Reminiscent: A Collection

"Safety"

Zoes grinned at him from across the flowerbed. Ochre attempted to return the smile but, instead, he growled in frustration. How was he supposed to tell the difference between the tiny green flower sprouts and the identical weeds?

His neighbor, Zoes, laughed, "I think that's enough gardening for today Ochre."

Ochre stood up and wiped the mulch from his palms and onto his jeans. "I'll get better," He promised her.

Ochre glanced into her aqua eyes quickly, but all the amusement had faded from them. Zoes took a step back and spread out her thin arms, as if to defend the little flower garden that flourished at the side of small structure to which she called home. Ochre froze and closed his eyes, knowing what was to come.

"You said you'd be home an hour ago," the voice hissed.

Ochre tried to hide the quiver in his words. "I'm sorry, Andrin," he stated as loudly as possible, "we lost track of time."

He clenched his fists and prepared for the first blow. Ochre felt the pain, hard and square in his back, where his brother kicked him with his iron tipped boots. Ochre fell onto his face in the soil. Though tears trembled in his eyes, Ochre couldn't feel sorry for himself. Andrin had been this way ever since their parents died; struck by the same lightning bolt as they stood together, celebrating their fifteenth anniversary in Meadow. The elders of the village said they knew a time -before his parents, the Two Sages of Village, died- when the boy was a sweet little thing.

Ochre could hear Zoes saying to Andrin in a quiet voice, "he was only across the pass, it's not ten yards from your cottage."

Andrin yelled something at the girl, but Ochre couldn't understand it, most likely because his ears were filled with mud.

"You!" Andrin addressed Ochre. "Get up!"

Ochre attempted to, but his knees slipped in the filth. Andrin grabbed him by the collar of his t-shirt and held him a foot off the ground. Ochre didn't struggle, even though the bruises on his neck ached.

Andrin's foul breath stabbed at Ochre's nose. "Are you letting your girlfriend stand up for you now?"

He didn't protest. Andrin started to march away.

"Ochre!" he heard Zoes shout after him.

Andrin kicked open the door of their and tossed him to the floor. "Quickly get something to eat, you worthless thing."

Ochre remained on the ground with his back facing the ceiling. He jolted upright when he felt a deep rumble vibrate through the tiling. He glanced wildly at Andrin, who was making his way towards the microphone that lead to the town speaker.

"What was that?" Ochre asked in barely a whisper.

"I told you to get something to eat Ochre!" Andrin replied as he pressed down the button on the mic and spoke into it, "This is the sage of Village speaking, I need everyone to prepare for an evacuation. All members of Village should report to the square in an hour with everything they wish to bring, thank you."

Ochre stood up. "What's going on Andrin?"

"You heard me," he said, sounding frustrated, "evacuation. Bane is coming."

Andrin handed him what looked like a long knife. Ochre's fingers trembled as he attached it to his belt. Bane, the beast of legend, was coming here? The monster who was said to have destroyed five planets with a single sigh? How many times had he been told that Bane and his followers were only a legend, a story, a myth?

Ochre packed what few belongings he was allowed; which was only some food, extra clothing, and a small quilt his mother had made for his as a baby. He was about to follow Andrin out the door when he remembered something they were forgetting.