Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ The Young Debris ❯ Chapter 2
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Elven_mistress 
mention of thieving and very brief mention of sex in this chapter.
Miscellaneous: Original Stories Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Post-apocalyptic / Drama | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 07.10.2009 | Updated On: 07.10.2009 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.1K | Visits: 187 | Status: Work In Progress
mention of thieving and very brief mention of sex in this chapter.
Miscellaneous: Original Stories Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Post-apocalyptic / Drama | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 07.10.2009 | Updated On: 07.10.2009 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.1K | Visits: 187 | Status: Work In Progress
CHAPTER 2
Kate rode silently next to Trent, multiple thoughts moving through her head rapidly. Trying to remember all of the places best to look and who would be more fit for each task. Their gang followed behind them on foot at a slow jog.
Trent moved his horse closer to her, “Kate?”
She turned her eyes to him and frowned, she hated having her thoughts interrupted.
Trent looked ahead, obviously he didn’t want the gang to know he was talking to her, “what happened to us? Why aren’t we together anymore? You used to…to trust me.”
Kate looked away, that very thought had been going through her mind that morning, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. And besides, we could never work.”
“We did before, when your brother was here,” he patted Fally’s neck when the horse snorted nervously, “you were yourself then, being gang leader’s changed you.”
Kate ignored him and pushed up the pace a little. She couldn’t. It hurt too much. Her and Trent had been in a relationship before the gangs started and they continued on till her brother left when she became gang leader. They broke up shortly after, she stopped seeing him and her gang alienated themselves from the rest. She was scared that he would betray her, she knew he wouldn’t but that bit of doubt in her mind kept her from him.
They continued on till they reached what was left of their northern town. Kate knew what those bombs were capable of but knowing it and seeing it was a whole different thing. It all looked fried, like someone forgot to turn off the oven and left the turkey inside. If it wasn’t flattened, which most of it was, it was as black as charcoal. But she felt relieved, it had only been a small explosive bomb so that’s why they probably survived. If it had been something more destructive, like a nuclear or chemical bomb, she doubted they'd live long.
“Wow,” Elisha said solemnly.
Trent leaned on the saddle horn and whistled, not the least bit disturbed by the scene in front of them. He chuckled, “so…what are we trying to find exactly?”
Kate looked at him scornfully, how could he act like that? Hundreds of people are probably dead and he has the nerve to laugh at their predicament?!
Kate turned in her saddle to face their combined gang, “well don’t just stand there like blundering idiots, look around.”
“For what exactly?” Kenny, Trent’s General, sneered. Apparently he had abandoned the assigned job and followed them. He was an arrogant fourteen-year old kid. He was scrawny and had a thin face with shallow eyes that glowed an eerie green. His hair was thin, ash-coloured and wire-like
Kate smiled at him, “Oh I don’t know, food, clothes, survivors perhaps. Try using what little brain you have and you might just find something.”
The gang headed out, digging through the debris while Kate and Trent observed from their saddles.
Trent leaned toward her, “ya know, he's just a kid, we're all just kids. You can't expect us to all grow up in a day. He can’t help it that he’s an idiot, its his age, he thinks he knows everything.”
“Yeah, just like you can’t help that you’re a stubborn jacka…forget it, fighting you is a waste of my time and energy. And we don't have a choice in when we grow up anymore.” Kate looked away at the flattened forest and frowned, that might cause an issue with the flooding of the river throught it if the roots were burned too.
“If that frown gets any bigger it’ll get stuck like that. Unless it already has, that would explain a lot,” Trent joked.
Kate ignored him and urged her horse forward and headed down the slope into the demolished town to oversee their gangs search closer. Trent rolled his eyes and followed.
She walked into the living room as she undid her raven hair from the braid it was in and sat down on the old battered sofa. Kate looked around herself. Her family’s basement was very large and a house in itself. It actually had two levels, a couple years ago her parents had converted the old roo cellar below the basement for safety precautions in case of a nearby bombing. There were plenty of rooms, enough for all of them to at least only have to double up, but Kate had her own room, she didn’t like having other people in her room, touching her things, disorganizing her stuff.
