What Remains

Enrique is finally about to turn in for the night when there is a knock at his door. He sighs, wondering who this could be and what it can be about. He shuffles toward his front door dressed in simple clothes that he bought at the market. He’d have made them himself if he had any idea of how to sow, but he doesn’t. So not to make himself look a fool he’d instead settled on purchasing clothes. He knows many of the men of Haven do. Except for the patrols guards who are clad in rediscovered and reclaimed old world threads.

The patrols serve as the security for Haven, but they report directly to him. He sometimes wonders whether his standing is worth the hassle, he isn’t getting any younger he notes as he opens the door to his cabin.

In the doorway before Enrique stands Den. The man, who is several inches taller than his own five foot nine inch frame has a shaved head and grey eyes. There’s a stern serious look on his face. Enrique immediately knows what has happened. Not again, he thinks as his shoulders drop and he nods slowly.

“May I come in Enrique?” Den asks politely. He may be seething from there having been another round of murders and the elders’ thus far refusal to act, but that doesn’t mean he plans to give Enrique any excuse to dismiss him out of hand. Den doesn’t like playing the diplomat but sometimes he has little choice and he knows it. At least that has been in case in recent months anyway. These murders have really put a strain on the relationship between the two men. They had at one time been friends, but that isn’t the case anymore. Now they simply work alongside each other. Enrique wouldn’t say together and nor would Den.

“Of course Den. Please, come in.” Enrique says with a sweep of his arm. He knows what is coming and asks himself why they must always do this dance. Could he not have at least waited until tomorrow? A voice in his head says before Enrique quiets it. He knows that such thoughts are insensitive and unhelpful at a time such as this, though he can’t deny the truth of the thought as he closes the door now that Den is inside his cabin.

The head of the patrol squads looks uncomfortable as he stands in the middle of the open space surrounded by simple furniture. A few of the pieces are remnants of the world before the flood, Enrique thinks. He doesn’t know if Den thinks about that, or if the man cares. He guesses that at this moment he doesn’t.

“Take a seat Den. Can I get you anything?” Enrique offers with a smile. It’s a forced smile which vanishes as he looks at the younger man, who he guesses is in his early thirties. He doesn’t remember his exact age. He’s terrible with ages and numbers, not that such a thing matters at this time.

“No thanks.” Den replies succinctly. He’s making sure to continue being polite but wishes the elder would stop with his delays. This conversation is happening whether he likes it or not. Den guesses that if he asked Enrique the response would be not.

Enrique knows what will be coming next and waits for the younger man to say the words that he dreads every time he sees him. It’s become a common occurrence now and while he understands Den’s frustrations it still won’t change his mind.

“There’s been another attack.” Den offers after a pause. It’s an uncomfortable pause he knows but he can still see the gore that surrounded him in that cabin and his and Enrique’s comfort matter little when people are dying as a result of their inaction. Truth be told it’s Enrique’s inaction, but publicly it has to be seen as shared. I hate politics, he thinks.

“How many?” Enrique asks unsure whether he wants to know or not. In fact, part of him would rather be told that they don’t know, but he knows that isn’t going to be the case. It never is.

“Seven.” Den replies looking Enrique straight in the eyes. But the older man with his hazel eyes and thinning white hair refuses to reciprocate the gesture. Instead, he looks off to the side at a point on the floor a couple metres ahead of him. It’s a plain and unremarkable piece of wooden floor where there is no rug to soften the impact under foot. He prefers it that way; he hears a voice in his head say.

“Who?” Enrique asks after a time, while still staring at the rugless area of floor.

“Samuel Wilbert, his wife, their three kids and her parents.” Den confirms. He doesn’t have to give full details but feels that it’s necessary. It helps to drive his point home. He is sure Enrique would have guessed who the victims were if he’d just said Samuel Wilbert, but that would have been too easy on the elder. He’s the head of the village. He leads the people, but thus far has refused to act. Den needs to know if such indecision and refusal will continue in light of the mounting attacks against them and this new round of deaths.

