A black boot tapped in the air to a silent tune. A tune that only the wearer of the boot could hear. A silver chain flashed in the dim light filtering through a crack in the wall of the dilapidated building. A spot of brightness peeking out from beneath a pant leg each time the boot tapped down.
"Will you come down from there?" Dolann turned his unnaturally bright green eyes up to peer into the darkness. "It's like talkin' to a shadow."
A playful purring voice emanated from the deep within the shadows. "No, I like it up here. It's cozy." The tapping boot was pulled up into the darkness. "Time to decide, gents, I haven't got all day." A glimmer of gold appeared. "Pick a direction."
Dolann's gaze turned to his three companions. "I know where I'm going. Anyone coming with me?" He looked at each in turn. Falco shifted uneasily, continually looking behind him, afraid they were going to get caught. Naill nodded his carrot-topped head when their eyes met; he'd be going too.
Oren, the last of them, was peering up at the darkness, trying to make out features under the soft gold. "Why the Freebies? Why not the Nukes or the Cult? Tedd's gonna have friggin plupps when he finds out about this. He'll come after us."
"Your choice. Pick a direction." A face appeared, only the eyes remaining in the shadows. "Already told you, Oren, only two ways to live on this world. Either you live for something or you exist until you die. Only two ways to die. You can either die; standing up for something you believe in, something important or you can die for nothing. You are the one who has to decide what is important to you. Whether you chose the order of the Church, the will of Etrigan or the goals of the Freemen, I can point you in the right direction to get there. I'm not going to decide for you which direction, that is totally up to you." The owner of the purr filled voice slithered off the high perch, out of the darkness, landing just behind Dolann. "And Tedd is no longer a concern."
Dolann stepped closer to Oren. "You know we can't keep hangin' with Tedd, he's going to get us killed and for what? Because he wants somebody else's ride? Or their boots? Man, I'm not dying over a pair of boots just cause that spaz wants 'em."
"And if we don't do what he says, he'll kill us anyway." Falco's dark eyes finally lit on his friend. "I know you think I'm a chicken, Oren. Always hiding from Tedd but man, he don't eye you like you are one of the street girls. I'm goin' with Dolann and Naill. Cult would be the same as hangin' with Tedd and forget the Nukes."
"Decide Oren, live for something or die forgotten." Bliss gave all four young men a gentle smile. They were all around her age. Gangers but, to her, worthy of salvaging. Over time she'd laid out all the options open to them. Everything clearly detailed. No pressure as to which side, which direction to pick. Any of the choices could bring death, it was all around them, and there was no escape from it. It was all a matter of picking the manner of one's death. Either it could be over a pair of boots or life would end standing for something they considered more important then themselves. Not an easy idea to teach to someone who'd spent their whole lives having to fight just to survive. "Stay here, Oren, and stand still, do nothing or you can move into the future. None of us may ever live to see it but we can take the first steps to get there."
Oren looked at her a few long seconds. Indecision flickering in his indigo eyes then he let out the breath he'd been holding. "I can't stand still. I don't want to die in the streets like my brothers did." He let out a strangled laugh. "If I'm going to die in some turf war it might as well be the biggest turf war in the world."
Bliss' head lifted slightly, tilting to one side. "Get a move on gents. Dolann knows where you are going. Keep in touch. I expect letters, I didn't teach you to read for nothing."
A crashing sound reached their ears quickly followed by a bellow. Falco near jumped out of his skin and dashed over to Dolann. "That was Tedd, he's found us!"
Dolann, for the first time he could remember, wasn't afraid. He glanced at Bliss and nodded. "I know the way out." He ushered his companions towards the back of the building. "Watch your back Bliss."
"Always do." Her dark eyes followed their backs. They'd do fine, even little Falco. She was pleased with their choice but if they had decided to join the up with the Church, she'd have sent them in that direction. She'd already learned that she couldn't control other's lives. Teach, guide, yes, but in the end it was entirely up to each individual which direction his or her lives would take. Her ears tracked Tedd's progress towards her. Stealth was not this man's forte, not with all the threats he was yelling out to the young men who weren't even present any longer. With a tired sigh she pulled her back from the post upon which it leaned. "Do stop yelling. They aren't here."
