{"id":1317,"date":"2018-04-10T15:54:08","date_gmt":"2018-04-10T15:54:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jolineblais.net\/tributaries\/?p=1317"},"modified":"2019-03-28T14:41:15","modified_gmt":"2019-03-28T14:41:15","slug":"running-dry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jolineblais.net\/tributaries\/running-dry\/","title":{"rendered":"Running Dry"},"content":{"rendered":"\n[aesop_chapter title=”Chapter 1″ bgtype=”img” full=”on” img=”http:\/\/jolineblais.net\/tributaries\/wp-content\/uploads\/rd1.jpg” video_autoplay=”on” bgcolor=”#888888″ revealfx=”off” overlay_revealfx=”off”]\n

\u201cTwo pair, queen’s high,\u201d he said, laying his cards on the table with a playful flourish. \u201cYou’re comin’ at it from the wrong direction, girl. God didn’t put Lycans on Earth to act as our equals. If he intended them to be equal to us, he would’ve given ’em the tools they need to fight back. Look at the furfolk \u2013 and I mean really look at ’em. They might look human from a distance, you might even think they look pretty. But they’re barely more evolved than fuckin’ feral wolves. I heard if you look at one of their brains, you’ll see how much smaller it is than one of ours.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>Violet had barely registered what her opponent had said, her eyes resting blankly on the cards in her hand. \u201cFinished?\u201d She gingerly placed her cards on the table. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFlush. Spades.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBullshit.\u201d The man flew from his seat, letting it fall behind him with a thump. \u201cYou haven’t had a hand worse than a two pair all night. I should kill you where you sit, you cheat.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Violet was still staring down at the cards, running her finger along the edge of a Jack of Spades. She’d always admired the cards at the Salted Hog, how the faces seemed to look back blankly at her. For too long, she’d been profiting off of them without even taking a good look at their faces.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAre you listening? I am speaking to you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGive it a rest, partner,\u201d muttered another player at the table, lazily reading a book. \u201cShe’s not cheating. She never is.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, friend\u201d, she chimed in. \u201cGive it a rest. You’re gonna give yourself a heart attack, worrying so much.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Clenching his teeth, the man’s eyes darted around the table, from player to player. \u201cYou’re letting this girl take you folks for a ride. Nobody’s that good at five-card. Nobody.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Violet’s bored expression had turned up, into a barely-concealed grin. \u201cIf God had intended you to win, you would’ve won.\u201d<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

When someone with a low mental capacity is pushed a bit too far, you can practically hear the sound of their brain shutting down. Violet heard it then, the sound of gears shrieking as they pushed against one another in the head of this man. He was a traveller, passing through Dry Gulch on his way to make an ill-gotten fortune. It was almost understandable of him to make the mistake of thinking Violet would cheat at poker, almost sad. Later, Violet wondered if she could’ve saved him. She wondered if she’d told him what really happened around that table, if he’d even believe her.<\/span><\/p>\n

The man quickly reached down to his hip, grabbed his six-shooter, and leveled it at her. He’d read enough gunslinger books to know he had to make it quick. Death screamed forth. However, as soon as Violet saw his hand start to move, her reaction was in motion. She pushed back against the poker table, which was nailed into the ground, sending her chair careening back. She slammed against the hardwood floor, the bullet flying over her. Then, without a wasted movement, she produced her own pistol and fired it off at the man’s shins. As always, Violet was relaxed. She found that if she started trying to come up with a plan, she would overthink things and get herself worked up. However, if she just acted on instinct, she’d be fine.<\/span>
\n<\/span> She climbed to her feet and quickly removed herself from the room, leaving the man screaming in pain on the ground.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI told you, she’s not a cheater.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n[aesop_chapter title=”Chapter 2″ bgtype=”img” full=”on” img=”http:\/\/jolineblais.net\/tributaries\/wp-content\/uploads\/antique-architecture-attractions-264501.jpg” video_autoplay=”on” bgcolor=”#888888″ revealfx=”off” overlay_revealfx=”off”]\n

It was market day. Violet had come into town from her cabin for groceries. Dry Gulch was bustling in the hot summer sun; noon was always the worst. She counted herself lucky to be in the shade of her thick-brimmed cap, watching folks tiredly move from place to place. However, their routine was broken by the sound of beating hooves and cracking chains.<\/span><\/p>\n

