CHAPTER 7

    A young girl looks up into the deep blue sky hanging over the city of Vankane. She brushes back the dark brown hair that flows to the top of her back, smiling as the faint yellow sun shines from above. Her shoes, one red sneaker and one small boot tap softly against the wooden walkways of the harbor stretched along the coast.
    At age eighteen the girl is a little shorter than her peers, standing a little more than five feet tall. On this sunny day she choose to wear a loose pair of jeans and a thin sweater that she had made herself. Her brown eyes glance casually over the workers passing by. The sunlight lightens her childlike face, filled with happiness and a cheerful smile that she shares with everyone.
    Vankane is a major trade and shipping city, home to a variety of merchants, sailors and peaceful inhabitants. The city lies on the northwest corner of the continent New Pangaea. The lush continent of Angelos Ayr, a major supplier of imported goods, rests to the north across the ocean. To the south a border of green hills and forests separates Vankane’s land from the rest of the world.   
    Life is restless along the ports. Weapons, animals, crates, food and supplies are constantly being hauled from ships and wagons to the market place. The wooden piers stretch out across the harbor, spreading out into the shimmering waters of the ocean. A countless number of boats fill the area around the harbor, secured on either side of the numerous piers or traveling through the smooth moving waves.
    Men and women, sailors, workers, merchants and customers shift across the crowded wooden walkways. For the most part everyone is pleasant. The community of Vankane is strong and well known. The people share a common trait of pride and loyalty. Crime has always been low, and life in the eyes of the people has always been fairly calm and peaceful.
    “Nice weather we’re having, hu?” The girl smiled to a chubby man lifting a crate of fish. The man wore a white tank top filled with grime and sweat, a pair of dark pants and heavy boots. A gray sewn hat was pulled tightly over his large head. His small beady eyes were fixed on his work. His arms were large and hairy, shaking with the effort of walking with the heavy crate.
    “Yeah, whatever Shay,” The man set the crate down and wiped his sweaty brow.
    “Hey,” Shayln placed her hands in the pockets of her loose jeans, thinking of the best way to ask her next question.
    “You don’t think…”
    “No,” The man said, his tone showing a hint of irritation. “I don’t have any you for your father. I’m sorry he was fired from the blacksmiths, but we honestly don’t have any room for him.”
He pried the box open with a crowbar then tipped it over, letting all the fish slide out into a clean brown cart. Shayln could smell the thick scent of fish pass with the sea breeze.
    “Ugh,” She scrunched her face in disgust. “How can you stand that smell?”
    “I am a seaman,” He stuck his chest out and inhaled with satisfaction.
    “But…”
    “Look,” He patted her on the back and shook his head. “I was able to squeeze your older brother, Boyd in. I promise if there’re any openings you’ll be the first to know. And I’ll even keep my eye open for any other positions that pop up around here. Okay?”
    “Thanks,” She said with a smile. “I really appreciate it.”
    “Yeah, yeah.” He nodded and turned back to his work.
    Shayln walked across the pier whistling to herself she peered across the choppy blue waters. Boats of great size sat along the docks. There were large brown boats with bright green sails and small white ships that reflected the suns radiant gaze. Old men fished from the edge of the docks while families and boys prepared to set sail. Workers with tanned skin, clothed with outfits from fine uniforms to worn-out rags marched about.     They carried ropes, pulleys, cargo and crates filled with fish or supplies as they chattered happily to each other.
    Shayln spotted one of her favorite ships coming in from the ocean. The craft was one of Angelos’ finest. The Angelos ships were long and crystalline with high gold masts and large white sails. Two to three triangular sails were held tight against the strong winds. The ship seemed to sparkle with radiance and a life of its own as it cut its way through the water and soared into the busy harbor.
    A flock of seagulls scurried across the clear sky, moving from the ocean to the city. She watched the birds disappear from view. She followed their path, away from the harbor to the streets of Vankane.
