3.79 Trust Is For Fools

          As far as Adon could see, Gorias was still a body of land, and even though much of the lab had been packed up, some of the resources they would need to build a new tribe would still be available.

         "The Lab on Gorias is just waiting for us, all we need to do is build some kind of a boat to get over there."

         "It'll be in ruin" Josh wasn't convinced.

         "It already was" Adon reminded. "It was incinerated, remember?"

         "Large portions of the lab were underground" he broke another Oath. Josh hadn't seen the low-rise building, and even though he could believe it had an underground establishment, he wasn't convinced it could be a viable option for residency.

         "Why don't we just go to Kergal" he countered. "No boat required. There’s already a good cave, there's plumbing and a fire pit, we can even salvage basic supplies, I'm sure. Jasun said there was kegs of wine, even."

         "Bell's going to Kergal."

         "I know, so why don't we join him? There's strength in numbers, we can build a tribe together."

         "He's an asshole." Adon hadn't been very keen to let Bell into his diner, he certainly didn't want him joining their new tribe; Bell would want to lead it.

         "Look" Josh urged. "He's an asshole because that's his job. He's as loyal as they come, we could use him. Assholes can fight."

         "I don't trust him" Adon snapped. "And he doesn't trust me either!"

         "Fuck trust!" Josh scolded. "Trust is for fools!" He picked up a blade and ran it across his finger, drawing a drop of blood. "Blood trusts!"

         Adon pitched the plan over dinner. "Josh and I are planning to move to Gorias. We need the Lab and equipment over there, it's our best location for tribe building right now."

         The table fell silent. It seemed like a good idea but it was full of holes.

         "The equipment is under the sea" Bell reminded. "We put it all in storage. Permanently. You guys go ahead, I've got my own plans" he wasn't interested in joining their new tribe. Adon let out a sigh of relief.

         "We heard" Josh confessed again. "Kergal."

         "Ha!" Bell chuckled.

         "Then where are you going?" Adon wanted to know. "Up north?"

         "There's no need for you to know" Bell snapped, sharp and strict. Tensions instantly rose as old Firmary bullshit reminded them how much they hated it, Bell represented everything they had left, he was a walking, talking Firmary machine. It took all Josh had inside to keep from lunging for his throat.

         "HA-HAAA!" Bell burst out, sensing the inner rage among them, triggering a release of laughter around the whole table as everyone relaxed, heaving a sigh of relief, he was only joking!

         "AAAAHH- HA-HAAA-HA-HAAA-HA-HAAA!"

         The laughter could be heard from the lookout. Jasun and Neter had been sitting on the bench playing Spot the Salon Clientele for about an hour, it was a source of psychopathic amusement now. As if still a big secret, the patrons could be seen hanging around the area, doing silly things to look like they had a reason to be there, then tip toeing around the building when no one was looking. It had become a regular pastime. It was hard to take at times, however.

         "I just wish it wasn't so close to the Temple!"

         Jasun understood the heartache, he was troubled too.

         "Why don't we make them leave? We can't wait until the weather clears up, who knows how long this winter will last?"

         "We could be their next barbecue steaks" Neter reminded. "We have to be careful how we negotiate with them, they've been making real hunting weapons you know." It was heavy reality. "We can't afford to make enemies with them."

         "So we just adapt? To this?"

         "No. I told Mina she had to lay down the law, she agreed but she wants to wait until after the Solstice. It's probably a good idea." He had given the situation much thought over the last few months. "If we enforce laws that force them to leave, hearts will get broken, families would undoubtedly get broken up, there could even be fights. We can't have a holocaust on the Solstice two years in a row!"

         "You think they would react violently?"

         "They're heartless, blood thirsty and hungry" Neter replied. "They're sick of potatoes. Yes, I think they could react violently."

         "I cannot tell you things I know unless you swear an Oath in blood" like a changing season, Bell turned serious once again, captivating the dinner table with his mysterious plans. All eyes focused on him as he reached into his satchel, pulling out a gold tipped scroll, tied with a red ribbon.

         "Hey!" Josh blurted out. "That's from Atlan! Where did you get that?

It’s not even damaged!"

         "Where did you get that from?"

         "Like I just said" Bell replied. "Sign the dotted line if you feel you need to know." He pushed the blade across the table towards Adon. "If you cannot sign the Oath in Blood, I'm afraid you will need to leave."

         "I'm not leaving my own Salon. Fuck you!"

         Bell pushed the scroll towards him. "Then sign it. Who knows... You might like my plan so much you'll want to join me."

