Ranger

Chapter 2

Kroger

I woke up on my pile of straw in the alley. I heard growling.

"Knock it off, guys," I said to my belly. I heard that sound so often I joked with myself that a pack of wolves lived in there. Well maybe today I could get some food so they could all take a nap for awhile. I didn't want to get put in the stocks again, but I had to risk it if I didn't want to end up starving to death.

I made my way to the market square where the arcade doors and windows were opening for the day. The traveling sellers were busy setting up their stalls. Soon the streets were packed with people. They shopped for chickens, ivory, furs, pumpkins, silk, spices, and a bunch of other stuff. I wandered along with the shoppers, trying to fit in. The smells of fresh bread, hot cakes, and roasted nuts made my mouth water. I wanted to grab some of everything, but I knew I had to wait for an opening to snatch something. A funnel cake with a bottle of root beer would've been awesome.

I perked up when I heard the talk between two men at a vegetable stand.

"Twenty Denaro for those? It is absurd!"

"These are the finest you will find anywhere, but alright, how about eighteen?"

"I won't go above fifteen."

While they were busy I strolled past and pawed a squash without them noticing.

"Stop!"

I looked to see my good friend the guard captain standing there. Great. I broke into a sprint, weaving through the crowd. I ran down one street going one way and then down another going the other way to try to throw him off. I dropped and rolled under a carriage that almost splatted my head like a grape with the back wheel. I leapt up on a stable and dropped off the other side. Things were looking pretty good until I ran into the dead end. I tried to scramble up the wall, but it was too smooth. I fell down on my bottom.

"Marko, why you do this again?" The guard captain and me looked to see a man coming towards me. He was huge, with almond colored skin. He lifted me onto my toes by the ear. Ow! "Forgive my boy. He not so bright. Now I take him home, beat sense into him."

"But-" said the guard captain.

The giant man held up a hand. He gave the guard captain handful of coins from his purse. "Here is for what he stole. Keep rest for your trouble." The guard captain left.

Speaking of trouble, I was out of one kind, but I had a feeling I had landed into another kind.

The big dude set me down. "You are working for me now. Make me much money."

"Why did you call me Marko?"

"First name I think of."

"I'm Kroger."

"Alright, Kroger. I am Besnik. Let us be going. Money not make itself."

Besnik led me out of town to where a group of brightly painted wagons were parked. Some of them had walls with doors and windows, while others only had cloth sides or no sides. A few had skinny metal chimneys.

A group of people had gathered to watch us coming. I waved and said hi, but they only gave me blank stares. I wondered if I had something in my teeth.

A hefty woman came over to Besnik and me. "Besnik, why you bring this gadje here? He not belong. Take him away."

Besnik held up a hand. "Dika, he is fast, good with hands. I use him for show."

Dika crossed her arms. "I not like this."