CC1 CC2

“The mountains are the safest place I could get these people. We both know the lancers will be tearing across the barren in a matter of days, so I had to act faster.” He said with a stressed look on his face. I sigh and rub the back of my neck. Yes I know of the lancers, but why are they attacking so soon? This doesn’t make sense.

“Why so soon? But also why bring me? I’m only a swordsman, no match for a lancer.” My voice came out too weak. I have to be strong for him, because I already know what he’s going to ask of me.

Don puts his hands on my shoulders and offers me a smile. Why would he smile? He never does. “I saved as much as our village I could. Others took groups of the villagers in different areas. However, I took you because you need to lead this pack now.”  What does he mean? Why do I have to lead it, he’s perfectly fit for the job, and im far from able to handle this. I have to take a few deep breathes to steady myself, my hands started trembling and I didn’t even notice.

“You’ve always been strong, and I know this shouldn’t be too difficult for you. Just believe in yourself. And I chose you for this group because we were the decoy group; we were meant to be the first ones to leave so the scouts could relay that information back to the army and then they’d follow us.” He pulls me close to him and wraps his arms around me, I look out the window and see Steve coming up the stairs. “But now I must continue my mission and be that decoy, make sure you get these people to safety. I love you son.” He smiled at me, his eyes were glossy. But before I could say anything he jumped out the window and landed on the soft snow, and went charging down the path with his sword drawn; running into the black unknown of the night. 

“Jack!” Before I knew what was going on, Steve was pulling me down from the windowsill, he yanked me onto the ground and pinned me there. His voice was no longer composed of its happy self. His face was now serious but sympathetic. His eyes met mine and he loosened his grip and spoke quietly. “I wasn’t supposed to tell you, but this was the plan all along...”

The blizzard continued its bombardment upon us, and the winds deafening roar almost made it sound like an explosion went off only a few yards away. I look over my shoulder just to make sure I didn’t lose anyone, Steve has his head down guarding his face from the cold.  Laura also has her head down, but also has Emma attached to her left arm. I crack a smile at the sight, it’s kind of cute.

“I think I see a small cave up ahead, let’s make shelter there!” I have to yell over the blizzard. No one objects, and we head towards the crack in the mountain face and escape the storm. The cave isn’t too deep, but it offers us shelter for until this storm ends. It’s dark and cold in here but we have no other options. Lora and Emma sit down against the far wall in the back of the cave, not making a sound. I pull out some sticks from my travel pack, and arrange them into a campfire of sorts.

“Steve, you alright?” I ask as I draw my two swords off my back, and angle the one in my left hand towards the wood, then scrape the right one across the left one’s edge and spark a small fire.

“ Yeah, just hoping this storm blows over.” He says hopelessly. I sigh. “ Me too…”

BB1 BB2 (Not a continuation of Army of Two. Chpt. 1)

The mountain air is fresh and cold as it brushes against my face. I peer at the trail through the blizzard that surrounds my group of hikers. Each person is clotted with white mounds of snow and they move at a steady, but slow pace.

“How much longer?” I have to yell over the roaring winds of the raging blizzard.

“Almost there why?” The leader of the group yells back. He’s an older gentleman who looks no younger than at least 50. However his physique argues a different point of his age; the man has broad shoulder and a relatively strong build about him; however the one thing that gives away his age is his worn face, and the gray hair on top of his head.

“No reason.” I say “I just have this feeling.”

After about 5 minutes, the view of our destination comes into view, it is a large inn that’s windows glow a yellow light, and it’s chimney emits the smell of burning maple and oak wood. The group charges at the slightest sight of the inn and busts into the door, practically breaking it. The patrons inside appear not at all stunned, seeing as how this could be a common occurrence this high in the mountains.

“What can I get you boys?” Asks a young bar maid that works for the inn. Her hair is a ruby ginger hue, and her body type is slim and lean, but there’s something off about her and I don’t like it.

That’s when Steve gets up almost immediately and attempts his ‘charm’.

“Oh my, what on earth is a lovely young lady like you doing so high in these areas?” He asks with a sly tone and a grin on his face, but I can’t help but lean in the doorway and put my head down to stifle a laugh. He places me a quick glare before returning to his lady friend.

