Clouds of Tyranny (11 page)

In the clothing shop, Locke was going
through various things as he chitchatted with Milton’s wife.
“Staying long,” she asked. “Just for the night,” answered Locke as
he picked out a few garments, “How’s business Hilda?” “Pretty tasty
actually. Best we’ve ever done.” Locke looked across the store at
the dressing room door that was still closed. “You should get
another dressing room for when Alex is in town,” joked Locke.
“Wow!” yelled Alex sarcastically from the other side of the
dressing room door, “Jokes huh? What? Did you have a drink when I
wasn’t looking? Or did you just pull the stick out?” “Just hurry it
up will ya?” “Can’t I just wear my fatigue pants and like a T-shirt
or something?” “I told you. The man in charge cant know your
previous job, he’ll have you killed along with me.” “That’s not
very nice. What if I let him have me? Wink wink.” “Will you get
dressed already?” “I been dressed for like fifteen minutes.” “Are
you kidding?” “No, why?” “Then why in the hell are you still in
there?” Cuz your gonna laugh…hell, I wanna laugh but I don’t wanna
hurt my own feelings. I’m torn really.” Locke stomped over to the
dressing room door, “Alex, I really am gonna need a drink with you
around aren’t I?” “You have any?” “Dammit, now!” “Okay okay, geez.
But, laugh and I’ll go back to the empire.” “I wont laugh Alex.”
Alex cleared her throat and walked out; she had a sapphire colored
ribbon tying her hair into a ponytail, her mother’s pendant
sprawled down across her exposed neckline, an jade colored silk
dress with thin straps going over the top of her shoulders, the
breast of the dress plunged into a V showing off her cleavage
(which was ample) and the base of the dress hung just above her
knees, and her brown army boots on her feet. Locke just stood there
and gazed at her in silence; the way she looks reminded him of
Alisa. Locke felt lust inside of him at the sight of her in this
beautiful dress. “Why are you looking at me like that?” asked Alex.
“Like what?” retorted Locke trying to sound nonchalant. “Like, if I
took another step I’d step on your tongue.” “Your crazy.” Hilda
walked behind Locke and whispered as she walked past, “No she’s
not.” Locke gave Hilda a dirty look and looked back at Alex, “I was
just trying to hold in my laughter.” “Oh. Is it that bad?” “Nah.
Except…I’d lose the boots.” “What? How am I suppose to break ribs
in sandals?” “Anyway,” said Locke turning his head, “Our room is
probably ready.” “Is there like a general store here?” “We can get
food at the inn.” “No, I need something else.” “What?” asked Locke.
“I wanna get you all liquored up. HaHa. No, I need tobacco.” “Oh,
sure. At the inn you can get that.” Locke picked up the clothes he
chose and started walking toward the stairs leading back down. Alex
caught something out of the corner of her eye and picked up the
shiny garment and rubbed it against her face, “Can I take this
too?” “Of course sweety, “ said Hilda as she looked over at the
stairs and saw that Locke had already descended. “Now, don’t hurt
him too bad,” said Hilda winking at Alex. “It’s been a long time. I
ain’t promising anything,” giggled Alex.

It was dinnertime at the Returner’s hideout
and they were eating watered down chicken noodle soup. Terra was
sitting with Pearl, Ray, and the doc while Ruthie fed soup to Clyde
back in the infirmary. Terra ate her soup very well mannered all
while hearing a symphony of slurps from around the room, which made
her cringe at every sound. “Ray?” said Terra. “What?” “What’s it
like?” asked Terra looking at his left arm, which had a metal
cylinder around it with small arrows protruding out of it. “What?
Oh, you’ve never…It is magic the first time you experience it. The
feelings, the sensations, the final release. It only gets better as
you get older. The good news for you is that it’s better for women
than it is for men.” Pearl sighed before cutting him off, “She
meant to kill a human being, you moron.” “Oh,” he sulked. Terra
looked back and forth between Pearl and Ray, “What was he talking
about?” Terra stared into blank space for a moment, “Oh! You
thought I meant…Haha, that’s funny. I already know that.” “Do
tell,” said Ray jokingly as he rested his cheek in his palm
mimicking a gossipy schoolgirl. “Come on, Ray,” she begged. “You
killed, kid.” “Not on purpose.” “Terra,” said Pearl, “Killing a
person for the first time face-to-face in a fair fight damages you.
When you kill someone and you see the light go out in their eyes
you die a little yourself. Everything around you gets a little
dimmer. For some people it is the definition of bliss; those people
are imperials. The only way I can live with myself is that every
time I kill a member of the Empire I tell myself I just saved five
lives by taking one of theirs. The greater good, you see?” “I think
so.” “How did it make you feel when you pushed that man to his
death? Did you feel guilty?” “A little. But, I did it cuz he was
gonna shoot Locke and Locke saved my life. Why shouldn’t I do the
same for him?” Ray pointed at her, “Exactly.” Pearl continued,
“It’s different for everyone. Just try not to think about it hun.”
Terra nodded and went back to eating her soup quietly as she
thought about death.

