The Blackened | ONC 2022

「Chapter Two: Trade」

To be honest, after that conversation, I couldn't focus on the obituary note for much longer. I rose from the cot and gathered up the book and papers McCall had put together. After placing them on the decrepit bookshelf we had salvaged a while back, I made a move for the town square. If I'm lucky, I can meet one of the parents giving McCall trouble and try to sort out their issues myself.

Our walled city would be about the size of a town square and perhaps have four to five blocks surrounding it. We do the best we can and don't let outsiders enter unless they can provide the help we need. More mouths to feed, like children, are detrimental to our supplies. As much as it hurts to turn them away, everyone can't be saved.

A few of the residents sent greetings my way, and I passed them by while reciprocating. I really do love the people here. I just get really tired of expending my energy socializing.

The city itself isn't marvelous like it would have been a decade ago. Although the tall buildings attached to shops are falling apart, we have had the chance to make sure none of the stones will crumble down. I do appreciate the natural flora that took the opportunity to overgrow and reclaim the world.

Before we made this place a haven, we were lucky that it wasn't as infested as other places. As it seems, Colorado being the state it is, the number of Blackened didn't increase exponentially for a couple of years. I know if I were to travel out of state, the hassle of survival would be a heavy burden to bear.

In the town square, the directors tried to make the space as comforting as possible. The dilapidated fountain had some charm with the chalk we managed to salvage from someone's home. Of course, the kids we do house in our city nurture their artistic side. But this may be the one kindness we can offer them in these times.

As I suspected, Diana sat on one of the benches our craftsman had made out of spare wood. Further along the stone path was her daughter Eve, scrawling happily in what empty space she could. As much as Diana was a great help with rationing and food prep, she tended to overexaggerate the little symptoms of a common cold.

I prayed this entire exchange wouldn't cost me my dinner tonight. Or at the very least, not have dirt mixed in it.

"Diana! Hey, how've you been?" I called out.

She looked up from the sheet she was hunched over. "Oh, Satrivina, you're finally crawling out of your cave for something non-food?"

"Hey! I leave when McCall needs something done. I ah- I just don't want to get picked up by the scruff to go out on scavenging missions." Although most outings are voluntary, being a hermit gets you voluntold to do things if you're caught.

For some reason, I didn't enjoy the side-eye she was giving me.

"Right, doing tasks for McCall. Speaking of which, you're close with him, right?" She egged on.

"Oh no, no, no. I won't ask for any favors on someone else's behalf." Though I already know where this conversation is leading. "It just positions me in the middle for trouble to come later."

Diana lifted a brow. "Weren't you the one who punched Andrew in the face the first week we got here?"

"Ah, ah- The past can stay buried. We've gotten over that little hill and let it die. So, please don't bring that up in his vicinity any time soon."

I can't say that Andrew didn't deserve it, though. If he didn't parade around the city like Commodus, we wouldn't be having a problem here. Oh, look at me. I'm Andrew, I saved us all by finding a cool city to pilfer through for all the rotten food and broken necessities it's worth. That frickin' douche. He would have been thrown off the leadership team if only McCall didn't get anxious every time he was crushed by a boulder of pressure.

Diana set aside her papers. From a quick glance, they looked like divvy sheets for the week. No wonder she wasn't paying much attention to the, ah- drawings Eve was scrawling on the stones.

"Look, Satrivina. I know our medical supplies are sparse, but it seems like McCall isn't taking people's worries seriously. This world isn't going to be forgiving just to say, "Here's a little cough that'll pass." The fever your kid has? Nothing to worry about," Diana relented.

Aaand here's the completely useless spiel.

"All I'm asking you to do is give him a little push. Just convince him that us parents just don't want to see our kids suffer."

I sighed, "Here, I'll help you try out the different tea brewings I found in books we could manage to read around here. I've read that people decades ago used to be just fine without medications. The kids will be too. Unless it's something major, Diana, we can't afford to give out what little we had left for something that can be nursed."

She snatched up the divvy sheets and called out to Eve. "Well, it looks like this was a waste of breath and time I could have used to manage these."

What use was it to expend energy chasing after her? Diana was headstrong and had a big mouth. I can just imagine what little comments and exaggerations she was going to spout to the other parents. Why do I try not to be a hermit?

As a few minutes slipped away, I lay on the bench. I'm going to have to suck it up at some point or another to realize I didn't have a stance in this town. All I had was my close friendship with McCall, and that's all anyone ever saw me for.

A commotion arose further toward the outskirts of the town. In a rush, I bolted from the bench. Any deductive skills were clouded by the worry that the scouts had returned early. Either from a horde or injuries, neither option is a less than dire fix. The only way to know is through the tales they spun themselves.

Footsteps, both light and daunting, I made my way to the gates where the clamor grew louder. Only to arrive to see Andrew red in the face.

"Andrew, what's got your undies in a twist?" I joked.

He looked me in the eyes. I knew this wasn't the time for a jape.

"Look at the hermit who has crawled out of their shell," he sneered. A second later, he relented. Andrew cast his hand out toward the gate. Some of our security stood with rifles and shotguns in hand. No one looked the least bit cheerful at this turn of events. Though I can say it's a sigh of relief not to see the faces of any of our scouts here.

But Andrew's words sent ice through my veins.

"It seems we have a bunch of peacemakers here asking to set up a trade relationship."

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