A slave convoy rolled into town, then, a collection of cages the size of small buildings, mounted on iron wheels and pulled by groups of horses. Inside the cages sat humanoid beasts, with matted coats of fur on their chests, legs, and forearms; Lycans. Violet knew now why well-dressed men from out of town were lurking in Dry Gulch on market day.<\/span><\/p>\n

The convoy pulled up to a stage in the crossroads of Dry Gulch, which was usually set up for the town’s gruesome displays of frontier justice. A small crowd began to form around the stage as, one by one, Lycans were attached to a chain and dragged out on display. A man with a bowler hat and a thick mustache quickly grabbed a small wooden crate, which he tossed in the corner of the stage, a safe distance away from the chained beasts. He then climbed on the box and began prognosticating the sales of the Lycan men and women. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis one,\u201d he claimed, poking a wiry baton at one of their chests, \u201cis much stronger than he looks. He may appear gaunt and malnourished, but appearances are not everything \u2013 especially when it comes to these creatures. Let’s start the bidding at $10.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As much as she wanted to turn tail and go, something was keeping Violet in the crowd. Her eyes were planted firmly on the face of the man on display.<\/span>
\n<\/span> \u201c$15!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI hear 15 \u2013 do I hear 20? $20?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She knew the man. They had grown up in the same town back east; his house was just down the street from hers. They had gone to the same schoolhouse. They played fantasy in the evenings before getting called back for dinner by their respective parents.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c$20.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI hear 20! Do I hear 25? 20 going once!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Of course, he was a human back then. That was how many Lycans started out; they were still a young race. One day, the first one transitioned, and from that day forth, those with a predisposition began to change as well. To that very day, it was regarded as a severe medical condition.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c$25.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c25 heard \u2013 do I hear 30? 30 dollars for the strong young Lycan? 25 going once!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Violet reached into her pocket and pulled out a handful of crumpled dollar bills, her winnings from the previous night. She counted them with impressive speed, then held them aloft, shouting \u201c$60!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSeriously, Violet, I can never repay you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The door to her cabin swung shut with a violent crack. Violet was balancing a stick on her back, with two huge jugs of water on either end. She brought the water over to a small wood stove, and poured some into a pot which she gingerly placed down on the hot black metal.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou can repay me by leaving Dry Gulch and heading back toward Massachusetts. It’s not safe for your kind out here. You can live free in the Northeast.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Lycan sighed and turned his gaze out a small window. \u201cI wish it were that simple, but I’m afraid it’s not. They still have my girl, and she doesn’t know where I am. She’s all alone and scared.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI’m giving you another shot at life here, Perry. Why can’t you just take it? Why do you have to walk right back into slavery?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWould that be enough to clear your conscience? Knowing you set your friend free, even though dozens remain in captivity a few miles from your house?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Violet clenched her fists, not taking her eyes away from the pot of water. \u201cHave you ever heard the one about the gift horse?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI appreciate what you did for me. I really do. But I won’t be satisfied, knowing my only friends in the world are still in chains.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you suggesting? That we abolish slavery ourselves? Here’s a fucking news flash: we already tried that. Half the country tried, and they failed. And who are we? Two nobodies.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Perry raised his hand, in an attempt to cut Violet off. \u201cYou’re wrong. We’re one nobody, and one wizard.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The pads of his fingers began to glow red, as an imperceptible heat filled the cabin. In mere moments, a tiny fireball shot out of his fingertips and into the metal pot, dispersing through it. The pot shook and rattled for a few moments as the water came to an almost immediate boil. Violet couldn’t help but to hide a smirk. \u201cMake that two wizards.\u201d She reached into her pocket and pulled out a handful of coins, almost ten, which she held in a pile on the edge of her thumb. \u201cTails,\u201d she said. Then, flicking her wrist up, she sent the coins hurdling through the air. They spilled onto the ground.<\/span><\/p>\n

Violet knelt down and counted the coins. All of them had landed on tails, except for one, which she quickly grabbed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPretty impressive,\u201d Perry said. \u201cBut you missed one.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Staring down at her hand, Violet quietly palmed the coin from one side to the other. Just as she thought, this was her double sided trick coin; both sides were heads. \u201cIt happens,\u201d she said. \u201cStill, 8 out of 9 is a pretty good hit rate. You can’t always count on luck.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n[aesop_chapter title=”Chapter 3″ bgtype=”img” full=”on” img=”http:\/\/jolineblais.net\/tributaries\/wp-content\/uploads\/rd3.jpeg” video_autoplay=”on” bgcolor=”#888888″ revealfx=”off” overlay_revealfx=”off”]\n

