Eve Of Destruction

40. Oh That I Have Learned

7 Hours until the Red War Festival Finale

                JJ walked along the crowd as Shep was next to her.

                Finn pushed his hat up, “Can you believe all this stuff for this thing tonight?”

                JJ nodded her head as she grabbed a flyer.

                The lady looked up at her, “Are you excited for tonight?”

                JJ glanced back at her, “I don’t know yet.”

                “Oh tourist, this has to be even more exciting to be here during this time.”

                “Not really, the last time I was Romania I was almost killed.”

                The lady went silent as JJ walked away from her.

                Shep laughed back at JJ, “Really you had to say that?”

                JJ nodded her head, “They have stuff going on all day. I mean the main thing with the main stage doesn’t start until 8. What are we gonna do?”

                Shep glanced back at Finn, “I have an idea what it isn't very good.”

                Finn looked back at him, “You wanna split up and cover more ground?”

                Shep looked at him.

                Finn laughed back at him, “I had that feeling you wanted to do that.”

                Shep shook his head, “I mean the three of us just divide and conquer.”

                “Why not, I mean we can protect ourselves and I think we know what to do when trouble comes along.”

                Shep looked back at JJ, “You ok with this?”

                JJ nodded her head, “I think we need to do this. I really think we should do that.”

                Shep nodded as he turned and waved back at them, “See you at 8.”

                Finn grabbed JJ before she walked off, “Hey, be careful.”

                “Why didn’t you say that to Shep?”

                “Shep can handle himself but seriously you are her family, you are gonna be a little better known than me or him. So please be careful.”

                JJ cracked a smile as Finn let go of her hand and started walking toward the main attractions in the middle of the row of tents.

                JJ turned back to the street and walked back toward the town.

                She smiled at the little kids running around and at the balloons all over the streets.

                JJ walked past a tent when someone standing in the center of the tent.

                JJ stopped when she saw the sign.

                She turned back and went into the tent.

                A few people where in the tent as she walked in.

                JJ stood off to the side as the older man stood in the middle of the tent pointing around the room.

                “Many years ago, they came into our world and they took all they could. They took our woman and our children. They took what they wanted and they created something that wasn’t natural.”

                JJ looked up as the screen showed photo after photo of the towns being burnt down and the photos of the bodies in the streets with blood running down the cobblestones.

                “Tonight we take our town back and we take back what is ours!” the old man cried out into the tent.

                JJ dropped her head and went to leave when the old man pointed at her.

                “You don’t believe me child?”

                JJ glanced back at him, “I believe in something but I don’t know about believing in that.”

                “You don’t think they killed our people?”

                “I know they killed people who got away.”

                The old man stood up looking back at her, “You know this?”

                JJ nodded her head back at him, “I know about the cover-ups, I know what Borsa really was.”

                The old man looked around the crowd as everyone was watching JJ.

                “I'm sorry I didn’t mean to ruin your speech or presentation, I will leave now.”

                “No, child, stay, what do you mean you really know what it was?”

                “I know from old stories from elders in my family about the Red War. About Abaddon and Samael and what they did to this place.”

                “You have been lied to.”

                “What did you just say to me?”

                “Abaddon and Samael did not do a thing to this land.”

                JJ narrowed her eyes back at him.

                “Viveca was the death of this land.”

                JJ dropped her head as she backed out of the tent and went away from the tent.

                She turned back to the tent then kept moving.

               

                Down the street, JJ grabbed a map of the town with all the locations of the things going on during the day leading up to the grand finale later that night.

                JJ glanced back when she saw a few kids running down the street.

                She stepped back when the guys running down the street were dressed in all black with masks on their faces.

                She shook her head when she stepped back out into the street punching one of the guys in the face that was running after the kids.

                She looked down at him as he had the skeleton painting on the black mask.

                JJ looked down at him when he pulled the mask off.

                “Dude, what the hell are you doing?”

                “Why are you chasing them and why are you wearing that?”

                “It is a just a joke.” The guy got up holding his nose.

                JJ shook her head back at him, “They aren't a joke. GHOSTS are not a joke!”

                The kid got up looking at her confused, “Are you ok?”

                JJ looked down at the mask in her hands, “I'm sorry I shouldn’t have done that. I'm sorry.” JJ tossed the mask back to him as she turned and kept walking away from him.