"I'm gonna rip their spines out when I find them!" Tedd charged into the small circle of light, the smaller figure of his chief flunky, Leronn, right behind him. A meaty paw thrust out towards Bliss. "Where are the little punks? Don't make me ask you twice Blissy."
"They're gone. They made their choice and it wasn't you." She folded her arms over her chest. "Run along now, Teddy, plenty more where they came from."
"Those punks are mine, I own 'em. Don't nobody get out of the Smokin' guns less their dead! If Dolann and his pals want out, I'll give 'em out!" He sent a rage filled glare to the blonde. "I'll have your blood for this!"
"Sorry, don't have any to spare." Her dark eyes swept over the pair, causing Leronn to freeze in place. "Has anyone mentioned to you, Teddy, that Smokin' guns has to be the lamest name anyone has saddled a gang with?" She'd give Dolann and the other's enough time to get clear. She had more important things to do with her day then listen to some hairy wannabe gang leader bellow. "You won't find them where they are going and even by some rare chance that you manage it there will be people bigger and meaner then you could ever be watching their backs. Get over it."
The woman was nuts. "Ya don't understand how it works, Girly. Nobody walks out of a gang! Nobody!" Tedd took a step closer. She was going to pay for this. "I'll find them and when I do, I'll break their scrawny necks." He motioned to Leronn to move around to her side but the little geek didn't move. "But you first, Girly. I'm gonna make you hurt real bad for this."
Bliss slid her body around so that Tedd had a side view of her. "Your choice, Tedd." Feet planted, one smooth motion, the bark of the pistol and the body hit the ground. She heard Leronn's squeaked out curse. Her gaze shifted to him, the pistol following. "What's it going to be, Leronn? Are you going to live for something or die forgotten?"
"Ya killed Tedd...like he was nothing." Leronn couldn't believe what he'd just seen. His eyes darted down to Tedd's crumpled form. There was a hole in his forehead, blood pooling on the floor behind his skull. His eyes were still open, the look of surprise frozen on his features.
"Live for something or die forgotten." She carefully repeated.
Leronn didn't need to hear it a third time. He spun on his heel and ran. All he wanted was out. Out of the building, out of New Rydynn and he wasn't going to stop running until he was.
Bliss just watched him go. He'd made his choice. She slid the pistol back into it's holster then smoothed her leather duster back in place. "Loyalty is a dying art." She bent, retrieving the spent shell and slipped it back into a pocket.
A shadow pulled free of the surrounding darkness. "How come you never try and convince me to become a Freebie?" If he expected her to be startled by his appearance he would have been disappointed.
She didn't even look up. "You've already made your choice, Holliss. No amount of talking on my part is going to change that."
Holliss looked her up and down as she settled a black cowboy hat upon her blonde head. He definitely approved of the leather duster and pants. His eyes traveled up to settle on her vest under which was a crisp pearl grey shirt. The vest itself was black but artfully embroidered on it, in brightly colored threads, was an array of small flowers. He swore he could see a butterfly peeking out from beneath the lapel of her coat. "You are continually full of surprises Bliss." His gaze momentarily flickered over to the corpse on the floor. "Not like you at all."
"You have no idea what is like me and what isn't." Hat in place she met his eyes. "I've got places to go." She turned, striding towards the back of the building.
He followed. "You aren't even surprised to see me."
"You're here, Prophet is at my vehicle, probably checking out the new, bullet induced, roof ventilation and Ivy is waiting in the side alley, keeping one eye on Prophet's back." She heard his footsteps stop but kept going. "Come along, Holliss, let's not keep Prophet waiting." A smile crept over her features. "Don't want Mal's latest shipment to be late else you might end up dying forgotten."
Holliss sprung to life again, chasing after her retreating form. "Some days you are as spooky as Prophet." After the delivery was made he was going to have a stiff drink at the Abyss and do his best to shake her words. For some reason, that simply spoken phrase caused his flesh to tingle. It echoed in his skull as he stepped out into the light of day.
Live for something or die forgotten.
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Wednesday, April 07, 2010