Broken

A Cliff of the Unknown

We continue to walk. All our feet are carefully moving along the ground. I look at Clayton; he is leading his pack of domesticated dogs. He looks strong; he may be the strongest out of the pack.

The building rubble where we walk. Signs of different stores. A few tall buildings that look like the ones used to house the people from Dohean. Clayton yells. We all stop. The Nomads begin to circle around the leader. Clayton looks at all of us. His eyes move along the crowd. The fall and stay on one person. That person being me.

"It has been days, my fellow Nomads, since we embarked on this journey. A journey that has led us here. This is where we will live until we need a new home. We now have time to mourn those who did not make it. Tracy Wade, a proud warrior, was the first to die on this journey. Clinton Oliver, warrior. Robyn Goodwin, tracker. Kami Sparkman, healer. Tamra Woods, a cook and the last to die. We are proud to call them our fallen heroes. They were Nomads. They kept us safe, fed, and sheltered. We will remember them. The stories we have written, the scars; portrayed, the legends; made. We are the Nomads.

Clayton continues, "I remember becoming one of the mighty Nomads. I was a small child, only six years old. Taken away from my home. I cried and felt lost. Before I was found by Yuriko Jewell, I was living nicely with my blood family, I was kicked out and taken away from them. Tears fell. I broke within a few days. I was hungry, scared, and in complete disbelief.

"I am now the leader of the Nomads. I, one of the few to have had this chance, but with every move a new leader must rise and try to replace me. Does anyone want to nominate someone to fight for my place as leader? Does anyone have the will, the strength, the power, the heart, and the skills to be the new leader? Does anyone know someone who can become the leader of the Nomads? Speak now. Stand before me. Decide if you can," he pauses.

A rustle of words flowing from the Nomads. The woman standing next to me shakes her head after a few minutes. Suddenly all sound stops. The wind blowing in the trees creates the only melody. A young man stands before Clayton and the crowd. Clayton cocks his head. He smiles. The man reaches up.

"I, Emil Blake, will fight to become the leader. I am only a mere tracker, but I can do this," the young man states with a roar.

The sweet melody of the trees stop. The air is still. Clayton's eyes prey upon his opponent; Emil stands knowing his probable fate. Clayton snickers. The melody starts again. Though it is different; one of war. Emil's long hair whips in the wind. They both look at each other. Both sure of one thing: the one who will live will get to be the leader.

Clayton smirks like a wolf that knows his prey is his catch. Emil stands strong. His eyes unwavering, yet his bottom lip trembles. Clayton comes closer. Emil throws the first punch and continues. Each one causing a bit more damage to Clayton. Clayton smirks. He yells. Emil takes the chance and throws my brother to the ground. The sound of the fall stops the melody. The dead silence is interrupted by groans.

Emil cocks his head and lifts his foot. He begins kicking Clayton. I laugh silently. Clayton never got to get a hit in. He is down. He is going to lose. He is going to die. My heart stops at the thought. My own blood. My brother. Tears start falling. Alex wraps his arms around me. I feel a simple kick in my stomach when Emil's foot crashes into limp body. Clayton, grasping on to his life, looks hopeless.

Emil moves his hands out to the crowd. One of the warriors gives him a spear. The spear that will lead him to victory. Emil pushes the head of the spear on Clayton's neck. I look at Emil. His hands are on the shaft. He can kill him. Why won't he? This will lead him to victory.

Clayton smiles. "You are weak. Kill me already!"

Emil smiles. The spear begins to break skin. My heart stops. Time stops. Emil is going to kill Clayton. Emil looks around and his eyes lands on the crowd. Clayton's blood runs slowly down his neck.

"I am your leader. I control the Nomads. He is not to die. He is to be shamed. He does not need the sweet release of death, He needs to live with the embarrassment of losing. I will not give him mercy. I am stronger than he is. I have come a long way. I have barely scratched him. He must live alone. He must become a Savage. He will not be one of the last. He will not be rewarded for defeat. He will die alone."

The crowd begins to mutter. Every second it becomes louder. Emil yells. Clayton tries to get up. Emil looks at him and kicks him. Clayton falls. He doesn't try to get up again. Emil moves the spear away from Clayton's neck.

"I need two warriors to take him away. He is now a Savage. He is not one of us. He died here. He died as our leader and a Nomad. I will not show mercy on a savage, but I will on my own people. Disgrace Nomads and you will have to run from us. You do not belong if you cannot win."

My heart stops. The former leader; a Savage? I look at Emil. He is proving to us that he is the better leader for our people. His proof: Clayton is now a monster. One that, if we see after today, will die. Die at the hands of one of his former followers. The followers he kept alive. Emil does not understand what he has done for the Nomads. A death, a spear through a heart, is an honorable way for the former leader to die by the hands of the new one.

He has changed this into a war against our own people. We do not win, we do not get to die. He will stay in power. He will not be questioned. Everyone fears them. We are domestic dogs and Savages, rogue wolves.