Dry Gulch was a small town, but it was prosperous. Set in the center of a large, fertile valley, it was often regarded as a sort of oasis. Those who could get past the misleading name found a town where fortunes could be made.<\/span><\/p>\n

The main area of the town, where the slave auction had taken place, was a long, narrow strip of roads and shops along the floor of the valley, where the looming cliff-like canyon walls kept the sun out any time of day save noon. This is where the Salted Hog, Violet’s favorite place to make money, sat. Across the street, set against the other side of the canyon, were a general store and a small clinic. Just down the street was the sheriff’s office, an embarrassingly small affair housing only a single cell. The cell was currently unoccupied, but it made Violet uneasy to think that a crime spree involving two or more people might be more than the town could handle.<\/span><\/p>\n

The sheriff spat black, a disgusting mixture of saliva and chewing tobacco, into a jug, where it landed with a twang. \u201cGood that you came, anyway. Saved me the trip out to your cabin.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Violet crossed her arms. \u201cSo, not only do you not want to help, you gotta brand me a criminal, too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUnderstand, kiddo. This town don’t exist on an island. Our actions have consequences. Besides, think of what happens once you get rid of the slaves. Suddenly, we have five plantations outside town with no workers. No way of making money. No more tobacco, no more food for the town, no more money coming into Dry Gulch. The entire town suffers.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJust don’t get in my way, or you’ll be sorry,\u201d Violet said, turning to head out the door.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHold on there, kiddo.\u201d The sheriff clamored to his feet, resting his hand on the gun at his side. \u201cThis morning I got a visitor. Big fellow, smelled of liquor, but I could tell he had his wits about him. Accused you of cheating at poker in the back room of the Salted Hog. That’s the fifth one so far this year. Got anything to say for yourself?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot really,\u201d she muttered, still facing away from him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, it’s basically stealing, what you’re doin’.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIs it stealing to take from those who have too much? From those who profit on the suffering of the weak?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s a public table, Vi. It isn’t just slavers who play there.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I fold for the ones who deserve it.\u201d Violet walked out the door, slamming it shut behind her.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

On the edge of the valley, Violet and Perry sat, looking out at the plantation several hundred feet in front of them through a pair of binoculars. Violet was pinching a cigarette between her fingertips, trying to calm her shaking hands. They watched as Lycans toiled in the fields, cutting tobacco from plants and bending down to pick it up, their fur dripping with sweat in the hot sun; the pair could smell it even from that distance.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOne walks around the south border every five minutes or so… If we could get past the guard post there, we might be able to get into the house…\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBest laid plans,\u201d Violet muttered. Perry happened to pick up on it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAre you suggesting we just roll in there without a plan?\u201d he asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, when you put it like that… Yeah, I guess that is what I’m suggesting.\u201d She shifted somewhat uncomfortably, letting her cigarette fall into the dust at her feet. \u201cIn the past, when I\u2019ve tried to make careful plans, they usually ended up fucking me over.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOnly if you stick to them too closely,\u201d Perry admitted. \u201cObviously, we should adapt if necessary. Plans are my lifeline. They\u2019re all I had when I was in chains. Anyway, for now, I think our best option will be to wait to see when the guard shifts change. Then, we go in and take out the two guards on the south side of the plantation before they even have a chance to get to their posts.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTake them out,\u201d Violet repeated.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not going to kill them,\u201d he said, scratching a furry spot behind his ear. \u201cWell, not unless we have to.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>Only <\/span><\/i>if we have to. No sense fighting slavery with murder.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Perry put his binoculars on the ground, satisfied with his plan. He turned to face his companion. \u201cMany of them have shown that they aren\u2019t afraid to murder us. They beat us when we disobey them, sometimes within an inch of our lives, sometimes to death. They refuse to recognize our humanity, and if they had their way, they would put each and every one of us in chains. I have no qualms about answering that sort of injustice with murder. If we just sit by and let them do it without truly fighting back, what sort of message does that send?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Violet simply stood, speechless.<\/span><\/p>\n[aesop_chapter title=”Chapter 4″ bgtype=”img” full=”on” img=”http:\/\/jolineblais.net\/tributaries\/wp-content\/uploads\/rd4.jpeg” video_autoplay=”on” bgcolor=”#888888″ revealfx=”off” overlay_revealfx=”off”]\n

