WHERE TO NOW? (MxM)

Chapter 2

Damien.

I have travelled to quite a few towns. Spending most of my time on the road since the reckoning. I found it difficult to settle down, even when people gave me a reason to stay.

A few days ago I came across a settlement called Jordan. Settlements always keep the original assigned name of their town, even if that town is now reduced to nothing but ashes and rubble. Sentimental value mainly, as not many people fled the safety of their hometown when the economic collapse threatened their very existence.

When I first reached Jordan, they let me stay for a few nights before heading back out into the reck of a town.

"Seriously man, you're gunna go back out there?" Jake said, a man I had become somewhat close with within the time I had spent while passing through Jordan.

A settlement situated right next to the main road through town for easy access for traders and merchants. It was a quiet town, but lively. Chatter and murmurs could be heard through all hours of the night. With distant echoes of the nuisance from the entities lurking outside the walls. Defence walls surrounded the entire sanctuary, with guards patrolling every inch of the perimeter. It was safe, with good, kind hearted people. You were given food and water if you needed or requested it, you would have a place to stay if you wanted to settle down or even if you're just passing through. Everyone staying there has a job to do, whether it be harvesting the crops or sweeping the floor in the dining hall. Everyone pulls their weight.

"I survived this long, haven't I?" I couldn't control the smirk that laced my lips. "Yeah, but why go out there when you can be safe here? There's plenty of space, food and water."

"Jake, I already-" I tried. "I know, I know, you like it out there." Jake says before standing up from his bar stool he had been sitting on for the last three hours.

"Anyways, I better get back, my shift starts soon. It's very boring guarding the wall when nothing attacks us." Jake joked. I looked up at him, amused but ultimately disturbed at his words. He scoffed, "You know what I mean" before placing his gun strap over his shoulder and left me alone in the lantern filled bar.

I have drank quite a bit since Jake left. Well he shouldn't have left me unsupervised. I stood from my chair and began making my way back to my room. I saw Amanda, the chief commanding officer of Jordan. Everything and everyone goes through her. My legs took me towards her, as I take in her wavy mahogany hair and deep brown eyes. Her face had lines of age but she couldn't be any older than thirty five.

"Ahh, Damien, how're you settling in?" She asks politely, while fumbling with a few boxes of fish she was packing onto a cart. "Good, it's peaceful here" I state, picking up a box and placing it on the cart without hesitation

The settlement was beautifully lit at night, Christmas lights dangling from the gutter of wooden and metal shacks, lanterns strung up to the fence surrounding the crop patch, fire pits with people laughing and drinking, while some people danced around the fire to the drunken man playing a steady violin tune. It was nice.

Amanda watched me, I can feel it burning on the side of my face. "Ya know, you would make a good addition to our town" She says, a confident smile forming on her face. "Oh, I don't think so" I couldn't help but scoff at her words.

"I didn't ask you to help, you just did," gesturing down to the boxes "we need people here that will help without being told. People that know what to do when it needs to be done" She's staring at me now, waiting for a response, but she was patient.

"I came to tell you that I'm going to head out tomorrow"

"Oh alrighty then, well I'll get you situated in the morning" I dip my head into a slight nod, acknowledging the commander before turning away.