         The anniversary of the holocaust was more like a scab being ripped off than a celebration, painful memories returned to haunt the survivors at a time when they were supposed to feel so much joy. Nor was there much on offer for the traditional feast, they had consumed much of the food left buried in the ground, kegs of Moonwine were becoming a rare find. Yet in spite of these hardships, the music poured forth as it always did, healing the damaged hearts.

         The makeshift Hair Salon was busy as usual, it seemed Dena and Zara were getting along, in spite of their differences.

         "Your hair doesn't look like it's growing back too well, Sugar Cheeks…"

         Zara already knew that. It only added to her inner debate as to whether or not her friendship with Dena was real, now that she knew the truth about her hair loss.

         Dena shook the scarf out, refolded it and wrapped it around her head again, trying a new style.

         "Have you seen Josh?" Tika was the only one who couldn't seem to settle down, Josh had been missing for a while.

         "Maybe he's out looking for more Moonwine?" Zara offered.

         "Sorry Honey Bunny, why do you need to know?"

         Tika was obviously upset. "He's been missing all afternoon, he promised me he would be with me for the Solstice!"

         "Did you check the Salon?" Bell offered. "He hangs there a lot."

         "Are you kidding me?" Tika snapped, not sure whether or not he asked in jest. "Of course I checked the Salon! He's not there, I said already, he's been missing all afternoon, he knows how important the Solstice is to me!"

         "Maybe it was his turn to hunt the deer?" Bell offered.

         "Shut up, Bell!" Bria could see Tika was upset, now partnered with a Lemurian herself, she knew the Lemurians were vegetarians and how sensitive a subject it was.

         "Why?" Bell argued, angered. "They're the ones preaching the fucking TRUTH all the time, saying it should be told like it is!"

         "Have you seen Josh?" Tika continued to ask around.

         "Oh dear…" Dena shook her head and returned her attention to Zara's head scarf. Zara was still wondering if Dena was really making her head scarf look better. How could she be a real friend? Was she just pretending to be friends? Was everyone just playing along to get along? Why couldn't Dena just be honest about her true feelings?

         Unsatisfied, Dena undid the scarf again and returned to her hair analysis. "Don't worry about your hair, you're not the only one you know, pretty well everyone is losing their hair around here, it must be the malnutrition, the lack of meat." She picked out a newly salvaged piece of fabric, much more festive than Zara's tired old scarf and wrapped it around her head, tied a knot and laid the tails neatly behind her head.

         "There!" She turned Zara around to admire her work. "Oh. My. God!" She gushed, pinching Zara's cheek. "You look adorable with that scarf, Sugar Cheeks!"

         Lightning fast, Zara grabbed her wrist hard and pulled her hand away.       "My name is ZARA!"

         "Zara!" Dena smiled. "Of course, I mean, if that's what you prefer... It's kind of a weird name, like, ZA-RA as in HA-HA."

         Zara took a deep breath, she didn't want Cane to see her get mad.

         "I prefer!" She released Dena's wrist and walked over to the obsidian goblet to look at her new scarf in the water's reflection, but as she gazed into the vessel, out of nowhere, something dark dashed behind her. She spun around, spilling some of the water on the floor, so alarmed by the sight. But there was nothing there...

         "Black Panther?" Neter had been watching from the kitchen table.

Zara spun around, that was exactly what she had thought it was… But that was impossible... "How… What's a Black Panther?"

         "Dashed behind you."

         Her face paled as his words so accurately described her illusion.

         "Dashed behind Mina, dashed behind me too. I've been seeing it dash around a lot lately" he continued. "A few of us have."

         "What's a Black Panther?" Dena asked.

         "It's a manifestation of energy" he explained as best he could without getting into it too deeply. "Sort of like the unicorn’s horn, but more like a reverse form."

         Dena was lost.

         "Think of it as a mental sign post. A warning sign."

         "A warning sign?" Dena rolled her eyes. "Give me a break!" She was amused by their childish mentality, it wasn't a coincidence Atalon joked about their lunacy. "A sign? HA! And what does the sign say? Warning! Go ask the Panthers! HA-HAAA!"

         Dena was difficult to figure out, Neter was lost for a comeback. On one hand she would dismiss their Lemurian ways with such cold mockery, yet at the same time, she was the one who seemed most interested in their traditions, their books and their magic, she seemed to genuinely want to make people look better... Was she just lost in transition? Initially it seemed like Dena would be one of the first to see the Light, keen to learn their ways she was the friendly one, she had even confessed to her evil deeds, she was spending her time pampering everyone. Pampering everyone except her own children.