Chapter 6 Punishment

Warning: It's not graphic, but there is a lot of suggested violence in this one.




After the events of yesterday, I'm wary of standing on the balcony. But I'm hoping to be able to talk to Mitchell again. And that seems to mean that I have to stand out here because knocking on doors is not something someone like him or I would do.

I watch the people below. They just stand around chatting and laughing, but in a way it's helpful to watch them relaxing with friends like I used to do at home. It helps me get used to them I think.



Brandon said that what happened yesterday is not a normal occurrence, so he was sure I'd be okay standing on the balcony to wait for Mitchell. If it happened regularly, then the others wouldn't be standing on the balcony either.

I can see the others starting to step out of the apartments and onto the balcony. Some of them meet to chat quietly; two lost souls standing on the balcony together. Brandon's explained that it isn't completely uncommon for a tribe member to have a person that they watch over, offer protection to, in exchange for services like cooking and cleaning and, uh, more. But it's not as common as I worried it might be. I imagine it must be lonely and frightening to be a live in maid for someone who's primary job is to train and then fight.

Down below there's a quick movement. One guy suddenly runs from the group he's with as the others part, moving out of the way and exposing him to the man who stalks after him. The man suddenly moves incredibly fast, smashing the one who was going to run to the ground.


No one moves to stop it, to protect the man on the ground.

The man pulls his leg back to kick the man on the ground in the head, hard enough that blood spatters the man's face. My hand flies up to my mouth. I don't want to watch, but I can't turn away. The man standing over the runner stomps on his head as the runner struggles to gets up and get away.

Still no one helps him. Are they all in shock like I am at this horrible attack? I thought they trained for this. But they all stand around solomnly watching as the man doing the beating takes his time kicking and stomping.

The runner struggles to get away, crawling on his elbows, but the man over him grabs him and pulls him back roughly. Blood is pooling around his head, and he leaves a smeared trail of it when the man over him pulls him back again.


Though my vision is blurry and I'm looking down at him from an awkward angle, I recognize the man with a tightening of my stomach. He was the one in the car with me. The one who had been flanking my father when the man in the suit gave me to them.

Though I can't see much emotion on his face, I can tell that he's drawing this out in front of everyone. Those standing around him watch as if they could be next.


He walks around the man laying on the ground so that his back is to me, his large tattoo bright on his light skin. I catch a glint of something in his hand reflecting the late morning light and calling my attention to it. It's a knife clenched tightly in his hand. He squats down near the man reaching forward as I turn away.

Footsteps sound behind me hurrying up the stairs. I turn to see Brandon. His eyes fall on me and I can see the worry in them. It only takes a second for him to reach me, wrap an arm around me and lead me back to the apartment.


That man is going to be killed. I shake at the thought of it, and slip my hands, now cold, under my arms. "What was that?"

"Punishment. He disobeyed a direct order."

I plop down on the couch, folding my legs under me, holding my hands under my arms still. Brandon follows me, but keeps his distance, standing near me beside the couch. "Are you going to be all right?"

"I know that man." I say suddenly. "He was with us on the car ride. The one who was beating the man down there."

Brandon sits down on the arm of the sofa. "Yeah. He's always by Mr. Smith's side." Brandon seems to bite back something. He opens his mouth, even gets so far as inhaling before he stops himself again.


"Our dad's involved somehow, isn't he?"

"It was his order that was disobeyed," Brandon says frankly. "You definitely don't do that." He stands up to sit next to me on the couch with a sigh. He reaches an arm out for me, pulling me to his side. I don't fight it. "Things are different here, I know. But they have to be. There are things we have to do-- like protect the village and stop Lost Landers from taking over. Don't think too badly of Mr. Smith."

It's going to be impossible not to after this.



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