The Fell Good Flue (14 page)

The drums on the streets were talking about trade, and I half heard talk about what was brought in last night. Brandy put water over to have for tea and cut bread for me to have with jam. I listened to the wind and the sound of zip-lines in use, a few shouts of morning came from others passing by. I waved, and looked at the things they had, and how the lines were hanging. Brandy cut up the potatoes and added an onion and peppers, while I ate the jam and bread, then passed a cup of tea to me.
I said, “I didn’t even see you make that.”
She said, “your eyes and ears were on the streets.”
I took a sip and said, “this is not what we had the other day.”
Brandy, “no, it’s from the pack TT gave you last night, I said I would inspect the cargo after I was done with you.”
I said, “I like this one better, it has a light fruity flavor.”
Brandy, “don’t ask me what he put in it.”
I said, “he always has a stash of something, maybe this was part of what we went for, he could have had it from when Stan first came to town.”
Brandy, “are you telling me you brought it all the way here without looking at your cargo?” I said, “I looked at it to make sure I could get ithere, and myself while I was at it, the trip left no time for much else to get back so soon.”
Brandy, “and how was that done? You were not in much of a talkative mood last night.” I said, “I thought you would of heard it on the drums by now, I still need to go ask the horse.” She said, “I’m sure it will come to you as your eating, my food has a way of getting words to be heard.”
I said, “and they always come with thank you.”
Soon we were eating and talking about my trip, but it came out in parts that were not in order and much was left out. Brandy found it strange I did not talk about the animals in the woods or what dangers I may had been up against, only the thrills of the run and the ride. But it was all that and more, a day of high adventure without dangers that I knew about, like a reward for the bravery of the day before. Even the night after was strangely familiar, and had a theme that tied it and wrapped this time together into an event of days. Still the hills were more empty of life than I had expected, the city has it in every crack and wildlife had adapted to living among us or us with it, but the wide open keep only eyes on my trip without showing its face. Brandy could see it in my words as I spoke, that things out of the city were not as we thought they were, but it was not clear if that was bad or good. Still new things were in town and I was safe, so for the moment things were well for us.
I said, “the food did fill me, and empty me at the same time, I think it’s time to stretch on the roof now.”
Brandy, “you’re welcome, don’t work-out too hard.”
I headed up and took my swords with me, an area I had up there was set up for practice with swinging targets and attack dummies, all controlled by counter weights and pulleys. With a bit of a stretch then some practiced movies, I worked my way up to letting the gauntlet run with me ducking and jumping rods of wood, as I worked my sword. A bag of sand would always remind me if I was out of step, and whack the side of my head if I did not duck in time. Soon I had a sweet up, and sticks of wood and cut sand bags for a gauntlet run. I pulled my strength back within me, and took control of my breathing as Brandy came from the garden. And seeing the shape my practice court was in said, “looks like your back in form, I guess I got all the kinks out.”
Standing there with sword in hand I said, “to the regret of a bag or two, and what’s left of the rest.”
Brandy, “I could have it back together, and ready to take you on again, by the time you got back from a swim.”
“not if I take you with me,” I said as my sword went back in its sheath.
Brandy, “I’ll fly with you anywhere, even off the high-dive at the pool.”
I said, “then grab your cargo and I’ll get the gear.”
She said, “if you mean your son, I think he likes to fly with you more than me.” I said, “then you get the ammo, his fingers are still looking to squeeze off a few rounds.” Brandy, “my pleasure, it won’t unload on me in mid air,” and she went downstairs. I grabbed the zip-line harness and put mine on as she got the rest, and by the time I was ready to hook she had Sage for me. As I strapped him to my chest she put her gear on, then strapped her weapons down. Little Sage had a hold of my short sword handle, and I took the lead with a leap off the edge of the roof. The line zipped usthrough the air with Brandy close behind, and Sage opened his eyes wide as the sky above brought a hawk into view. After sliding to a stop on the landing platform, I turned around and held out my hands to Brandy coming in. She slid to a stop just before me and gave me a kiss, then unhooked and said, “your load is lighter than mine, why so slow air kicker?”