Locke’s hair was wet from the bath he had
just finished and was in his underwear sitting on his own bed
organizing, cleaning, and sharpening his blades with his sharpening
stone. He was finishing up his Damascus when he heard water
movement from inside the washroom. “Damn, she takes forever at
everything…except killing apparently,” whispered Locke to himself.
He gave the length of his sword a final wipe and laid it on the
floor with the rest. He reached over to the table that sat between
the heads of their beds and grabbed the bottle of whiskey that
stood next to seven cigarettes that Alex had rolled while he was in
the bath; she took one in with her along with a bottle of white
wine she obtained at the general store; the clerk couldn’t stop
staring at her breasts, then couldn’t stop staring at her boots.
Locke took a quick swig and placed it back on the table. Locke was
ready for bed, just waiting for Alex so he could shut off the
lantern and go to sleep. The door creaked open loudly and Alex
walked to see Locke turned with his back to her. “We should
probably get some sleep“ said Locke as he turned; his speech cut
off mid sentence by the image of Alex. He could see in the washroom
her dress was hung up and she was wearing something she obviously
grabbed at the last minute from the shop. It was a lavender colored
silk nightgown that came down to her upper thigh (she couldn’t bend
over without showcasing herself), it had thin straps going up her
shoulders and criss-crossed in the back. It was paper-thin; it
displayed every curve she had to offer including her breasts that
had reacted to the cold air against her flesh. Alex smiled a smile
that was easy to read, “Hi,” said Alex seductively. “Good bath?”
asked Locke nervously. “Mmhmm.” “So, uh,” Locke cleared his throat,
“How do you like to sleep? Dim or all the way dark?” “With
someone.” “I’m serious.” Alex laid on her bed stomach down and
breasts pressed against her blanket with her legs bent draping over
her own behind; her skin glistened from the water. “So am I.” Locke
swallowed hard, “No, we cant.” “Come on,” Alex begged as she held
up her index finger and her thumb a half an inch apart, “just a
little?” “How do you have just a little sex?” “If you don’t know
I’m not gonna tell you…but I can show you,” said Alex as she bit
her bottom lip. “I know that having the job we have, it sometimes
gets lonely and frustrating.” “My eyes are up here,” smirked Alex.
Locke’s head jerked up to look at her face; he didn’t even realize
he had drifted elsewhere. “You just remind me of someone.” “Your
girlfriend?” “No, I don’t have a girlfriend. Having a girlfriend
just complicates an already complicated profession.” “I completely
agree,” said Alex as she pressed her clean firm breasts closer
together. “Good, that’s why we cant-“ “What? I’m just talking about
tonight, baby,” she said as she sat up on the bed resting her butt
on her feet. Locke looked at her incredible body and searched for
the power to resist her, “No.” “Geez,” complained Alex as she push
one of her straps over her shoulder so it draped across her strong
bicep, “How many hints do you need?” Locke took his feet from the
floor and slid them onto his bed and Alex perked up and smiled as
she licked her lips devilishly. Then, Locke tucked his butt on his
pillow, raised his legs and lowered the blanket so he could lay it
over him. “Goodnight Alex,” he said as he turned his broad
shouldered back towards her. “Nite,” sighed Alex as she picked up a
cigarette and struck a match to light it. Locke was frowning, but
Alex could not see. His brain was telling him he did the right
things but every other part of his body disagreed. His pelvis was
throbbing inside his underwear, “Oh, shut up!” “What?” asked Alex.
“Nothing.”

