The Workmen

Chapter 27

The next morning was anarchy. Every man, woman, and child was violently shook awake by a tremendous earthquake. The thunderous boom of the tremor sent books and candle sticks to the ground and dislodged clumps of loose plaster from the walls. Keira was the first of her roommates to scurry out the door and down the hall. She went straight to the place she last saw any of her friends.

Tess and Clark were among several other naturally early risers huddled under their perspective tables. Keira rushed over to help her friends out from under their meager bunker. Muffled conversations were already traversing the nervous crowd.

"Are you guys alright?" The question seemed stupid once she got a glimpse of Tess' drawn features. She looked ill. Like Death had reached inside of her and sucked her liveliness right out. Looking into her dark circled eyes made Keira uncomfortable.

"We're fine," Tess breathed, "in a manner of speaking." Despondency hit Clark's brow line. His wife may get her strength back, but she would never be a hundred percent the same.

Another boom rocked the safe haven. Dishes and Workmen crashed to the ground. Tess and Clark crawled back under the table. Keira joined them, worrying about the raggedy cover story of a shed upstairs. What would they do if it collapsed? Hundreds of wanted criminals coming out of a hole in the ground would hardly go unnoticed.

A body slid under the little refuge.

"Have you guys seen Marren and Lewy? I can't find them anywhere."

Peter looked more worried than anyone. It was unlike his older brother to go somewhere without telling him first. Waking up to find him and Lewy missing in the midst of a natural disaster—if that was even what was going on—spelt trouble.

"I haven't seen Lewy since late last night," Keira answered over the pandemonium. The quake finally stopped. "Maybe we should go look for them together."

"Maybe," Peter said, "but something tells me we won't find them down here."

Keira's stomach tied into a knot. She glanced over at Tess. Earthquakes were not the cause of everyone's wake up call. More of those monsters had popped up in the city. Numerous citizens would undoubtedly go missing, and Keira feared her friends would be among them.

Clark's hands went into action.

"Yeah, I think that's a good idea. We need to go find the baker. He might know where Marren and Lewy ran off to."

"You guys go ahead. I think I'm going to stick around here and help out." Tess started to get out from under the table. Clark gingerly grabbed her wrist. "I'll be fine, go and see what's up with the guys." She leaned in and kissed her frowning husband's forehead. He watched her walk away, worried that she would overdo it and hating that he couldn't stop her.

"Come on, pal. She's not made of glass you know." Peter ignored the dirty look his worrisome friend gave him. He and Clark both knew Tess was strong willed and wouldn't let a little near death experience stand in the way of her life's purpose—to serve.

Keira reached out and touched Clark's hand. Peter meant well, but she understood that a kind gesture was often a better remedy than advice. It was what gave her the most courage after her parents died. Small dribbles of common knowledge couldn't heal her hurt, only kindhearted acts of brotherly love did the trick. The smile appearing on Clark's face showed her she was right.

Clark and Keira left Tess behind to catch up with Peter. His bald head stuck out like a sore thumb in the scuttling crowd. He was slightly hunched over, blocking the view of whoever he was talking to. Keira and her large friend stayed close to the wall, rushing to be a part of the conversation. They spotted Josten just as he turned and disappeared down a packed hallway.

"Where's he off to now?" Keira asked as she craned her neck to try and catch a glimpse of the boy.

Peter didn't look happy. "Well, we can give up on the baker."

"What! Why?"

"The kid says he went top-side with my brother and Lewy. They had some 'secret mission' they had to attend to and the baker offered to help. He was supposed to stay above ground and keep the entrance open until the idiots returned."

"Then, we have to—"

Peter held his hand up. "No, we have to stay down here and hope for the best. If anything happens to them, we'll be responsible for keeping the safe haven protected. I just pray the earthquake was farther away than it sounded."

Keira was confused. Clark looked down at the floor as he shook his head in agreement. What did he mean they were responsible? Wasn't that the guards' job or whoever was in charge down there?

"Why us? Why can't some of the other Workmen handle things while we find out what's going on out there?"

Peter glanced over at Clark and they locked eyes for less than a second.

"Because it's what we've been called to do."

Keira looked how she felt, completely and utterly lost.

"Besides," Peter continued with a shrug, "the other Workmen don't have the same gift as we do. Don't tell me you expected the children and elderly to take arms," Peter laughed.

Keira rolled her eyes. She thought first before asking him what gift they all had in common. Dumb questions were a field day for Peter. With a little effort she could come up with the answer and not have to worry about her friend's quick tongue.

The past began to itch at the back of her mind. Not just the sudden rush of inexplicable strength and know how that allowed her to take down two ferocious beasties, but it was the blood smeared dream involving her sister that prickled her cerebrum. A glimpse of her dream-self in dazzling white armor, sword in midair, popped in and out of reality. The answer was staring her straight in the face.

Warrior.

The word seemed to fit, but not for Keira. Sure, she had taken down a couple of Dwellers, but that didn't make her some righteous soldier of God. She could barely picture Peter as a normal soldier, nevertheless herself as some supernatural fighter.

A third tremor rocked the safe haven, knocking Keira off balance. She would think more on the warrior subject later. Right now there was plenty going on. Though the ground continued to shake, she tried to get to her feet. No good. Another loud boom sounded from the back of the hideaway and she slammed into a wall. Her hand shot to her throbbing shoulder. She wasn't going to try and move again until the vibrations stopped. If she truly was a warrior, she wouldn't be of much use all battered and bruised.

Keira looked around her. Frighten faces, crying babes, Peter was right. These people needed their help. If the guards somehow discovered the entrance to the hideout, everyone within its walls would be defenseless. There are only so many places to hide and so far to run. Looking up at the rumbling ceiling, she wondered if the baker was still up there, waiting for Lewy and Marren to return.

At that moment she hoped many things—that the roof wouldn't cave in; that her friends would make it back ok; that the baker was still alive—but there was one in particular that kept resurfacing. She hoped that the guards were the most of the Workmen's worries.