A Different World

Helping Hand

"Excuse me, we are looking for lodgings," Ice said as she walked up to the counter.

"You got money?" He asked as he glared at her through narrowed eyes and frowned at her with spite.

"Well no but..." Ice said before she was rudely cut off.

"Get out of here you freeloaders!" He growled as he pulled a club out from under the counter and waved it around in a menacing way.

"Let's go," Blaze said as he grabbed her arm and lead her away from the man.

"He was awfully rude," Ice said as she shook off Blaze's hand and they all left the Inn in hopes of finding shelter.

"You were right, this town is rough," Crash said as he shook his head.

"He didn't have to be so mean," Ivy said as they walked.

"Y'all ain't gonna find good folks in Hell Town, it's a down righ evil place," A voice said from behind them. They all stopped and turned around to see a man standing there looking at them.

He was a short chubby old man, he had gray hair that stuck out from under his straw hat and he had a beard, as we'll as a mustache to match. His brown eyes looked upon them in a gentle way and he stood as tall as them.

"Can't help hearin that blow hard belowin at y'all Yunguns," He said with a chuckle.

"Sorry, but who are you?" Ice asked with a raised brow.

"Beg y'all's pardon, I'm Issac Porter, I have a farm down a ways," isac said with a smile.

"I'm Blaze, this is Crash Ice,Ivy and the love birds are Raven and Typhoon," He said Typhoon hit Blaze on the shoulder and Isac burst into laughter.

"Tell y'all what, if'n y'all agree to help me, I'll fix y'all up with some vittles and a place to sleep," Isaac said. Everyone nodded in agreement, better to do some work then to having to stay outside where the bad people are. "Faller me y'all," Isaac said with a wave of his hand, they all walked through the streets out of Hell Town and made their way towards the farm's out- side of town.

On the right stood a farm with cows,. Chickens and pig's, as well as feilds of oats, wheat and hay. There were a few men walking around with buckets, pitch forks and sacks. When they reached the entrance Isaac turned down the dirt road.

The sign that arched above the entrance had I&I Ranch painted in black letters across it. When they neared the house, they noticed an old woman sitting in a chair out on the front porch.

"That there youngun's ya got with ya paw?" Iola asked as she watched them walk towards the house.

"Ya ma found em in Hell Town, trying to talk old stringy to help em out," Issac replied as they stopped up the porch. "Iola this is Blaze, Crash, Ice, Ivy, Raven and Typhoon," He said as he pointed at each of them in turn.

"Nice to meet ya youngens ," iolaaaid with a nod, as she looked them over."welcome to I&I Ranch," She said with a smile.

"They agree to help with the work fur room and board," Isaac said as he sat down on a chair next to Iola. "Jed, come here a minute," Isaac said as he waved him over to the porch.

Jed was a slender Man with broad shoulders and muscles. His brown hair fell to his shoulders in back and a handle bar mustache made him look like a tough man. He was around 20 and his hazel eyes made him look all the wiser.

He was dressed in blue jeans, a checkered shirt and a black cowboy hat. He had black leather boots with silver spurs and black chaps with fringes. "What ya need boss?" Jed asked in a baritone voice, as he stopped next to the porch.

"These youngens agreed to help out with the work. Best to start em in the mornin with feedin the animals," Isaac said

"Will do boss," Jed said and turned towards the group. "I'm Jed and I specking y'all to be up at sunrise," he said as he tipped his hat.

"This is Ivy, Ice, Raven, Typhoon,Crash and I'm Blaze," Blaze said as he introduced everyone to Jed.

"See y'all in the mornin," Jed said as he turned and went back to doing his job.

"Well I reckon I should show y'all where y'all's sleepin," Isaac said as he stood up. "It might not be much, but it's a place to lay ya head," He said as he took them around the back of the house. "This is where y'all be sleeping," He said as he pointed at an old wooden building.

The place had a grey look to it, a door stood one side and windows were placed in each side of the building. Not far from it was another building but the wood was brownon it. When they stepped inside they saw 6 single beds, 4 along the front wall and 1 on the left and right wall.

On the back wall was a old rock fireplace.. "when y'all are settled come up to the house," Isaac said with a smile, as he turned to leave them to unpack. "While we help, we need to figure out how to get into Fort Dead," Typhoon said as claimed one of the beds against the front of the bunk house.

"We need to get some information about the place," Ivy said as Raven claimed the bed next to Typhoon. Ice took the bed next to Raven, Blaze grabbed the one next to Ice, leaving Ivy the bed on the left and Crash the bed on the right side of the room.

After unpacking they all headed back to the house and noticed that the sun was starting to set. Just as they arrived, they saw Iola step out of the house and ring the bell on the porch. Everyone stepped inside and the teens looked around in surprise.

The living room had been converted into a dinning room. The walls were approved a pale blue color and the floor of wood stained slats. A long wood table and chairs sat in the middle of the room, underneath the hanging gas lamp that gave the room it's light.

The table was filled with a large meal, pork chops, mashed potatoes with gravy, baked beans and two apple pies. They sat down and dug into a wonderful meal.

After dinner they retired to there bunkhouse and began to plan how to get into Fort Dead.Around 10 pm they settled in and fell asleep. The days went by as they worked, bought supplies and planed there attack on the Fort.

"Almost ready, a few more days and we will attack the Fort," Blaze said as they sat in the bunkhouse.

I really hope this works," Ice said as she looked around the room with a worried look on her face..

"We'll be fine, we go at night and I will give us a storm so that nobody will be outside," Typhoon said with a grin on his face.

"I don't like the way he's grinning," Crash said with a frown plastered on his face.

"I won't make it really strong," Typhoon said as he held up his hands palms out.

"We are going to be soaking wet," Ivy said with a sigh.

"Not if Ty keeps the sky above us cloud free," Raven said with a smile on her face.

"You two been to stop of I'm going to get cavities," Blaze said, causing ever5to burst into laughter. It was planned to go through an old drain tunnels that would take them into the Fort walls. If everything is clear in the courtyard it will be easy to get inside the place

There was no telling what they would find in the other side of the Fort walls. They would then have to find their way past the guards and into the Fort. It wouldn't be an easy5thing to do, but it was something that had to be done if the human race was to survive.

The next morning brought the sunshine and right after breakfast they got to work feeding the animals and made sure they had plenty of water. The girls helped with the wash, while the boys helped fix any fence that needed to be repaired .

They paused for lunch and talked about how the place was became such a bad one. They returned to work and was done by 5 pm. Dinner soon followed and after a quick meal they said goodnight and retired to the bunkhouse.

They were fast asleep by 6 pm as the night went on.Blaze woke up at mid- night and woke the rest of them . They packed their things and got ready head towards Fort Dead and the battle that would free mankind of soon then.