Kate got up and sighed. Heading for Trent’s room, seeing three pairs of shoes resting outside his door she rolled her eyes, already aware of what she’d see. Pushing open the pine door she leaned against the post.
“And you wonder why I broke up with you?”
He laid there with two girls half on him from his half of the gang, Marie and Lisa, his number three and four, who were identical twins except for a birthmark in a very personal place on one, Kate had seen them before, always clinging to him like lost puppies. Trent looked up and grinned at her, whispered to the girls and they got out of the bed, dressed and left.
“Get around much?” Kate asked sarcastically as she moved aside to let the girls pass.
Trent got out of bed, stark naked, shivered, and pulled on his boxers, which he only wore if he didn‘t feel like wearing his pants, “now that’s kinda cruel to say doncha think?”
“No,” Kate frowned, “you deserve it.”
He sighed in exasperation, “I never cheated on you when we were together so I don’t see why you’re so mad at me for having some fun now.”
Kate snorted at him and walked out of the room, leaving the door wide open. I can’t believe he’d be like this during a crisis.
Trent shivered inwardly, “man she is cold.”
As custom they all got on their knees in respect, the leader was the only one allowed to stand before the Mistyc, as per her request. Amria held her gloved hands out to them, the leader placed his into hers.
“Thank you for warning us, we just made it to safety when the bomb hit,” he said with his head bowed.
Amria smiled and handed him a compass and paper, “I have a task for you to do for me.”
He nodded eagerly, sometimes payments for her services were expensive, this was nothing.
She instructed him to go around and make a map of everything, where any landmarks were, where gangs had made camp; she did not doubt that others had survived. She told him to not let any other gangs know that he was doing this errand for her.
Once she was sure he understood after giving him detailed instructions she accepted the food he offered her and sent him on his way. Watching him leave she went into her cellar where she had come out and waited for him to return. Anything she requested of them was often done and given to her by the end of the day or in the morning of the next.
Kate brought out the small stack large trays on her hip into the dim sunlight while Number Three followed her with a bag of soil and Number Four carried an apple basket full of packets of seeds. Placing the tray on the ground in a fenced area Number Six had prepared earlier in the day, Kate poured the soil into the tray and spread it around evenly with the hoe Number four had thought to bring, occasionally casting doubtful glances at the clouded sky.
She watched Number Three and Number Four make small furrows and carefully, almost lovingly, placeing the precious lifegiving seeds into them while putting hand-engraved wooden tabs at the head of each row for markers. She couldn't help but wonder how those who did not live in farming communities would manage their survival. If they had not all been flattened, tall buildings always fell hard.
The two devoted members did not speak other than to ask eachother what went where and how much space the plant needed. Kate knew they were talkative enough with eachother, Elisha had told her they were a very talkative bunch, she wondered if she intimidated them or they simply did not want to raise her easily risen temper but irritating her. They were all eachother had now. No one would be gang pressed into the army, no more coming and going, no more deaths from falling ammunition. If one of them were to die, what would she know of them? That they were a hard worker? Than shouldn't she give them the dignity of being called by their name, it wasn't like they were going to just up and leave on her now.
Kate nodded to herself and smiled, “hey number three?”
He looked up, “yes Miss Kate?”
Kate picked up a rock and tossed it as far as she could into the nearby field, feigning disinterestedness, “what’s your name?”
“Pardon?”
Kate smiled and sat down on the hard ground, “I just figured that since, well, as far as I’m concerned, we’re in a new life, and things are gonna get hard. If any of us died, I would like a name to go with a face... and on the grave. We're all practically a family.”
He smiled, “David, my name is David.”
Kate looked at the other and number four grinned, “Lara.”
Number six was mute from an injury due to a previous bomb but Kate had learned sign language from her long since. She spelled out the name Jenny.
Now she didn't feel so bad, her memory for names was bad but she was determined to memorise everyone's names instead of just calling them by a number. She had heard Trents' comment to himself as she left his room that morning, now she felt justified that she was not cold. But it made her wonder if that is how the others saw her as well. She hated the idea of going from quiet and serious to an insecure teenage girl and chatty cathy but if she was to build a relationship with these people that were all now a surrogate family.