    A variety of shops stood on either side of the long black roads. Not one building resembled the next. Each was unique with its own size, color, and style. One shop was built of wood with a colorful sign hanging over doors of cedar. The next was a building of gray bricks and stone. Another shop was colored deep red and purple. Wooden crates and boxes littered its entrance. A large restaurant sat behind the busy street, its large windows watched the people walking by.
    The markets are where everyone was during the day and most nights. People were always working across the harbor. Buying and trading took place in the shops and along the sides of the roads. The city was located farther south, away from the shore and the market place. The homes looked very similar to each other. They were two to three story buildings, organized in rows. The houses were painted blue, the rooftops lined with black shingles. Everything else on the homes, the beams, frames and steps were a light shade of gray.
    Green trees lined the black streets and wooden sidewalks. Short black streetlights were found on every corner. People walked wherever they wanted while caravans, carts, wagons and people riding horses traveled the warm busy streets.
Behind the cities houses were parks, build and maintained by the citizens. Small paths winded over their green hills and shaded areas. Not as many people had time to spend here. Children were often found playing on the shoddy swing sets or running through the short grass. The Brays River slowly crept to the ocean. It moved from the forests surrounding the parks, through the neighborhood and crossed under the shops before reaching the harbor. Green trees covered the edges of the passing stream like a frame around a painting.
    Shayln smiled to herself, hearing the laughter of children as she walked home. She had lived in Vankane her whole life. All of her family and friends lived here. Nothing bad really ever happened. There were stories of monsters and creatures that had crept into the parks during the night, but she believed those were just stories to keep the children from staying out late.
    Five fortifications stand within the outskirts of the forests, spread across Vankane’s border near the edge of the wilderness to keep watch on the outside world. The forts are large domed structures, painted green and brown to blend in with the forest. Gatling guns and spotlights and positioned on catwalks around the tops of the domes, and soldiers are always on patrol, whether it be on the forts or between them.
    Vankane’s troops wear black pants and deep blue tunics and are known to carry crossbows and short swords.
    Shayln’s hair bounced at her back as she walked up the steps to her home and opened the door.
    “Shayln!” A short women with dirty blonde hair shouted as     Shayln entered. She was a little shorter and rounder than her younger sister, but the two shared likenesses in the way they looked, from their carefree expressions to their eager natures. Her clothing was plain and simple. A violet knitted sweater, and a pair of blue jeans.
    “Rebeka Beneka!” Shayln danced through the doorway and hugged her older sister.
    “Shayln,” Her gray haired mother started from the kitchen. “Make sure to clean your room before we go to the picnic tonight.”
    “All right mom,” Shayln huffed. Shaking her head she walked down the narrow hallway lined with framed pictures of their family.      
    “Guess what?” Rebeka asked, tugging at Shayln’s blue sleeve.
    “What?” Shayln smiled as she opened the door to her room.
    “Alicia’s getting married!”
     Shayln’s eyebrows rose with excitement and she gasped. The two shrieked with joy and rushed into her room, slamming the door behind them.
    The two girls paced around the room and talked for hours. A soft bed with a large pink quilt sat in the corner near the draped window. In the middle of the room near the wall sat a dresser drawer. Pictures lined the top of the drawer, along with small knickknacks and a few books. Clothes, blankets and stuffed animals made by her friends were pushed back to another corner of the room and behind the door.
    They discussed everything about their friend Alicia, imagining how pretty she’d look in her wedding dress and how they would baby-sit all of her children. The two girls didn’t like the fiancé, Ralph as much as Alicia did, so as they began making Shayln’s bed and cleaning her room, they started listing off the grooms obvious flaws. Shayln managed to straighten her room a little, stopping now and then to look at old photographs or play with her toys.
    “Are you ready to go?” Her mother shouted, knocking on the girl’s bedroom door.
    “Yes mom,” Shayln shouted back. “Just let me change my clothes first.”
    The air was warm that night. People left their homes and walked toward the green parks. The streetlights at the corner of the roads and the middle of the parks flickered one by one, casting a soft glow over the paths and shadowed hills.
