ODE TO THE END: A BALLAD OF BROTHERS

CHAPTER 21

"Oh. I'm Sorry," she whispered. "I know you said to be inconspicuous, but I'm just really excited. Like really excited." She tucked her red locks beneath her hood again after they came loose. "Speaking of excitement. T-that waiter girl seemed excited to see you too."

"She's a waiter. She's nice because she wants more money," said Achim.

"Oh yeah," said a blushing Naomi. "I-I guess you're right."

"Umm." Brielle finally peeped up and pointed a dainty finger at the wooden menu Achim set on the table. "C-c-c-can I get that, please? I-I-I'm really hungry...I-if you guys don't mind."

"Knock yourself out, Crazy Hair," Achim replied. The menu was closest to him, but Achim did not hand the etched wood over. By the time a full minute went by, the only thing Achim attempted to pass around was a long yawn.

"Aren't you going to pass it," asked Naomi.

"Why? It's right here," said Achim. "She can reach it herself."

"Have you always been this rude," said a prickled Naomi.

"Rude?! What the hell are you talking about," said an offended Achim.

"Haven't you ever eaten with people before," asked the sun-kissed girl.

"Actually, no! Not since I was a kid," Achim said. "The Wilds aren't exactly full of family dinners, Naomi. But what would you know about that?"

Naomi was speechless, at first. "W-well it's rude to reach across a table, Achim"

"Not out here it's not. In The Wilds, you take what you can get. That's all there is to it."

Again, Naomi was speechless. "Well that's clearly not the case for Brielle. And you can still call her by her name." Naomi placed a hand on the shy girl's shoulder, startling her. "Go on, Brielle. Tell him," said Naomi.

"Huh," went the shy girl. She seemed to have just come out of a hungering trance. She quickly wiped away the drool slipping off her lip and onto the menu before replying. "I-I'm sorry. I-I-I wasn't really paying attention."

"See?! She doesn't even care," Achim stated. "And what's with the attitude? You were literally sun-shine and rainbows a few seconds ago."

"I don't have an attitude, Achim. I just don't like it when you're – Ugh! Nevermind."

Naomi huffed and puffed before slouching in her seat, leaving Achim annoyed and perplexed. "Whatever," he scoffed. "I only have a bit of coin in my pocket so I can't feed the both of you anything big. Just get something small and"--

"Wait." Naomi squinted at Achim. "When did you get that?"

"Don't ask questions you don't want the answer to," Achim stated.

"What does that mean," Naomi said with added anger.

"Look, do you want to eat or not," Achim bit back.

"Let me know where you got the money first, Achim."

"If you have something to say just come out and say it, Naomi."

"Ummm...I...Umm...I actually brought my own money," said the soft-spoken Brielle.

Hidden beneath her cloak and oversized shirt was a large pouch of dirty dollars, rusted coins and odd trinkets tied to her waste. Pulling the pouch from her belt, the shy girl clearly thought nothing of the extravagant amount she poured onto the table. Achim and Naomi's spat was immediately forgotten, but the glittering cascade turned every eye in the saloon.

Achim felt the stares and his scarred brow twitch. "Could we not"--

"You mean all that junk is money over here," said Naomi. She then brandished her neatly rolled wad of dollar bills and set it next to Brielle's stash. "Here's what mine looks like. Have you ever seen money like this before, Brielle?"