I said, “let’s see that question on the other side of the roof,” and I was off with her in close pursuit. The gravel on the flat roof kicked up as we made our way there and came to a sliding stop, then hooked up for another zip. With me in the lead I leap off the side and down another five stories, then Brandy came across as I stood there talking to Sage. When she landed I said, “how light dose my ammo load feel?”
Brandy, “how light does the load in your sons pants feel?”
I said, “he’s fine, I think my sword has his attention.”
Brandy, “well maybe the next ride will change that.”
We went to the other side and got on a travel platform, then crossed to another building. It had a seat with a hand-bar to hold on to, and netting around the sides, and we enjoyed the ride in the open air as the heavy rig took us slowly there. Sage reached out and tugged on my shirt with joy as we sailed through the air, then the ride stopped and we grabbed another zip line, off to the next platform and the pool. Soon we hit ground and Sage was back with Brandy and my ammo was on me again. We walked down to the showers and I put my things in a locker I had, brandy did the same, then Sage went to the nursery. I took a hot shower then went to the pool to find Brandy on the high diving platform, waiting for me.
I went up and said, “tell me I never take you anywhere.”
She said, “I’ll take you over the edge if you’re not careful .”
I said, “you already have me there,” and we dove off.
20 feet of air to a 14 foot deep wet, with a flip on the way we slipped through the water, and up again like flying fish. Catching our breath then across the pool we went to do it again, with each stroke a race to the edge. Then before the handrail a tug on my trunks, and I was still out before her, but with my suit in her hand. She climbed out and handed them to me as she passed, then to the platform again. I slipped them on and went after her, but the top was in her reach first. She dove off with me a step behind her, and we swam under the water together to the edge, then coming up together took a breath and kissed.
Another there said, “nice work, and the dive was smooth as well.”
Brandy smiled and said, “thank you, I keep him in shape.”
He said, “we all know what good shape you keep him in, even when he has his pants on.” I said, “it was a fair move, I could of beat her if I didn’t stop to put them back on again.” He said, “don’t mine me, next time take hers off, we will see who runs faster then.” We then got out and Brandy said, “it won’t be him, his eyes can’t look at two things at the same time.”
We then went to a sunny place to lay back and dry off. The garden had grass and blankets, as well as bowls of snacks. A few people were running around and some were drinking, a bottle got passed our way and we both killed it. Then some talked to us about new things for trade and what they had heard of the journey, so I filled a few in on some of the details, but left many words for another time. When we were rested it was to the nursery and back into the air, Brandy took Sage this time, and soon we were home again. A good mornings workout and a swim, some words with friends then more air under my feet, and planting them safely again here. It had been a full morning without moving cargo, and the day was young. I checked on the fish, and gave them some bugs from our garden, so they gulped at the top of the water sucking them down. Soon a few of these would be a next meal, until then they were disposals for the unwanted bugs. Brandy came back up with a pouch of worms, and put some in the dirt and feed others to the fish, they gobbled them up as fast as she dropped them. Brandy, “they still have a good appetite, not enough bugs yet.”
I said, “do you think I should give them a chance on the next pick, by reaching in blindfolded? Brandy, “not much of a chance, when your hands so easily find what they want to touch.” I said, “I think I’ll go write that one down, Sage didn’t get to hear it.”
Brandy, “you go do that, and tell him to stop putting berries up his nose, I found one there on the way back.”
I went down to his crib in the liven room and looking at him said, “sticking berries up your nose is a good way to get girls to kiss you, but they taste sweeter on the tongue,” and he smiled. Then I went to my chair and had a smoke by the open window. The air was clearer these days, now that there were no more cars, plains, and factories running for millions of people. And the skies had less of a glow from the ground below, with nature taking over the rubble no longer used. The lack of noise in the streets made every sound an announcement, and a rapping on a pipe sent word across town that was relayed by some drums. I took a sip of my wine and listened to the wind, as my smoke went up to the sky. A zip line was use nearby, and the sound carried a load going somewhere, away it drifted as the swinger headed toward their point. Brandy came in with a feather in her hand and said, “a hawk gave me a gift for being so fast, but your practice area will take some time to put back together, you destroyed more than sticks and sand bags.”
