The Oracle's Prophecy

8

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The Borderland souks were a chain of black-markets that existed on the very fringes of civilization for those traders who wanted to do business outside of Directory interference. Most operated out of the ruins of one of the many no-named lost civilization towns still standing amongst the forests.

They picked up the trail for theirs around midday. The way was not hard to find. Lines of old automobiles, their corroded shells jutting out of the earth like fossilized bones, guided them to their destination.

Along the outskirts of the town, many of the old buildings were no more than piles of rubble, with perhaps one single broken brick wall still standing to serve as its own headstone. It was only in the town's center, where builders had used stone and concrete that some buildings remained. This was where their father directed their wagon.

"Look!" An excited Cooper pointed to a large wooden sign by the market's entrance. Someone had painted what appeared to be the market's rules.

KILLING IS PROHIBITED. CULPRITS WILL BE SHOT-ON-SIGHT.

THIEVES WILL BE SHOT-ON-SIGHT.

DIRECTORY MEN WILL BE SHOT-ON-SIGHT.

CRINKS WILL BE SHOT-ON-SIGHT.

"And I thought father was strict." She said and snickered at how funny she thought she was.

"Can you try and act like an adult for once in your life." Riley sighed.

Yet, even she couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the spectacle before her. Up until that very morning, her and Cooper's world had only ever consisted of six people; themselves and the four elders that lived on the ranch with them. And of the strangers they'd met over the last seventeen years, well, those could be counted on one hand.

Now, they were surrounded by hundreds of people who were a rich mosaic of all that their species could offer, blends and basics alike. It was like nothing they'd ever seen before.

"This place is amazing!" Cooper exclaimed as she watched a Crocodile-human blend – an Ococ – cross the path in front of her. Bare chested, his skin was a tough green leather, and when he opened his mouth to speak, Riley saw a row of sharp white teeth.

"I know." Riley agreed and she found herself unconsciously gravitating toward the first stall. But, when she saw a man step from the crowd and begin to walk purposefully toward them, she hesitated.

"Someone's coming." She called over to her father.

"I know him. He's not a threat." He said quietly as he applied the wagon's brake.

"I see you brought your family this time." The man said in place of a hello and turned his attention to the twins.

"People around here call me, Pickwick." His voice was dry and he gave the twins a crooked smile that was more menacing than friendly.

Riley returned his salutation with a blank stare. Cooper leaned over and spat. Most of it caught on her chin, and she was forced to wipe it off with a sleeve while a blossoming of crimson erupted on her cheeks.

Pickwick tried to ignore this. "If you can spare your father, I have information I'd like to share with him."

"How does father know that man?" Cooper asked Acadia as they watched the two men walk off toward a nearby tent that served hot drinks.