BAD WINE CRAPPY CHOCOLATE

CHAPTER TWO-2

"I spoke with Ben," Brandon said, as he walked into the room and interrupted her thoughts. "He can provide some suitable clothes for you. Let's get some sleep now. I want to leave first thing in the morning."

"Sure thing, boss," Cori responded, grinning about their sudden role reversal.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Would you like to sleep in?"
"I was only kidding. You better call the shots, or who knows where we'll wind up?"
"If the weather is good, we should reach Max's in three days. I can't thank you enough for
coming with me."
"That thing you have could have brought us anywhere, right? So why did you bring us back to the
past? Is this where you're from?"
"I've been all over," Brandon responded. "So I'm not really from any particular place anymore. I
came here to warn my sister Cybil. You know how to ride a horse, right?"
"Yes. I go riding in the park occasionally."
"Good. Ben is going to let us use two of his horses. I'll see you in the morning."
The thought of riding through this unfamiliar land excited her. Cori tossed and turned for what
seemed like hours, but finally managed to fall asleep. Brandon tapped her on the shoulder just before dawn. On the chair next to the bed was a pair of pants made of tough yet comfortable material. A shirt made of a softer fabric lay on top of them. The boots next to the chair were just the right size. They were made of a spongy yet resilient substance and were extremely comfortable. She put on the native garments before placing her own clothes and other possessions in the satchel that had been provided by the farmer.
Cori then joined Brandon and the Chambers at the kitchen table, partaking in a breakfast of fruit, eggs, and bacon. Then the four of them stepped out into the dawn, where Cori noted wispy pink clouds near the horizon. Two horses were standing outside the hut, both ready to ride. Cori chose the chestnut mare and attached her bag to its saddle. Brandon tied his to the saddle of the black colt.
"Thanks again, Ben." Brandon embraced him. Then he did the same to Ben's wife. "It was great seeing you, Anna."
"Come by any time." "I will."

Cori shook their hands and climbed onto the mare. She petted the animal while speaking words of encouragement. Brandon mounted the other one, and the two of them rode off under a soft blue sky.
"Why doesn't Ben like this Bardy person?" Cori asked.
"Max lives a different kind of life than most," Brandon explained. "So the majority of people don't approve of him. He's a thief."
"What does he steal?"
"Technically, the answer to your question is nothing. Max doesn't take anything himself. But he's the leader of a very large organization whose primary purpose is to steal. That makes him a thief."
"How is he going to help you?"
"He can keep the Mises safe for me."
They rode through miles and miles of farmland. Men on their hands and knees tended to rows of
vegetables. There were occasionally beasts of burden involved, but for the most part these farmers appeared to rely on their own muscles to maintain the fields.
"Where's your sister?" Cori asked sometime later.
"She's in a city that's far away from here. Cybil is going to become our leader."
"Who's after her?"
Brandon considered his answer carefully.
"Who wants to stop anyone that promises to change things? The people who are benefiting from
the current system, of course."
"Where did you get the seeds that the farmer mentioned?"
"You're full of questions today, aren't you?" Brandon said with a smile. "I combined two kinds
of wheat to produce a much heartier plant. I like experimenting with things."
Brandon suddenly stopped his horse. The road ahead passed between two hills, each of them
covered with trees. He suddenly looked very concerned.
"We'll leave the road for a while. I want to go around that hill."