Chapter 1
The light from the morning sun had finally filtered through a small patch of trees as a coyote lifts its head up from under the brush. It sniffs the air as if something worth eating is close by. Ian watches silently, tracking the scavenger as it reaches the edge of the bush. A small clearing separates the coyote from its meal, sniffing the air and taking its time, it slowly moves out into the open.
Ian drew back his bow silently; he could feel the tension in the string against his fingers. He let the animal move a little closer to give him a better shot and began to slowly exhale. When the last of his breath was released he let the arrow fly.
With a sharp crack and a dull thunk the crude bow snapped and the arrow buried itself into the ground missing the coyote by a hairs breadth spooking the coyote back into the brush. Cursing his luck Ian quickly debated against chasing after it, the brush was too thick and he would lose any attempted to trap in the area again.
“Well damn,” he sighed as he looked across the overgrown remains of Denny Park in Seattle. The ruined skeleton and the Space Needle tilted slightly to one side off in the distance. A small but sad smile appeared as he disappeared into a memory of what it used to look like before the world fell apart.
“Well there is no point in hanging around here. Guess I‘ll try my luck down at the market.”
He climbed down from the tree that he was perched and tossed the bow into the brush behind him. He smirked when he heard a sudden rustle of the coyote fleeing further away. He picked up his gear but left the bait, the trickster earned it he reasoned, and headed south.
The trek down to the Pike Place Market didn’t take him very long and by the time he got there the few larger trading stands were already busy. In all of Seattle, the Market surprised him the most. It was the only part of this ruined city that nearly remained intact. Yes the actual market wasn’t like it was but the same smell of the salty-sea air and the sound of bartering and sales never changed.
One vender caught his eye, small boy with a serious look on his face and of all the vendors in the market this was Ian’s best kept secret. The small rocks and jewels the boy traded was only a front, what they kid traded in was information. After pulling out a small pouch of Lapis he had salvaged from an overturned caravan Ian walked over the kid with a smile, “What’cha got for me today?”
The boy gave Ian his customary once over before nodding over to the pouch, “Depends...”
Ian kept himself from smiling at his young friend’s bravado as he dropped the opened pouch onto the makeshift table in front of the boy. A look of slight surprise flashed across the young boys face but quickly passed as he told Ian to lean in closer, “Tribe’s setting up shop on 58.”
“Anything in particular?”
“Security, but they could always use your help.”
“Thanks kid,” Ian said as he turned to walk away and casually left the market. Ian caught the obvious hint the boy let on and wanted to check out what was going on at Pier 58. A few minutes later Ian was standing stopped in his tracks. The Makah people had managed a good seaside hunt in the past few days. There was an assortment of whale and seal parts being loaded from one of their ships and an uncountable about of fish and plant life all available for sale. Ian had begun to wonder where the tribe found such a bountiful hunting area when a rich laughter reached his ears only a moment before two tremendously large and strong hands grasped his shoulders, “Ian! Good to see you my friend!”
Ian turned around to find a giant of a man smiling and joyously laughing, “Bear! Good to see you!” Ian said grabbing the man’s elbow and shaking his arm. This man, Bear, was one of Ian closest friends. The two of them had relied on each other to survive during the first couple of years after the western United States went to hell. It was only when the Makah tribe adopted Bear that they separated. Once a year however they always managed to find each other when the tribe came down to Seattle to barter their catch for goods.
“So I take it you’ve come to work?” Bear amusingly asked Ian with a knowing look on his face, “I knew you’d eventually show up once I saw that little jewel collector of yours.”
Ian chuckled and shook his head, “Where do you need me?”
Ian and Bear both began to work watching over the stall that sold the whale oil. Despite the recent reintroduction of electricity to Seattle whale oil was still in demand for the hunting and scavenging parties as well as those less fortunate. Sometimes Ian was pulled away to help a buyer load his trade into a cart or caravan but mostly he was standing with Bear trying to ignore some of the tradesmen’s comments about the tribe letting him help out. Ian just smiled and continued his work, the Makan people may have become even more reclusive after what had happened but they respected anyone willing to help them work and rewarded in kind.
After what felt like an eternity of watching men and women bickering Bear invited Ian to rest with the tribe for the night. It was there he was gifted a few large sakes of meat, whale oil, fish, some plant life and hunting supplies. Ian even found a new bow, quiver of arrows and all, hidden deep in one pack he was sure that Bear had packed himself.
With a decent feast the tribe had begun to wind down, the men could be heard talking trade and comparing what they each got, the women could be heard laughing or singing to the children who happily ran around. A group of kids walked up behind Bear and waited to get his attention when Ian nudged his friend’s side, “You have company.”
“And what could a bunch of hunters want with me?” Bear playfully asked the kids as he turned around to face them. Ian could only smile, for as ruthless as he knew Bear could be, children were his friend’s only weak spot.
“Tell us the story of the fall of the world!” the leader of the small groups asked with a forced bravado.
“Ah! Maybe you should ask my friend here? He’s seen so much more of the world than I have.”
Ian rolled his eyes and sighed as every eyes of the small group, and a few from the men at the table, turned and trained on him. He reached up and fingered an engagement ring that was hung around his neck with a sturdy chain but returned the look, “Go ask the chief if this is alright and wait but the fire.” As the children ran off Bear silently sat next to Ian and gave his friend a searching stare. Ian knew what Bear was going to ask and knew it would be better to answer the question before he asked, “I’m not getting any younger…and I want to know if she made it at least.”
