Fallen [Wattys 2016]

Chapter one

      
         Chapter one: It was raining

    “And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown”. (Gen 6:1-4)

     It was raining as three carriages loudly splashed by, the giant wooden wheels dipping into giant potholes and splashing up water on the rotting dark oak wood. Large trailers attached to the tail end of the carriages followed behind, packed full with people. Every single one of them wore ragged and dirt-caked clothes, their dirty faces claimed sad expressions as the bumps made them squish closer together so they would not fall off the sides. The carriages pulled through the streets and barely a head turned, it was very common to see Slave-traders wander about with gypsy slaves very poorly kept in their collection.

     The rain splashed to the ground, but gradually began to slow its pace as a small group of people watched from the shadows in a crouched position, weapons at the ready. There were about twelve people all together including Nova.

                   She lifted a black gloved hand two fingers standing up and slowly bending forward. A signal. The rest of the group followed and lined up behind Nova. She pressed her back up against the stone wall as wet drops collected on her eyelashes and her heart beat quickened. Hey eyes followed the third carriage as it came to a stop at a cross lane. It was time. She waved a gloved hand in the air and sprang from the alley, everyone followed and surrounded the carriage. They surprised the horse, it reared up and whinnied bucking forward and jerked the whole carriage.

               Every innocent passersby cleared from the area desperate not to be involved, and the driver, and all the passengers, scrambled from the carriage.
The horse whined and tried to joust forward but the weapons held in front of her scared her and the wagon tipped over.

      The leader, a very large and
round man, Charlie Hadley, stood white faced with two of his men on either side of him. They wore similar expressions as they scanned the circle of mysterious people around them.  Nova stepped forward “Hadley... “ she said sternly. He was surprised to hear his own name.

“W-what do you want?” he held his stubby gloved hands in the air. “Please don't kill me.”

         Nova stepped forward dressed in all black mens clothes, a mask concealed her face. She motioned towards the slaves; men, women, children who all wore frightened expressions.  “I want a trade…” She held her chin up forcing her icy glare onto him. “Set them free, and I will spare your lives.” He challenged her matching her cold stare and she narrowed her eyes.“Set them free Hadley.” she forced.

     Hadley’s eyes became unfocused and in a robotic voice he droned. “Set them free.” Suddenly as if that over exerted him his whole body went slack and he collapsed to the ground. She sighed. Nova hated using her power like that, it always left permanent damage to the person's will she overrided. She felt someone put their hand on her shoulder in comfort but she didn't turn around to see who it was.

        *                       *                        *

     Nova wanted to act quickly, it wouldn't be long before someone called the sheriff. These men, women, and children were considered someone's property. Though, she believed, they shouldn't. The sheriff  and the judge would side with Hadley and his men the moment they held trial. Leaving Hadley and his men bounded and unconscious in an alley wouldn't help their case either.