Aimlessness

I step out of the house alone. I appreciate Kelly’s presence and care but she truly dislikes the sun. Unfortunate for her to live in a place where the sun is almost always mercilessly beating down on the landscape. I survey the hodgepodge of metallic buildings as I walk down the steps to the hard dry dirt path. I have not had the chance to see New Yuma by myself. An opportunity to gain intel on the workings and going-ons of this little settlement without Kelly’s overly cautious supervision.

My feet meet the tough ground. I abruptly turn instead of going on the main path. Another advantage of being alone, I can see things others might not want me to. Doubtful I will find anything troublesome however.

I look around the shady pathway, the sun blocked off by the buildings. Nothing interesting but that is not unexpected. I would have known by now if something alarming was right next door.

I close my eyes and take a slow breath as I continue my vague search. I raise an arm and begin to mutter an enchantment. I quickly finish the short chant and begin to scratch my sharp claws against the building. Both out of boredom and as a marker so I know where I have already been.

“Whoa there!”, A familiar voice exclaims stopping me in my tracks. I open my eyes to see a mountain of a man in a security uniform. My claws were quite close to his chest. “Didn’t know you had such sharp nails.”, He utters at the sight of my spell’s effect.

“Sorry about that.”, I respond as I put my hands behind my back. “I was just exploring and wanted to make a marker so I wouldn’t get lost.”, I quickly add.

“Well good thing you ran into a security officer instead of someone else.”, The giant gives me a comforting smile. “I’m on patrol but I have time to answer a few questions.”, His words full of kindness as he speaks.

I look at the ground as I mull over if there are any specific questions that I have.

“I don’t think I have any questions.”, I finally break the silence between us.

“Alright.”, The security officer replies, “I’ll be on my way then.” He begins his patrol once again.

“Oh!”, I exclaim as he is a short distance behind me now. “Why do you all use nuts and bolts as currency?”, I inquire as I turn around to face him.

“Huh.”, He replies as he stops in his tracks. “I’ve never really thought about it.”, He says as he turns around. He rests his head in between his fingers for a moment and looks at the ground as his face takes on an expression reminiscent of a twisted tree. A chortle escapes my lips at the humorous sight. “What’s so funny?”, He looks up at me with a look similar to Alton.

“I’m sorry.”, I quickly respond before a wave of sadness can wash over me at the thought of Alton. “You’re expression just put me at ease is all.”, I swiftly add.

He responds by letting out a chuckle, “Well glad you’re doing alright.”

Another pause falls between us before he gives me a quick wave good bye and heads off to continue his patrol.

-- -- --

Having meandered through various new areas of New Yuma I have stumbled upon my favorite spot. The farming fields. Perhaps I had a mystical connection to this place. I could truly sense the life of the growing crops here.

I look at the vivid plants in my vision. Admiring the farmers tending to their yields, showing their care and tenacity for their charges.

“Whach’ya doin’?”, Sarah’s alluring voice utters. My eyes turn to see Sarah’s enthralling bronze skin almost shimmering in the evening sun. Her empty gaze pierces through my soul as she has a hand on her hip like an older sibling finding their younger one in a compromising lie.

“I’m looking at my favorite sight.”, I respond trying to not let her know those eyes of hers were terrifying yet enchanting.

“I’m surprised you don’t have your watchdog attached to your hip.”, She remarks as she looks over at the fields. “It is nice seeing some actual color out here.”, She adds with a content sigh.

“Where’s Cal?”, I ask her actively ignoring the unnecessary insult to Kelly and swallowing my growing anger.

“He’s flying about. He’ll be back at some point.”, She gives a melodic yet hollow chuckle in response. Rather unsettling and nonchalant of her.

“So why are you still here?”, I inquire further trying to see if I can learn anything more about this mysterious traveler.

“I helped fix the water problems.”, Sarah replies seemingly avoiding a straight answer. But before I can say anything she adds with a shrug, “I was already here so I figured, why not?”

“So why are you here?”, I press the question once again and turn to face her. I might be taller than her but she most certainly was stronger than I am so I would prefer to keep things from escalating into a fight.

“You’re a mage.”, She bluntly replies. “Don’t worry. I’m not tellin’ any of them.”, She says reassuringly, or at least I assume the words are meant to be that because this woman continues to sound so devoid of emotion she is difficult to get a read on. “I sensed it when you and I met. I wanted to talk to you about it. Lucky me that I stumbled upon you after finishing up helping fix the water pipes.”, She explains to answer my question before I can put it into words. My jaw drops at her statement. “I’ve been traveling here and there around this area for years. But only the security chief and mayor know I’ve got magic as well.”, She confirms my thoughts before I can inquire further about what she knows.

A pause hangs in the air between us as I come to terms with all this information she dumped on me. The burdening silence is broken by Sarah drawing her blade from its sheath. The blade’s escape into the open air makes an oddly satisfying sound. The slim jet black blade glimmers in the evening sun filling me with both a sense of awe and terror.

“The blade is made of obsidian.”, Sarah starts to explain as she gives a tepid slash into the air. Despite putting little strength or speed behind her strike the air still sings with the sound of rapidly being displaced by the force. “It wasn’t originally though.”, She continues as she raises her sword arm and hoists the obsidian closer to my face to let me better examine the blade. “I transformed it to this tough material to protect myself.”, She shares unprompted, “Thanks to its now magical nature I don’t need to waste time maintaining it either.” She rapidly moves her arm and rests the blade mere centimeters from my neck. As a sense of dread begins to bubble within me like a carbonated drink she just as quickly moves the razor sharp weapon away from my neck and sheathes it once again. A sigh of relief escapes my lips. My fellow mage lets out a chuckle barren of true joy as her vacant gaze penetrates my very being once more.

“Why tell me all this?”, I finally gather the wit to ask.

“They’re going to need you and I very soon.”, Sarah cryptically answers. “I presume the mayor told you this already.”, She continues, “There’s been strange things going on with the marauders around here.”

“He did mention something when we talked for a little bit.”, I respond.

“He probably didn’t share this though.”, Sarah gives a smirk as she talks, “They’re organizing into a real army. Ran into a squad of theirs before I got here. Took’em all out too except the leader.” She tells me unprompted. “That’s who I brought in when I came here.”

“Something I doubt you would have been able to do without magic.”, I mutter.

“Yuuuuuuup.”, She responds stoically as her gaze turns back to the fields before us. “Magic is a tool. Just because most people can’t use it they fear it.”, The tan woman proclaims as if she is giving me a motivating speech. “But it lets us do amazing things that give us more opportunities to help others.”, She continues as that hollow smirk creases her face once again.

Before I can put my whirlwind of thoughts into words the two of us hear a familiar bird call. It appears Cal has returned for the day. Sarah’s smirk fades as her eyes meet mine and raises her arm for Cal to use as a perch.

“Good flight today, huh buddy?”, She asks her bird companion as he lands on her arm. Cal happily replies with a yes. “Good to hear”, The woman says as if she could actually understand him. “See you later Ingrid.”, She adds as she beings to walk away.

I turn around and watch Sarah’s toned backside as she leaves. I was too focused on Cal when we met that I did not notice how truly beautiful this tanned woman is. But something about her sits wrong with me. She seems so barren of humanity like the bomb scorched desert surrounding New Yuma. Yet I still feel this odd attraction to her.