Every few weeks the neighborhood would meet at a picnic to relax and play. Family and friends traveled to the parks, bringing their food, blankets, toys and other equipment with them.  Almost everyone that wasn’t working came to the gatherings. Shayln, Rebeka, her parents and her older brother Boyd walked under the starlit dawn as families and children passed by. They crossed over the short green grass, laying their blankets out next to Alicia’s small family.
    “Alicia!” Rebeka laughed, sitting down next to her young friend. Shayln followed her sister, kneeling on the soft quilt as her sister began to talk. The area was filled with laughter and music. Children of all ages were running the grass, the warm air swirling around them as they played games and enjoyed themselves. Men stood off in the distance, next to tables with their sons or wives. They talked about work and life while the other women sat on their blankets or walked to the brook.
    “So where is the wedding going to be?” Rebeka asked. “At the church or at your place?”
    “Actually,” Alicia said slowly. “Ralph and I were thinking of having it out in the forest. We found this really nice spot. The sun shines through the trees on this little clearing. There’s a little stream, and a spot to set up tables and chairs. It’s so beautiful. I’ll show you soon. There’s a dirt trail that leads right to it.”
    “That sounds nice,” Rebeka smiled.
    “So, when is Beka getting married?” Alicia asked, folding her arms in her lap.  
    “Yeah?” Shayln asked with curiosity, pulling her hair back in a ponytail. “You’ve been seeing that soldier guy for a while now. Has he asked you out yet?”
    “Well, Thomas is going to be gone for a year or more in the south,” Rebeka said. “But once he gets back I know we’re going to start dating and then we’ll get married.” Anyway, I have to wait for Shayln.”
    “That’s right,” Shayln giggled and hugged her sister tightly.
    “We’re going to have our weddings at the same time,” Rebeka laughed. “We’ll probably live right next to each other so we can ditch our hubbies at night and sleep over.”
    “We’re going to be friends forever,” Shayln said.
    The three girls laughed and discussed the matter further. Behind them near a section of trees, away from the river and children a crowd of people started to gather. As the voices of the group started to grow, shouts and commotion took place and caught Shayln’s attention.
    “I wonder what’s going on over there?” Alicia looked to where Shayln was staring.
    An old man came to where Shayln’s parents were sitting, placing his hands on Boyd and her father’s shoulders.
    “Boyd, Taryn,” The old man said in a rush, his beard and glasses shaking as he spoke. “You should come here this.”
    Shayln followed her father and brother as they rose from the blanket and walked to the crowd. The voices came up in an uproar. They pressed their way forward.
    “This just isn’t fair!” A tall woman with thick, red braided hair complained. “I have three children to take care of. What am I supposed to do?”
    “What the hell? This is bull! Total bull!” A large black man with a light buttoned shirt threw his arms up and tried to approach to men standing at the center of the people.
    The two men were both in their late thirties. The first man had light blonde hair, a rugged face and a pair of dark green eyes hidden under a furrowed brow. He wore a long blue shirt that was buttoned and smooth, along with a pair of slacks and worn out fishing boots. The man at his side was balding but had more facial hair than the first. His skin was wrinkled and tan, his face filled with tension as he tried to answer everyone’s questions and keep the people calm. He wore a green coat pulled over a dirty gray shirt and a pair of overalls.
   “Excuse me! Excuse me!” Boyd shouted, trying to push his way to the two men.
    “Do you know what’s going on?” Shayln patted the shoulder of a short old man in rags with long gray hair.
   “You aven’t eard?” The man said, almost hissing as he spoke. “They be closin down the fishin trade. I been workin ther fer almost twenty years. Twenty damn years!”
    “What?” Boyd turned to his sister in shock. “Do you know how long I’ve been trying to get a job? That fish business was dad’s last chance. Our last chance. I have to talk to them.”
   Shayln tried to follow Boyd, tried to talk some sense into him but ended up losing him among the group of aggravated people. She could faintly hear the blonde haired man’s voice as she turned to leave.
   “Again, I’m really sorry about this. We have no choice. At this point, It’s not in our control. The best advice I could give you is Taracol and Thuramill. I know for a fact Taracol has plenty of Employment offers. Thuramill is always looking for workers for their lumber business. What? Yes, I know how far away they are, but… no! I didn’t mean it that way…”
    The man’s voice became lost in the shouts and arguments multiplying in number.