Two Lycan women sat at a wooden table, watching the sun set in the distance. They were sitting over plates of steak and steaming golden potatoes. One was eating voraciously, the other simply poking at her food with a bent wooden fork.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s bothering you, Blue?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She sat in silence for several moments, not really wanting to talk about it, but knowing it would be rude if she didn\u2019t. \u201cI guess I was just hoping we\u2019d all end up in the same place. Maybe I should\u2019ve known better.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAw, don\u2019t you worry about Perry. I think he\u2019s okay out there. I got a good feeling from that girl who bought him – can you believe she paid $60? I can\u2019t remember the last time I saw that much money in the same place.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d she said, letting the conversation fizzle in awkwardness.<\/span><\/p>\n

As the woman she was talking with finished her dinner and left, a man made his way over to the table, entering from her peripheral vision. He wore a black suit and tie, and a black hat – not a cowboy\u2019s hat, but one that made him look quite like a city dweller. He sat down next to her, looking at her with a smile.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMay I ask, was something wrong with your dinner? Our chefs pride themselves on delivering consistent, delicious meals to our workers. If there was a problem, I can have it taken care of in no time at all.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just not very hungry,\u201d Blue said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAh,\u201d he murmured. \u201cWell, you should try to eat anyway, or you\u2019ll be feeling it in the morning. I\u2019ve been there.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cExcuse me,\u201d Blue said, grabbing her plate and standing up, intending to bring it back to the kitchen to be washed. As she started to walk away, she felt a cold, firm hand on her shoulder.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou know,\u201d he began, \u201cyou didn\u2019t even ask my name. I happen to be the owner of this plantation. I\u2019ve put a lot of work into making it a comfortable place for all of my workers. All I ask for in return is a bit of respect, and to be treated like you would treat anyone else.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She squirmed, trying to free herself from his grasp. \u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d she stammered. \u201cI\u2019ll try to be more respectful in the future.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI find your kind to be quite beautiful, you know. I admire your powerful bodies, covered in fur. There are ways that you could make your stay more\u2026 Enjoyable.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Every cell in her body was screaming for her to get away from the man in black. However, for every backwards step she took, the man took two forward. \u201cThank you,\u201d she said, through gritted teeth, \u201cbut I\u2019m not interested.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a shame\u2026\u201d the man said. \u201cYou could have quite a luxurious life. You would never even have to lift a finger. Oh well.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

On the other side of the plantation, two guards were making their way to their posts. As they rounded the corner, coming around to the back side of the house, Violet and Perry were waiting to take their places.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a shame we don\u2019t look like normal human men,\u201d Perry whispered. \u201cApparently those are the only people who are worth giving an actual job here. We could\u2019ve disguised ourselves.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShut up, you fucking idiot,\u201d Violet hissed. The moment the two guards rounded the corner, they were each grabbed. Perry took his man, squeezing his neck until he quietly passed out. When Violet\u2019s man started to struggle against her, she kicked his legs out from under him and brought him down, pressing her weight into his back in a flashy display. In mere moments, he was out cold.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat could\u2019ve gone worse,\u201d Perry said. Violet ignored him. The two dragged the guards out, through a hole they had cut in the perimeter fence of the plantation. They shoved the unconscious bodies in a patch of tall grass, gagging their mouths and binding their arms and legs. With that, they began to move toward the building where the slaves were kept.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPerry, you know I love you, but could you possibly save the smart comments until after we\u2019re out of here?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, partner. Me and the smart comments are a package deal.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The pair pushed up against the side wall of the barracks. Peering out from the corner, Violet watched for guards as her partner worked on the lock. His method of lockpicking was brutish and unrefined, but it would get the job done as long as he could keep it quiet enough. In one hand, he held a metal spike, and in the other, a hammer. He brought the hammer down on top of the spike. However, to keep the metal clang from ringing out across the entire plantation, he kept his hand wrapped around the edge of the spike. It was more like he was hitting his hand than anything else.<\/span><\/p>\n

Eventually, the spike tore into the padlock, tearing the tiny metal plates asunder. A guard\u2019s gaze passed over Violet, but just as he was about to step closer and try to get a good look at her, his friend called out his name, distracting him. The pair moved into the barracks. Dozens of pairs of tiny, beady eyes passed over them, silently. Perry moved to the center of the room, grabbing everyone\u2019s attention by flailing his arms back and forth. Then, somewhere between a whisper and a shout, he said: \u201cAttention everyone! We are getting you the fuck out of here!\u201d No one had to be told twice.<\/span><\/p>\n