“Terra!” yelled Rina from inside the
cottage. Terra dropped the gardening spade and ran toward the front
door. “Mom?” “Look at this, Terra!” A twelve-year-old Terra ran
through the front door in her pink polka dot dress with her
pigtails flapping through the breeze. She burst through the door to
see her mother hold up the first kitten of the litter. “Awe, how
cute,” yelled out Terra as she took it from her mother. “That one,
we keep. The rest I will sell in town when they’re old enough to
leave their mother’s teat.” “What should we name it,” asked Terra
without looking up from the newborn kitten. “It’s a she, Terra. And
the name is up to you, but don’t go changing your mind everyday.”
“I wont,” squeaked Terra. Terra cuddled the newborn kitten in her
arms staring at his little face with still shut eyes while Rina
assisted with the birth of seven more kittens; two of which that
didn’t live. Terra put the orange tiger-striped kitten back with
its mother to feed, then went back outside to tend to the vegetable
garden.

Terra sat on her knees as she loosened the
soil around the vegetables and herbs with an iron spade. “How are
they?” asked Rina standing behind Terra. “The rosemary is wilting
momma,” whined Terra. “Well, fix it then. Just like I showed you
honey.” “Kay,” answered Terra. Terra loosely pinched the stem of
the herb and closed her eyes tight. “Come on honey. Wish. Wish,”
chanted her mother. “I’m a wishing momma.” Before their very eyes
the base of the stem got greener and the entire plant flourished
with life and looked ready to pull. “Good Terra.”

It was nearly sundown and Terra was
finishing up the hauling of the wood from outside to bring inside
for the fireplace while Rina made dinner on her coal stove. Terra
could smell the plentiful flavors of her mother’s chicken dumpling
chowder. “Mom?” called out Terra. “Yes, Terra?” “I put the wood in
the fireplace.” “How many pieces?” “Three.” Rina gave her chowder a
quick stir so it wouldn’t stick to the side of the pot and went
into the living room where the fireplace was. The fireplace was on
the opposite side of the room from the kitchen doorway where Rina
was standing. “Stand away Terra,” ordered her mother sternfully.
Terra walked away and sat in a pink padded chair several feet away
and watched the fireplace in excitement as if something were going
to happen. Rina raised a palm and a small ball of fire shot from
her hand igniting the fireplace. “Wow,” exclaimed Terra. Rina
chuckled and smiled at Terra, who despite seeing this trick
countless times, was still amazed by it. “Wish I could do that,”
complained Terra. “No, it’s dangerous and people are scared of it.
Or worse, they want it for their own.” “Why? It’s just an easier
way to start the fireplace.” “Yes Terra,” said Rina as she nodded
her head from side-to-side at Terra’s ignorance of the evildoers of
the world.

After eating dinner and washing up, Rina put
Terra into bed and tucked her in. “I love you momma,” giggled
Terra. “I love you too, honey.” She thought hard for a moment as
she looked at her in the light of the candle that sat across the
room, several feet from the foot of Terra’s bed. “Terra, I’m not
going to be here forever and I want to make sure your protected.”
Rina got up and retrieved the candle from across the room and
brought it back to the side of Terra’s bed. “Now, before I show you
this I want you to promise me something,” pleaded Rina. “Huh?”
“Never use your gift for bad things, okay?” “Okay momma.” “Here,
place your hand over the candle with your palm pointed down,” she
said as she took Terra’s hand and positioned it a few inches above
the flickering flame barely feeling its heat. “Now, wish it to
grow.” Terra closed her eyes tight and ‘wished’. The flame grew
bigger and bigger until it was big enough for Terra to feel its
heat get hotter. Terra opened her eyes in amazement, “Wow.” Rina
got up and placed the candle back across the room away from the bed
and returned to Terra and kissed her on the forehead. “Goodnight
Terra.” “Nite mom.”