    After pushing through the people bumping together, she got away from the group and walked along a line of pine trees. She didn’t escape the disputing voices until reaching the edge of the shallow river. She enjoyed talking to people and loved to be around the families and children, but she needed to be alone to think to herself.
    Her father had lost his job about a month ago. The family was left to finance themselves on the income her mother earned from her job at the clothing shop. Boyd had been looking for a job, even before their father had been laid off. He had searched high and low for employment through Vankane. The fishing business was his last hope.
    It seemed everyone in her family was doing something to help except for her. But what could she do? As active and thriving as Vankane was, it was obvious there weren’t enough businesses to employ the number of residents.
    Shayln picked up a stick and waved it through the clear water of the stream. The smooth rocks at the bottom rolled gently as the stick passed by. As Shayln traced the reflection of stars and trees the surface of the water, a thought crossed her mind.
    What if she left Vankane and lived on her own? That would surely help out the family. It would be easier for her parents to take care of two children, instead of three. And when she returned home she could help the family with all the money she had earned.
    But where would she go?
    The blonde haired man had mentioned Taracol and Thuramill. She already knew Thuramill was out of the question. That place was more like a ghost town then a village. The village was hidden along the mountainside and within the fallen ruins of Echnon. Unfortunately for her the only business that took place there were lumbering and coalmines. Thuramill was too far away, too. It was down south and was closer to the ice plains than it was to Vankane.
    Then there was Taracol.
    She had heard about this city many times before. It was like a huge crossroads. Taracol was out in the wilderness and was known for its business and trade like Vankane was known for its harbor and ships. If the blonde haired man was even half right, then Shayln wouldn’t have any problems finding a job and starting a life there.
    Her plan was already laid out by the time she reached home. She would pack her things now, before the picnic ended, then leave in the middle of the night while her family was asleep. It couldn’t be that hard to find a way out of Vankane. She could hitch a ride from someone at the harbor.
    She hustled about her room, filling her backpack with food, water, a few books, a brush, extra clothing, some personal items and a few things to keep her mind busy while she traveled.
    Later on that night, after the moon was out and her family was asleep, she slipped on the blue jacket her father had given her for her birthday and crept out of the house. She liked her jacket a lot. It had several pockets and zippers and a small hood she could attach if she wanted to.
    The moon was far overhead by the time Shayln reached the harbor. It was silent, save for the steady beat of the ocean against the coast, the buzz of green and blue lights across a small motorboat and the chatter of a few people that strolled under the moonlight. Shalyn was sure she could find someone to take her to Taracol. The shops that looked out to the ocean and harbor were quiet and empty now, only occupied by their owners and a handful of people that lived the nightlife. This was a common time to find wagons and caravans. Merchants from the south would come during the nights frequently, avoiding the hustle and busyness of the day. It was easier to bring cargo to the shops and restock merchandise while the streets were empty.
    Shayln peered down the dark roads, lighted by the line of street lamps, the faint stars and the glow coming from the marketplace.
    She had spent many nights with Rebeka and her friends along the docks. She had been to almost every restaurant that sat along the starlit coast, from Apollo’s grill to Corneo’s Café. Most of the restaurants were seafood, Italian or of a Vankane style. The harbor didn’t have a wide variety of ethnic tastes like Chinese or Mexican.
    Aside from patronizing the local shops the girls would often talk to the sailors and workers. No matter what personality or how they looked, the small pack of girls would always get to know the people that lived during the night. Though, they did tend to chat with the sailor men the most.
    Shayln looked up at a shop made of brick before searching again for a ride. She had found three contacts, but none of them could help her. Two of them had just arrived and wouldn’t be leaving for a day or more. The other was packing his things but was heading farther southeast, and if he was heading in Taracol’s direction he was sure he didn’t have any room for the young girl.