She hesitated for a moment and opened her mouth twice before finally forming words. "Do you think I am cold?" Embarassment flaming her cheeks as Kate realised that had all come out in a rushed slur.
David seemed to be very interested in his feet for a moment before glancing up at her, "um, Miss Kate? I didn't quite get that."
She could practically feel the blood flooding her cheeks as she repeated herself a little more slowly.
"Ah, I see," he picked up another bag of soil and began filling the second tray while Lara and Jenny finished seeding the first. "Well ma'am, you have had... a somewhat harder time... adjusting? I suppose that would be the right word. Your brother and you were much closer than most siblings and you did take his leaving very hard. And, sorry for saying this, but you did take leadership up rather grudgingly and we can hear it and feel it in your tone," he began smoothing out the dirt with the hoe, careful not to let any fall to the dead ground the tray rested on.
Kate waited silently for him to continue, her eyes following the edge of the mostly destroyed forest, hoping for any sign of wildlife.
David started making the furrows, "you can be a little harsh at times, sometimes you even seem to be unreasonable but everything you do we all know is in the best interest of everyone. Like when you ordered us to all give you every last penny we had and then you left with your two best horses, half the chickens and the wagon. Some of us doubted after a week that you would come back, me included," he gave a nervous chuckle and looked almost startled when Kate laughed along with him at that, "but then you returned with all these soil bags, plants, trees and seeds. So yes, you do give off a kind of chilly attitude but we know you would never be cruel or disloyal to the group."
Kate shook her head, "I was only following advice from the Mystic when I went to get the plants and stuff, I personally thought it was unreasonable advice. And I was terrified that none of you would give me the money, and even with the money I needed to trade the chickens and... lift some more expensive seed packets, like the tomatoes. And that is not easy when they pat you down as you leave to make sure you didn't steal anything."
Lara stared wide-eyed, "you stole them?! But you are always telling us 'behave with honor' and such."
Kate gave a sad smile, "I was willing to live with the brief guilt for the benefit of all of you. Besides, " she leaned back on her hands, "those rude seed vendors were practically gouging people with their prices. The guilt was brief. I gave two packets of seeds to one poor looking woman who couldn't persuade the vendor to lower his price by just a dollar for a single pack."
"That doesn't justify stealing," Lara grumbled.
Kate laughed, "well how about I tell you which seeds it was and you can just not eat those vegetables?"
Lara gave a small laugh, "no, I am grateful that you risked your skin for us."
Jenny began signing, 'and considering we do have the most plants and seeds than anyone else think of the power we will have over the others.'
Kate frowned slightly, "we will cross that bridge when we get to it, lets not count our eggs before they hatch."
David pulled out his water bottle from his fanny pack and took a drink, afterwards offering it to Kate as she had forgotten hers.
Kate smiled and nodded, “thanks." She took a large gulp and handed it back. " David may I have your opinion on something else?”
“Of course Miss Kate.”
"And no more 'Miss' or 'ma'am', just Kate please."
He smiled and nodded to her.
“Do you think I was… cold, unfair to Trent, you know, when I broke up with him?” Kate asked shyly, staring at the tray.
He came over and put his left arm and only arm, around her shoulders, “having second thoughts?”
She nodded slowly. Thinking back to the many times Trent had tried to restart their realtionship.
He smiled and gave her a squeeze, “I think you could’ve let him at least explain himself when you caught him kissing that girl. From what I heard she kissed him and not the other way around.”
Kate looked thoughtful for a moment and smiled, “Do you think he would give me another chance if I asked him for it?”
David patted her back and stood up to help plant more seeds while Lara took a short break, “I have no doubt about it. He's been in love with you since third grade.”
Kate rode silently next to Trent, multiple thoughts moving through her head rapidly. Trying to remember all of the places best to look and who would be more fit for each task. Their gang followed behind them on foot at a slow jog.
Trent moved his horse closer to her, “Kate?”
She turned her eyes to him and frowned, she hated having her thoughts interrupted.
Trent looked ahead, obviously he didn’t want the gang to know he was talking to her, “what happened to us? Why aren’t we together anymore? You used to…to trust me.”