I said, “better it than me, I’ll build it better next time.”
Brandy, “that thing was dangerous enough, it nearly took my foot off once.”
I said, “it nearly took my head off, but I got even with it, and I’ll do it again!”
Brandy, “you got to repair it first, that will give me time to tie some padding on it.” I said, “to protect it from me or me from it?”
She said, “yes.”
I said, “I’m in no rush for a rematch, I got enough of a workout today.”
Brandy, “then you’ll not put up much of a fight if I take advantage of you,” and she started to tickle me with the feather. I fended her off with one hand, while holding a glass of wine in the other saying, ”carful, or I’ll get you wet again.”
She pulled back and said, “better to drink it than wear it.”
And I reached out and gave her a sip. Then she waved the feather at me and said, “I’ll get you latter.”
I said, “I’ll be waiting,” and pulled the glass back to my lips.
The zip line gave away the coming of another with its winding twang, and the thud topside was followed with, “I bring cargo.”
Jacob came down the stairs as Brandy stood up and walked over to him. He set a pack on the floor and said, “TT wanted you to have this, the best from a box you brought back, I don’t know about all the others.”
Brandy pull out a case and handed it to me, so I opened it to see a high power rifle with scope, and the parts and cleaning kit was still with it. I pulled the barrel and stock out and put them together, then the rest, and slapped the scope on. It had some weight to it, but would be able to hit just about anything seen, and came with five boxes of ammo.
I said, “is this what we were carrying all that way?”
Jacob, “that’s part of what was in one box, more is there for you.”
Brandy pulled out another thing, wrapped carefully with canvas, and opened it to see a crossbow with arm strap and some grafting hooks. She handed it to me as Jacob said, “there are tipped arrows and barbed tips as well, plus the new line, this TT was having someone make for you while on the trip. He wanted you to have it as soon as it was done, good for a few stories of reach. And there are silk sheets in there as well, part of a box we did bring back, I’m surprised it didn’t get wet.”
Brandy, “now we can tell the horse what they were towing, and you know as well, a fine way to treat ammo and silk.”
I said, “I just see to it cargo can be moved, if it gets there time will tell the rest, and not knowing what is in a box keeps me safe by not taking a risk just for it.”
Jacob, “and still rides a mean sled, at one time I thought the tarp was going to come off and make a sail for him, and I didn’t have that much rope.”
Brandy, “and the words of his trip start to come out, have a seat and a drink while telling me more.”
I said, “remember she is offering you a trade, and in trade she often gets the best deal.” Jacob, “load off and word given, a drink for what words I can remember is far trade.” He sat down and Brandy handed him a bottle, then took the sheets into the bed room. I said, “with these two new weapons I can climb trees and hit anything in sight, is there much more of its ammo?’
He said, “I know not, only of one crate for sure, and lucky it did not smash on some rocks on the way here.”
I said, “the sled was smoking a bit by the time we got to town, and if I had known the load I would of watered it down even more.”
Jacob, “Stan was not concern about how the cargo was doing, just the arms he was not in.” Brandy yelled from the other room, “and because Nibor felt the same, you got home quick as well, to arms I’m sure were glad to take you,” and came back out to the liven room. Jacob, “yes, it was a good day, and the night was rewarding as well.”
Brandy, “I hope you took some silk sheets home as well.”
Jacob, “as a matter of fact I did, and whatever else I could get my hands on, including a brick of hash. There is one in the pack as well, and some bottles of herbs and lotions, I was told to be careful of.”
Brandy, “he only took me swimming, you brought me silk sheets and hash plus lotions, I think I’m getting good trade today for a seat.”
I said, “she must of said the same thing when you got home last night.”
Jacob, “staying around until things are unpacked dose have advantages from time to time, and coming home with only a bruised bottom never gets you much loving.”
I said, “that’s right, it takes a bruised body to go with it, but Brandy is good with her hands.” Jacob, “and by the looks of your work out course on the roof, your hands have been taking vengeance on it with a sword.”
Brandy, “it started it, but I’m planning on tying some padding for the next battle.” Jacob, “to protect it or him?”
Brandy, “only the next match will tell for sure.”