Peter and Alice looked at the trading town before them, just a hundred feet away. It looked peaceful, but from their past experiences, he wasn’t sure what was safe or peaceful anymore.
As they tried to walk into the town, a guard at the gate stopped him.
“No weapons, please. You have to put down your club until you leave the town.”
Peter gave Alice a look, then gave the club to the guard.
As they walked into the town, Peter asked, “Why didn’t you give him your knife?”
Alice began to grin. “Just because I’m a pacifist, doesn’t mean I won’t defend myself.”
Peter smiled at that, and said, “I’ll take it.” Then his stomach rumbled and he added, “We need food.”
“We do.”
They found a shop nearby and decided to try it out.
“‘Ello there! I’m one-eyed Oliver! Ge’ it?” The man at the counter had an eye patch on, spreading his arms wide at them, and one of the chains holding up the sign that said “One-Eyed Oliver’s Outrageous Deals!” fell off, leaving the sing hanging lopsided.
Alice opened her mouth to say something, pointing to the hanging sign.
Peter, however, got right to the point. “We need to sell something to buy some food.”
“Well,” Oliver said, clapping his hands, “Whatcha go’?”
Peter knew he had nothing on him of value, still dressed in his rags.
Alice, however, had gold inlaid her dress. She tore off a top layer that was rather useless, only there for show. She gave it to him, telling him he’d better give them a good deal.
Oliver’s eyes grew big as he saw her taking the layer off her dress, looking at the golden pendant around her neck.
“Dat, is a fine necklace.” he said, pointing to it.
“Not for sale,” Alice glanced up at him as she tore off the last of the fabric.
“Well,” Oliver said, his eyes narrowing a bit as he looked at them intently. “I go’ some food and supplies in the back, if ya wanna come wi’ me,” Olive motioned for them to follow him, and opening a door to a shed.
Peter looked at Alice, who shrugged, and they followed him in.
Alice went in first, with Peter behind her, and Oliver right behind them.
The door shut behind them, leaving them in complete darkness.
“What the-” Peter started to say when he felt an arm go past him, trying to grab at Alice who screamed and ran to the corner of the shed.
Oliver struck a match, lighting a candle on a shelf next to them. “Now,” he said darkly, “Let’s get down ta business.”
Before Peter could react, Oliver whipped out a knife and pointed it at both of them.
“Ya guys are wa’ed, an’ I wanna make some cash.”
Peter backed away from him, putting his hands up. “Oliver, what are you doing?”
“I don’ know wha’ you kids are wan’ed for, but I’mma not let you go without me makin’ some money.” He made a move toward Alice, who ducked under his arm and headed for the door. It was locked. Peter tried to follow her, but Oliver had moved behind Peter and put a knife to his throat.
“Ah,ah,ah…” Oliver taunted.
Alice saw them and gasped. “Com‘ere, ya kiddie.” Oliver beckoned for her to come forward, pressing the knife harder onto Peter’s throat. Peter felt blood trickle down his neck and into his shirt. Peter wanted to say something but felt that would be the end of him if he did. Instead, he looked at Alice and gave her the slightest shake of his head. He hoped she could see. From the look of fear in her eyes, he didn’t know.
“Girl,” Oliver said darker this time, “If ya don’ come‘ere, I’ll sli’ yer boyfrien’s throa’.”
Alice reluctantly crossed over to Oliver, and he told her to put her hands out. Oliver then released Peter, who put his hand up to his throat, feeling the light gash across his neck. Any deeper and Oliver might have killed him.
Oliver tied both of their hands, then left the shed. “I’ll be back.”
As soon as the door shut, Alice ran to Peter. “Are you alright? I’m so sorry I didn’t do anything. I could’ve-”
“It’s alright,” Peter said, “I’ve had worse.” Peter saw the flames that had consumed everything he’d ever loved, the pain in his chest as his skin burned away. He shook his head and made the memory fade away.
Alice reached into her dress and brought out her knife with her bound hands. “Let’s do this.”
Peter had forgotten she had the knife. He was exhilarated that she could cut their bounds. They could be free! “I could kiss you right now,” Peter said happily, then thought about how that sounded, and turned away, his face scarlet.
Alice glanced at him for a moment, her lashes turned down as she concentrated on sawing at the rope.
It took a while for Alice to be free, but she was much faster when she started cutting the ropes binding Peter’s wrists together. At one point, Alice accidentally nicked him with the knife but he didn’t even flinch. “Sorry…” Alice said, not looking up from her handiwork.
Peter was free soon after, and tried the door out of desperation. Locked.
Peter looked around the shed, looking at the mess of disorganization there was. That was when he saw it. A crowbar leaning in a corner.
Peter grabbed it then, and, hoping Oliver wasn’t around, smashed it into the door handle. It budged a little, but not enough to open the door. Peter tried again and again until the handle broke off. Then he pushed the door open, to reveal…
A squad of Dueglesteiners waiting for them. Oliver was standing next to Boromir, who had his sword drawn.
“Oh no,” Alice breathed.
Oh no was right. This was more Dueglesteiners than when they attacked the Secret Woods.
“So?” Oliver asked, “When will I ge’ ma payment?”
Boromir glanced at Oliver with his dark eyes. “This is your payment,” he smiled.
The sword swept down and Peter turned away, horrified.
“Well, well, well,” Boromir looked at them, his eyes wild with bloodlust. “Peter Webster and his girlfriend, Alice Ellison.”
Despite the circumstances of the situation, Peter still thought to say, “She’s not my girlfriend!”
“Really?” Boromir sneered, “You seem awfully worried about her!” Peter realized then that he was standing in front of Alice protectively, but didn’t dwell on that fact.
“Where are your other friends?” Boromir demanded. Peter felt a small thrill of hope. That means Boromir doesn’t know where the others are. Their plan had worked.
“I don’t know. And even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you!” Peter shouted, reaching for Alice’s hand. They were going to run.
“Is that so?” Boromir contemplated, then shouted to his men, “Search the town!” A lot of his men ran away through the town, and Peter felt guilty for coming here. He knew that the Dueglesteiners wouldn't find what they were looking for, but it would cost either the townspeople’s lives or homes.
Now Boromir looked at Peter and Alice and ordered his men to go after them.
Peter now let go of Alice’s hand and yelled, “Split up!”
They ran in opposite directions, Peter going to the right and Alice to the left. Peter jumped over the crates and climbed a small tree to get on the roof of a house. He stole a glance behind him and…yep, he was being followed.
Peter jumped from rooftop to rooftop, taking twists and turns to try to keep them off his trail. But he was sure they were getting close.
Peter now jumped off the rooftop, tucking and rolling but not as much as he liked. His ankle seared with pain.
Peter grunted but continued to run, ignoring the pain in his left ankle.
Eventually, he felt like he lost them and hid in an alley. That’s when Peter heard a scream. Climbing up the house, he looked out in the town to see Alice who had been grabbed by a Dueglesteiner. He was about to climb down when he saw her quickly reach into her dress and stab the Dueglesteiner’s arm.
Peter couldn’t help smiling to himself. The pacifist strikes again.
Then Peter felt something sharp against his throat and silently cursed.
“Get up, ya runt,” the Dueglesteiner said to him, “And don’t try anything."
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