Kate looked away, that very thought had been going through her mind that morning, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. And besides, we could never work.”
“We did before, when your brother was here,” he patted Fally’s neck when the horse snorted nervously, “you were yourself then, being gang leader’s changed you.”
Kate ignored him and pushed up the pace a little. She couldn’t. It hurt too much. Her and Trent had been in a relationship before the gangs started and they continued on till her brother left when she became gang leader. They broke up shortly after, she stopped seeing him and her gang alienated themselves from the rest. She was scared that he would betray her, she knew he wouldn’t but that bit of doubt in her mind kept her from him.
They continued on till they reached what was left of their northern town. Kate knew what those bombs were capable of but knowing it and seeing it was a whole different thing. It all looked fried, like someone forgot to turn off the oven and left the turkey inside. If it wasn’t flattened, which most of it was, it was as black as charcoal. But she felt relieved, it had only been a small explosive bomb so that’s why they probably survived. If it had been something more destructive, like a nuclear or chemical bomb, she doubted they'd live long.
“Wow,” Elisha said solemnly.
Trent leaned on the saddle horn and whistled, not the least bit disturbed by the scene in front of them. He chuckled, “so…what are we trying to find exactly?”
Kate looked at him scornfully, how could he act like that? Hundreds of people are probably dead and he has the nerve to laugh at their predicament?!
Kate turned in her saddle to face their combined gang, “well don’t just stand there like blundering idiots, look around.”
“For what exactly?” Kenny, Trent’s General, sneered. Apparently he had abandoned the assigned job and followed them. He was an arrogant fourteen-year old kid. He was scrawny and had a thin face with shallow eyes that glowed an eerie green. His hair was thin, ash-coloured and wire-like
Kate smiled at him, “Oh I don’t know, food, clothes, survivors perhaps. Try using what little brain you have and you might just find something.”
The gang headed out, digging through the debris while Kate and Trent observed from their saddles.
Trent leaned toward her, “ya know, he's just a kid, we're all just kids. You can't expect us to all grow up in a day. He can’t help it that he’s an idiot, its his age, he thinks he knows everything.”
“Yeah, just like you can’t help that you’re a stubborn jacka…forget it, fighting you is a waste of my time and energy. And we don't have a choice in when we grow up anymore.” Kate looked away at the flattened forest and frowned, that might cause an issue with the flooding of the river throught it if the roots were burned too.
“If that frown gets any bigger it’ll get stuck like that. Unless it already has, that would explain a lot,” Trent joked.
Kate ignored him and urged her horse forward and headed down the slope into the demolished town to oversee their gangs search closer. Trent rolled his eyes and followed.
* * * * * *
Kate yawned and stretched. She scratched her head, put her feet on the rough hardwood floor and got up to dress herself. Yesterday’s search had been a waste of time, they had found nothing. A whole day had been wasted on it too.She walked into the living room as she undid her raven hair from the braid it was in and sat down on the old battered sofa. Kate looked around herself. Her family’s basement was very large and a house in itself. It actually had two levels, a couple years ago her parents had converted the old roo cellar below the basement for safety precautions in case of a nearby bombing. There were plenty of rooms, enough for all of them to at least only have to double up, but Kate had her own room, she didn’t like having other people in her room, touching her things, disorganizing her stuff.
Kate got up and sighed. Heading for Trent’s room, seeing three pairs of shoes resting outside his door she rolled her eyes, already aware of what she’d see. Pushing open the pine door she leaned against the post.
“And you wonder why I broke up with you?”
He laid there with two girls half on him from his half of the gang, Marie and Lisa, his number three and four, who were identical twins except for a birthmark in a very personal place on one, Kate had seen them before, always clinging to him like lost puppies. Trent looked up and grinned at her, whispered to the girls and they got out of the bed, dressed and left.
“Get around much?” Kate asked sarcastically as she moved aside to let the girls pass.
Trent got out of bed, stark naked, shivered, and pulled on his boxers, which he only wore if he didn‘t feel like wearing his pants, “now that’s kinda cruel to say doncha think?”
“No,” Kate frowned, “you deserve it.”
