The Travelers of the Tree

Chapter 33 - The Confrontation

They walked up the stairs to the first floor. They went through the big room where Tommy had seen kids building and breaking up stone walls. They entered a long hallway and walked through another door at the end of it. This door led to another hallway, and at the end of it was an open room with a light on.

"These are my quarters now," Director Fripp said. "Master Ramsey is staying in them tonight." When they got to the open door, Tommy saw that Ramsey was inside, sitting at a small desk by a large bed. There were other rooms beyond this one that Tommy could see through a doorway. When Tommy entered the room, Ramsey did not look at him. Instead he talked to the two adults.

"Leave. Now. Go away. I will bring him to you when we are done." The Grunt and Director Fripp followed his order without response. Tommy stood, not knowing how to feel. Even now, as he looked at his brother, a part of him wanted to reach out to him, and appeal to him to change his mind. It just didn't have to be this way. Why couldn't Ramsey see this?

"You." Ramsey spoke slowly, with hatred spilling from every word. "You have betrayed me." Tommy shook his head.

"No, Ramsey, I haven't. I just couldn't do that to those others."

"Then you are weak! How could I have ever thought that a weak boy like you could share my power? I was made a fool by my emotions!" Ramsey threw a paper weight off the desk as he said this.

"Ramsey, I didn't mean to make you angry. I still want us to be close." Ramsey spit on the floor.

"That is what you are to me now!" He stood. "You made your choice when you chose those... those people. Over me!" Ramsey put his face in his hands. Tommy could see that he was almost crying.

"I didn't choose them over you, Ramsey. I just couldn't make them Servants. They just didn't deserve that!" Tommy wanted Ramsey to understand why he had done what he had. Ramsey took another paper weight off of the desk, and this time hurled it right at Tommy. Tommy ducked, and it missed him narrowly.

"Tomorrow, your friends will be moved to another Province." Ramsey smiled. Tommy was aghast.

"No, Ramsey, don't do that." Ramsey became incensed. He ran at Tommy, and pushed him up against the wall.

"Don't you dare tell me what I will do or not do!" He tightened his grip on Tommy. "They will all be moved so far away from here, that you will never see them again! You will stay here. If you survive Director Fripp, you will be able to become a Servant in my Province." Tommy's collar bone began to hurt where Ramsey was grabbing it.

"Ramsey, keep me here. But please, let them go." Ramsey's screamed in frustration.

"You would give up yourself for them, but you wouldn't sacrifice them for me? The boys I will send away. But maybe I will keep the girl for myself." Ramsey tightened his grip even harder on Tommy, and leaned in close. "Your Katy can wash the dishes at my castle for the rest of her life."

Tommy literally saw red, even though he had closed his eyes. Then he did something he had never done the countless times in his life when a bully had held him they way Ramsey was holding him right then. He pushed back. Ramsey lost grip on Tommy, and was forced back a couple of steps. He looked shocked.

"How dare you put your hands on me!"

"Shut up!" Again Ramsey was in disbelief.

"What did you say to me?"

"I told you to shut up." Ramsey's face twisted with hatred.

"No one has ever dared make the mistake you just did. Now you are going to be very sorry." He clenched his fist. He came towards Tommy, and threw a punch. Tommy tried to move but was too late. The punch landed between his shoulder and his chest.

Tommy was shocked by the blow. But not because it had hurt. He was shocked because he had hardly felt it. It was the weakest punch that had ever been thrown at him. Ramsey tried to throw another one. Tommy easily stepped back and dodged it. Tommy threw his own punch. It landed to the side of Ramsey's forehead. Ramsey immediately sank to the floor, holding his head. He began crying. Tommy was not worried about the noise. They were alone in the Director's quarters, and Tommy could tell, by the way they had walked through the winding halls to get here, that the Director had enjoyed his privacy.

When Ramsey tried to get up, Tommy threw him to the floor. It was too easy. Tommy realized that because Ramsey had been pampered all of his life, he was very weak, and not accustomed to any pain. When Ramsey stood, Tommy measured him.

"This one is for all of the bullies that got me ready for this moment," he said, and then landed a crushing blow to Ramsey's jaw. Tommy watched his brother fall onto the bed, unconscious.

Tommy looked around, unsure of what to do. On the desk, he saw a bunch of envelopes. Next to them was a pair of scissors, and glue that was used to keep the envelopes sealed. He had an idea.