Page 2 of Deceptively Dead

“Absolutely. A really deep clean. No need for you guys to get involved.” I reply. Maybe a little too quickly, if Asia’s disbelieving glare is anything to go by.

Deciding that I’ve had all the screaming children, boobs and crabby harem wives that I can handle today, I slip back outside to stand by the door like a good little guard. The harem quarters are situated in the middle of the ‘city’, which is really just a whole lot of old government/military type buildings and newramshackle humpies that have sprung up in every crack and crevice of the fenced block. Everything is cramped and dirty and the sun never seems to shine properly here. At the back of the large block is a small area for growing food and keeping goats, but the majority of food is foraged outside the walls by the kings ‘knights’. They head outside the walls every day to gather food and supplies to keep the compound running, but there’s still never enough. I am fairly sure that’s why Jacob is so lax with enforcing any sort of order in this shit hole, there is no way to stop starving people from stealing from each other.Also, because he’s a lazy dickwad, I’m sure. In this dystopian dictatorship he has created, the strong thrive and the weak are left to die… literally. The weakest members of the society live closest to the fence, pushed up against the perimeter of ‘civilization’. Their screams will alert the more important people of coming danger, according to Ben. When people get too weak to benefit the community or die in their beds, the knights take their heads and use the bodies to help grow the food.Ah, the circle of life. It’s all very Lion King-esq if you don’t think about it too hard. And if you don’t think about the tomatoes you are eating having grown in the decomposing remains of Bob from down the lane. I don’t know what they do with the heads they collect, those buggers can still bite until the brain is destroyed, so I hope they are given that mercy, or at least locked somewhere secure.

The compound walls are nothing fancy, eight-foot mesh with razor wire at the top, standard issue for abandoned government blocks like this one was. Jacob has had the fences reinforced in most places with old pieces of iron and a couple of old buses, but there are still areas without reinforcement. I spend a lot of time trying to stare holes through the fence, looking for any weaknesses. Not that it would matter, I’d be shot dead if theyever saw me touching that fence. No one leaves, except the knights, it’s the rules.

I’m pulled from my gloomy contemplation of the unlikely destruction of the fence by a loud whistle, coming from the area to my left.Ugh, this day just keeps getting worseI think as I heave a sigh and drag my tired body into action, shuffling as fast as I can into the next building over, otherwise known as thethrone room. Ick.

Jacob sits on a raised dais in a fancy looking chair, waiting on his minions to gather after his whistle. His hands are covered in his customary jewels and his oily black hair is trimmedjust so,he’s wearing suit pants and a white button up shirt, undoubtedly both were extremely expensive items of clothing, before the apocalypse made them redundant. His tall, skinny frame sits straight backed on the ridiculous chair and his piercing brown eyes survey the gathering crowd. I position myself in the back, as close to the door as I can get. These impromptu meetings usually end in bloodshed and I am honestly in no fit shape to stay out of the way of a fight today. Once everyone has gathered Jacob unnecessarily raises his hand for silence, even though there wasn’t much talking to begin with. These meetings tend to be short and brutal, so everyone is always on edge.

“I have gathered you here this day for a rare treat” he begins, in his pompous, over the top voice “today we have had new guests arrive at our very own door seeking refuge.” Inwardly, I sigh, people turn up at the gates periodically, claiming they heard about our ‘safe haven’. They’re always disappointed in what they find. I don’t know if the stories are spread from Jacob himself, but the place they describe is nothing like this. “They bring with them some very interesting information. They claim to know of a large store of food, not too far away, if they are to be believed. They have offered to show us this food store in return for a place to stay in our utopia” I nearly snort at his descriptionof the dank, seedy underbelly we call home and also at his use of the phrase ‘food store’. Just call it a grocery store like a normal person.Dramatic fuck.“I will be sending one knight only, out with one of theirs to scout the area and report back. The area is apparently rife with the dead, so it will be dangerous, but the rewards, I am told, will be huge. My best two knights will fight for the honor. Ben and Adrian. Commence”

And just like that the two men burst into movement, slashing hidden weapons at each other and generally making a mess. This is why I stayed by the door.No wonder David was so worked up today, he’s apparently not ‘the best’I snicker to myself, before promptly diving for cover as the two idiots spill over to my little area of the room. I manage to scramble out of the way without further injury, and I honestly count that as a win today.