As the Lycans made their way from the barracks and back behind the main plantation house, Perry seemed to be counting heads. Violet strode lazily from the building, as if unafraid of being spotted. The group was starting to make their way out of the facility when Perry grabbed the arms of a Lycan he recognized. \u201cHey,\u201d he nervously barked, \u201cwhere\u2019s Blue?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUh\u2026 I haven\u2019t seen her since dinner.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n[aesop_chapter title=”Chapter 5″ bgtype=”img” full=”on” img=”http:\/\/jolineblais.net\/tributaries\/wp-content\/uploads\/rd5.jpeg” video_autoplay=”on” bgcolor=”#888888″ revealfx=”off” overlay_revealfx=”off”]\n

Before he had time to process the response, they were spotted. A piercing, barbaric horn filled the surrounding area. With a short glance, Violet and Perry exploded into motion.\u00a0<\/span>The pair ran up to the front porch of the plantation\u2019s main building, vaulting themselves over the small fence that surrounded the deck. A pair of guards came running up to them. Perry flung his arm forward, like he was throwing a baseball. However, instead of a ball, a crackling burst of fire shot from his palm. It hit the chest of one of the guards with a painful thump, sending him careening to the ground. Violet pulled her six-shooter from its holster and quickly fired a shot into the leg of the other guard, bringing him down. With that, the two of them sprinted to the entrance.<\/span><\/p>\n

Perry lunged into the door with a powerful kick, sending it swinging from its hinges. As they reconvened inside the house, Violet slammed the door shut behind her. She pulled a curtain aside and peered into the courtyard, at the group of guards that was now forming. \u201cOkay\u2026\u201d she muttered, softly. \u201cTry and find her. I\u2019ll hold them off here. With any luck, I can use the entrance as a choke point.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Her partner nodded in response. It seemed she wasn\u2019t lying about her ability to plan on the fly. Without further hesitation, he bolted up the stairs, hoisting himself along the bannister. As he made his way around the upper floor of the house, keeping his ears perked up for any sign of Blue, he heard a gunshot.<\/span><\/p>\n

Acting on pure instinct, he flung himself in the direction of the sound. He was expecting the worst, but his body was too pumped full of adrenaline to think much about it. When he finally reached the source of the gunshot, he flung the door open. He couldn’t quite believe what he saw.<\/span><\/p>\n

Blue was standing over a man in a black suit, with a gun in her hand, as soft pink blood seeped across the wooden floorboards. When she saw him, she smiled. \u201cPerry,\u201d she whispered, \u201cwhat took you so long?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Violet stood beside the door to the house, her gun hand trembling slightly. She could hear footsteps approaching her position, and she started to hold her breath. If their clunky boots hadn\u2019t given away their approach, it would\u2019ve been the unmistakable stench of tobacco Violet had smelled so many times from the rich slavers at the poker table. She wore a different sort of poker face, now.<\/span><\/p>\n

When the door swung open, she haphazardly fired a shot through the thin plywood. It sunk into the gut of one of the guards, who let out a horrible shriek. She knew she had to act fast. She had counted six guards in total, and there were now five shots in her barrel. She threw herself into the door, bashing it into the skull of the second guard who had been trying to enter the building. Now realizing what had hit them, the remaining four guards fell back, taking cover behind the fence. With careful precision, Violet popped out of the doorframe and fired at them. The sound of bullets whizzing by her head left her unphased. She shot one, then another. Then a third. Finally, the fourth guard looked around, decided his job was less important than his life, and made a break for it. She let him go.<\/span><\/p>\n

Blue shuddered, her arms wrapped around herself. \u201cI was making my way back to the barracks when a pair of guards grabbed me and took me to his bedroom. He thought he could just use me like a doll and toss me aside. So, I killed him. And I would do it again if I had to.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just glad you\u2019re safe,\u201d Perry said, trying to keep himself from getting emotional. He walked up to Blue and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into an embrace. \u201cIt was a long journey, but I think\u2026 I think we made it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Blue rested her head on his shoulder. \u201cFor a minute there, I didn\u2019t think you were coming back.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, are you kidding? Of course I came back.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As Blue raised her head from Perry\u2019s shoulder, her entire body tensed up. She whispered \u201cturn around\u201d. So, he turned around.<\/span><\/p>\n