“Oh please, the real question is what are you boys doing here at this time? It’s past midnight and the weather is atrocious.” She winks and says with a hint of over flattery. Steve continues his hopeless endeavor on wooing the young lady, but I decided to walk around and scan the place and the other patrons. The area is relatively nice, and the patrons are all mostly middle-aged or older and appear to be tradesman or merchants; some with scruffy beards and unkempt hair, and others with well-groomed features and no facial hair. It is actually quite easy to tell who’s a merchant and who’s not.

I watch as our group slowly defrosts and takes spaces around the room; Laura takes her place near the fire and sits against the wall, her sturdy but small frame curls into a ball. Don, our pack leader, leans against the wall and puts his head down, his gray hair falling over his face and hiding it.  Finally we have Emma who sits right next to Laura; they could be twins if it wasn’t for the difference in hair and attitudes. Laura has long black hair, and always has it falling over her shoulders. Her attitude is too keep to herself, and she generally avoids everyone except Emma, who has bright blonde hair that’s curly, and is always upbeat. Emma leans against Laura, and by the time I look back at them I can tell she’s asleep.

I walk light footed, as I always do, across the room and look at Don, who practically expected me to come and he ushers me upstairs where no one is around. Once upstairs, we clear far from the stairs and stop at the end of the hall, near one of the lit windows I saw on my way here. He’s relatively tall as well, he stands about half a foot taller than me and his silver eyes meet mine.

“I guessed you’d want to talk, and I know I couldn’t avoid it for long.” He says with a sigh.

“ Yeah, just tell me what’s going on.” I say, interested, but also somewhat agrivated.

“Well….”

Chapter 1. (AA1 AA2) -The Army of Two-

My apartment is small and cramped. The dust, which is illuminated by the little sunlight that can actually break through the heavy factory smoke, finds itself hovering above me. I turn and notice that Bricks is still asleep. I get up quietly and try to move across the unkempt wooden floor without making too much noise, as it groans and moans on each step I take. Slowly, but surely I find myself in the bathroom staring at the mirror; a boy no older than 15, black hair that just barely comes down to his eyes, a decent muscular build that was accumulated by hours and hours of work at the factory and shipyards, skin that is not quite pale but close to it, and a pair of hazel eyes. I sigh and hang my head, not noticing Bricks got up. He is a young man, around the age of 25, and he also has black hair the same shade as mine, but it is kept high and tight, he looks as though a standard factory lifter with his muscular build and his skin is an olive-ish color that I cannot place, and he is the closest person I can call family.

“What are you thinking of Jack?” He says as he leans in the doorway. I can tell he’s worried; he’s got that look he gets when an accident happens at work. He’s a very nice and kind hearted man. “Nothing, just….” He sighs and walks over and places a hand on my shoulder. “Don’t worry about that, it’s in a few months okay?” He always knows exactly what to say, but this time I’m not comforted which is what I’d like to be. “Alright, I’ll try.” He gives me a reassuring smile and walks out toward the kitchen.

“I know its nerve racking, but don’t dwell on it. I don’t think you’ll be moving to the brains department anytime soon.” He laughs as he pulls out two cans of food and tosses one to me along with a fork. “Just focus on today and then the next day when its tomorrow, it’s all you can do.” I give him a small smile and open my can, meat and peas, not a bad breakfast. I practically wolf the whole thing down within a minute then toss the can in the trash. “What’s your plan Bricks?” He takes his time eating and shrugs, swallowing what he has in his mouth before speaking. “Got the shipyards today so I could be done early, or done tomorrow.” I sigh the shipyards usually take longer no matter what, and I’m not good on my own. I slide down the wall and lean my head back staring at the ceiling. Bricks walks to the window and looks over to the smoke stalks nearby. “Hear there’s talk of a revolution, what do you think?” I close my eyes and speak non-caringly “They’ll just put it down like they always do. The sad truth is that.” Bricks sighs and shakes his head, he walks over and grabs his work pass and ID. “Try and be happy alright? After all today is your birthday. I’ll be back after work.” My birthday? I almost forgot that, usually I don’t pay attention because here in the slums a birthday is seen as one day closer to That day. After a few more minutes of staring at the cracked plaster ceiling I get up and grab my ID then head for the school. Luckily enough today is my scheduled day off that changes every week, but that doesn’t make the day any better. By the time I get to school I’ve become a little less cynical, but only a little.