Savoirs

Jason

It was mid-day when I walked into the small village. I had been on foot since I left the last town and had gotten turned around a few times before I got here. The village was quiet with tired people and tired looking buildings. I passed through the quiet market place with the old shop keepers selling bread and beads and flowers and walked into the old run down inn, which looked like a good sneeze would blow it over. The steps creaked as I walked up them and through the door. The room was dark and gloomy with an old woman sitting behind the counter sewing. A bell rang as the door opened and she looked up. When she saw me her eyes narrowed and she stood, discarding her work for the time being.

"What do you want?" She grumbled. I looked around. The place looked like it needed a good dusting but I wasn't here to judge the decor, I only needed a room for a few days.

"A room." I replied shortly. She nodded and jerked her thumb over her shoulder.

"Back there. Five silver." I pulled the money out of my leather pouch hanging from my belt and laid it on the counter as I passed to go back to the room. Once I opened the door I knew the women didn't do much to keep up on the inn for the room smelled strongly of whiskey and smoke but I didn't mind for I simply tossed my things on the cot and climbed out the window after wedging a chair under the door handle so the woman couldn't come in and steal anything. I walked around trying to find a short term job but to no avail, people didn't trust strangers very well in this village, but I didn't blame them I wouldn't trust myself either and I surely didn't trust any of them. It was dusk when I walked into the tavern looking for a job. I walked up to the busy bar and the bar keep hurried over.

"What can I get you?" He asks hurriedly. I smirk. He was sweating and I saw him glance impatiently at another customer.

"A job if that's not a problem." I reply and he looked back at me. He looked exhausted and ready to pass out. He sighed and nodded.

"I assume a young man like you knows his way around liquor?" He asks. I nodded and he handed me a rag and let me behind the bar before he hurried of to help another customer. A man raised his hand and I walked over the question written on my face.

"Whiskey." He slurred and I grabbed the bottle. I poured him a shot and then went to the next man. Most of the night it was like that and then it started to slow down and I could sit behind the counter and take a swig of whiskey and keep an eye on things. 

Eventually the tavern was empty and the bar keep handed me a small amount of coins and I went back to the inn that I was staying at in the dark on high alert for anything that might be lurking in the shadows. I climbed in through the window and moved the chair from behind the door. It was quiet out and the room was dark with moonlight casting unfamiliar shadows on to the floor. I was already weary from travelling and the late night made me fell like I was dragging bricks behind me as I made my way across the room. I laid down on the cot and fell asleep nearly as soon as my head hit the pillow.

When I woke up I was standing in a field. Confused I looked around me and saw homes on fire behind me and I turned around. A group of kids, 12 or 13, I couldn't tell, were walking into the village. I jogged over and saw the faces of girls and boys so young and scared, fearing death and not wanting to kill anyone. The dirt streets were quiet with trash blowing across in the wind and a dog barked at them. We walked through the place quietly, the destruction making us silent. Eventually one of the kids looked up at me expectantly.

"So what do we do, Jase?" The nickname hit me like I had just fallen off a horse. I had been here before, I had seen this before and I knew what was about to happen. I opened my mouth to tell them to get down and saw movement in the corner of my eye.