There, in the center of the room, the man in the black suit was rising into the air. The pale blood, glistening in the moonlight, streamed up and around his body. It was filling his wounds, knitting his flesh back together.<\/span><\/p>\n

Violet knelt down next to the bodies of the unconscious guards, removing their weapons in case they decided to get back up. She resolved to find Perry and to get medical attention to them as soon as she could. However, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a silhouette. She then heard a loud crack as a bullet whizzed by her head. She spun her body around, and saw the sheriff of Dry Gulch with a smoking gun in his hand. \u201cHey there, kiddo. Wish I didn\u2019t have to do this.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t,\u201d Violet pointed out.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI reckon I do,\u201d he said. \u201cDon\u2019t look too good, lettin\u2019 a wanted criminal steal all the slaves from the biggest plantation in town.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t steal them. I couldn\u2019t have. You can\u2019t steal what can never belong to someone. They\u2019re people. It\u2019s not like I took them. All I did was open the door for them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The sheriff spun the chamber of his gun, locking another shot into place. \u201cIt don\u2019t exactly work that way in the eyes of the federal government.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFuck the federal government. What are they gonna do, bring in the army and force us to be slaveholders? This is our town. We live by our rules. Always have, always will. Search your conscience. There must be some scrap of humanity left in there.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSave the big words for the courtroom.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Violet knew her time was running out; she could only bluff for so long. She had to put her cards on the table. So, in the blink of an eye, she ripped her gun from its holster, pointed it at the sheriff, and pulled the trigger.<\/span><\/p>\n

*click*<\/span><\/p>\n

She pulled it again, and again, and again. She knew she\u2019d loaded six shots, and only fired five. Was it jammed? A bullet ripped into her leg, and another, her arm. She pulled the trigger again, and again, and again. Click, click, click.<\/span><\/p>\n[aesop_chapter title=”Chapter 6″ bgtype=”img” full=”on” img=”http:\/\/jolineblais.net\/tributaries\/wp-content\/uploads\/rd6.jpeg” video_autoplay=”on” bgcolor=”#888888″ revealfx=”off” overlay_revealfx=”off”]\n

She saw herself in the back room of the Salted Hog. Sitting across from her was the sheriff. At that time, she considered playing with him to be a treat. He was a kinder than most men who played at that table, and he didn\u2019t come around very often. She knew he didn\u2019t make much, so she had decided to go easy on him. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI fold,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, kiddo,\u201d he said, with a friendly smirk. \u201cThat\u2019s no fun. You\u2019re not taking it easy on me, now, are you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI just have a bad hand,\u201d she said, blankly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah right. Best poker player in town, and I been wiping the floor with you all night.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFine.\u201d She laid her cards on the table. \u201cFlush. Hearts.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The sheriff\u2019s smile spread across his entire face. \u201cWell, well\u2026\u201d He put his cards on top of hers. \u201cRoyal Flush.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He looked at the shock that had spread across her face. It was the same expression she wore now, in the courtyard of the plantation. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d He asked. \u201cAin\u2019t you ever seen someone luckier than you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Blue fired several bullets at the man in the black suit. Each one sank into his flesh in a bizarre, inhuman fashion. She fired over and over, until the chamber was empty. He seemed unphased, and began to float in their direction.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou think you can simply do whatever you want? You think you are above us? Time and time again, the place of your kind has been shown to be beneath ours.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The man unfurled his body, sending a wave of force shooting through the bedroom that knocked Perry and Blue on their backs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou are a savage. A barbarian,\u201d Perry spat.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re the savages here. Without us, your kind would be nothing; wasting away in the forests. No culture, no civilization, nothing.\u201d He floated daintily to the ground in front of Perry. Then, he reached down and wrapped his arms around his neck, hoisting his prey into their air with tremendous strength. \u201cSay goodbye to your precious little girlfriend.\u201d Perry clutched at the wrists of the black suited man. Sparks flew from his fingertips, but with no oxygen flowing to his brain, he couldn\u2019t find the necessary discipline to conjure a flame. It seemed his long road was finally coming to an end.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then, just as his vision was turning to black, he heard Blue\u2019s voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTurn around\u201d, she said. So, the black suited man turned around. With claws extended, Blue dug her fingers into his eyes. He shrieked like a banshee as the very foundations of the building shook. Perry fell to the ground, gasping for air. Then, acting on pure instinct, his hands lit up with crackling fire. He ripped the man away from Blue\u2019s hands, as blood poured down his face.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGet cauterized, motherfucker.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Though he still lives, some say his eyes never opened again.<\/span><\/p>\n

