New Vacilia Part II

Peter, Sam, and Rodger stood looking out of the windows for several minutes before Peter broke the silence. “We did it.”

“Now what? Are we supposed to go back to living our old lives?” Rodger asked.

Peter’s mind had already moved on. He was thinking about the Index and what lay ahead for him. “I need to leave. I think you are going to have to figure that out. We saved everyone and led them here, they are going to look to both of you for direction. You’re both leaders now.”

Sam moved away from the windows and thought over the situation. “We’re just kids Peter, why would they listen to us?”

They had arrived in an unknown, abandoned city only earlier in the day. It was positioned on a hillside facing the ocean. The buildings were well constructed. Stone walls and tile rooftops provided solid structures, yet they had no idea where to find freshwater or their next meal.

Escape from their home of Vacilia had not been easy. Nobody had time to process the emotions about what had happened to them. For a solid month Peter, Sam, and Rodger traveled across unknown lands seeking a magical weapon with hopes that it would help them kill the magician who invaded their city with a possessed super-powered army.

The people of Vacilia had an entirely different experience. Every survivor of the initial attack was forced to dig a massive hole under the city. The excavation had claimed the lives of many who worked to their last breath. Now they were free but burdened with the task of establishing a new life. All Vacilia’s survivors, over three thousand people, had followed them.

Sam tightened his face as he thought over the situation. “I don’t know that I want to be a leader,” he said.

Rodger sat on the floor by the window. He was still weak from his injuries. “That’s a weird twist of fate, isn’t it? Before this whole thing started, I wasn’t trusted to do much more than shovel horse poop.”

Peter nodded, the loss of his parents and his brother Owen was still fresh in his mind. “My parents didn’t want to lead either. We don’t always get to choose what we do, but we didn’t bring everyone this far to let them down now.”

Peter was not deterred. He knew that Sam and Rodger could manage in his absence. “Because they already have. They followed the three of us this far. You don’t have to do much. You just need to help push them in the right direction. Find out if any of the block captains or division leaders from Vacili…Old Vacilia survived. You need their help.”

“Where do we start?” Rodger asked.

Peter turned walked to the stairs. “Finding a starting point isn’t hard. My parents taught me that if you walk around, you’ll find usually find something to help with. Follow me.”

Rodger and Sam followed Peter to the beach, and they walked along the shore. Multiple groups of people were already crafting fishing gear from nearby tree bark and sticks. Trails of smoke rose out of the chimneys from several of the homes. A small group of people came over the hillside above. They were carrying multiple deer carcasses from a successful hunt. Moments later they heard shouting in the distance as two groups fought over the spoils from their hunt.

Peter pointed up the hillside toward the sound of the fight. “Start there. We know there’s not enough food. Everyone is hungry. It’s up to you to keep the peace and direct efforts while people figure out how to make it all work.”

Sam ran up the hillside toward the fight. Rodger followed as quickly as he could. Rodger’s injuries from his fight with Shay the dragon had not fully healed, and he hobbled along as he attempted to run. When Sam reached the shouting, it had already turned ugly. Two groups of people were shoving each other over a deer carcass. They were arguing about who should get the largest portion. A crowd had gathered to watch. Sam immediately jumped in between the two groups and tried to shout over them.

A few moments later Rodger entered the fray. All talking stopped at the sight of him. Everyone knew Rodger’s face from his fight with Shay. Only a week ago, a magic piece of twine had helped Rodger grow thirty feet tall, fight off an entire army, and attack a dragon. His face and arms were covered in deep wounds that had transformed his once boyish face into a menacing troubled façade. Rodger looked around at the crowd, noticing the effect his appearance had. He grabbed Sam’s shoulder and nodded at him.

Sam was nervous. He swallowed hard as he forced himself to stand up straight. He pushed his shoulders back and spoke clearly to both groups. “We are all tired, we are all hungry, we have all lost so much, yet here we are, lucky to be alive. We must work together to rebuild this… this, New Vacilia.” Sam pointed to the more aggressive group. “I need you to build a pit and start a fire on the beach.” He pointed to the other group. “I need you to get these carcasses stripped and ready to cook. Follow me.”

Sam started walking toward the beach. Everyone watched Sam walk off, but they didn’t move.

Rodger growled at them, “Ya’ heard him. Move!”

At Rodger’s prompting the two groups silently collected the animal carcasses and followed Sam. By sunset a half dozen fires burned on the beach, a signal to their surroundings that they had arrived. Rodger and Sam spent the evening ensuring the meager resources were shared. Several deer and a few baskets of berries did not go very far among three-thousand people. They walked among their people finding others who were willing to help organize and develop their new home. Late in the evening Sam and Rodger went to sleep exhausted yet satisfied with the progress they made.

At sunrise Peter walked along the beach and took in the scene. Several people stirred in the city on the hillside above. He found Sam and Rodger sleeping on the beach near a fire that had burned out hours before. He sat on the sand in the early morning light and watched gentle waves roll to the shore. A calm breeze blew salty warm air from the south. He took a moment to admire the peaceful scene while he waited for them to wake up. Sam opened his eyes first.

“It’s time for me to go.” Peter said.

Sam slowly sat up and brushed sand off the side of his face. “How long do you think you will be gone?”

Peter thought through their interactions with David, the Snuffle in the Index. They had only tried to read one book on magic, but it was complete gibberish. “I don’t know, but I plan to stay as long as it takes. David used us. Saving the old city of Vacilia was just a by-product of killing Shay. He essentially sent us to our deaths. It was just sheer luck that we lived. If David wanted Shay dead, why would he send a bunch of vulnerable humans to do it when he could have managed it himself? When we were in the dragon pocket world, Franz was super nice and helpful until we asked about the game they’re playing. The second that happened he basically threw us out. There must be some sort of agreement between David and the dragons.

Rodger had been listening with his eyes closed. He pulled his arms up and lay his head on his hands. “That David character is slick, he’s not going to tell you nothing straight just cause you ask.”

Peter reached down to help Rodger stand. “You’re right, it may take time to figure it out. Good luck. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He embraced them and turned to leave.

Sam and Rodger watched Peter walk through town for several minutes in silence until he disappeared behind a building in the distance. Once he was gone, Rodger backhanded Sam in the stomach. “Now what?”