Eventually Ben comes out the victor and Adrian is dragged from the room, presumably to recover or die, I’m not sure which and I genuinely don’t care. Ben looks expectantly to the king when he is declared victor and then shoots me an evil smile that tells me he has not forgotten being left behind this morning. Damn it.

“Ben has been chosen to scout the area tomorrow and will return to lead the knights to promised bounty. That is all. Dismissed.” Jacob rises from his chair as if to leave when Ben as good as signs his own death warrant. “Sire, is it not customary to reward the winner of your fights?” Ben says, his voice oozing charm and sincerity, matching the ridiculous way Jacob speaks to curry favor.

Jacob sits back down heavily and pins Ben with a stare. “Indeed, Ben, how could I forget?” he says in a deadly tone, “what would you request as reward? Seeing as the honor of being chosen to lead does not seem to be enough for you?”

Yikes. People die when Jacob uses that voice, sucks to be Ben right now, although I’m honestly not complaining. The worldcould do with less Ben’s. He seems to be on the same wavelength as me, unfortunately, because he pales a little and bows before graciously stuttering “nothing my lord, as you said it is honor enough to serve you. The heat of the fight must have gotten me, uh, confused. Forgive me.”

Jacob says nothing but gets up from his chair and exits toward his rooms. Ben seems to be able to breathe again. He shoots me a dark look,as if it’s my fault he nearly got himself executed,as he starts moving toward me. I turn tail and hobble out of there, back to the relative safety of the harem women.

Chapter Two

Ben leaves the next day without bothering me and I thank whatever asshat is calling themselves God these days for small mercies. The days pass uneventfully, David has thankfully grown a conscience and given me two days off from training to heal after his tantrum yesterday, so I stand around and look like I am guarding the harem while I try to will my body to heal faster. After all the beatings my body has endured, I’ve found that I heal remarkably fast when required.

On the third day that Ben is gone a commotion breaks out in the main square. The commotion is short lived and followed quickly by three loud whistles, Jacob’s call for a town meeting. I listen and silently urge the harem girls to hurry the hell up as they quickly dress and start hauling children outside. Asia tries to shove her baby at me to carry but I quickly pass it off, like it might be a zombie in disguise.

“Can’t guard if I don’t have hands to fight with, right?” I say to her, waving my empty hands lamely in her general direction asI avoid eye contact. She gives me an entirely unimpressed look, which I pretend not to see.

I usher the women into the square and set my resting bitch face firmly in place as I stand between them and the commoners. I quickly scan the area and see Jacob standing over a young teenage boy, probably no more than sixteen if I had to guess, who is kneeling in the dirt at his feet. Not a great start to the town meeting then. One of the harem girls behind me lets out a little whimper. It’s one of the youngest girls, just barely seventeen and fairly new to the harem. A pretty hazel eyed girl with the brains of a mashed potato by the looks of it. Harem girls are not to be touched by anyone but the king. The penalty is death. But Hazel is staring at the boy on the ground as if he’s the love of her life.God help us, this is going to get ugly real fast. I shoot a look to Red, who casually hooks her free arm through Hazel’s, so she has a chance to stop the idiot girl from making things worse for the boy.

I sidle up next to her other side “Keep your shit together Hazel or yourcousinwill not live through the morning” I hiss in her ear, then I make hard eye contact with her as she goes to open her mouth. I nod as realization dawns on her and she slowly closes her mouth and nods back at me. “Get yourself together because this is going to hurt. A lot. You, me and him most likely.” I nod at Red as I step away and she tightens her hold on Hazel. I start to move through the crowd, I need to get to the king before he starts his little show, or we won’t have a chance to do anything but watch the boy die.

I get to within a few feet of the king and his personal guard’s step into my way. I force a polite smile and bow my head for them.

“My lady Hazel has asked that I enquire after the welfare of her cousin, the one the king has taken a liking to...” I trail off and gaze at them with the most polite, innocent and expectantface that I can manage.Nothing to hide here boys, completely innocent misunderstanding is all this is.“I understand Hazel has recently become the king’s favourite.” No lie there, his favourites are always the youngest.

The guards look between each other, trying to decide if they should tell the king or not. Finally, the bigger of the two lumbers away and whispers in Jacobs ears. Those piercing brown eyes immediately snap to mine and I have to swallow a few times to try and breathe around the lump in my throat. Visions of those first three months here try to surface in my mind, but I violently lock them away again.Hell, is this boy really worth me putting myself back on the kings' radar? Probably not, but I’m already here. My body starts to shake, and my hands start sweating as he smiles at me and starts to make his way over. I think I’m going to vomit.Why did I think this was a good idea? Why did I think I was strong enough for this? Damn my hero complex.

