The Traveller

Bordon

The traveller steps forward, slowly, so as not to arouse suspicion. Even so, he hears the metallic clink of firearms shifting beneath people's arms. He walks slowly, towards the man in the army fatigues, one foot in front of the other, eyes fixed on the man's face. his black boots kick up small clouds of dust, that rise and fall back down again, like a beast ponderously stirring, only to fall back into timeless slumber. As he nears the crowd, two people, an old, craggy man, and a broad shouldered teenage girl level crudely fashioned blunderbusses at him. The traveller stops. There is silence for a moment, enough for the traveller to muster his thoughts.

"Danny," he says.

"Ean." The other man speaks, his voice hoarse with emotion. Neither man says anything. They stand, facing each other, scarcely five feet away. No one talks. A wheezy cough rattles through the dusty, hot air. The two people on either side of Danny look unsure. Slowly, they lower their weapons. 

With a great rush of motion, the two men leap at each other, startling the crowd. A couple even raises their guns, only to lower them again at the sight of the two men embracing like brothers.  

"I thought you were gone" Danny speaks into Ean's shoulder.

"still here little brother" replies Ean. He draws back sharply from the embrace and holds his brother at shoulder length, looking at him, deep into his eyes. He sees happiness, yet also sorrow, and worry etched deep into his brother's face. 

"how long..." Ean falters, barely holding back a sob. 

"Nine years," says Danny, almost in a trance, staring, unbelieving at his older brother.

"You've gotten old while I've been gone" Ean's grim face cracks and a ragged and weary smile pokes through. 

"You look the same. You don't look a day different from the day you-" Across Danny's face, a range of emotions flickers. Sadness, confusion, even ire. "from the day you left."

"I didn't leave Danny, I was taken. The FOCD took everyone they could. For training Danny, they needed new people, I was draughted Danny, You think I'd leave you and Suzi by yourselves, you think I'd just up and leave? Just like that? No warning?" Ean is shaking Danny, trying to help the words sink in. 

"Danny, hey, Danny-"

"she's dead Ean." Danny looks up as he speaks, staring Ean squarely in the face. Anger and pain burn on his face. "Suzi died last summer, in the Great Heat. She's dead." Danny holds in a sob, as Ean stares out, over his brother's shoulder, into the heat twisted distance. There is silence amongst the crowd. No one moves or even coughs. All eyes focus on the sight of Danny, and the traveller, standing stock still on the dusty cobbled road. 

Slowly the townsfolk begin to drift away with the sun, moving back to their hovels, and shacks and barns and houses. No one talks, for the day has come to an abrupt end. They all worry for Danny, and for what this strange man may bring to their town. Up through grassless and dusty front gardens, onto rickety wooden porches, the townsfolk climb. Sloping slowly into their houses in twos and threes, with no words uttered between them. None of them has left the near vicinity of the town since the crops began to die. They were contented with their mundane but peaceful lives. But with the coming of this man, some of the townsfolk begin to think of the world outside their safe haven.