The Empty World | The Empty World Sequence [complete | rewriting]

Ten (these events are Eleven in revised scene list)

The land was warm and lush and green, there was an inland sea with many boats on it, sheep grazing on plain, and nearby a walled city alive with noise and color. "I don't believe it, it's so beautiful, I thought this place was all desert."

"It will be tomorrow," Mother said. "Come on, we've got nearly 22 hours till the bomb hits, let's see if Sodom has any junk worth saving."

When they came to the city's gate, they had already dressed in the proper fashion; loose robes, with lightweight cloaks draped over and girdled, and for Mother, a veil to cover her hair. They said they were travelers from the west, and that they would only stay the night, they had gold, so if there was an inn they would stay there, otherwise they hoped they could camp inside the safe walls of the city. They were welcomed in, and given the name of a very honest innkeeper, or so it was they were told.

But since they were lying about the money, they didn't worry too much about any innkeepers honest or not. They went directly to the public market. "Let me know if you sense two Angels about, I want to know when they arrive," Mother whispered.

"Sure," said Morpheus. He skipped about excitedly, "this place is great, why are they going to destroy it?"

"No good reason, the Angels are involved in another of their power struggles, Tristopher causing trouble most likely, Eros perhaps. It's not like it's a big military target, it'll probably just be made an example of, or a misfire, or something like that. I wouldn't really know, Murph."

"Do you think it's really wicked?" Morpheus whispered as he picked up some dates.

"Wicked? Laughter. We'll see," said Mother.

Morpheus caught the eyes of the keeper of the fruit stall. He smiled. And the man stared dull-eyed. "To you, nothing, here, take a basket for your fruit."

Morpheus laughed. He loved when he didn't have to pay for things. "And some of these too, what are these?"

"Fresh plums, take some."

Morpheus gathered fruit into the basket, then just walked away with it.

"Morpheus, what I had in mind was looking about the city for things that shouldn't have been lost, some books maybe, some very exquisite jewelry, artworks...."

"Sure, we can find that stuff," said Morpheus when he wasn't sucking at the plum in his hand.

"Laughter."

They walked about the market all morning, collecting trinkets, speaking to people. They were invited to accept the hospitality of a young woman named Rahab, whom they had bargained with a vender on the part of for some flour. They went with her through the narrow streets between houses, stepping over sewage and the straw that had been thrown over it. Rahab let them into her house. She had shelves full of clay vessels, some brightly painted.

Rahab served them bread, cheese, and wine. Morpheus told her she could keep the fruit he had bought, in exchange. They sat about eating and drinking, and talking. Rahab said that she lived alone with her brother, their parents were dead. "My mother died in childbirth when Mika was born," Rahab said, "When the war came, my father joined the army of King Bera. He was slain. When the armies came through here, we barely managed to survive, we were only children then. Mika and I stayed together though, there was not money for me to be married properly, and Mika does not know much about those sort of things. He never married himself. As you see, we have managed to make a home here, I sell my pottery, and Mika raises sheep and sells the wool to the local spinners. He is with his flock now. At sunset, he should be back in the city."