    She sat down on the stone steps of a shadowed building, closed down and locked for the night. Looking out past the boats and watching the waves come in she thought maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all. She didn’t think finding a ride out of Vankane would be this difficult. She had about as much luck finding someone going to Taracol as Boyd had in finding employment. She studied the faint shadow of herself lying across the black road. Maybe she would just go home and forget about the whole thing.
    “Scuse me, Sis.” A man in his mid-thirties chattered, stepping around her awkwardly.
     Shayln looked up as the man walked up the steps, carrying a long wooden box to the doors of the shop.
    His blondish, brown hair was mid-length and brushed modestly like a true salesman. He wore a long button up shirt, a leather vest and a pair of slacks that swept next to each other as he went to work. The moonlight revealed his clean-shaven face and encouraging smile as he came back down to the street.
    “Say, what’s a lady like yourself doin out dis time o night?” He walked down to his wagon to pull out more cargo.
    “I’m not sure,” She said, watching him closely. “Have you been here before? I don’t think I’ve met you.”
    “Names Klack, Klack Jones.” His voice was bright and cheerful as he milled through the back of his cart.
    “I’ve been here a few times. Not enough, though. I tell ya, this gots ta be the best lookin city out of all of em. I’ve been about everywhere you can imagine, too. Kara Talin, Thuramill, Sheldonport, Echnon, Enderlin, Taracol, Gillian, Camriot, If there’s a city on this planet, I’ve probably seen it. Well, long as it’s on this continent, I suppose.”
    “You’ve been to Taracol?” Shayln asked, smiling happily.
    “Been there?” Klack laughed, grunting as he picked up another crate and set it on the street.  
    “Well, course I have. That’s where me girl is right now. Tell ya, I haven’t seen her for way too long.”
    “Oh, you’re married?” Shayln asked, a bright expression appearing on her face. “That’s so sweet. How long have you been married? I bet she’s pretty. What’s her name?”
    “Well, I be guessin a year an three months now,” Klack said. “Course she’s pretty, da sweetest girl in Tara. It had ta be luck I ended up with a lady like dat. Her names Lilith, but I calls her Lily. I was heading back ta see her after this load. I sure miss her.”
    “You’re going to Taracol tonight!” Shayln jumped off the steps with excitement. “I’ve been looking for someone to take me there all night! Would you, please?”
    “Well,” Klack started, turning his back as he searched through his wagon again. “Said I ‘was’ going ta see her. ‘Was’ being the keyword. I have two more places ta drop off before I gets home. An sides, I’m not to big on pickin up hitch-hikers. Sorry kid.”
    “Oh, come on!” Shalyn followed Klack up the steps.
    “Please! It’s not for me. It’s for my family. If I don’t find a job in Taracol, I… I don’t know what might happen to them. Come on. I’ll do anything! I don’t take up much space. I could take care of myself on the road. I’m sure you’d like someone to talk to while you’re traveling. I’m great at talking. Or, I don’t have to talk at all if you don’t want me to.’
    “Now just hold it,” Klack sighed, interrupting the girl as he stopped to scratch his head.
    “Uh, how much money do ya have on ya?”
    “I don’t know,” Shayln reached into her pockets. “Twenty, twenty-five falons?”
    “Hm, not much for a bus ticket,” he said, rubbing his chin. “All right, how’s about dis? Ya help me out with the dis last load, an I’ll see if I can make a pit stop at Tara.”
    “Really? Thank you so much!” She looked up the steps to the shop. “Uncle Gutters Garage? What kind of business are you in?”
    “I jest bring supplies to the weapon shops,” Klack said, walking back to his wagon. “But to tell ya the truth, I’m not to good usin any of em.”
    “Not much of a figher, hu?” She followed him to the street. “Niether am I. So what do you want me to do, Mr. Jones?”
    “We’ll carry da cargo wit dis red logo up the steps and set it by the door,” Klack explained as he pulled out another crate. “Then I unlock the door and we push everthing inside. Shouldn’t take long. If you’re lucky we’ll be in Tara by sunrise.”
    “Okay then, let’s get busy,” Shayln smiled.
    They worked together quickly, pulling out long boxes of spears and javelins, crates of black crossbows, racks of swords and small boxes filled with scopes, compasses, maps, daggers, nets and tents.
