A Greater Lesson

Chapter 16: Campfire Stories

We traveled long during the day and camped out at night.  As a group, we grew closer together.  I was tempted a couple of times to admit the truth about my past to Kolan, but I never really did.  I felt like he was hiding something too.  If it was anything like our stories, I didn’t blame him.  When it came time to be entirely open with each other, I would let it happen.  Making that decision is probably the only thing besides Xik that helped me through it when that time came.

It was around four or five days since the beginning of our journey.  We had just made camp and Xik was finding enough wood to last us through the night.  It was only me and Kolan sitting side by side in front of the bright fire.   I could tell that Kolan had been thinking lately.  He had been more serious than normal.  He had been quieter.  We sat in silence for a few minutes before either of us began to talk.  During that time we just listened to the sound of night.  The monkeys screeched to each other in the towering trees and the nighttime bugs chattered loudly in the canopy.  I knew the conversation had started when I heard Kolan sigh.

“You know,” he started.  “I never thanked you guys for getting me out of that place.”

“What are you talking about, you’re the one who rescued me?”

“Yeah, but this wasn’t the first time I’ve had to work with that group.  I’ve known Garis for a long time.”

I shivered.  Even the sound of that name gave me the creeps.  It was no secret, I did not like that guy.

“He used to call me up for jobs all the time.  After his blowup I was able to start another life until he brought me in for the auction.”

“If you didn’t like him, why did you take the job?”

“I’m sure after being with him you are fully aware of his ruthlessness.”

I nodded and stared into the flames.  “More than you think.”

“There was no way I was saying no to Garis, not again.  But now that we’re leaving to a place where nobody will recognize us or know our history, I don’t have to be afraid of him anymore.”  He looked at me and smiled.

“I thought it was Jerghund you had a problem with.”

“Agh!  They’re all the same.  Jerg is just a manipulator, I’m not really afraid of him, I just don’t like him.  But those two have always been a team.  After I decided I didn’t want part in anymore of their evil doings, they replaced me with that moron who just does what he’s told.  They needed someone who didn’t have a mind of his own to take orders.  I refused.”

“What kinds of things did they do?”

“Oh, terrible things!  They eased up after the blowup a couple of years back.  Garis had never felt so defeated.  That girl is probably what made him stop.  At least for the short while he did.”

“What girl?  What’s the ‘blowup’ you keep talking about?”

He sighed.  “They’ve always done anything for easy money.  From robberies to contract killings.  That auction was another one of their little scams for money.  Jerg just planned things out.  Garis was the one who enjoyed the dirty work.   He had been on this robbery rampage.  He didn’t care who he hurt doing it.  There was one particular house that led to his fall.  Jerg was standing watch outside, it was only me and Garis in the house.  I didn’t want to kill another family.  I had convinced him to leave them alone if they remained sleeping, but he was being loud.  He woke up one of the girls down the hall.”