He sighed in exasperation, “I never cheated on you when we were together so I don’t see why you’re so mad at me for having some fun now.”
Kate snorted at him and walked out of the room, leaving the door wide open. I can’t believe he’d be like this during a crisis.
Trent shivered inwardly, “man she is cold.”
* * * * * *
Amria pulled herself out from under the fallen wall, she had been in the cellar when the house collapsed and she had been sent sprawling into the corner by the force of it. She shivered at the sight before her, buildings had been flattened and the place looked like a desert. She turned her head and saw one of the gangs. Quickly ducking down she pulled on her elk skin robe and carved wooden mask that had been painted the colors of the elements, all gangs called her The Mistyc because no other title suited her, she was just a plain mystery to them and very odd. They all came to her for advice on everything, what gang to fight, who to make alliances with, who they shouldn’t trust. It just seemed right to them to go to the one truly neutral person who also seemed to know everything. None of them knew what she looked like under the mask and robe and she wasn’t about to let them find out. Pulling up her red hair she tied it into a bag of old stained canvas so that a small pouch hung from the back of her head. Sliding her feet into her sandals she came out into the daylight. When the nearby gang saw her they came rushing over to speak to her.As custom they all got on their knees in respect, the leader was the only one allowed to stand before the Mistyc, as per her request. Amria held her gloved hands out to them, the leader placed his into hers.
“Thank you for warning us, we just made it to safety when the bomb hit,” he said with his head bowed.
Amria smiled and handed him a compass and paper, “I have a task for you to do for me.”
He nodded eagerly, sometimes payments for her services were expensive, this was nothing.
She instructed him to go around and make a map of everything, where any landmarks were, where gangs had made camp; she did not doubt that others had survived. She told him to not let any other gangs know that he was doing this errand for her.
Once she was sure he understood after giving him detailed instructions she accepted the food he offered her and sent him on his way. Watching him leave she went into her cellar where she had come out and waited for him to return. Anything she requested of them was often done and given to her by the end of the day or in the morning of the next.
* * * * * *
Around early noon Kate figured it was tome to start the garden. Their only stroke of good fortune was that the war managed to end in late spring. So the heat of the sun was already making its' way through the ashen clouds. The heating lamps in a barred off section of the barn were turned off and the potted fruit trees were moved outside and placed next to the house so the strong south wind would not hit them fully.Kate brought out the small stack large trays on her hip into the dim sunlight while Number Three followed her with a bag of soil and Number Four carried an apple basket full of packets of seeds. Placing the tray on the ground in a fenced area Number Six had prepared earlier in the day, Kate poured the soil into the tray and spread it around evenly with the hoe Number four had thought to bring, occasionally casting doubtful glances at the clouded sky.
She watched Number Three and Number Four make small furrows and carefully, almost lovingly, placeing the precious lifegiving seeds into them while putting hand-engraved wooden tabs at the head of each row for markers. She couldn't help but wonder how those who did not live in farming communities would manage their survival. If they had not all been flattened, tall buildings always fell hard.
The two devoted members did not speak other than to ask eachother what went where and how much space the plant needed. Kate knew they were talkative enough with eachother, Elisha had told her they were a very talkative bunch, she wondered if she intimidated them or they simply did not want to raise her easily risen temper but irritating her. They were all eachother had now. No one would be gang pressed into the army, no more coming and going, no more deaths from falling ammunition. If one of them were to die, what would she know of them? That they were a hard worker? Than shouldn't she give them the dignity of being called by their name, it wasn't like they were going to just up and leave on her now.
Kate nodded to herself and smiled, “hey number three?”
He looked up, “yes Miss Kate?”
Kate picked up a rock and tossed it as far as she could into the nearby field, feigning disinterestedness, “what’s your name?”
“Pardon?”
Kate smiled and sat down on the hard ground, “I just figured that since, well, as far as I’m concerned, we’re in a new life, and things are gonna get hard. If any of us died, I would like a name to go with a face... and on the grave. We're all practically a family.”
He smiled, “David, my name is David.”
Kate looked at the other and number four grinned, “Lara.”
