Endrulfium (indefinitely on hold)

Chapter 6: Some more help

                        We walk over to an old store. It's closed, but I know where they hide the key. I work here. I grab the key from its hiding place and open the door. I walk in. It's dark, that's good. I turn around.

-Could you close the door? and try not to touch anything, we don't want to get in trouble.

Naddie's mom walks in the door and closes it behind her.

-I should probably take care of Naddie's bruise. Oh yeah, what's your name?

-Elaine.

She walks over to me. The same intense skeptical look in her eye.

-Who are these "deserters" you mentioned?

-It's complicated.

Naddie walks over to me and turns around, I see her greenish bruise. I close my eyes and concentrate. I put my hand over the bruise and I feel the lights shoot out from under my fingernails. My head starts hurting, but it's not too bad. This is just a bruise. After maybe thirty seconds, the lights retract and Naddie walks back to her mom.

-We've got all night.

-OK. The deserters are a group of people who live roaming the north-eastern central desert.

-And what do they have to do with us?

-Well, they are all people who are running from the law.

-So, they're criminals?

-Yes and no. They are each either wanted or believed to be dead, but they are a sanctuary for people who have been framed and stuff.

-And stuff?

-Most of them are albextrufao users, so they are generally just looking for a way to live a free life. That's actually why they can survive in the desert without having lots of access to the cities.

-OK, so they wander the desert using ABX to not get arrested and... what do we care?

-My plan was to take you to live with them. If you agreed of course.

-Ah, I see.

-What?

-They sent you to recruit people. They're probably the beginnings of some criminal empire like the ones that made the Endrulfian empire ban ABX.

-What!? No! The last thing I would do is trust one of those! I know these people because they once offered to help me out of the middle of the desert! They're trustworthy.

-I've lost my mind.

-They are good people.

-Says you! A man who I don't know and that I probably shouldn't be near anyways!

-Do you see any other way out?

-Yes.

-Well? What is your idea?

-Turn you in to the guards. Have them lock you up for vigilantism and murder.

-One: good luck with that. and Two: I'm pretty sure you mean "thank you".

She looks me straight in the eye. I shouldn't have said number two.

-Thank you?

-umm, OK, well...

-Thank you?

-What I meant to say...

-THANK YOU?!