    The two helped each other with the heavier loads and were constantly talking about one thing or another. They got along great. That was a sort of gift Shayln had. She could tell the difference between someone that was good and someone that wasn’t. It didn’t always go with what they looked like on the outside, but how they were. Klack was one of the best men you could find these days.
    After they moved everything inside, Klack locked the door to the shop and helped Shayln to her seat on the front of the wagon. The wagon was well built with wood and metal sides and a rounded canvas roof. It reminded Shayln of the wagons pioneers and cowboys had used a long time ago. The cart creaked along on four broad rimmed wheels, pulled by one large Clydesdale. The horse was dark brown with a black mane. White hair was found thick around its hooves. It trotted along the grassy roads, leading Klack’s wagon over the rolling hills.
They rode out of Vankane’s parks and into the dark forests surrounding the city. Klack and Shayln’s conversations were stopped upon reaching the forests edge. Vankane’s troops checked the cart before letting them pass. Shayln peered through the forest trees and caught site of the domed fortification. It was much larger than she imagined. But hidden well within the Balsam firs. The soldiers clothed in blue returned to their patrol. The wagon left the thick forest and entered the open wilderness.
    The moon cast its dim light about the grassy hill like a broken lamp. The night was clear, except for a few drifting clouds. Shayln was surprised at how wide and open it was out here. There weren’t any pine trees like there had been in the forest. White Ash and Maple trees were spotted now and then across the yellow and brown hills. Everything was silent tonight. The sounds of crickets and the rickety sound of the wheels echoed across the hills and rocks.
    “See, I actually have a car,” Klack said, continuing a story he had been explaining since the forests edge.
    “Can’t drive the damn thing cause all the roads were torn up by the quake before the first war. That an gas. Its expensive and almost impossible ta get your hands on these days. It’s fun ta drive in da dunes, though. Hey, you okay?”
    “Wha?” Shayln murmured. “Yeah, I’m fine. Go on.”
    “Nah, you’re fallin asleep,” Klack said, pulling a folded blanket out from under his seat. “Not too safe sleepin up here. Ya might fall off the wagon. Here, take this. I’m sure there’s enough room in the back for a midget like you.”
    “Hey, I’m not short. You’re just tall,” She said as she yawned. “Besides, I’m not that tired.”
    “Yeah, well you’ll need your rest if ya plan on job huntin Tara,” Klack chuckled. “Now go ahead. I’ll wake ya when we get there.”
    “All right then,” Shayln took the blanket and moved to the back.
    She hadn’t been lying down for a few minutes before she fell fast asleep. It wasn’t until several hours later, when the sun was up in the sky that Klack decided to wake her.
    “Hey kid, wake up. Ya gotta see this,” He smiled to himself as he drove the horse at a steady pace.
    “Hu?” Shayln mumbled, rolling out of her blanket she sat up and attempted to fix her hair.
    She leaned out of the canvas wagon and poked her head into the sunlight. She had never been so surprised in her life. Her eyes were wide as she turned her head, staring in disbelief like a lost child. Sand. Nothing but miles and miles of sand. The farthest she had been from Vankane was out on the ocean, around Angelos Ayr and the dead fields of the forests. She had never seen anything like this before. The vastness of the dunes astonished her. Vankane was an overall flat place, but the dunes of the desert rose and fell like mountains and valleys. Far ahead of them, under the bright blue sky was a long fuzzy line, a haze rising up on the horizon between two dunes like a mirage.
    “Heh, heh,” Klack chuckled. No one ever told ya Tara was a desert city, eh?”
    “I knew it was in a desert,” Sahyln replied. “But, I’ve never been to a desert before.”
    “Well, welcome to ‘the’ desert,” Klack said proudly. “People call it the Aubec, but I refer to it as the Sahara. Biggest desert you’ll ever see. And I’d know.”
    “What’s that over there?” Shayln pointed to the dark blurry strip ahead of them.
    “That,” Klack said, whipping at his horse with a flick of his wrist. “That is Taracol.”