Veronica caught his eye long before she took her seat at the rickety little bar area. From behind the counter, he gave her a grin and lifted his chin. “Welcome to Paradise, Vera” Lucian called to her. This smile was one she didn’t have to fake, even if it was weak.
Paradise. It was nothing more than a few pieces of tin sheets tacked together to form something that looked like serving counter with five stools lined up in front. Two poles on each side held up the lopsided sign over the counter that read Pardise. The second “a” had been missing for a while and no one had a clue of where it went. Behind the counter, a little room was carved out of a pile of junk with the makings for a bed balled up in the corner. She couldn’t remember that last time she saw Lucian fit through the rabbit hole. It had been over a year for sure. Besides, he was older than most of the children in the hills. Almost two years older than herself.
As she took a seat on one of the wobbly stools he made himself, she watched as he handed a metal cup to a little girl no older than eight, though she could have been wrong. It was hard to tell with the girl’s matted hair and dirty face.
Lucian gave her a hopeful smile before sending the girl on her way. He knew how much a smile meant. A smile was hope and hope was all they had left. It was all they ever had. Hope that one day things would change.
He picked up an iron cup off the counter with one finger and twirled it around. Grabbing a rag with the other hand, he made his way to Veronica. “Good to see you.” He leaned on the counter on the opposite side of the bar and pretended to polish the cup. “Can I get you anything?”
As much as Veronica wished she could smile and flirt, wink and bat her eyelashes, she couldn’t. Just sitting in her usual place brought back memories and she found herself questioning her decision to come all together. No longer would she laugh at the way Lucian would taunt Kat until her face was as red as her hair and she’d have to get between them to stop a fight from breaking out. She sighed and forced herself to smile. By the look on Lucian’s face, he wasn’t convinced.
He studied her. “It’s Kat, isn’t it?” When she didn’t answer, he set down the rag and cup. Raising a brow, he pushed, “That is it, right?”
He knew what was bothering her. He always did. When she spoke, her voice was so thin she wondered if he’d heard her. “She’s gone.”
Lucian watched her for a moment, but said nothing. Shaking his head, he moved to the hot plate on the counter. “I’m sorry, Vera,” he said softly, gently. He flipped the switch to the heating element, filled a pot up with water from a barrel, and placed it on the hot plate. His hands went for two canisters under the counter, one with grains and one with poultry flavor. Veronica met his eyes when she felt him watching her, but only for a moment before she lowered them back to the counter. She realized that she didn’t bury her feelings as deep as she thought. Hot tears welled in her eyes. Not here, she pleaded with her heart, though she couldn’t think of a more comforting place.
“I wish I knew what to say to make it easier,” Lucian said when he realized she couldn’t speak. After he thought for a moment, he continued, “I watched a girl about my age get taken about a few days ago and I couldn’t do anything to stop it. It just goes to show that no matter who you are or how old you are, eventually they’ll get us. Every time they come, they look for me too. It’s been that way for years. One day, they’ll catch me too. One day.” He inspected the hot plate and, when he noticed that it wasn’t heating up, he beat his fist on the tin counter, twice. On the third time, Veronica looked up at him. “Useless piece of junk,” he mumbled, then ducked under the counter to check the wires for a faulty connection. “Do you mind helping me?” he called to her. Wiping away the water from her eyes, she hopped down from the stool and met him behind the counter.
Crouching beside him, she saw the problem. “Hold this,” he instructed. She took the two pieces of wire from him and held them together like he showed her. He took out a roll of tape from his back pocket and tore a piece off with his teeth, then wrapped it around both of the wires. “One good thing about living next to the neighborhood engineer, he either fixes your equipment or at least tells you how.” Thinking of Scotcher, a hint of a grin played on her lips and she sniffed back her tears.
Before getting up, she glanced at Lucian, one more time and froze, caught in his hazel eyes. There was something more than concern or sympathy in them. There always was, though she chose to ignore it. It remained unspoken in their game of looks and playful advances.
She blinked several times and shook her head, slowly backing away from him. He said it himself, the patrolees were looking for him. He didn’t have any time left. What good would it do for them to admit their feelings to one another, then he disappears the next day? She tried to stand, but he grabbed her arm, forcing her back down and refused to lose her eyes. “If you need someone to talk to, I’m always here,” he said, his voice reflecting nothing had happened between them, pure concern. His eyes told a different story.
She nodded slowly, sinking back into reality, and walked out from behind the bar.
In her usual spot once again, she watched as Lucian evaluated the hot plate’s progress. It was beginning to glow red.
“Speaking of our little engineer,” Lucian started, picking up his cup and rag again. “Did you hear what the kid has plans for now?”
Veronica looked at him curiously and shook her head.
Leaned on the counter, he whispered, “An airship. Can you believe it? He said he’ll be able to fly us out of here soon.”
She perked up a bit. “Fly us out?”
A hint of a smile returned to his lips. “Up and out of Havana Hill was what he said.”
“I don’t believe it,” Veronica confessed. “It’s too good to be true.”
“Well, I do. Besides, we both know the kid’s a little genius.” The water in the pot began to bubble and pop.
“Is he in?” Veronica asked.
“Yeah, think so.” He poured the water into a cup and added two scoops of oats and a scoop of flavoring then stirred. “I haven’t seen him come out since this morning when he took the guns to make repairs.” He inspected the cup one last time before stabbing a spoon in it and handing it to her. “Here. It’s on the house,” he told her and flashed the smile that kept her coming back to Paradise time and time again.
Taking the cup, she tested it and gave him a little satisfied grin. “When is it not?” she teased, then in a serious tone. “Thank you, Lucian, for everything.” She held his eyes until she believed he understood. He was all she had left.
“Anything time,” he replied with a little nod and a smile.
Feeling somewhat better than when she arrived, she hopped down from the bar stool. “I’ll see you soon,” she said with a wave, then started toward Scotcher’s workshop.
“I’ll be here,” he called to her.
~*~*~*~*~
If you've taken the time to read my story, I can only ask you for one more simple thing, please leave your comment and vote!
Look forward to the final part of chapter 3 next Friday instead of Tuesday! (Hint, hint: Kathrine will be included in the next update. :D)
As always, thanks for reading!
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Bound to Sanctum
Fantasy“I never knew the sky was so big or that the world was so cruel.” Between the ominous black walls of Havana Hill lie the ruins of the Old World and the great war that ended it. Kathrine Malone, along with hundreds of other ill-fated children, call t...
