All Cloaked Up For You

Chapter 5 - Sophia

I tried bringing in 3 big bottles of water from the city to the wasteland again. Hey, It doesn't call breaking the rule when you didn't get caught. Yes, I know Mayor Tumbleweed let me study in the city and all I can repay him is by listening to him, but the people of Wasteland deserve more clean water. Yes, I am aware if I got caught with the clean water again, Mayor Tumbleweed would wreck hell on me. 

Well, that is what exactly happened. After school on the 36th time I brought home clean water, exactly 4 days after Alexander Herrington came to my class for the first time, Mayor Tumbleweed's soldiers kidnapped me and I was in one of Mayor Tumbleweed's luxury cars. There's clean water in the car, I was going to take one of them but one of the soldiers smacked my hand away from the water. What, I'm thirsty. I carried 3 big bottles home and I needed water. 

I peered out of the window and saw my 3 big bottles being attacked and surrounded by the poor. They are attacking each other for it. That's not good. "Get me out of the car!" I yelled and smacked the soldiers. I wanted to get to the 3 big bottles quickly so I could distribute them evenly among the poor. The two soldiers laughed, they whistled and indicated the driver to start driving. I see my mom chasing after me with her two feet. 

"MOM" I yelled. I leaned closer to the window and pressed my hand firmly against it. "It's not worth it mom, stop running. I will be fine" I yelled. "It's not worth yelling, this car is soundproof. Your mom won't hear what you say" one of the soldiers said. My mom finally stopped running, and she finally took a break. I gave her a wink hoping she understood I had something against my sleeves. 

I was still in my school uniform, so sitting down in this luxury car with a city girl uniform felt awkward because I was poor. I have never been in a luxury car or any cars. Only bikes or on my feet. I examined the soldiers. They sat up straight, with their hands on their holsters ready to pull out their gun if I decided to do something funny. Their uniform looked cool, but their helmet was not it. It shows purple, red, and black. I remember it's the Tumbleweed's family ancestry colors. 

In my History over Wasteland book, Vatherina and Andrew fell in love but both their family are so strict and have a feud against each other because they wanted the whole Sterling to themselves. Vatherina and Andrew felt like they should rule together. Well that failed, Vatherina's stupid son is ruling over Wasteland like a stupid dictator. Let me guess, Mayor Tumbleweed gets plumbing, clean water, and food from the city because the city feels bad for bombing West Sterling. 

That's stupid, I think the Herrington Dynasty starting to understand how stupid Joe Tumbleweed is. Suddenly the car jumped. Shit. The soldiers are squishing my body against the seat. I feel their gun pointing toward me as they try to adjust themselves. "Derek, you dickhead, drive safely bitch" one of the soldiers yelled. "My bad went over some bump," Derek said. They need Derek to be fired.

I watched as houses and houses faded away and we went up a hill. "Are we there yet?" I asked annoyed. "No," One of the guards sternly answered. I feel tired and bored of just sitting here doing nothing and seeing trees and trees that were falling thanks to all the water being brown like shit. "How many more minutes?" I asked again.  "Shut the fuck up will you?" one of the soldiers said and punch the seat next to them. Geez, it's just a question. 

I realized we weren't going to the government of Wasteland, but instead, we were going to Mayor Tumbleweed's house. "Why are we going to Mayor Tumbleweed's house?" I asked. "Don't ask any more questions or I will tape your mouth shut." I immediately shut my mouth. I see Mayor Tumbleweed's 3 million dollar house. So he has enough for his house and not the whole welfare of the wasteland. What a dick. 

We arrived at Tumbleweed's house and he stood outside with his hands behind his back. "Welcome to my humble abode, Sophia Reynolds, have broken my rule twice in 3 months. How do you feel about that?" Joe Tumbleweed asked politely. "Mayor, I have felt exactly no shame in doing so," I responded. He narrowed his eyebrows. "I think you never learn a lesson have you?" He said in a serious tone. He snapped his soldiers to drag me inside his house.

The house or what you call it, an estate, is nice. Black, purple, and red is always a staple in the estate. The only sense of richness is the silver on the walls. It's clean, ornate, better than any houses in the wasteland of course. The soldiers dropped me on the floor of Tumbleweed's study room or office. "Get up on your feet," Joe ordered. I got up on my feet. He walks closer to me, and something in me tells me I need to run. Will he be coming closer to me?

He grabbed my chin. "You. How dare you bring clean water to my territory from another." He paused and sighed heavily. He raised his hands and smacked it across my face. I didn't say anything. This man can't hurt my damn ego. He grabbed my chin once again. "If you do that one more time, I have no choice but to kill your mom and force you to marry me." Mayor Tumbleweed said. I can't believe what he said. "What!" I was bewildered. 

I look at this man in confusion and disgust. "You are a 32-year-old man, I'm 16. Why do you want to marry me?" I said while taking my ground. "Oh, you don't know how much you are worth to me," Joe sweet-talked. I shot a perplexed face. I gulped. "What?" I said confused. He turned around to his desk and poured himself a glass of whiskey. I don't know, I don't drink. He turned around and took a sip of the whiskey. 

"Oh, it's getting hot." He said and took off his trench coat and placed it on the coat hanger. He has a vest over his dress shirt. I can tell he is fit under all that clothes and he wanted to hide his toned body. He pours me a glass of whiskey. "You want a drink?" He asked while looking deeply into my eyes. I think he is trying to get me in the mood. I don't have time for this. "No, I don't drink," I retorted quickly.

"Oh, good girl." He complimented. That's where I draw the line and barf myself. "I hate how you try to mess up my plans though," He snapped. "What do you mean?" He looks at me more, I feel creeped out. He got up and slammed me against the wall. "I'm planning to make a war soon, you bringing water to the wasteland might make people against me. Don't do it again or I will kill your mom and force you with me" Joe demanded and pointed his finger at me.

Joe stopped leaning against me. He looked at me in my eyes. "Why would you want to marry me?" I asked. He pulled back and sat on his chair. "You aren't like the typical wasteland girls, you are smart, kind, and yet independent and wild. You know how difficult it is to find a girl like you?" He said with a bit of desperation on his face. I look at him. "What are you trying to say?" I said in a cold tone. "You are different,  I was waiting for a girl like you." 

He called for a soldier in. Soldiers marched into the room. "Bring her home, this time safely. I will need her" Joe demanded. The soldiers grabbed me and brought me out to the car. This time Derek isn't the one driving. It's a woman. Thank god, it's someone else other than Derek because he is horrible at driving. They placed me into the car and they started driving. The thought of Joe Tumbleweed wanting to marry me was traumatizing.