in a time of war

[sazzie]

I sit at the top of the town's clock tower, the waves of the sunset glistening off my long, auburn hair. I also have an annoyingly bad habit; my eyes keep flickering toward the noticable man, observing him as he communicates kindly to children as he walks about chatting to them. From afar I judge him to see if he's an enemy or not.

[veilwebb]

i then persuade the man to let me sleep in the barn outback. i buy some bread and go out to the barn and make up a nice bed of straw and use my jacket as a pillow. lying there with my sword still at my side, thinking of the last time i saw my family and wondering if his brother made it past the border.

[sazzie]

I haven't seen the man in a while...I suppose he must have found a good place to sleep. I shrug and head off to my old room in the back of the tower. It still had my makeshift bed and dresser. I look around, and think outloud, "Well I guess I could've had him sleep on the floor if he needed somewhere," I shrug and plop on my bed, "Looks like I have to find this loser in the morning," and I drift off to sleep.

[veilwebb]

i wake up the next morning i feel energized and refreshed. it was the first good rest i have had in a while. I walk into the inn and thank the clerk for letting me stay there. i then walk out into the streets wear the kids are playing again. i walk past them and into the small hut. Its inside was filled with tables and tons of people eating the fresh pancakes. The woman at the entranced asks how many "one" i say. She then leads me to a table and i sit down and wait for her to bring me my pancakes.

[sazzie]

I wake up slowly and let my eyes adjust to the light. Swinging out of bed I go to the little bathroom in the back of the room and undress to take a shower...While in the shower I stare at the same tattoo on my arm that was on the man's arm...I re-dress into my outfit and put my hair up in a pony tail. I quickly race up to the tower to see if I can find the man...I do, then make my way into the town square.

[veilwebb]

still eating my breakfast i notice the same woman i saved before walk in looking to eat but everywhere is full. i decide i better be nice i tell my waiter to have her sit at my table. the woman sits at the table "good morning, sleep well ?" i say.

[sazzie]

I just stare at him, "You need a shower," is all I say, and take a slice of his pancake, and a sip of his drink. I then call the waitress over and ask for some bacon and orange juice for myself.

[veilwebb]

"no time to shower, we need to press on we have a 5 day trip till we reach the border. Longer if we run into one of the armies. best pack for the long trip" i say. i then finish my food and get up. "ill meet you at the water fountain in the middle of the square in 2 hrs" i then walk out of the hut. I see a small shop, i think to myself maybe i should be some supplies.

[sazzie]

I look at him, then get up. "Alrighty then," I grab the food the waitress gives me and leave. I run back up to the clock tower and open my closet, I grab the back pack, and a tool belt. In the tool belt I put a flash light, a pocket knife, money, a tele-communicator and such in it's loops. I then shove food and water in the back pack.

[veilwebb]

i walk out of the shop and go over to the fountain im a little early but i figure ill watch the water flow through it. i also watch the kids play. I think to myself how much i just want to get to the border and find my brother.

[sazzie]

I then remembered that the mountains up North get pretty cold, and decide to shove a heating tent in my pack as well. I scavenge the room for other important things and only find an old map that is missing a few towns, and an old toy. I look at the clock and notice it's only 1:00. What to do?

[veilwebb]

i look up and see the woman up in her tower that overlooks the square. i wave to her.

[sazzie]

I act as if I don't notice the man and sit down on my bed. I wait five minutes before looking out again; the dumb ass is still looking at me. I smirk then grab my bag and throw it at his feet, plopping down next to him.

"Nothing wrong with leaving early," I say and put my sunglasses on.

[veilwebb]

"alright lets go" i say. as we head towards the door we see it smash down and soldiers come running in all the towns bells sound and everyone is running. i grab her arm and say "come on we will take the other exist." we run down the streets and the soldiers were waiting i pull out my sword and start to fight them i disarm the first two and a third goes to slash me in the back but the woman kicks him in the nuts and he falls over before it can hit. i then fight my way through and jump over the wall i then pull the woman up over the wall with me and i steal one of the horses the soldiers left tied up outside. i pull the woman up and i ride off and turning down different streets to ditch the followers. after i know we are safe i slow down and let the horse come to a walk.

[sazzie]

"Thanks," I say and look at the man at the corner of my eyes. "By the way, never did catch your name,"

[veilwebb]

its craig

[veilwebb]

and yours ?

[sazzie]

"You can just call me Sazz," I dig my boots into the horses side, signaling it to pick up its pace.

[veilwebb]

" ok sazz" ... i thought about that name while we were riding along. where had i heard it before ?, no time for questions now. We ride along for several more hours and its starting to get dark. I see a few trees and a lake not to far in the distance. We finally reach the trees. "we will camp here for the night" i said as i jumped off the horse and tied it to the tree. I then cut some branches off the tree with my sword and put them a pile in the ground. I start a fire and sit down next to it with my back against the tree.

[sazzie]

I tie my horse against a tree and let her eat the grass in the pasture. "I guess i'll be getting the food then," I say. I then go into the forest and begin scavenging for berries. I pluck about twenty, putting them in a makeshift basket made of twigs and leaves. Then, I go for the main course. I lean straight against the back of a tree as I wait patiently for a deer to come near me. I crouch in the bushes and slowly make my way toward it.

Slowly I unsheath my dagger from my tool belt. I lick my lips as it gets closer, then throw it aiming straight for its head. The deer drops down and I drag it back to the campfire, "Go ahead Craig, start cooking."

[veilwebb]

"hahahahahahaha, you expect me to cook that? Your own your own sazz." I say as i pull a military food pouch from my left pocket and rip the top off and start eating with the fork that was in my coat pocket.

[sazzie]

I shrug, "Well, how many of those packets did you pack?" I then start skinning the deer while talking to him, "Because you do realize you'll eventually run out, I'm hunting my food while I can." I then take out the edible meat and put it in a pan over the fire. "So I can save my other food for an emergency," I then look at him in the eye and start digging a hole to put the deer carcass in it.

[veilwebb]

"I dont need food every day. I have gone weeks without food. If you want to hunt be my guest but ill stick to eating this" I say rasing the pouch up into the air. "And I got about 5 in my pocket still, they are good for travel because they take little space and are light. I dont need a bag like you I carry everything in my jacket here. That way nothing is out of reach" . I then finish eating my packet of food and lay down on the grass head up against the tree. "goodnight"

[sazzie]

"Suit yourself," I murmur, and take a bite into the deer. At night I stay alert, the leaves rustle against the ground, sounding as if its a person dragging their feet against the ground. I get up, alarmed, and search the surroundings, my eyes darting between bushes and trees. As soon as I see it's safe I lay against the lush grass and stare at the moon and stars, thinking of the past.

[veilwebb]

Hearing sazz being scared of the wind I laugh to myself quietly and go back to sleep. I awake the next morning to find sazz cooking again. "good morning" I say walking over to her. I reach for a piece of food but she slaps my hand away. "fine, ill eat my own" I say pulling out another pouch of food. "so just out of curiosity why were you in that cafe the other day ?" I asked thinking if that hadn't happened I'd just be alone in the woods right now.