The smell of blood filled the moonlit courtyard. The sheriff was standing over Violet, his gun leveled at her face. He had made the classic mistake of trying to get in some final words. \u201cSorry, kiddo. You\u2019ve been too bad for business for too long.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Without thinking, he looked up at the main building of the plantation. Some otherworldly screech was emanating from the second floor. He figured it was the loudest yell he\u2019d ever heard. Violet counted herself lucky; it was all the distraction she needed. Using all her strength, she pushed against the ground and slid between the sheriff\u2019s feet. Then, she grabbed him by the ankles and yanked him to the ground, his face slamming into the dust. His gun flew from his hand and hit the ground a few feet away, so she made the painful climb to her feet and prepared to dive at it. However, as soon as she put weight on her shot leg, she collapsed. She pushed off the ground, climbing to her hands and knees, always pushing toward the gun. Unfortunately, the sheriff had the same idea. He jumped, landing next to Violet.<\/span><\/p>\n

Violet grabbed the gun by the handle, the sheriff by the barrel. Before he was able to point the gun away from his body, Violet fired off a shot. It sunk into his chest. His grip loosened, so she fired off another. His grip loosened further.<\/span><\/p>\n

She painstakingly pulled herself onto her feet, limping away from him. Then she pointed the gun at him.<\/span><\/p>\n

He coughed up some blood.\u201cWell, shit… Do you think\u2026 You could bury me by the ocean?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t talk like that. You aren\u2019t dead yet. You\u2019re gonna be ok.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can feel it coming, kiddo.\u201d He coughed again. \u201cYou\u2019re not gonna make me out to be\u2026 Some kinda villain, are you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Violet was shaking, trying not to cry. \u201cNo. I don\u2019t think you\u2019re a bad person. I just think you got dealt a shit hand.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

It was market day. Although now, market day only served as a way for people in Dry Gulch to buy groceries, never Lycans. Violet was strolling up to a caravan, surrounded by Lycans. Perry and Blue were starting to load up their paltry belongings to make the long journey back East, to the free territories.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHey,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019ve been thinking about what we talked about. About the two of you staying here in Dry Gulch.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, well, well,\u201d Perry laughed. \u201cWasn\u2019t it you who told me I should just head back to Massachusetts while I had the chance?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Violet bit her lip.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, partner. I think Blue and I wanna head back to where it\u2019s safer for us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut\u2026\u201d She had practiced this conversation so many times in her head. Why wasn\u2019t it playing out the way she wanted it to?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut what? What\u2019s gotten into you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut\u2026\u201d Blue interjected, climbing down from the driver\u2019s seat of the caravan. \u201cShe <\/span>is<\/span><\/i> the sheriff now – she\u2019s gonna be running Dry Gulch without a deputy. Besides, we Lycans are free to live wherever we damn well please.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Violet made eye contact with Blue, mouthing a thank you. \u201cHey,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019ve got an idea. Why don\u2019t we just leave it up to luck?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Perry started laughing again. \u201cYou would say that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll flip a coin. Heads you stay, tails you leave.\u201d Violet reached into her pocket and fished out her double-sided trick coin. \u201cReady?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[aesop_chapter title=”Chapter 1″ bgtype=”img” full=”on” img=”http:\/\/jolineblais.net\/tributaries\/wp-content\/uploads\/rd1.jpg” video_autoplay=”on” bgcolor=”#888888″ revealfx=”off” overlay_revealfx=”off”] \u201cTwo pair, queen’s high,\u201d he said, laying his cards on the table with a playful flourish. \u201cYou’re comin’ at it from the wrong direction, girl. God didn’t put Lycans on Earth to act as our equals. If he intended them to be equal to us, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1317","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-stories","aesop-entry-content"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jolineblais.net\/tributaries\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1317","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jolineblais.net\/tributaries\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jolineblais.net\/tributaries\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jolineblais.net\/tributaries\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jolineblais.net\/tributaries\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1317"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/jolineblais.net\/tributaries\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1317\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1743,"href":"https:\/\/jolineblais.net\/tributaries\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1317\/revisions\/1743"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jolineblais.net\/tributaries\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1317"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jolineblais.net\/tributaries\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1317"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jolineblais.net\/tributaries\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1317"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}