User blog:Ireithien/The Walking Jed - Chapter 9



Chapter 9

They struck at dawn.

The night itself had been fairly boring. The campsite, while not the most comfortable place to sleep, served the group's purposes well. The crackles and sputters of the fire filled their minds as they drifted off to a restful sleep.

But "boring" was not the word to describe the morning.

The first Ire heard of them was a slight rustle in the bushes to his left. A stick broke somewhere to his right. He sat up, pretending to rub sleep from his eyes: in truth, he had been as taut as a bowstring all night, ready to jump up at a moment's notice. He took a look around as he yawned, without moving his head. That would alert their observers, he knew. And observers they were: walkers would have charged headlong into the little camp, eager for their next meal.

And other survivors was the last thing Ire wanted to encounter.

He risked a glance at Malc and Flux as he stood up, pretending to study the dead fire. Both were awake. They made eye contact with Ire, then reached for their weapons.

Aok was sleeping like a baby.

Ire shook his head in a casual movement, then stooped to pick up his pistol. He heard a quick intake of breath to his right, quickly muted. He narrowed his eyes, looked at Malc and Flux, then nodded.

Before the three could swivel to charge their watchers, the predators burst from either side: A teenage boy, with rather unruly dark hair, wearing a sleeveless t-shirt and jeans, coming from the left; and a young girl, slim, and a bit shorter than average height, also wearing jeans and a t-shirt. She had blondish-brownish wavy hair, halfway down her back. She held a shovel in her hand, poised to strike as she rushed at the camp.

The boy drew a knife as he came on, slashing at Ire's throat. He dodged left, then pivoted and swung his fist into the boy's jaw. The attacker crumpled, howling in pain from the blow. Ire rubbed his knuckles, then turned to find Malc and Flux restraining the girl. He strode towards them.

"Bring her over here. Keep an eye on the boy."

Flux nodded. Ire looked at the girl, then raised one eyebrow.

"Why did you attack us?"

The girl looked taken aback at the question, and tried to shrink away.

"Ah... well. Isn't that the question of the day? Er... not that there were many questions today..." She gave a sort of half-giggle, then stopped as she realized Ire was looking at her curiously.

"And why were you attacking us, again?" Ire asked.

The boy, from the other side of the camp, piped in. "Ow... cuz well, Fra- ow!"

Ire turned as he doubled in pain again. He rolled his eyes and turned back to the girl.

"Obviously, we're getting nowhere with him." Her jerked a thumb at the boy. "So let's try again. What's your name? Where are you from? And WHY DID YOU ATTACK US?" The last five words were delivered with such sudden volume and force that the girl actually recoiled. She sighed, then spoke.

"I'm Indigo, but call me Indi. Unless there happens to be someone named Indy, or something. But that's absurd." Ire raised an eyebrow. "Uh, well, I'm from... Mississippi. And... we didn't attack you, did we? Nah, nah. We were just kinda... looking. Frank wanted us to."

Ire raised both eyebrows at this. "Frank? And who's Frank?"

"Frank's like, the guy who took us in. Helped us after the apocalypse," said the boy. Ire swiveled to look at him.

"And your name?" he asked.

"Klint."

"Clint?"

"No, Klint. K-L-I-N-T. Sometimes my friends call me Randomized, but I prefer Klint. My full name is actually Klintrin, and my Official Title is Sir Clint the Tryhard."

The ghost of a smile touched Ire's face. "All with a K?"

"No," Klint replied. "All with a K except the last one. That one's with a C."

"Hmm. Okay," continued Ire. "Would you mind taking us to this... Frank?"

Indigo sat up, nodded and smiled. "We'd be happy to."