An Axe in the Flames

Back Into the Fray

"Listen, Poppy, there's no one in your shop, right?" Draxx whispered.

The two were almost nose to nose, well, nose to breasts because Draxx was about a head shorter than she was. He was looking up at her and had a brilliant idea.

"Ain't been nary a soul, 'sides me." She said.

Her breath was horrendous, "Ok, how many oil lanterns do you have?"

She breathed out, a smell of fish and stale beer assaulting Draxx's nose. His eyes began watering.

"Four, two times. Are you cryin'?"

"God's no, it's your breath, Poppy. It's horrible." He said trying to hold back a dry heave.

She shuffled and tried to bring her hand up but couldn't because of the confined space, "You little shit."

Draxx shook his head, "No matter. I need them. I have a plan for a distraction but we have to sneak back in. Can you get me in there with you?"

She rolled her eyes, "Don't rightly know, maybe my breath be stinkin' too much."

He looked up at her and raised an eyebrow, "You want me to help or not?"

She sarcastically smiled back, "Course I do, Draxx. You just really piss me off sometimes. Now I knows why you ain't find a woman yet."

He laughed and quickly cut it off, "Dammit woman, you're crazy. So, can you sneak me into your shop or what?"

She nodded, "Yeah, I reckon. Move your fat ass out of the way."

The two scooted around each other, as Draxx tried to suck in his belly to allow her hips passage. He was at the back of the small shed now and could see light through a crack in the worn boards. There wasn't anyone around them, so that was good. He looked up at her and whispered a thanks. With a nod, she slowly opened the door and looked around then gave him a head nod to follow her. Quickly, he exited the shed and headed for the shadows of the shop. With almost no moonlight, the shadows were long and drawn out. He realized he was holding his breath as they both moved in unison towards the side door. Without incident, they reached the door and made it inside. The shop was filled with stacks of linen, colored and plain. Spools of thread lay on wooden tables and benches.

"Ok, get me all of your lanterns and the biggest barrel you've got." Draxx said as he grabbed a handful of folded red linen.

"What's your plan, old man?" Poppy questioned as she crossed the messy room, stepping over piles of unfinished work.

"Gonna fill the barrel with oil, cap it, then start a fire. If it works how I hope it'll get hot enough that when I open the front door and throw the barrel out...big boom."

She frowned at him, "Big boom?"

"Yeah, big boom. It's gonna explode. Just gotta get the barrel hot enough so that when I throw it, the pressure inside is enough to make it explode." He used his hands to imitate an explosion.

She raised an eyebrow as she grabbed two lanterns from a shelf, "What'n if it don't?"

Draxx shrugged, "Then it's at least a pretty damn big fire."

Moving another stack of linens Draxx found a five-gallon, wooden barrel and began to empty the lantern oil into it, as Poppy brought him the rest she paused holding the last light in the room.

"We ain't gun' have no light, Draxx."

He reached up and snatched it from her hands and emptied it into the barrel, from the singular window that was mostly covered with a curtain, a sliver of light from the town square was peaking through. He smiled at her and nodded his head towards the window.