Free Clouds of Tyranny by J. R. Pond Page A

As he was closing the door
she just stood in the center of the room facing his back while
rubbing her hands, like a child caught red-handed.
    He locked the latch on the door and turned to face
Terra; his eyes were blood shot with bags beneath them. Terra just
looked into his eyes and could tell he was either extremely tired
or he was crying earlier (which was highly unlikely.) “Now,” said
Locke, “Answer my question. What are you doing back here? Did they
get to you?” “Who?” asked Terra. Locke lunged toward her and
grabbed her by both arms, “You know damn well!” he yelled.
“N-n-n-no. I was just curious, that’s all. And,” she mumbled
looking down to the ground, “I wanted to see you.” Locke released
his grip and rolled his eyes as he sat on his bed and looked up at
her, “Don’t, okay? Just don’t. Please go.” She sighed and walked to
the door and with her back turned to him she said, “You can’t say
you don’t feel anything and if you don’t let anyone in you’ll die
alone and unhappy.” She unlocked the latch and as she opened the
door a crack she heard Locke, “Alisa. Ask Ruthie cuz I can’t talk
about her anymore. The memories hurt enough.” Terra turned her head
and smiled at Locke as she left his room and shut the door.
    When Terra got back to the women’s room she saw it
was very active; girls playing cards on their beds, a couple
writing in notebook, and even a couple young girls in the corner
singing together. She walked past everyone to her bed, which was
next to Ruthie’s; Ruthie was sitting on her bed writing in a tiny
leather bound book in her nightclothes; plaid pajama pants and a
loose fitting white T-shirt. Terra sat on her own bed next to a
pile of folded clothes and looked at them. “Those are for you,”
said Ruthie not looking up from her book, “Thought you might like
some clean duds.” “Thanks Ruthie. Who’s Alisa? Locke said to ask
you.” Ruthie looked up at her with wide eyes as she closed her
notebook, “Alisa? You mean Locke’s ex fiancé?” “He was engaged?
Him?” “Don’t be so surprised, he may seem cold to you but that’s
because you don’t know each other yet. He was cold to me when we
first started traveling together when I was just knee high to him
even though I’ve known him all my life; it doesn’t mean he doesn’t
care. His heart doesn’t extend to his emotions; he hides them very
well.” Ruthie smiled at the thought of back then, “I remember when
I had just turned eleven years old, right before we joined the
Returners, we were in a camp town called Malijo. They welcomed us
with open arms when we arrived. Said they always needed workers and
that they would treat us ‘right’. So, me and Locke did some manual
labor all day long and they fed us and provided shelter. Next thing
I knew my hands and feet were bound and I woke up in a dark cave
with a small fire with four men looking at me with impure thoughts.
They approached me and attempted to sexually attack me and cut off
my clothing; they even told me they were going to do everything
they could think of, and then cut my throat. Out of nowhere Locke
showed from within the darkness and killed them. That part isn’t
surprising, I know, but then he untied me. Locke held me for an
hour; I could feel his tears drop on my shoulder at the thought of
losing his only friend. That’s when I knew that I was family to
him. That’s when my little girl crush ended; that’s right, I had a
hard crush on him once too. But that faded away when I saw him less
like a companion and more like a big brother.” Terra glared at
Ruthie trying to convince her, “I don’t have a crush,” said Terra.
Ruthie scoffed and continued.
    “Him and Alisa were engaged about ten years ago in a
little town called Listka,” began Ruthie. “Listka? He mentioned
Listka when we left Sangrohl.” asked Terra. “That’s where I was
born. Locke was actually in the room when I was removed from my
mother’s