Jay Posey - Morningside Fall

Swoop shook his head. “Not what I meant.” He grimaced, and drew a breath before continuing. “Not a decision whether I’m going back. Just wanted to know what the plan was.” Wren noticed now that the front of Swoop’s left pant leg was dark and wet, almost all the way to the top of his boot. His wound was still bleeding.

“Swoop?” Wren said, staring at the stain.

“I’m gonna make it home, little man,” he said. But even as Swoop said it, he swayed. Cass stepped around and looked him over.

“Oh, Swoop,” she said. He just looked at her with that flat expression. “How long have you been bleeding?”

“Little while.”

“When did it start up again?”

“Never stopped.”

“What?” Cass said. “You told me it was fine!”

“Said it would be fine.”

“How is it still bleeding?” Cass asked.

Swoop shrugged. He didn’t look like he cared much. But he didn’t look well either.

“There is a poison,” Chapel said. “It prevents the blood from clotting.”

Swoop looked over at him then. “Poison?”

Chapel nodded once, but he didn’t turn. His face remained angled towards Morningside.

“Any other effects I oughta know about?” Swoop asked.

“There could be a number. Pain. Paralysis. Death.” Chapel paused, but then he added, “Those beings who prey on their fellow man are evil creatures.”

“Well,” Swoop said. He took another deep breath. “Might as well finish the job.” He started off towards the city again. Cass tried to make him stop, but he shrugged her off and kept going.

Whatever lay ahead for Wren, he knew he wasn’t going to let Swoop wander off on his own. He turned and followed, but after a moment turned back. “Chapel?” he said. “Will you stay with us?”

Chapel remained impassive. “I will consider.”

Wren nodded. He had hoped Chapel would remain with them, but he knew it was a long shot. “I hope you’ll stay,” he said. Chapel didn’t reply.

Cass turned and started walking towards Wren. “Come on, Painter,” she said over her shoulder.

“I’m not g-going,” Painter answered. Cass stopped — and both she and Wren looked at him, surprised.

He said, “I’m not going back.”

“Painter, you have to,” Wren said. But Painter shook his head.

“I don’t have to do anything I ch… I choose not to do,” Painter said.

“But where else would you go?” Cass asked. “Why come all this way, if not to go back to the city?”

Painter looked off to the side, more avoiding eye contact than looking at anything in particular.

“I need some time,” he said. Then he looked back at Wren.

Wren could tell by his expression that he’d made his decision. Painter didn’t look sad or confused or anything. Wren hated to leave him behind, but Swoop was getting farther away, and Wren couldn’t think of anything he could say that might change Painter’s mind. He’d assumed that Painter had been planning to come back to Morningside to try to get some of his old life back. But he saw now in Painter’s eyes that he had something else in mind.

“You know what I c-c-came to do,” Painter said.

“I don’t think it’ll work, Painter,” Wren said.

Emotion flashed across Painter’s face, sudden anger, but Painter checked himself and merely said, “I have to try.”

He had his own plans. Maybe Painter was expecting to try and track Snow down himself. Maybe he was just having another one of his moments, and he’d come around on his own.

But as much as Wren wanted to tell his friend he had to come with him, it had been only a few hours before that he’d told Chapel that Painter was no one’s slave. Painter was a free man, just like everyone else in Morningside. Free to make his own choices, even if they hurt him.

“Bye, Wren,” Painter said.

“Bye, Painter,” Wren answered.

Cass shook her head, but seemed to sense Painter’s determination as well.

“Take care of yourself, Painter,” she said.

He nodded. Cass turned and walked over to Wren, and together they headed off to catch up with Swoop. It didn’t take long for them to overtake him. He was clearly on weak legs, and when they reached him, Cass took hold of his arm and put it over her shoulder. The fact that Swoop didn’t protest told Wren all he needed to know.

The city loomed before them, growing larger — and more ominous — with each step. As they came into view of the nearest gate, Wren could see there was activity stirred up just beyond it. A crowd had gathered inside. Or, perhaps, had been gathered. There were more guards at the gate than Wren had ever seen posted. And they were mostly facing inwards towards the crowd, rather than outwards.

And now that the moment of his return to Morningside was at hand, Wren felt anxiety. His whole body trembled with nervous energy, and his chest grew tight. But while his body flooded with emotion, Wren found it somehow didn’t touch his mind. In the midst of the swirling chaos, he was able to find peace.

One of the guardsmen finally noticed their approach and, after a flurry of conversation, six of them came forward out of the gate to greet them. Or to bar their way.

The ranking officer held up his hand as they neared. He looked nervous.

“By order of the High Council,” he said in a loud voice, “you may not enter the city of Morningside.”

Cass and Wren stopped where they were, about ten feet away. But Swoop took his arm from Cass’s shoulders and drew himself up.

“I look forward to you keeping me out.”

He didn’t stop, or really even slow his pace. He just kept walking straight towards the officer.

“Sir, we’re authorized to take any necessary action…” the officer said. Swoop was only a few steps away from him.

“Swoop,” Cass said. “Don’t.”

“Sir, please,” the officer said. He put his hand on Swoop’s chest. A mistake. Swoop’s hands flashed up, shoving the officer, but before the officer could fall backwards, Swoop caught the man’s jacket and jerked him. As the officer whipped forward, Swoop tucked his chin, and his victim’s face met the crown of Swoop’s head with an awful sound. The officer flopped awkwardly to the ground. Swoop stepped over him and kept moving through the gate.

The other guards stood stunned for a moment, but then one of them lunged and caught Swoop by the sleeve. Swoop turned with the motion and buried his fist in the side of the guard’s face. The guard went down to a knee, but that seemed to wake the others from their inaction. They collapsed in on Swoop.

Cass launched forward and threw two of the guards to the ground. The situation erupted into an all-out brawl. If Wren didn’t do something quickly, there was no telling how many of them would end up injured — or dead. He rushed into the writhing knot of people.

“Stop!” he cried. “Stop!”

Swoop had been knocked to the ground, and Wren threw himself on top of him. “By order of the Governor, stop!”

The guards fell back a step, still poised to attack, but apparently reluctant to risk hitting Wren.

“This man is my guardian and protector!” Wren said. “I demand that no harm should come to him.”

“You no longer hold any authority here,” said a voice behind him. Wren glanced back to see the officer getting to his feet. The poor man’s nose was crooked, and blood ran freely and dripped from his chin. Wren stood, and tried to straighten up, to make himself seem as tall as he could.

“I never surrendered that authority. Who claims it now?” Wren asked.

“The High Council,” he answered.

“It was just a Council when I left.”

“Things have changed.”

“Then take me to them,” Wren said. “And see that no one harms this man or my mother.”