Terra’s eyes shuddered
open, and felt the coldness of the women’s dorm.
I forgot about the candle trick.
Terra turned away from the wall to face Ruthie,
but her bed was vacant and still made.
She
said she was coming to bed when I left the infirmary.
Terra threw the covers from her body and emerged
wearing her nightclothes; white hooded sweater and elastic
blue-plaid pajama pants. She tiptoed past all the sleeping girls
and left the dorm to go find Ruthie. She walked down the hall to
find Ruthie in the infirmary curled up on the doc’s small couch
shivering; she hadn’t left Clyde’s side. Terra’s mouth curled and
she looked around and found a generic blanket on one of the shelves
and unfolded it and placed it over Ruthie’s cold body. “It’s always
colder after you fall asleep,” whispered Clyde. “You should be
resting,” retorted Terra sincerely. “I hate sleeping, it gives me
nightmares,” smiled Clyde. “Funny,” said Terra without laughing.
“That’s Ruthie’s favorite too. I know what you’re thinking,”
frowned Clyde. “No, you don’t.” “Well, maybe not this second, but I
know what you’re thinking about me and Ruthie.” “It’s really non of
my-“ “It’s not romantic at all, trust me.” “I wasn’t assuming-“
“It’s okay. She like a little sister to me; we met when her and
Locke joined.” “The Returners you mean?” “Yeah, we were instant
friends and I kinda saw myself as her protector in Locke’s absence.
She is so energetic and gung-ho it takes both, me and Locke to
protect her. I was actually banished from HQ for a month because I
beat up a kid that had relations with her, cuz I thought he tricked
her. When I got back, Ruthie slapped me, yelled at me, and said it
was her idea.” “She’s…experienced?” “Yeah, surprising isn’t it?”
“Very…well I better get back to bed. Nite Clyde.” Clyde turned his
head to face the ceiling as he closed his eyes, “Seeya, gonna have
me a nightmare.” Terra smiled and left the room quietly. She stood
in the hall and began to walk back to the room. “Psst.” Terra
stopped and turned around, in the dark dining room there was a
figure sitting at a table holding an orange glowing dot.
A cigarette? Ray?
She
walked over to the person, “Oh, Pearl. You can’t sleep either?” She
took a puff from her cigarette and blew out the smoke, “I get up
every two hours for a puff, can’t sleep without it.” “Oh, I’m
sorry.” “Why? It’s a blessing, not a curse.” “Hmm.” Pearl motioned
to a chair, “Sit down.” “Okay,” said Terra as she sat down. “That
was a lie wasn’t it?” “What? That I was sorry for you?” Pearl
laughed, “No, the whole ‘I’ve been with someone before’ thing.”
“How did you know?” inquired Terra with squinting eyes trying to
see Pearl through the darkness of the room. “I’m a women. Woman
that have ‘been there’ know that when you haven’t, you walk a
little differently, talk a little differently, and are just a
little more shy.” “I hope men don’t notice that about me,” blushed
Terra. Pearl took a deep puff and exhaled, “Sweety, men don’t
notice shit!” They both laughed at Pearls little joke for a good
minute. “Tell me, “ said Pearl, “Have you kissed a boy?” “Umm,
yeah, once.” “How was it? Was he sloppy or sensual?” “Hmm, I really
don’t have anything to compare it to…I guess I’d call it ‘quick’”
“Quick?” “Yeah, it was a romantic scenario. The lake at sundown,
you know?” “Oh yes, the best time to share each other’s body.” “Our
lips touched and within one second his tongue was in my throat, I
almost threw up.” “Hahaha,” laughed Pearl as she slammed her palm
down on the table. Terra chuckled, “After that I kinda didn’t want
him to touch me anymore.” “Good move on your part. He’s probably
quick at other things too, how old were you?” “Seventeen, I think.”
“Wow, two years since your last kiss. I thought I was bad.” Terra
scoffed, “Um, what do you mean quick at other stuff by the way? Is
that bad? I always thought that the whole point was to finish and
that is what felt good.” “No no no sweety. The entire experience is
good…with the right person, that is. How long do you envision sex
lasting?” “Ummm…I don’t know…five, ten minutes.” “Sweaty, if it’s
only that long. The man needs to die for the sake of all other
women. My last time was a little under an hour.” “Really? Wow.”
“Yup, about average.” “Hmm, have you ‘you know’ with Locke?”
“No…but I know you’d like to,” teased Pearl at Terra nudging her in
the stomach with her fingertips. “Anyway, I should probably get to
bed,” said Terra as she got up. “Goodnight, thanks for the company
Terra. Oh! Can you do me a favor?” “I wont tell anyone your fun to
hang around. You’re a tough soldier chick, right?” “Thanks,” said
Pearl smiling at Terra as she walked back to the women’s
dormitory.