Red Rock

Chapter 22: Toeing the Line (Part 2)

Daire walked around the massive celebration with his head held high. Praises of all sorts fell upon him from the civilians that roamed about. Women flocked to the survivors of the victorious battle like a swarm of insects. Each and every citizen was joyous that their fellow countrymen had battled for their cause for patriotism and unity. It was a community like none of them had ever encountered; a sense of pride to be living in the Land of O'Connor.

Children were running around excitedly with their long sticks they had collected from the forests and pretended to be in battle with the evil Goroth. They fantasized that they were the heroes and played out the future victories they would take over the bad guys.

War had brought everyone closer, and with it, confidence in Daire's leadership, which was fine with him.

Daire overheard a man telling his story and stopped to listen.

The man sat down with a beautiful woman on each of his thighs, putting his hand around the two girls, bringing them in close. "It was terrible," he continued shaking his head. "Just terrible." Three other eager women gathered around the man as well, trying to get a space around the 'hero of the battle'.

Daire made out the man to be Cody, and smiled, waiting just outside of his range of view. "I had dug so deep into the swarm of those monsters that I could not see my allies around me. They couldn't keep up with me, slicing through the Gorothians like warm butter," he said, partially reenacting the scenario, and being applauded with 'Ooooh's' and 'awes'. "But it came at a cost," he continued. "I found myself surrounded by ten of them," Cody stopped for dramatic effect, shaking his head as if the sight still haunted him. The women around him melted in his hands, touching him softly all around.

"What happened next?" one of the women begged, eager for the conclusion of the story.

"I'm anxious to know as well!" Daire added.

Cody glanced around and saw Daire for the first time. He looked like he had just seen a ghost, "Uhh, nothing, we won the battle and that was it," he said, hoping that Daire had not heard anything prior to that moment.

"No! Tell us! What happened? How did you get away from those evil men?" the woman further probed.

Daire gasped. "No! Are you talking of when you killed all of those ten men at once with the butt end of your spear?"

Cody' face brightened with a jolly look. He couldn't have been happier that Daire was playing along with him. "It haunts me just to think of it," Cody said, getting back into character. "I don't think I'll talk of it."

"Tell us! Please!" the women begged, getting even closer to Cody.

"Alright, I'll tell, but I may get emotional."

Daire was making an extreme effort not to burst out laughing. Cody was good, really good. He had the girls eating out of his hand and they didn't even know it. "We're here for you!" the woman on his left lap said stroking his hair.

Cody looked as if he was mustering the confidence to speak of the traumatic incident, shaking his head at the memories he had to endure. "I was completely surrounded when I realized my spear was shattered in half," he said. "I had completely given up hope for my life. I was going to lie down and let them kill me. I had lost all my energy, not an ounce of strength left, until..."

"Until what?!" another woman asked excitedly, each of them listening closely.

"Until I... Forget it. You girls won't believe me."

"No, come on Cody! We'll believe you," "Tell us!" "Yeah come on!" the girls set off like rapid fire, needing him to continue.

"Well, in the midst of all of the chaos, I thought of these five beautiful women. And I know it sounds corny and cliché, but, they were all of you," Cody finished with a little yelp, pretending to be on the verge of tears.