Gone. Done. Over.

Three

        Wind whipped my hair as I stared, sitting hunched over on the cot, at my hands. I glanced around at the lengthy tent I was in. It was only half a tent technically. At least, it was only the top. Tables had been lined up long ways and guns, possessions etc. were set on them. 

“Hey,” a hand slid over my shoulder and I glanced up into Annalisa’s eyes. 

“Anna—,” I choked half of her name out as I stood. She wrapped me in a hug. We swayed for a moment and then I looked up into her eyes. “I literally just stopped crying and now you have to show up?”

She laughed, cuddling me closer. 

“Annalisa, you were right. We shouldn’t have—.”

“No. I guess now I see that it was just a matter of time,” Annalisa admitted darkly, searching my eyes. 

“But now…where’s mom?” I asked. 

“Here. She’s in one of the other tents,” Annalisa responded. 

“Good,” I said. The three of us were still together. “And what about Steven and Mace?”

“They’re not here yet, but Steven I’m going to kill. He scared me to death! And Mace I’m also going to kill,” she said, quite seriously. 

I smiled and noticed the two coming up behind her. Mace laid a hand on her shoulder. “Miss E--.”

Annalisa’s eyes lit up. She spun around, half tackling him in a hug. “Mr. Everett.” She choked and lifted her eyes to his. For a moment, they seemed unsure—as if frozen. Then Annalisa kissed him. My stomach knotted for her. It was without doubt their first real kiss, but was a pleasure to witness. There were notable changes in both when she withdrew. Mace stood a little taller and held his head a little higher. I think he was proud of Annalisa—of saying she was his girlfriend. No one had ever doubted that someday they’d be together and still no one ever doubted they’d be forever. I didn’t altogether mind the thought of Mace being my brother-in-law. He was funny and had great character. Annalisa too stood a little straighter, walked a little lighter on her feet. 

“Alright, Macey-boy,” Steven said, putting an arm around Mace’s shoulder. “Let’s head over to Sheppard Mason. He’s plotting something.”

We all glanced at each other. I followed Steven, Annalisa and Mace toward the far table at the end of the tent. There was a small group of men gathered around a table. A large map of the city of Gadeloff lay open across it. One particularly unfamiliar man stood, leaning over it. He had glasses with small, rectangular frames which sat on the end of his nose. He had a closely shaven heard and brown sideburns. Crazy, penny-brown hair covered most of his head, except for a growing bald spot toward the front of his cranium. A mulberry colored waste coat and white undershirt gave him an interesting appearance. I wasn’t accustomed to the bright colors and quite wished to stroke the velvet jacket. It appeared soft. 

“From here, we can trace the perimeter of Gadeloff. One group could go right, one left and one straight in through the main gate,” the man in the waste coat plotted, running his fingers over the teal and magenta markings. 

“That’s Sheppard Mason. His own city had a civil war and now he’s come to help us,” Steven whispered to me, “He says that within a year, our whole country might be free!” 

I stared with new interest at the man, Sheppard Mason, before me. Something about him reminded me of a scraggly owl though. Maybe it was his hair or bushy eyebrows. 

“Then each group can move in on The Office which is Teklate’s current command center.” 

“But sir,” Steven said, clearing his throat.