Suddenly I’m staring right into those terrifying, piercing brown eyes. I jerkily bow from my waist, mostly so I can break eye contact and try to hide the fear he has inspired in me. When I stand again, he is no longer smiling. I focus on breathing in through my nose and out through my mouth as he starts talking.

“Why does Andre inform me that you have a message from one of my harem? Why do you think it’s important enough to interrupt me?” he asks. I scramble in my head to try and find my voice, but nothing seems to be working on me at the moment.Come on, Angie, pull yourself together!I mentally shriek at myself in a panic.

“King Jacob.” I state, as though he doesn’t know who he is. I clear my throat and try again. “Highness, your lady Hazel asked me to come over and enquire about her cousin. The young man over there. He is her only surviving family, and she was concerned he may have… displeased you, in some way.” I manage to make that sound halfway plausible; I think.

I am not at all prepared for the hit that follows. He was always a quick hitter, damn him. His closed fist slams into the side of my head and I stumble away from the hit, but I don’t go down. Small wins. By the time I look up he’s striding towards the harem girls, zeroed in on poor Hazel, who is staring at me in horror. I hope desperately that she’s had time to come up with a story for His Royal Craziness, otherwise we are all going to die today. I push through the ringing in my head and follow Jacob. The harem women greet him happily enough, it’s only if you look closely that you can see their utter fear and desperation. Hazel, bless her, jumps straight into the role of adoring favourite, pasting a huge smile on her face as Jacob stops in front of her.

“My lord!” she exclaims in a breathy rush “how generous of you to come and see me! I was so worried that mycousin” a bit too much emphasis on that word, and I cringe a little “had wronged you and you might be angry with me”, she finishes her little performance with a disturbingly believable pout.Thank all that’s holy the girldoeshave some brains!I think as watch the exchange apprehensively.

“I was informed you had been meeting with this boy under cover of darkness.” Jacob states in what I think might count as a soft voice for him. Again, I tense and wait for Hazel to crumple under pressure, like I nearly did, but she just smiles at the psychopath. “I have met with him my lord, it is true,” I groan inwardly and try not to hyperventilate “but simply so I might give him the scraps of your generosity, only that he might make himself more useful to you and be strong enough to join your Knights. It is his only wish, my lord” she says it so earnestly and sincerely, I have to glance back at the kid on the ground and re-evaluate his morals. Sleeping with a forbidden harem member is stupid but infinitely better than wanting to become one ofthem. At least to me, anyway. “Please my lord, show Caleb your leniency and strength. It was my idea that I sneak him scraps”she says the last part with genuine tears in her massive eyes as she stares pitifully up at the king’s impassive face. Ugh, the way he has us talk makes me want to vomit in my mouth. He thinks he’s some old-time king from days gone and that we should address him in such a way. Pathetic.

“Indeed” is all he says as he turns and heads towards the boy again. He passes me and I try not to flinch or cover the right side of my face, which is rapidly swelling. I watch him walk away as soft, little hands touch my back, I roughly slap them away. They should know better than to try and comfort me in public.

It was too easy.I think to myself as Jacob nears the boy,it’s never that easy.He resumes his stance over the boy on the ground, nudging him with his booted toe. It’s abundantly clear the kid has already had a work over by the two brutes Jacob calls guards. He looks barely conscious but struggles to sit up all the same.

“This boy has broken the law” he starts “he has touched that which is off limits. My harem is never to be touched by any other than me! The penalty for such an infraction is death.” I can hear Hazel’s breathing hitch behind me. “However, as this is a relative of one of my favoured women, I have been convinced of the merits of leniency” he stares straight at Hazel as he says this, a gross, slimy smile passes over his face. Then he pulls a huge knife from the belt of Andre, the giant guard, and swings down, all in one motion, across the left wrist of the stunned boy. Obviously, it’s not that easy to cut someone’s hand off, because Andre and giant guard number two rush to pin the boy to the ground with his mangled hand in front of him and the king takes another swipe. That seems to do the trick, and the boys hand comes away from his body as he starts to scream. I hear Hazel’s ragged breathing behind me, but I don’t turn, I can’t look away from the bleeding, screaming mess in front of me. I focus on breathing in through my nose and out through my mouth, again.Been doing a lot of focused breathing latelyI dazedly think to myself.

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