Rendering Flames

Millie yanked at my arm as we ran discretely through the trees. Our clothes muddied and torn, our skin pale and saturated like the ground after a long rain. My feet ached more than my head or back. I felt like all we had been doing was running since we got away. All we did was sit there at night, too afraid to fall asleep. When we would think we caught a break, thinking we were safe, something would come up in our path, causing us to take off again in fear of our safety.

We didn’t know where we were, how long we hand traveled or how far. We didn’t know anything but how exhausted we were, how we haven’t had time to process anything yet. Neither of us wanted to chance the fact that Kruger could have known we escaped. Perhaps he knew or figured some would weed their way out and ordered executions on sight for any found.
Millie stopped running, leaning into a tree to catch her breath. “I can’t go any further, I’m too tired.”

“Me too,” I sighed, running a hand through my wet hair. “We have to at least find somewhere more hidden to rest.”

Millie barely nodded, audibly groaning as we started up again but were short stopped when we heard hooting and hollering. We backtracked, remaining quiet as we stood still. We had figured out a while back that we were some miles away from a small town, running along the length of it and prayed not to run into trouble. It looked like our prayers had run out.

“Why hello there, ladies.” A tall skinny man stepped out from behind the brush, a few more lanky looking men following him.
Millie and I turned but ran into five more men smirking at us. They all had weapons on them and mischief in their eyes. I gulped down the last strain of fear my body was able to produce with the shred of energy I had left.

“Weary travelers?” A fat man mocked us, taking up our appearances. “Or runners?”

“Give us your names,” the lanky man ordered, coming to stand in front of us.

“I’m Dahlia,” I answered in a low voice, not looking at them. “That’s—,”

“Let her answer for herself, now!” The lanky man snapped but still held a stringy smile on his face. “I’m assuming she can speak for herself.”

“Millie.” She spat a little, her face was tight.

“Got a little spirit to you?” He stepped closer to us, “I like that.”

“We don’t have any money. We have nothing to offer,” I pointedly said, hoping they would just let us go.

“Oh, no. We don’t want your money, Dahlia.” He smiled brighter, his teeth we yellowed and chipped, “we got a good source of income for ourselves.”

“Then let us go,” Millie spoke up, “please.”

“There’s something about you two. You seem to be on the edge of your ropes and wits. Mighty tired looking, mighty afraid of something.” He knelt down onto his heels, looking up to us.
“I haven’t introduced myself yet, how rude. I’m Rich, ironic for how I’m hoping to be one day along with these fine gentlemen. They’d introduce themselves but they don’t talk much. They let a lot of other things do their talkin’.”

“What are you getting at?” I was afraid to ask but did anyways, only if it bought us more times.

“I’m good at my job, Dahlia. I’m good at reading people, it’s how I make my money. And you know, you two lovely women at like open books to me.” He stood up once more, pacing as he continued, “do you know what a bounty hunter is?”

“No,” I answered honestly but Millie’s face told me it wasn’t a desired profession.

“Well your friend certainly does.” Rich laughed a little, “I’ll explain it though.”

“When someone does something illegal, bad, or really anything that pisses someone off enough for them to give their hard earned money to anyone who brings them their head in returned for a nice profit, that’s where I come in.”

“And what does that have to with us exactly?” Millie asked slowly, folding her arms to hide her wrist subtly.

“Well, since you’ve asked. I can see those fading marks on your wrists and our high and mighty man in charge has increased bounty for any and all resisters to his ruling. All I have to do is drag your two pretty little asses down to the nearest watch station and toss you over for a nice bundle of money.”

Millie and I looked to each other, no fight in our systems if it were to come down to that. I sucked in a sharp breath, trying not to think of the repercussions of being turned in would be. Would I lose myself all over again? Would I be killed or tortured? Would I be forced to face my family that were now strangers to me?

And Millie, poor Millie who would most likely be killed once learned who she was connected to. She’d probably be ruthlessly tortured for the location of Jaden, for who for all we knew was good and dead. Perhaps that would be the best way for her to go though. For her not having to worry about leaving anyone behind because everyone she would be leaving behind is dead or lost forever.

