Dwellers of the New World Chapter Four ( Pt 2 )

That very same day, when Brad and his son had left the valley to find somewhere to sleep the night. Further South in the forest, the rain from the night before had past, it was cold and damp, which had many creatures out, searching for any bugs that might be crawling the forest.

Ben and Jay had returned from their hunt, with two rabbits that they were keen to get ready for the pot, before Fern and Netty returned. The rabbits would need preparation, so they immediately began to skin them, which didn't take too long. Now the two men were just in the process of chopping them ready for the pot, when the two women and their children returned.

On hearing them Ben carried on with what he was doing calling, “how was your afternoon? Did you manage to get the herbs and corn? We have two delicious rabbits, all ready for the pot.”

There was no reply straight away, Fern and Eve stood in the entrance, as Netty ran to her father shouting, “father...father, nasty man came, took our friend.”

Both men stopped what they were doing. Ben exclaimed. “What! What's happened?” then he saw Eve. “Oh! Hello Eve...what are you doing here...and what's going on?”

Fern stood pale and clutching Eve's arm, she could no longer hold back the tears. “Oh! Ben...it's happening all over again.”

Ben rushed over to Fern, putting his arms around her. Then cupping her chin in his hand, he wiped the tears from her cheeks with the other hand saying, “what's happened Fern?”

Daisy clung to her mother, holding her hand and looking as confused as Netty, who was also bewildered as to why her father ignored her.

Jay called her over, “come and help me get this meat in the pot Netty, let your mother and father talk.” The child did as she was told, very reluctantly, and only because it was her uncle Jay asking her.

Staring into Ben's eyes, Fern started to explain. “One of the boys at Crystal Grove has been snatched from his mother by a stranger, we were so afraid.” she began to sob again, hardly being able to contain her emotions.

Then Ben told her to calm down, asking her which boy she was on about? Jay stood with Netty in the background, unsure of what to say, he knew that soon it would be his turn to talk, instead he smiled at Netty as she lifted the portions of meat into the pot.

Fern looked at her brother, then back at Ben. “A boy named Josh was playing...when a stranger snatched him...he ran off with the boy. Oh! Ben...it could have been Netty.” She started to cry again, the tears stinging her eyes. “It's like Jonah all over again, we were so scared, I don't want to go through all that fear again.”

Jay decided it was his turn to speak up. “Sister...it's okay...it's not like that.” As soon as he'd said the words, he knew they'd come out wrong, but it was too late to retract.

Before he could say any more, Fern turned on him, staring him in the face with annoyance. “What do you mean, it's okay...and it's not like that...what are you talking about? a boy has been kidnapped, it's not okay at all.”

Fern was so angry by now, she didn't give him chance to talk. “I think you and I need to talk. So tell me brother...what do you know and what haven't you told us?”

Jay felt the wrath of his sister, he started to explain about the problems down South. He told her about the resistance and how the men were trying to get as many people on their side, but that anyone who didn't follow, just seemed to disappear, without a trace.

“So!” said Fern, “you think the resistance have taken Josh to work for them? But I don't understand, how a young child could be any use to this so called resistance.”

Jay tried to explain that while the children were innocent, the adults could use there control over them. “This is where they get their power...they catch them young, so they have no choice but to follow, because they are so far away in a strange land, the boys have nowhere else to go, so they become trapped. But they don't hurt the children, just use them as cheap labour. In return the boys get a roof over their head and food...as long as they don't try to fight the system, they're accepted.”

“So...what of our mother and father...what of their fate? Have they been taken by these people?” asked Fern, calming down slightly.

“No!” said Jay, “they wouldn't have been taken, just offered a new life, with land that the resistance will claim to be theirs, but in fact It really belongs to nobody and everybody...if you know what I mean. They have chopped down enough trees, to provide wood for people to build
their own shelters, their own homes. Once the people accept, there's no going back, they belong to the resistance.”

Fern was agitated now. “Why didn't you tell us all this, when you first arrived? At least we could have been prepared.”

“I was telling Ben, that I didn't think they would come this far South, but now I'm not so sure.” Jay stared at his sister, wondering what she would do, now that she knew.

Netty stood staring in to thin air, not saying a word, too frightened to cry or speak, it was as if she was in a state of shock, she had never seen her mother so angry, she also kind of understood why Fern was so mad. Thinking of her own life, and how it could be taken away, she didn't want to get kidnapped like Josh and be made to work with strange people, suddenly lots of thoughts went through her mind, she became slightly scared.

“Well brother...you've told me enough,” replied Fern. “You and Ben must go South...try to find our parents and get them back, this is all so wrong, you must leave tomorrow.”

Ben stared at Fern, “but what about you? We can't leave you and Netty here on your own.”

Fern looked over at Eve, who was still standing in the entrance with Daisy. “We'll be fine, Eve has kindly said we can stay with her, the animals can stay here, I'll come back and see to them every day.”

On hearing that she would be staying with Daisy, Netty wasn't quite so sad, she thought it would be fun like having a sister to play with, but she would miss her father so much.

Suddenly Eve spoke up, for the first time. “Oh! No Fern...I'll ask Rowan to see to the animals, it's too dangerous for you and Netty to go wandering alone.”

It was settled. Fern explained, that Ben should walk Eve and Daisy home, and she would take over cooking the food, while Jay went to get some herbs for the pot.

Fern had taken control, Ben was so glad that the old Fern had returned once again, he hated it when she was upset, and never minded being told what to do by her, it always made him feel wanted.

Ben saw Eve and Daisy home. On the way back, he stopped to check on the horses, they appeared to be okay. Making his way back to the cave, the aroma of the food, made him hungry.

Upon his return, they sat down and ate a hearty meal, which Ben said was the best stew he'd had in ages. After eating, Fern settled Netty for the night, giving her and the family, some wild sage leaves to chew on, not only to clean their teeth, but to freshen their breath as well. The men chatted about the following day and what their plans would be, before once again retiring to bed themselves.

Dwellers of the New World Chapter Four ( Pt 3 ) | ABCtales