“Huh.” Enrique exhales a single long and deep breath before licking at his bottom lip. He might have seen the world as he knew it end when he was a child, but that doesn’t mean that death has lost any of its weight. If anything, he thinks, it has only added to it. That’s why he doesn’t want Den and his squads going out into the wilderness in search of their attackers. They don’t know what’s out there. They don’t know what they’ll face. If they’ll even return once they leave. But he knows Den well enough to know that such a demand will be coming soon. It always does.

“We have to act.” Den says bluntly. He’s given Enrique long enough for the news to sink in and now they have to get down to business. He refuses to pussyfoot around the subject any longer. Such a thing has happened too many times already. Something has to be done before the frequency and severity of these attacks becomes so great that they can’t be stopped because there won’t be the people to stop them.

“You know where I stand on this Den.” Enrique replies succinctly. The elder recalls how even as a boy Den had been headstrong and determined to face whatever comes his way. It’s one of the reasons he’s the head of the patrol squads now. But it’s also that exact same reason that has stopped him from becoming the next elder of Haven. He’s too rash, too ready to jump headlong into something without considering all the other issues that must be considered, like the future defence of the town.

“How many more people have to die Enrique?” Den asks with a scowl. His fists are balled up at his sides.

“We don’t have the resources for a war!” Enrique exclaims defensively. It isn’t how he wanted to deliver his words, but it’s too late now. It’s done and he can do nothing to change or alter it. Though, he had no idea he was angry.

“I’m not asking for a war. I’m asking you to reconsider.” Den says trying to reason with the elder who is wearing a stern expression on his face.

“It would be just my squad that go out there in search of these…cannibals. We’ll put an end to this slaughter once and for all.” Den says continuing. He still isn’t sure calling them cannibals is the best thing, but he has no other word to describe them. He just knows that they are a threat to the people of Haven, who number only a few hundred. Eighty nine fewer, he thinks as he recalls how many people have died as a result of this inaction.

In fact, he’s surprised Enrique hasn’t called for them to abandon Haven and relocate somewhere else in the region. It wouldn’t be impossible, at least practically anyway. However, they both know many of the citizens would refuse. There is no way they would be willing to give up the homes and lives they have made for themselves. Maybe that is why he hasn’t suggested it, Den thinks as he waits for the elders answer.

“The answer’s still the same. You don’t have the resources to continue to keep the people of Haven safe and wage a war. We both know it to be true.” Enrique states finally.

“Then in light of your continued refusal to act, I hereby enact the declaration of Haven that states that security matters are the sole jurisdiction of the head of the security division.” Den announces. He didn’t want to have to do this, but Enrique has left him with no other option. He knows the elder will refuse this declaration, but he doesn’t care. Enrique doesn’t see the detailed reports or the remains of the bodies for that matter. He doesn’t know what it’s like to come face-to-face with the questions and fears of the people who want to know what is going to be done to stop this violence.

“You warmonger!” Enrique spits. He can’t contain his anger. Of all the things that he thought Den might pull, this wasn’t one that was even on his radar. He didn’t even know the head of the patrol squads knew about the declaration, let alone that he would be willing to enact it. It’s a throwback and stems from the early days of Haven. Drafted encase a worst case scenario occurred. But no such things had ever come and in all truth Enrique had forgotten about the declarations existence. His face twists with rage as he stares at the younger man. He feels betrayed as his rage boils.

“You think running off into the wilds after those things will save us! We need protection! We need you and your squads here! They are our only line of defence! You were installed as head of the patrols to keep the people safe! Not go off gallivanting on some foolish quest for glory!” Enrique continues as he shouts at the top of his lungs. Flecks of spittle fly from his mouth, but Den pays no mind to the man’s rage. He knows the elder can do nothing to stop him; the declaration has been enacted now. He takes no pride in it, but it doesn’t change the fact that it had to be done. If his squads simply continue as normal, like Enrique is suggesting, many more people will die, there is no question of that. He knows it and he hopes that deep down so does the elder, but he can’t be sure.

