripped clothes”. She remembered when Kevin first entered the village seven years ago. She’d been attracted to him at once, as had a lot of single woman. But she’d been shocked and horrified to hear his tales of Endwise and couldn’t believe people lived that way.

 

After some of Ginny’s delicious stew which Kevin had acquired at the marketplace, a wash in the weird contraption that passed for a shower and a change of clothes, the three friends from Endwise felt rejuvenated and ready to meet the other villagers in that evening’s celebrations.

 

The sky was a dark blue color with little traces of purple in the distance, with millions of stars twinkling high above. It was a perfect evening for being outside. Nick, AJ and Emma joined Kevin and Kristen as they walked back into the village center where the celebrations were to take place. Kristen had made a couple of apple pies to take and as they walked, they saw other people carrying various food or drink items.

 

“This is what we do when we’re having a big get together like this; everyone brings something and places it on the tables which will be set up. Then we all help ourselves. There’s always more than enough to go around”Kevin told them as he took in the looks of awe on their faces. He knew Endwise had nothing of the sort to compare it with. The monthly executions- although bringing the whole city together at once - were not exactly a joyous social event. 

 

Under an archway decorated with flowers and twinkling candles, the happy couple were married by a man they all guessed to be the Mayor. He was so old, his hair was completely white and deep wrinkles etched his face. To the three city folk, he was a real curiosity. 

 

“I wonder if those cracks in his face hurt?” Emma mused, wanting to touch his face and feel for herself.

 

“That must be what it is to be old” Nick shuddered at the thought of looking so withered.

 

“I don’t want to ever look that way!” AJ added. But after a few moments thought, he realized that this man had obviously had a long and happy life…something that wasn’t possible in Endwise.

 

The ceremony itself wasn’t very long, just an exchange of words and a blessing by the Mayor before cheers and clapping erupted from the crowd and the celebrations began. Nick, AJ and Emma were soon approached by people of all ages, all wanting to welcome them to their village. Even AJ, who had been the most suspicious of the group, soon dropped his guard and accepted that nothing malicious was going to happen here.

 

“So, you three must be the people I’ve been hearing about all evening”came a voice in the small crowd which had gathered around them. The crowd parted to allow the Mayor through. “I’m Patrick, the Mayor of New Oak Falls, welcome to our village”

 

The Mayor assured them that New Oak Falls would be their home for as long as they wanted it to be and that a more permanent place to live would be arranged the following day. He then told them to enjoy the party.

 

It was now completely dark, with only candle light and a huge bonfire providing illumination. The smell of food filled the air and made the travelers hungry once more. An animal they learned was a pig was being roasted over another open fire and it smelled delicious. Tables brimming with food were set up around the village square and people were gathered around with plates piled high and drinks in their hands. Emma, Nick and AJ were no exception.

 

“This is really something isn’t it?” AJ grinned as he chugged down an apple flavored drink and reached for another.

 

“Makes me wonder why we couldn’t have lived like this before. What made the Luminary lie to us for all of our lives?” Nick questioned.

 

“Power” Emma replied “and greed”

 

“Well enough talk of that asshole, wanna dance?” AJ asked Emma as couples began to dance to the music which was being played by a group of musicians.

 

“I would love to” she replied and put her plate and drink down and took his out-stretched arm. All of her questions could wait for tomorrow, for tonight was a night to enjoy.

 

They danced to the rhythm of the music and AJ liked the feel of Emma close to him. But it didn’t last long. Nick asked if he could cut in and Emma happily agreed, not even giving AJ a chance to protest. He stood off to the side, watching as his best friend danced with the girl he was beginning to fall for. He didn’t like it…not one bit, but he wasn’t alone for long. A tall, dark haired beauty engaged him in conversation and he soon put thoughts of Emma out of his mind.