Nepenthe | Sapnap |

Jumping to Conclusions

Phil let out a sigh before clapping his hands together, "If my patrollers say you're good then welcome. Let your horses rest and get something to eat and drink. Let's continue this talk at my house."

"Thank you so much, sir," Karl said with a smile of relief on his face as he dismounted his horse, which I think he briefly mentioned whose name was 'Socks'. "Seriously, thank you. You have no clue how long we've been-"

"Easy," Phil raised his hand up to cut Karl off, who immediately clamped his mouth shut and stopped in his tracks, "I don't want to come off as rude, but we really must continue this at my house... away from prying eyes and ears."

I could see Karl swallow from where I was standing as I watched him slowly look around at the people around him. The only person who seemed to calm down and take a logical position on the new people was Phil. I didn't even know why there were so many loiters around the stables. These people weren't even patrollers. They have no business being here.

Phil led us in the direction of his house with me close to his side, George and Karl right behind him, and Alex bringing up the rear. Walking as fast as we could without gaining as much attention as possible from any more onlookers.

"Phil? What's up with all the people at the stables?" I asked him in a hushed voice as we crossed town square. Thankfully the square was almost empty. At least some people in this town were doing their jobs instead of just gawking at anything that moved.

"Some people were offering different ways to help towards the ambush since not everyone is able to donate items."

Karl cleared his throat, "Um, I'm sorry. Did I just hear 'ambush'?"

I pursed my lips and took a deep breath, sparing him a quick glance over my shoulder, "Yeah... that's a part of one of the things we need to discuss before you guys really decide if you want to come here or not. We don't want to hide anything."

"Son, we are going to be up front with both of you about everything that's going on here. No deceptions at all. We don't deal with that shit." Phil said loud and clear. "We aren't like that, but this should be done in private. We got some people here who aren't all on the same page."

For some reason, clarity ran across Karl's face as he listened to Phil and I talk. He must have liked the idea of having all the truth and problems laid out right in front of him before immediately making a decision.

Making it to Phil's house in record time, we all entered the house and congregated in the dining room, which apparently has become our meeting spot for anything important. Luke was already sitting in the middle of the table with his back to the windows, a book laying open in front of him as his free hand twirled a spoon inside a teacup.

"Whoa, hey. The fuck is going on?" Luke exclaimed as he stood up so fast that he almost knocked his chair over.

"Okay, okay," I breathed out and raised my hands up. It probably looked like I was trying to defuse a situation, but I was really just mentally preparing myself for what was going to come up with all this new information. "Luke, this is Karl and George."

Luke squinted his eyes for a moment and tilted his head as he slowly raised his hand in a low wave, still very confused about what was happening, "Uhh, hi?"

"They are from a group that's been hiding out in the community arts center about two miles west."

Luke's eyebrows shot up, "No shit?"

"So, you don't know anything about this group?" I asked him.

He drew his eyebrows in and shook his head, "No, nothing. No one ever said anything. I mean I've been with you guys these past three weeks."