“You gave me no choice Enrique. I’m doing this for the people, not glory.” Den retorts calmly. He doesn’t know why he is so calm. He didn’t feel it even as he stepped inside the elder’s cabin, but he does now.

“Tell yourself whatever you wish. We both know that isn’t true. We will all die because of you and your thirst for war!” Enrique says snarling as he stares at Den. The elder is sure that one squad will become two, which will become three, and so on and so on until there is no one left to protect them. This is how it starts, but that is never where it ends.

“We’ll depart at first light. The remaining squads will be left at your disposal until my return.” Den says turning to leave. His tone is steady and he no longer feels any remorse for what he has done. He knows he has done the right thing and no matter what Enrique says he won’t change his mind. In that way, he thinks, they are the same.

“You’re a fool! You’ll get us all killed!” Enrique continues to rage as Den leaves the elders cabin without saying another word. From his point of view there is nothing left to say.

Enrique races after him, slamming the door to his cabin now that Den is clear of it. He can’t control his rage. He didn’t even know he was this angry. He’d been sure that of the two of them Den had been the one who would explode furiously and that he would remain calm. But Enrique had been wrong. Appearances can be deceiving, he realises as Den descends the steps from Enrique’s cabin and turns the corner around the next cabin to find Callum Steele there. Den’s oldest friend is leaning against the damp wooden wall of the cabin he has just rounded the corner of.

“I see it went well then.” Callum says sarcastically and with a flash of a smile.

“About as well as I expected Cal.” Den offers honestly.

“What did the old man say?” Callum asks curious.

“No.”

“What did you say?”

“I enacted the security declaration.” Den says with a shrug. There really was no other option.

“Wow! So that’s what all the screaming and shouting was about. The old man really does still have a set of lungs on him, doesn’t he?” Callum says as he pushes himself off the cabin wall so he can walk at Den’s side. The pair plod, side by side, down the worn dirt path leading away from the elders’ cabin.

“Yeah he does.”

“So what now?” Callum asks wanting to know their next move. He expects Den will want to move sooner rather than later. He just doesn’t know how soon. Den had left that part out when he’d come to Callum and told him what he had planned. After all, it was Callum who found the declaration and brought it to Den’s attention in the first place. Callum had no qualms about doing such a thing. In his eyes it needed to be done. Enrique might be the elder but in Callum’s eyes he is too scared of the past to make a rational decision on this. And after hearing that outburst, which sounded entirely one-sided from where he was stood, he thinks he’s been proven right.

“We leave at first light. It’s just going to be your squad. But I’m taking point on this Cal. The rest of the squads will continue as normal.” Den says informing his old friend confidently.

“Who’s going to keep them in line while we’re gone?” Callum asks worried what the answer might be.

“Enrique.” Den confirms.

“Is that a good idea, Den? How do we know he won’t order us taken into custody?” Callum asks with a concerned look on his face. This isn’t quite what Callum had in mind. He has hoping that Den would stay behind. But if he’d been honest with himself he knew that was never going to be an option. Den was always going to lead this no matter what. But to leave Enrique in charge means Den is risking the elder sending someone after them. Or worse, to stop them before they even have chance to leave. It’s not that he doesn’t trust his old friend. It’s that he doesn’t trust Enrique. The man’s an elder. They make grand sweeping promises. It’s all talk. A way of trying to keep hold of favour among the citizens and Callum can’t stand it.

“We don’t. But I doubt he’ll want to make a scene. News travels fast in Haven, as you know.”

“Good point. The squad’ll be ready for first light Den. Now it’s time you got some rest.” Callum says slapping his old friend on the shoulder before offering his hand. They shake hands before they go their separate ways. Callum waves as he walks away while Den just shakes his head and smiles. He’s thankful that he has Callum at his side. He doesn’t know if he should feel regret for what he’s done to the relationship between himself and Enrique, but he doesn’t. He is sure that this is the only option. He isn’t after a war. He’s after answers. He wants to know where the cannibals are and where they came from. Purely so he can put an end to the killing even if it means killing the cannibals themselves. He has to ensure the people of Haven are protected, at any cost.