The Quiet Ever After

The Association's Notice - 5

Clear sunlight all down the street became quickly obscured by the overhead canopy of the communal area trees as Axel and Nina approached the bench area. Branches hung high and thick overhead, laden with few surviving leaves. Signs of the raccoon family were evident by the shreds of garbage left behind. Axel stooped, letting go of Nina's hand, and picked up what bits he could salvage, then walked them over to the garbage can right by the benches.

Ryan, who'd been waiting for them there, turned around. It was a warmer day, so his sleeves were exposed, revealing the markings running up his arms.

Nina, too, had short sleeves, and her tattoos, though somewhat faded, were visible. Neither set of markings responded as they may once have in days past, given that the magic of Faustus and Jericho was dead in Ryan's system.

"What's up?" Axel asked.

Ryan had discretely asked Axel to speak the previous night but backed away and suggested a different time when Jaime and the boys came by to play with Axel. Nina was off that morning, taking the afternoon shift to cover for Veronica who was having horrible nausea and wanted to join Axel. Not because she didn't trust him, but because she had a genuine curiosity.

Outside of their run-in at the grocery store, she had yet to encounter him in a light that painted him as...well, hard to call it noble. Good? Yeah. That.

"Let me guess," Ryan said, acknowledging Nina with a nod. "You didn't see my other post last night, did you?"

"No," Axel said. "What was it about?"

"Doesn't matter. I guess nobody in the neighborhood wants to bother talking about this anymore. Nobody cares. I saw some people taking down their lights after Melinda and Carla came around the other day. They're giving up."

"That's their decision, but, after tomorrow they may realize that was a mistake," Axel said.

Ryan pursed his lips. "No. I don't think it is. Those two are relentless. They don't have anything else to do but run down anyone that has even slightly gone against these rules."

"It's an abuse of power," Axel said.

"And it's working," Ryan said. "What's the point of hounding them if they're just going to punch back harder than we ever could?"

"Because it's about standing with what's right," Nina said.

"We're the ones breaking the rules," Ryan said. "We're in the wrong."

"They're the ones pushing people around," Axel said. "Not us."

Ryan removed his hands and took a seat at one of the benches. He bowed his head.

"I just can't bring myself to care that much, Axel," Ryan said. "All of this petty bickering and back and forth? It's exhausting. It's not what I wanted when I moved here. I don't mind not being able to do certain things if it means I just don't get bothered." He rubbed his face, and at once, the wear of all those fights, all those struggles, flashed to the surface. "I'm tired and I'm done. You can go to the meeting and plead your case."

"What?" Axel asked.

"You can't be serious," Nina said, a laugh almost in her voice. "You're going to just give up?"

"Think about what you're doing," Ryan said. "It's ridiculous. You're pouring all of this time and energy into what? A dispute with a few people who are thriving for the fight? This isn't some righteous cause, this isn't some grand...whatever! It doesn't matter. It's just holiday decorations, it's just stupid shit that doesn't even matter. Don't you want to just live?"

"I do," Axel said. "But not under anyone's heel."

"You of all people should understand that," Nina said.