The Plague City

Chapter Three:

The Plaguelands

Lily sat up in the darkness. Her mother was shaking her awake.

"Wake up, my angel."

In her groggy state, all Lily could think was to say,

"Okay, Momma." Lily Lou blinked and rubbed her eyes, struggling not to roll over in the warmth of the several blankets. A gunshot, right outside the tent startled Lily and made her stand up in shock.

"Angel, I'm being serious! We have to go!"

Lily's bandy legs shook. Her eyes adjusted to the dark enough to see Momma holding a bundle in her arms and looking petrified. A faint whimpering told her it was Jezebel and Everett. Her mother's purple eyes flashed. But...mother is dead. No. Not this again! Awareness that it was a dream faded. Now she only knew confusion and fear. She rushed into her mother's arms and held her hand as she was suddenly tugged out of the tent into the humid night air. The faint gray glow of the sun shed light on a scene of pure terror. She saw Seth, her father's right hand man, shoot someone in the throat. She squealed. Several gunshots sounded. Someone screamed. Lily could feel herself tossing in her bed in camp, but was powerless to wake up. Instead, Mother's clammy fingers closed over her mouth, stifling the noise. Mother yanked Lily's arm in an effort to get her to run. They both did. Lily Lou stumbled more than once, face-first into the sandy concrete, but each time, she got back up to dash on. The commotion was only a small red pinhead, blazing against the gray dawn sky. Jezebel woke up and began to wail. Mother dragged Lily into a house, coated in gray dust. Stumbling down stairs to a basement, they hid in separate corners. Lily was too excited to fall asleep. She had only her throbbing heart and her confused thoughts to listen to. What's happening? How long do I have to wait here? Is Poppa going to come get us? I want to be with Momma, she thought, tears slipping down her cheeks. She had no idea how long they both sat there, still waiting, not daring to make a sound or move an inch. After several lifetimes, She thought she heard a sound.

"My Queen?! My Lady?!" It came closer. "Queen! Lady Lily!"

"Here!" screamed Lily. "In here! We're in here, hear me?" She bounced up and ran out of the house. Seth, second-in-command, turned around sharply as she did. Lily expected him to bow, but he didn't. Instead, he grabbed her upper arm, lifting her off the ground.

"Hey, My Queen! We've got your little princess here. Come out with your hands up or we might shoot hers!" A pause. Another pause. All Lily Lou could hear was the muttering of Seth's goons and her own hyperventilating. "Okay! Here it comes!" the hot barrel of a gun pressed to her palm, burning her. Seth yelled over Lily's yelping and screaming. "Three! Two-"

"Stop!" Everett and Jezebel cried as they were bounced up and down in Momma's arms. Seth's men surrounded her, took Everett and Jezebel and tied Momma's elbows behind her back. They did the same to Lily, then blindfolded and gagged them both and led them on a twisting and turning route for about an hour. Lily was wrestled against a hot wall. She whimpered as best she could with the gag, but otherwise remained deathly still, as she couldn't tell what was happening around her. The twins were crying and crying. It made Lily ever more anxious. When Seth unbound her, both strips of cloth were wet with saliva and sweat. She twisted her head to and fro, counting each member of her family, Momma, Everett, Jezebel... Poppa? Pop was in front of them, wide-eyed and furious and struggling to get free.

"Pa!" She croaked. He did not look at her, but instead looked at Momma. Lily did as well, finally noticing the blood that was pouring from Momma's temple, coating her glassy eyes, and trickling down into her slack mouth. Lily Lou stared in disbelief. Is this what death looks like? She wondered blearily. But no, Momma wasn't dead, or was she? Her cheeks were pale and spattered red. Her fingers and lips were blue, but surely that wasn't death...! "She's just sleeping." Lily murmured.

She awoke quickly, flailing her arms and sitting up, calming down fast so as not to wake her family. She did not want to deal with them at the moment. Everett and Jezebel slept back to back, eyebrows slightly knitted. Pop and Elizabeth snored in each other's arms. They all looked enviably peaceful. She was alone. Sighing, her melancholy fell over her again. Getting up, brushing herself off, she meandered around a sleepy Tent City, expecting Seth's revolutionaries at every snore and whine. Eventually, her apprehension got the better of her. She went back to the Highness's Haunt to see if Royal would find her there. Unsurprisingly, there he was, chewing on his fingertips. He hopped to his feet and made an elaborate bow. It was charming enough to take some of the chill from her mind. Hurrying over, she stopped just short of him, holding herself. It really didn't help. Royal stepped forward with a worried expression.

"You shouldn't be out alone, especially after dark. I would've waited for you to wake up."

"But you didn't. So I walked around and waited for you." He looked embarrassed for a second before repeating himself.

"You shouldn't be out after dark. Something could happen to you."

"I'm not made of glass, I'll be fine."

"Oh, come on, you couldn't shoot a smilie! Remember?" He stifled his hearty laughter with his forearm. Lily scowled.

"You couldn't either! You let it get away!"

"You ever think of wasted bullets, little girl?"

"Whatever, you're an ass."

"If I'm an ass, then you're a coward who can't look after herself."

"I'm not!"

"Then why am I here? 'Cuz Chief doesn't think you can be alone!"  Royal swung his arm around her shoulders and she winced before settling into his hug, putting her arm around him as well. She liked it when they hugged. 

It made her feel better about her possibly impending marriage. Poppa didn't really care who she married, as long as it brought the Skull Krushers even with the Thunder Birds in social standing. And if she turned out to be, as Poppa put it, "Too bloody scrawny to attract a man," she'd been betrothed to Royal, which was a huge relief. She and Royal had been together since they were toddlers. Even if her spouse wasn't very nice, she knew that at least she had him. He was her best friend and back-up bachelor. She wouldn't lose him for the world.