Naught and the Circle

Chapter 6 - A Mexican stand-off

I

Alan was saying something. She ignored it and continued pealing a few potatoes she had pulled from the cargo-box. The knife sliced through the skin of the vegetables. The towns-folks must be starving by now, she thought. Rations had been running low even before the attack, and now they were several days behind schedule. The first rays of light peaked through the train window. The night was finally over. She would make it back safely, and with most of the supplies accounted for.

"What do you mean he's an angel?" Alan repeated.

He and Katherine had tied the four prisoners to the train seats. She had slept upright for most of the night as they took turns guarding them. She was exhausted. In front of them sat the angel: He was pretty, but not angelic. There were no white wings, nor shiny lights encompassing him. At least that's what she imagined they look like.

"Are you listening to me?" he said, visibly annoyed.

"I told you already." She replied. "He's been sent to find some mythical object."

She ate a slice of the potato. It tasted bland, with a slightly bitter and spicy undertone. She tossed the rest to Shelby. It ended in his lap, and he mumbled something degrading in return.

"By who?" Alan asked. "The whole thing is stupid... They're not trying to steal the train, then?"

"You know what the problem with the story of Noah is?" She asked and stared at Cassiel.

"Huh?" Alan replied.

"That God could have just snapped his fingers and done it himself."

"What the fuck are you rambling about?"

The Ghedes would talk about the Old-Man frequently. They respected him. Their supply deal was vital to every town. So when he said they were in danger, she took his word for it. If Cassiel was an angel, then she would be better off miles away from the 5th. Samedi could make a stand, but not alone. The family trusted her to serve him. She would have to be clever. Clever and fast. Alan could not see further than the next paycheck. He would gladly punish dissidents while the 5th collapsed around them.
No, she was on her own. Maybe she could get Samedi's blessing and travel north to Le Choix to seek reinforcements. If there ever was a fortress strong enough to repel the Banner, it would be there: Papa Ghede Le Croix, the Queen Marinette, and the rest standing guard. But Samedi would never let her go. And if she ran, he would have her head. And even if she reached the city, it could be too late.

"Rock and a hard place?" Shelby asked.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

"We'll take you to the Baron." She said. "He'll figure out what to do."

Shelby grabbed the potato with his tied up hands and took a generous bite, before giving it back.

"He'll kill us." The words barely audible through his chewing. "Don't matter much if he believes us."

Shelby was right. Samedi ruled with an iron fist, showing little regard for whether someone was right or wrong. If someone bungled their job, an example would be made.

The air was hot and dry. Katherine closed her eyes and thought of snow. Almost no one had seen it. Only the older generation knew what it was. The ones before the Pocolypse. And the very few survivors from FarHaven. She tried to remember as much as possible. The elegant houses. Real houses. Not this tin shack shit. Tall white mountains. And the snow. She could definitely recall the cold sensation of the flakes gently landing on her tongue. How the flames danced across the houses. And how her mother and father were ripped from her arms. She couldn't really remember their faces though, not anymore. She was eight when the Ghedes took her in. The loss of FarHaven had been a great shock to everyone. Her parents never even got a funeral...