The human man waved, and I kept walking, not returning the gesture, though Joseph and Sampson both nodded in his direction. As we got closer, I realized that nearly the entire town was human. I saw one human fixing a roof, another hauling crops in a wheelbarrow, and yet another working as a cooper, a profession I only knew of through the fantasy books Id read. There were deadn spread out among them as well, maybe one for every five or six humans. I noted that they were all wearing the sa dark brown with white armband as Joseph, and while the humans were all engaged in so form of hard labor, none of the deadn appeared to be carrying anything heavier than a stack of papers, and wherever they walked, the humans would move out of their path, often with their heads bowed, or with a friendly complacent smile.
Joseph turned to , I must request lodging for us from the local preacher, I believe weve traveled enough for one day.
I myself had walked easily thrice the distance Joseph had that day, on top of the shootout Id been through so recently, and was more than willing to continue onward, but I nodded. My curiosity had only grown since wed entered the village. Eden was growing stranger with every step I took inside of it.
At the far end of the village was a large building that had the sa curved ceiling as the outpost Id been brought to when Id first entered Eden. Sampson opened the door for us, and I followed Joseph inside. Unlike the outpost Id entered, this building was much more open, with a wide open space filled with long wooden chairs that made their way all the way to the far end of the building. At that end was a dais, with a small podium. At that podium, writing sothing, was an older deadman with short white hair. His clothes were an almost neon green, the color of which reminded of the strange green lightning I sotis saw in deadzones. He looked up as we approached and moved down to embrace Joseph.
Joseph! Welco, I wasnt expecting to see you again for so ti.
I was not expecting to be here brother Mark. We had a new deadn brought in by the Shepherds and its my duty to take him to et the First. He gestured to .
Mark broke away from Joseph and offered a hand, Welco to Abbey, and more importantly, to Eden.
I took his hand, gave it a firm shake, and let go after what I gauged to be an appropriate amount of ti. The people in Eden seed to enjoy touching quite a lot, I was quickly becoming tired of it.
Where are you from? One of the settlents further north? Maybe out West?
East actually.
He paused, and glanced at Joseph.
I have no reason to not believe him. Apparently he appeared in the middle of a firefight and slew a score of Hawks and Panthers by himself. Whatever the case, his eting with the First is the priority.
Mark nodded, casting a wary eye toward at the ntion of those Id killed. It was a positive change from the smiles and handshake. Agreed, He looked up at where the sun was going down through the windows. I assu you need lodging for the night?
Joseph smiled, Yes, if youd be so kind.
Mark nodded, and started to gesture when the main door opened again. I turned back to see two deadn, wearing the sa green as the preacher. Between them was a human woman who was soaking wet, covered in bruises, and wearing a short skirt and crop top painted with the imagery of a panther. She was one of the Leaders Id seen when Id encountered the humans in the woods.
Ah, excuse for a mont, said Mark gesturing for us to wait at the pews.
I moved over and sat down along with Sampson and Joseph.
Mark moved back up to his place on the podium, looking down as the two other n dragged the woman across the floor until he was looking directly down at her. Miss Reba, how are you feeling?
CCold, she managed to say through chattering teeth.
Im sorry to hear that. Unfortunately, as you now know, the long baptism is a requirent for those who are brought to join our flock, and it only grows longer when people are needlessly defiant.
She kept her eyes down. She may have been defiant before, but I saw no sign of that in her, nor did I see the sureness and strength shed had when Id seen her belting out orders to th other panthers earlier that day.
Well, it doesnt seem to be much of a problem now. We are going to have you brought to a warm room, with fresh clothes, a fire, and hot food. You may rest the next couple of days, then we will discuss how you can contribute to Eden. Your struggle is over, breathe easy and know that you now have a place in paradise.
She didnt respond, and Mark nodded to the deadn on either side of her. Their initial posture, where theyd dragged her in and handled her roughly, changed imdiately. One of them produced a dry blanket which they wrapped her in carefully, then they lifted her carrying her gently, as they moved off toward other rooms.
While my question of what had happened to the people the Shepherds had taken was answered, I found myself with dozens more.
Why? was the first one I managed to ask.
Joseph looked at confused. Well, we needed to grow the herd of course. Once she gets fully integrated Id guess shell be a fantastic source of labor and numbers. She may even be blessed enough to bear one of us.
Wont she just run? I asked.
Joseph chuckled. You really might be from the other side of the Cut. She cant. Eden is sanctified on three sides, the only way in or out for a human is through the gate, any other path is death. Though, very few ever blasphe once they realize what an honor it is to be here to serve Eden.
I put together the ntal map I had of Eden in my mind, and added in the direction Id rembered them taking away the human prisoners. Sanctified areas must an deadzones, which made Eden a peninsula, surrounded on three sides by radiation strong enough to kill a human. The Shepherds were like our own Undertakers, but instead of bringing back just deadn like myself they also captured humans to grow the settlents and used them as both a work force and a source of new deadn. Id guess the deadn were heavily outnumbered, but what humans are raised in Eden likely never considered leaving, and those that are brought in seed to have no choice, but to conform, probably even encouraged by those humans that were already here to simply give in. It was so like Potts, but so different at the sa ti. In so ways the humans that the deadn had control of were better off, but the situation set my teeth on edge. Id been a slave, I had little love for humans, but less for slavers. I brought myself under control. This wasnt the ti, at least not yet.
Mark left the podium, still wearing the sa serene face he had all throughout his conversation with the woman that had been brought to him.
Sorry about that brothers, a preachers work is never done. He gestured for us to stand. I will guide you to your rooms.
We all stood and started to follow him into a corridor off the main portion of the building. I moved at the rear, taking note of entrances and exits as we moved. I noticed very few security precautions or concerns, reminding of the lack of locked doors in Potts, though in their case it seed more foolish, as they had a servant population working for them just outside their doors. I knew from firsthand experience how dangerous it could be to assu safety when it ca to slaves. We were shown three doors at the end of the hall.
Those three should suffice for the evening. Normally I would invite you all to dine with , but Im afraid this is a ti of fasting for , so I will have als brought to you.
Sampson made his way to the room on the right, ducking a bit to get under the doorway, and Joseph took the one at the end of the hall, leaving the one on the left. The first thing I noticed was that the door didnt lock. The room was simple: bed, table, chair, small chest. All of it looked to be hand made with the sa type of wood as the building itself. I guessed that Abbey had so competent carpenters. I took out my equipnt, and went into my routine of cleaning and inventorying my equipnt, making sure my ntal count matched up with what I actually had. It always did, but I did it anyway. After a few hours I heard a knock on the door, I grabbed my pistol, hiding it behind myself, I slled food. I opened the door slowly, seeing a massive form in front of the door. It was Sampson holding two bowls of food.
May I join you for dinner? he asked.
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