Hording

We're biking on the side of the old railway. Josiah found an actual bike frame with hardly any rust on it. The Green Horde had wheels and gave us the pair for a trade of 6 cases of paper. They just had some successful births for the spring so they probably needed it for documents. They are one of the hordes that still believe in keeping track of that type of thing. I'm just happy to be able to go farther in a day for gathering and day trades. But most important to my soul. We get to ride with the moon again. Yea it looks fake cause there is still so much pollutant left after The Spill happened.

"Aiyana, look down." He said leaning back into my shoulders. He laughed knowing I was clearly steering blind. He knows he is bigger and should be the one peddling anyways. "You were trying to ride straight into the film. You'll tear up the strip and the sky will ignite again. " I nudge them up so I can look under their arm and catch the trail in the grass. I lined back up with the patch of mashed grass where the tire treads were barely raising.

"Some steering wheel you are. You couldn't have said something sooner?"

"Nope you looked too peaceful for once scatter brain." Their tone grew solemn. They could be remembering anything of our 4 or 5 years together. We don't agree on our tenure cause they count when they first cut me out of a bus I had gotten trapped in. I count when I stumbled into out Horde. The Tin Horde. I'm still planning to leave as soon as I find a better place to live. Or a place that is safe to live.

I hear the light tinkering of all the bells and whistles of home. Others would try to hide at night in the new old world. But these people of Josiah's, they think invitation is better. To never shy away from what would come. I am very skittish and very often am laughed at from jumping at sudden sounds or being rattled when peace and quiet stops inside our slice of 'normalcy'. But seeing as I found here and Josiah caught me again, we're something together. Sometimes they are like a sibling and others like a parent. But I think more is still an option to them.

"Aiyana!" I stop hard and they hop and wobble off. They start laughing while I try to swallow down my confusion of my thoughts and feelings. I stare wide eyed to see what I was doing and I basically had rode past our trial market for a little bit. They probably had been calling my name too.

I tilt my head down, wiggle my lips to the side and look up at them. Their smiling so wide. That pang in my chest happens again and they just embrace me with their huge pillowy arms. How they manage to be so beefy with such scarcity baffles me. Most of the Horde is huge in this way. No wonder they can invite friend or for at any time.

"I swear your brain really does just walk out on you." Muttering into the top of my head. I pout into their chest. They squeeze tighter knowing I'm about to pull away. But then the embrace turns into a hold. I try more seriously to break out and now fear engulfs me. Why won't they let go?

I don't know what to do. Make noise. Go silent. Fall limp?

"Far from Horde. Nice things. I want that." There is someone else here. If Josiah is protecting me, they must be something I'd hate to look at. I want to run. Josiah. Please let me run.

I hear like a click. Is that a gun? How are there even bullets for those things anymore? What’s happening? Tears are falling I’m so afraid. I’ll run to the aqueduct to hide. Josiah. Let me run. I sniff and there is a sickening smell. My stomach starts to retch. I cling into his chest more.

The voice yelps and there is a thud. I am whipped behind Josiah. I still wanna run but the grip on my shirt and jacket is tight. The jerking motion and the screams. Josiah is hacking the voice. I can feel him huffing.

“Stay.” I cup my face in my hands and stand still. I listen to the ruffling in front of me and squint to wipe my eyes and I finally am brave enough to try and peek. But in a moment Josiah is right in front of me and clasping something around my neck. I can’t take my eyes from theirs. I grab the wet wipe from my med pack off my thigh. A self made old purse from a bin. I wipe the blood from the side of their jaw and neck. Nothing much to do till we get back about the stains on his shirt. “Thank you for trusting me Aiyana. You probably could have made it to the aqueduct but I was selfish and couldn’t risk losing you.”

“I wouldn’t have moved for 3 days. So I get it. I’m great at hiding. I would have ignored your call until I was safely back home.” My voice was kind of shaky as the situation just sits and is glossed over. This brutish child just hacked someone to death with a machete. Not letting me look behind them. I instead look down. There is a heart shaped locket on me. “A gift?”

“A reminder.”

“A reminder of..” as my voice trails I push down and pluck it open and it has a picture of the old night sky. So rare to find proof that life was not at all like this before. The moon looks so white? I look up. Completely ignoring the dead body again. Now it looks like when you put a leaf on top of a search light. Green and yellow. Like the sun but pastel and thin.

“It’s supposed to be white?” as I look up with a confused smirk. They kiss me. Scooped me right up. Moving away from the dead body. Cupping my head to keep me from looking. I grumble but don’t fight it. I am on the handle bar.

“Close your eyes.” I do even though I am on the bars and trying to also focus on balance. Arm around my waist and chest against my shoulders as they peddle hard against the gravel and soft dirt to get traction. Going back where we should have been going. I open my eyes when they readjust to sitting and holding onto the bars. I won’t bring it up if Josiah doesn’t. It sounded human. But there are reports of genetic mutations of ‘lone people’ who just didn’t evolve well.

I scoot my but back a little and look up with my locket. “The world really isn’t supposed to be anything like this, is it?” A breeze of salt water tells me that we are almost home. Just got to get past the brush to get to the main road. We make the last turn and there are guards outside. We’re on the defensive?

“Josiah!” I hear the gate master yell. Hulking frame walking towards us. The bike stops and I tuck my locket back. “An old ship rolled up with a dozen or so loners. Several of our horde members have been killed today.”

“I killed one yards away from the meadow and aqueduct. Recently.” Josiah states coldly. Stains barely browning to prove it.

“Did it have-” the gate master cut off. I’m assuming Josiah doesn’t want me to know anything. I don’t need to be coddled. I glance up to meet the steady gaze of a conversation I wouldn’t win tonight. I hop off and grab the bike.

“I’ll make food.” Josiah grips my hand over the handlebar. Then just nods and turns away.

“There is nothing inside the gate. It is safe inside. Just some horde in mourning.” the gate master grumbles to Josiah.

I keep going while eyeing people with mourning stones out. Painting their loved ones faces with the mud and clay. It sinks in that Josiah and I could have been stones. I shake the shiver off and keep moving forward. I reach our alcove and head inside. I get to our doors. We don’t live together since we are… just two persons. Who kissed. I sigh as my heart aches to understand what I feel.

I put the bike in Josiah’s space. I take the satchel and walk into mine. The cloth falls behind me. Just to whoosh back up. My hand goes to my new locket still tucked in my shirt and I turn.