Number six was mute from an injury due to a previous bomb but Kate had learned sign language from her long since. She spelled out the name Jenny.
Now she didn't feel so bad, her memory for names was bad but she was determined to memorise everyone's names instead of just calling them by a number. She had heard Trents' comment to himself as she left his room that morning, now she felt justified that she was not cold. But it made her wonder if that is how the others saw her as well. She hated the idea of going from quiet and serious to an insecure teenage girl and chatty cathy but if she was to build a relationship with these people that were all now a surrogate family.
She hesitated for a moment and opened her mouth twice before finally forming words. "Do you think I am cold?" Embarassment flaming her cheeks as Kate realised that had all come out in a rushed slur.
David seemed to be very interested in his feet for a moment before glancing up at her, "um, Miss Kate? I didn't quite get that."
She could practically feel the blood flooding her cheeks as she repeated herself a little more slowly.
"Ah, I see," he picked up another bag of soil and began filling the second tray while Lara and Jenny finished seeding the first. "Well ma'am, you have had... a somewhat harder time... adjusting? I suppose that would be the right word. Your brother and you were much closer than most siblings and you did take his leaving very hard. And, sorry for saying this, but you did take leadership up rather grudgingly and we can hear it and feel it in your tone," he began smoothing out the dirt with the hoe, careful not to let any fall to the dead ground the tray rested on.
Kate waited silently for him to continue, her eyes following the edge of the mostly destroyed forest, hoping for any sign of wildlife.
David started making the furrows, "you can be a little harsh at times, sometimes you even seem to be unreasonable but everything you do we all know is in the best interest of everyone. Like when you ordered us to all give you every last penny we had and then you left with your two best horses, half the chickens and the wagon. Some of us doubted after a week that you would come back, me included," he gave a nervous chuckle and looked almost startled when Kate laughed along with him at that, "but then you returned with all these soil bags, plants, trees and seeds. So yes, you do give off a kind of chilly attitude but we know you would never be cruel or disloyal to the group."
Kate shook her head, "I was only following advice from the Mystic when I went to get the plants and stuff, I personally thought it was unreasonable advice. And I was terrified that none of you would give me the money, and even with the money I needed to trade the chickens and... lift some more expensive seed packets, like the tomatoes. And that is not easy when they pat you down as you leave to make sure you didn't steal anything."
Lara stared wide-eyed, "you stole them?! But you are always telling us 'behave with honor' and such."
Kate gave a sad smile, "I was willing to live with the brief guilt for the benefit of all of you. Besides, " she leaned back on her hands, "those rude seed vendors were practically gouging people with their prices. The guilt was brief. I gave two packets of seeds to one poor looking woman who couldn't persuade the vendor to lower his price by just a dollar for a single pack."
"That doesn't justify stealing," Lara grumbled.
Kate laughed, "well how about I tell you which seeds it was and you can just not eat those vegetables?"
Lara gave a small laugh, "no, I am grateful that you risked your skin for us."
Jenny began signing, 'and considering we do have the most plants and seeds than anyone else think of the power we will have over the others.'
Kate frowned slightly, "we will cross that bridge when we get to it, lets not count our eggs before they hatch."
David pulled out his water bottle from his fanny pack and took a drink, afterwards offering it to Kate as she had forgotten hers.
Kate smiled and nodded, “thanks." She took a large gulp and handed it back. " David may I have your opinion on something else?”
“Of course Miss Kate.”
"And no more 'Miss' or 'ma'am', just Kate please."
He smiled and nodded to her.
“Do you think I was… cold, unfair to Trent, you know, when I broke up with him?” Kate asked shyly, staring at the tray.
He came over and put his left arm and only arm, around her shoulders, “having second thoughts?”
She nodded slowly. Thinking back to the many times Trent had tried to restart their realtionship.
He smiled and gave her a squeeze, “I think you could’ve let him at least explain himself when you caught him kissing that girl. From what I heard she kissed him and not the other way around.”
Kate looked thoughtful for a moment and smiled, “Do you think he would give me another chance if I asked him for it?”
David patted her back and stood up to help plant more seeds while Lara took a short break, “I have no doubt about it. He's been in love with you since third grade.”