“Now what?” Percival Lee asked.
“Everybody focus on your monster,” Adam said. “Right in front of you, too far out in the darkness to be seen. Okay? And when I say go…”
“When I say go,” Detweiler corrected. “Let’s keep some semblance of order here, okay? We have ranks for a reason.”
“We have ranks?” Lee asked.
“We’re soldiers, they’re civilians,” Detweiler said. “That’s all the rank I need.”
“So, when Mr. Detweiler says go, we all follow… well,” he turned his head to the woman who couldn’t think of anything.
“Brenda,” she supplied.
“We all follow Brenda, who’s thinking of nothing,” Adam said.
“We’re going to walk holding hands?” Detweiler asked.
“Yes,” Adam said. “We keep the circle together, seven of us for protection. It’s the only way.”
“Everybody clear on the plan?” Detweiler asked.
The group looked around at each other. Some of them nodded. Some of them coughed.
“I think we’re as ready as we’re going to be,” Lee said.
“Right,” Detweiler said. He looked at the witch. “Well?”
“I thought you were going to say it,” Adam said.
“I am,” Detweiler said. “I’m just waiting for you to say you’re all set, or whatever.”
“Oh,” Adam said. “Right. Well, yes, then. I think we’ve done what we can.”
“But what if…” a man said.
“Stow that talk,” Detweiler said sharply. “Whatever’s got you worried, keep it to yourself.”
“Can I say a prayer?” Brenda asked.
“Quickly,” Detweiler said. “Quietly.”
“Anybody who feels a need to pray, pray,” Lee said. When Detweiler audibly scoffed, he said, “Hey, it can’t hurt.”
“It’s good,” Adam said. “It should help.”
“Eveybody pray,” Detweiler ordered.
“Sincerity usually counts for something,” Adam said.
“And be sincere!” Detweiler barked.
“Thanks, Adam, I think that should just about do the trick,” Lee said.
“What?” the witch asked.
“His name’s Adam, too… remember?” Lee said.
“Oh.”
“Is everybody ready?” Adam asked.
“Ease off, sparky,” Detweiler said. “Is everybody ready?” Nods all around. “Can I say go?”
“Yes.”
“Go!”
8 Responses
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Oh “Rottweiler” , you are silly.
As for Brenda, sometimes lack of imagination can be an asset.
LOL @ Brenda.
Thank you for this, It’s a pleasure
I will be interested to see whether this works out as well as Adam’s hoping…It seems like it ought, but AE is known to be a tricksy writer…
Woo! updates, i’m glad that tribe is being updated again, i love the way it’s written and the dialog between the charcaters is priceless.
Why I am thinking that by walking towards Brenda’s “nothing”, they will walk out of the world and into nothingness, maybe Behind, Between, and Below? ^_^
But isn’t Behind, Between, and Below still something? Now there’s something we could debate forever…particularly not having enough information on the matter to speak of, naturally. It’s probably just me trying to apply logic to the illogical, or at least grammar principles.
At any rate, yay for Tribe updating! I am particularly enjoying the comic undertones (overtones?) in this chapter, what with the hierarchy being so important to Detweiler but really only barely being acknowledges to avoid an argument, and everyone having their “What have we got to lose?” and “Why the hell not?” attitudes. Too enjoyable.
It’s nice to take a break from the more tense episodes of debating of what the hell is going on and people being eaten by unseen things in the darkness.
Thank you! Thank you, AE, for continuing to update Tribe! (Just had to add that, in case you missed my hits on your site… as if.)