“Do you two want to go quietly or put up one good last fight?” Rich smiled, like he had us already in the bag before there was a quiet commotion behind us.

“Why Richie Rich, sticking your nose in where it doesn’t belong again?” A deep, very masculine voice sounded from behind us. And I turned to see a hulking man coming to greet Rich.

He was a tower to Millie and I and it didn’t go without noting that he was obviously a man’s man. He had a thick beard and thick hair. His eyes were sharp and dark, small barely visible scars lathered his visible skin. He was terrifying.

“Orson the bore, enjoying the domesticated life?” There was a spite of resentment behind Rich’s return.

“Can’t complain.” Orson shrugged, looking Millie and I over with an arched brow. “Care to explain what’s going on?”

“I’m afraid you aren’t entitled to that information anymore, my man. It was nice seeing you though. Give Beth my best.” Rich dismissive tone didn’t deter Orson, who just seemed to brush off that statement like all the others.

“What are they? Drug mules, whores, or innocent women lost in the woods?” Orson was accusatory and I was slowly realizing that he was coming to our defense.

“None. They are resisters, probably from the latest extermination that Kruger seems to be bent on. Still branded and everything, sound get a good amount for them.”

Millie grabbed my hand suddenly, her fear being squeezed into my hand. “We will do whatever we need to do not be taken in, please.”

“Oh, I’m sure you don’t want to do what I have in mind.” Rich raised his upper lip and I suppressed a shiver from going down my back.

“How much you want for them, Rich?” Orson’s offer made me do a double take in his direction.

“How much? You’re not serious, Orson. They’re petty protesters, you’d have no use for you,” Rich laughed.

“No, but it would mean that they’d be mine, if you want to so cruelly put it. They’d be out of your reach.”

Rich shook his head in disbelief, “Always soft, always ever so caring. Breaks my heart to see you stoop this low.”

“Having humanity and morals doesn’t seem too farfetched.” Orson retorted flatly, “I’ll give you two.”

“Three.” Rich responded without a hitch.

“Two fifty.”

“Two seventy-five.”

Orson groaned, combing his hand over his beard. “Deal.”

“Sold!” Rich exclaimed, slapping his knee. “Pay up, bore.”

Orson slapped cash into his hand, no an inch of regret on his face. Millie and I stared at each other confused.

“Wait,” Millie stepped forward. “What is going on?”

“You two were just bought off for a whooping two hundred and seventy-five dollars.” Rich told us mockingly, like all of our worth was wrapped up into this almost slave like exchange.

“Always nice doing business with you, Rich.” Orson sighed and turned to the rest of the men around us, “you too, boys.”

And just like that, everyone started going their separate ways. Millie and I were stunned and just mostly bewildered at what had just happened. Before I could start, Millie had already started to catch up with Orson.

“Wait!” Millie skidded to a stop in front of him. “Wait, that’s it? You’re just going to leave us?”

“Well, yeah.” Orson looked between us like we were missing the pun of a joke.

“No,” I stuttered out. “You did some weird buy off and that’s it? You can’t leave us. What if they come back? What if some other crazy ass group of lost boys come at us?”

Orson chuckled, “Rich is all bark and no bite. He was just going to wring you out until you put out for them. There’s a code though, you won’t be bothered anymore.”
He passed through us but Millie stopped him again. “Listen, you don’t understand. We haven’t eaten in what has seemed like days. We haven’t slept either and goddamn it, we’re thirsty too. We don’t have the right to ask more of you, but please, please don’t leave us.”

I didn’t know if it was an act or if Millie was crying real tears. We were both probably at that point of desperation. My mouth was thick with a cotton taste and my lips cracked. I’ve never felt worse, at least not since I first woke up by myself after my torturing.

I looked up to Orson, who was having an internal argument with himself. He was close to caving in and I was so close to throwing my hands together and falling to my knees to beg before he relented.

“Fine,” he gritted out. “You can stay for one night but that’s it! I can’t have you two causing trouble. I have a good thing going, I don’t need the added attention.”

“Absolutely! You won’t even know that we’re there!” Millie waved wildly, looking like a mad women.

“Okay,” Orson looked at her weirdly. “Follow me.”