Elrich Saga Yellow Springs Book One

Chapter 14 I Get Drunk

Chapter 14 I Get Drunk

The square had even more people than at the temple, but of course more people could fit in the open square rather than in a temple sanctuary. I sincerely hoped they were here more for a glimpse at a god rather than actually wanting to see an execution. They surrounded a raised platform that was placed in an area where the vendor's carts usually were stationed. I looked around and sure enough, lining the side streets were the vendors doing brisk business. I couldn't understand how anyone would want to eat at this point.

Though, I had just been handing out chocolate as a comfort food. Perhaps what was being sold was a comfort to the people buying it. Sometimes junk food was good for the soul, if not the body. The cafe at the bakery was filled and a line of people were purchasing baked snacks and drinks. A young woman with a tray was handing out wooden cups and distributing tea.

People were talking to the people beside them. People who had been in the temple during the trial recounted the events to other people who were unable to get in. There were pockets of storytellers all over, each one having their own rapt audience. All of it led to the atmosphere being more festive than somber.

The people quieted down a bit when Amoris and Edomael entered the square. After a few seconds of ohhh, and ahhhs, and shushing the crowd turned their focus on the two. The crowd once again parted like magic. Edomael led the odd procession, Crue followed behind him with Amoris. The rest of us just sort of formed a line behind her.

Dickson was already standing off to one side of the platform and the group met up with him. Amoris left Crue and the rest of us standing on the sidelines once again. Edomael waited a bit then linked arms with her and they both climbed the platform to stand with the prisoners and a few guards. The platform was, in reality, a decent size, but with all the people on it, the platform seemed really crowded.

Sturgis stood towering on the far back corner of the stage. His hands were behind his back in sort of a formal parade rest. Beside him were the teenager and the woman. So they were going to make them watch after all. I had thought they were going to spare them. The teen was probably the youngest person in the crowd. The gods had said no children were to be allowed, and with a quick scan, I couldn't spot anyone who looked childlike.

There was another large imposing man standing on the nearer back corner, opposite of Sturgis. He looked like he might be the same rank as Sturgis. He had flaming red hair that, unlike any other redhead I had ever met, fell straight down his back in long silky waves. He had a large hooked hawk nose and a tiny pursed mouth. His cheekbones were very stark and his eyes were a little pinched.

He showed signs of sunburn and his ears were already red and pealing. Unlike Sturgis, his skin wasn't tan at all, but was very fair, at least where it wasn't burnt by the sun. He was probably one of those guys who never tanned and always burned no matter what he did. Was sunscreen not something they had here? While I knew that most sunscreens on earth were made by mixing chemicals I did recall something about there being natural alternatives. However, I couldn't at all recall what those were.

The Commander stood behind the prisoners and greeted the gods with a bow. Beside him were two lower ranked guards. They moved to make room for the gods. The prisoners were kneeling towards the front of the platform. The Gods were in front of them near the edge. Everyone was cramped up near the front.

Near the center of the platform was a gallows. There was only room for one person. How were they going to manage five people? It was a simple upside down L beam with a single cross board for support. There was a trap door under it. I couldn't figure out just by looking at it how the door was triggered since there wasn't any obvious lever.