To the Ends of the Earth

Chapter 16

Gabriel

Because of all the confusion, stealing some cured (and smelly) leathers from the tanner was far easier than I'd even anticipated, and I hadn't expected it to be that hard in the first place. It's amazing the things you can get away with when every one else is distracted and you act confidently enough.

Though there was still plenty of time until nightfall, I hurried back to my hut anyway so that I could get my stuff packed. I felt better when the chore was done and I knew all I would have to do was grab my things and high-tail it out of here. The worst part was going to be the wait between now and nightfall; I didn't know what to do with myself and debated exploring the village and seeing how the defense preparations were going.

I was on my way out of my hut, finally deciding that walking the village was a better use of time than pacing my tiny space like a caged tiger, when I heard a commotion coming from the other side of the residential area. At first it was a murmur of confusion and interest, but it quickly grew into rumbles of outrage. I looked east and saw the growing mob responsible for the noises. I was alarmed to find that they were near the area where I knew Maggie's hut was.

I didn't waste time thinking it through, I just rushed out my own flap-door and hurried over to the back of the crowd, thankful that I was moderately tall and could see over most of the heads before me. I almost wished I hadn't come to investigate because the sight before me turned my bowels to liquid. Thank God I hadn't eaten anything recently.

Maggie was being dragged out of her hut by her arm by a villager that I didn't recognize. He was large and mean looking with a thick stature that gave me pause when I would have charged ahead to help her without thinking. Jude was standing off to the side and directing a few other men I'd never officially met in their apparent task of chucking all of her belongings outside. A makeshift pack sat at Jude's feet, the contents strewn around him as if it had regurgitated it's innards onto the dirty ground. My stomach cramped painfully when I saw many items that told me Jude had found her travel pack. He knew.

I was so wrapped up in my horror that it took a moment for my brain to catch up with my ears. Jude was speaking, addressing Maggie and the crowd, and the crowd wasn't happy.

"...going Maggie? Did you think to abandon us in our time of hardship? We have clothed you, fed you, and sheltered you these past six months and how do you repay us? By leaving when your people need you?"

He opened his arms wide at the expanse of the crowd to demonstrate who her people supposedly were. He looked at her pointedly as if waiting for an answer to his questions. Instead of looking cowed, however, Maggie lifted her chin defiantly and I saw pure hatred burning in her eyes. I was oddly proud of her as well as terrified for her.

"Do you expect me to believe that you give a shit whether I stay or go? You and I both realized a long time ago that I don't belong here."

Jude's face scrunched up into mock hurt and disappointment and he laid his right hand over his heart. "How could you think that? I care about all of my people here. We're all family. Which is why this hurts me so much."

Maggie scoffed loudly, but Jude continued over her before she could respond. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say your timing was suspect Maggie. I've been wondering how the strangers knew where to look for us and what they might be planning. You've been acting awfully strange lately... one wonders if you know something about them and why they are here."

Maggie's face darkened. "So that's how you're going to play this? I'm helping those people? I don't even know them, you asshole, but I'm sure you've already figured that out. But yes, I was trying to leave. I don't want to be here anymore and you can't make me stay." She looked over her shoulder and growled like an animal at the man who still held her captive. "Let me go!"