The Wastelands

Chapter 23

The day dragged into the evening and she watched two more buses follow the road to the auction house. The curators working for the slave trade were holding a large sale the next day at noon and a decent crowd was suspected to attend. People from out of town flocked to Hatfeld for the chance at buying a new piece of property. The money would go to the auctioneers who owned the slaves and they would use it to buy even more people to sell at a profit. It was a circular process that sickened her to her core.

Blue glared at the black vehicles through the windows of the shop and wondered how many people were crammed into those seats. Dozens—she guessed—and she figured they were all uncomfortable and dirty. Then she wondered if the buses even had seats or if the slaves had to stand the whole ride or risk being trampled by sitting on the floor.

Either way, she hated just seeing the damn buses and wanted to wipe them out.

She fumed about it the rest of the afternoon and all throughout supper. While the rest of the house was fast asleep, Blue stayed awake contemplating her tormenting ideas. She couldn't help but feel resentment towards herself for sitting around, living the good life while so many others had nothing. Ever since she came to the Wastelands, she had everything she needed. Clothes, food, water, a soft bed and clean sheets. Frank insured that she never had to go without and she suddenly hated the life he had given her. There were thousands of slaves out there with nothing who deserved a taste of freedom and she was ready to give it to them.

At dawn, she was the first to shower and get dressed. She put on a pair of dark, skin tight jeans that were easy to run in. Her black t-shirt hugged her torso and she zipped a leather jacket over the top. She stepped into her new boots, admiring how much taller she was in the slight heels. They were a vast improvement over her last pair and fit perfectly. Lastly, she wrapped her black belt around her waist with the hatchet securely in its holster.

Talk about looking bad ass. I'd like to meet the person who'd want to challenge me. She smiled at her reflection, then headed for the door.

Frank stood by the counter near the coffee maker, yawning as he waited for his morning drink to finish draining. He passed her a smile when she entered the kitchen and she returned with a nod. She walked to the refrigerator and snagged the last cinnamon bun from the plate on a shelf inside. She poured a glass of milk and ate her breakfast, trying to avoid eye contact with the man.

"Getting started kind of early today, aren't you?" Frank asked as the last few drops filled the pot.

Blue shrugged, "It's just another day. I might as well get started before everyone else."

Frank scoffed and said, "Have anything exciting planned?"

"Nothing too outrageous. Just something small." She said as she finished the bun.

"Sure," Frank replied, knowing the small type of things she intended to start, "Do you need any company?"

She shook her head and said, "No. I think I can handle this on my own."

He looked over his shoulder and watched her drink the milk in a single swig. She rinsed the cup in the sink, then carefully set it down to be washed later. She adjusted the holster on her belt so the axe was closer to her right hand, then passed him a simple smile.

"You sure about that?" he asked, noticing the hatchet attached to her waist.

"I'm pretty sure."

"When can I expect you home?"

She shrugged, "I don't know yet. It just depends where the day takes me."

"Should I wait up for you tonight then?"

"No, I'll be fine. You have nothing to worry about."

"I hope not." He stated, pouring hot coffee into a yellow mug. "Whatever you do have planned for the day, just make sure it's for something good. That you'll be doing it to benefit others and not just eliminate the intensity in your head."

She nodded, "I always do the right thing. Nothing will ever change."

"Keep thinking like that." he said, taking a sip of his coffee, "And promise me one thing before you go; promise me you'll be careful."

"Of course, you know me. Careful is my middle name." she joked.

"Last I knew you didn't have a middle name."

"I do now."

"What about a last name?"

Her eyes passed over the floor, drifting to the ceiling as she thought of something quick, then added, "Awesomeness?"

He chuckled at the last name she created for herself and said, "Awesomeness, really? I know you're a bit conceited, but that might be too much of a stretch."

"Sorry, I can't change it now. It's set in stone."

He nodded and sipped from the steaming mug, "Just stay safe out there. Don't get into too much trouble."

"How much trouble could I possibly get into? I've already gone through the worst things a person could handle. I promise I'll be fine." She walked through the kitchen and pushed the back door open, stepping into the chilly, morning air.

Frank kept an eye on her through the window above the counter. She went through her usual routine before running off for the day. She combed her fingers through her hair, tugged on the sleeves of her jacket, then stared at the clouds for a brief pause to find serenity in the day. The sun hid behind a thin layer of grey clouds, threatening rain to spoil any outdoor activity. Rain had a strange way of calming her down. Thunder storms made her feel normal at times.

Blue glanced over her shoulder and caught him spying on her. She waved, then took off at her usual pace. His eyes moved too slowly to keep up and he lost her before she got to the hill.

Frank sipped from the steaming mug, then leaned against the counter. He had a gut feeling of where she was headed. She didn't need to leave an itinerary of her day's events for him to figure it out. The look in her eyes when the black buses filed into town gave it away. The monster behind her gorgeous blue eyes was capable of inserting her life into situations that were bigger than she could handle. He didn't want to stop her from going; that would only make things worse. But, he couldn't stop himself from worrying about her. She etched herself as a permanent part of his life and he didn't want anything bad to happen.

He checked the time on the clock above the stove. Three hours remained before the civilians would shuffle into the auction house to start the bidding wars. Blue would finally see firsthand how it worked unless she chose to make a stand before things got started.

He hoped she was smart enough to make the wise decision without him being there to show her the way.

Footsteps drifted down the hallway and Frank met Penny's friendly, morning smile. Her brother would sleep in for at least another hour before gracing them with his presence. His newfound freedom made him appreciate the comfort of a warm bed after going months sleeping on dirt.

"I heard Blue getting up early this morning," Penny said, getting bacon and eggs ready to make for breakfast, "what's all that about?"

"Oh, you know her, "Frank replied, taking another sip of the coffee, "she's off to save the world one small task at a time."

"Won't that be fun. I can't wait to hear how it goes." Penny stated.

"I think I can wait." Frank replied, not saying anything else on the subject.