Desert Wake ✔

Ch. 10: Believers

"Git up both of yous." Tegan's sharp voice calls me out of my stupor. Her and her people got them guns trained back on us again. Frank ain't nowhere to be seen.

Ro is sittin' up, rubbin' his eyes. "What's going on?" He struggles to his feet.

What's goin' on is that while I've been busy neglectin' my guard duties, Tegan took it upon herself to become acquainted with the contents of our packs.

"Who are you?" Tegan gits real close to Ro's face. Her gun flashes silver in the lantern light. "And don't lie to me."

That's when I see what she got in her non-gun hand—a copy of Why the spread of the Desert Should Matter to You. She holds it real gentle, like it's liable to burst into flames if she ain't careful with it. One of her sons clasps the other copies to his chest.

Ro tries grabbin' at the one she's holdin'. "That's mine." Tegan waves it out of his reach.

"That might be the first truthful thing you've said today." She narrows her eyes. "Tell me, how is it that a pair of star-crossed lovers finds themselves in possession of ten whole copies of the most controversial piece of literature ever to make its way to light in this dark land of ours?"

I swallow hard, and Ro looks a mite shocked. "You're familiar with it?"

"Course I am," she snaps. "Ain't a trader alive that don't dream of comin' across one of these. The government's been destroyin' copies fast as they cain find 'em. And they've been confiscatin' presses even faster, just to make sure no one else gits to printin' more editions. Ain't too many of these left in circulation, which means each copy's more valuable than a whole carton of guns. But here you come with more of 'em then is believed to be unaccounted fer. So let me repeat my question. How is it that you have these?"

I look back and forth 'tween Tegan and Ro. Tegan's tremblin' a little. It's the first time she's appeared even remotely rattled. And that's when I realize it—that book means something to her. Ain't just its material value. She values its content.

"Cuz he's the author," I blurt out.

"May!" Ro is the cautious one now, not wantin' to reveal the truth of ourselves. But I don't see no way 'round it.

Tegan takes a step back. Her face scrunches up like she just ate herself a particularly sour pickle. "He wrote it." She laughs, but it don't sound too genuine.

"And printed it, too." I nod.

"I don't believe you." She spits on the ground.

"Good." Ro glares at her.

"Look here, Tegan." I let out a low breath to compose myself. "I'm trustin' you with the truth and that ain't no easy thing seein' as though the person who wrote and printed these booklets is a wanted man. If he gits caught, he'll be tried fer treason. Fer all I know, yer gonna march us out of here in the mornin' bound and gagged, drag us back to civilization and turn us in. So why would I tell you something that could git us killed, unless it was true."

Tegan looks us both over, and her eyes soften. "I always thought a desert dweller wrote it." She sounds a mite disappointed.

"His name was Amos Kennedy." Ro straightens himself up. Guess he figures now I've spilled the beans, ain't no point in denyin' his involvement. "Three of us co-authored the booklet, including Amos. He died trying to get the truth out."

"The press fire," Tegan whispers. Ro's eyes spark with surprise at Tegan's knowledge of that event.

He nods sadly. "The press fire."