Chapter 3 the Rowdy Men at Herad's

He was in. There were vast buildings that reached the tree tops. Not skyscrapers, or domes, or anything of the modern world, but a place much different. It was confined to vast clothing shops, and pubs. And an electrical plant that ran the pub and the shop lights, but no house had electricity. Light was confined to candles and woodstoves. The pub had a water supply, but everywhere else got water from their assigned water well. The streets were neatly lined with marble slabs, and as the sign at the entrance of the town had said there were no cars. The city of Oshawitz looked as ancient as Rome.

"Excuse me sir?" A well dressed man of about twenty was perked up on a public bench. The rain was so heavy; Christian couldn't see the man's face. The man was admiring the rain with his hands in outstretched in the air.

Christian flicked his head around. "Yes?" He wiped his dripping forehead, with his palm.

"Newcomer, I see. You know there is a guest list, don't you?" He looked up at Christian with, a smirk. The man was still sympathetic to the falling rain, as Christian pulled the collar of his jacket over his head. "I've never seen you before?"

Christian took his hand off his collar and held it out to the man. "Christian Thomas." The man shook Christian's hand. "Grimmus." His handshake was firm, and unbreakable.

"I just need a tire for my BMW. Anywhere in this place where I'll find one?" The man looked puzzled at his question.

"BMW?"

"Yes I need a tire for my car." Grimmus's puzzled looked turned to a face of utter confusion.

Grimmus interrupted Christian's demands for a BMW tire. "Well, you had better sign the list at the end of the street, Christian." Grimmus continued to admire the heavy rain, while Christian was anxious to get indoors. "Nice to meet you Christian." He looked up at the sky, and closed his eyes as if he were in a dream.

"You're just going to sit in the rain?"

"Rain down here gives me a nice wash." Grimmus wiped his face with his sopping wet shirt. "The rain is a relief."

"God- I mean cheerio." Christian corrected himself, remembering his religious status. No one, not a soul knows. Before Grimmus uttered another word, Christian had disappeared into the rainy streets of Oshawitz, which were peculiarly busy for the stormy weather. It seemed everyone was out admiring the rain fall, sitting on benches, finishing their weekly shop and kids were swinging on the swings at the Oshawitz Park. Christian camouflaged into a small crowd of men, and made his way into HERAD'S pub, said the dull billboard hanging above the restaurant.

There was a rowdy bunch of men sitting at the table as Christian walked into Herad's. They were chanting in a barbaric manner at their waitress. "Quick, I have a wife you know. I don't want to make this complicated."

Christian glanced at the group. "One second." Said one of the boys. He pushed his drink along the table. Christian heard the boy whisper to the crowd. "That boy over there.] Have you ever seen him in here before?" The crowd of about ten men filtered their eyes toward Christian.

"He seems different for Oshawitz." Said a bronze man, who had muscles flexing through his cheeks. "I'll give him a welcoming." The bronze man got up from his stool, and the crowd of obnoxious men talked arrogantly to one another.

Christian saw the heavy man approaching. His face was dirty, and his breath smelled of whiskey. Christian looked toward the bartender, an elder white bearded man. "I can't do nothing about it." Said the elder bartender and put his hands in the air, surrendering his authority.

A tough grip fell on Christian's shoulder. The rowdy group laughed, and continued to drink. "Haven't seen you around here before." His voice was hoarse from a long relationship with the cigarettes.

Christian turned slowly around. The man's grasp tightened on his shoulder. The crowd laughed some more. "I am not from here." He turned his head toward, the bartender. "Whiskey on ice." He said. "Doesn't matter the brand, the strongest whiskey you got will be good."

"You drink whiskey?" The man made a gesture toward his table. "We all drink whiskey, care to join us." He grinded his teeth, keen on drinking with his prey.

"I have to head out. Got to get back home for dinner. You know the wife? Always making good food. Can't say no to that now." Christian was trembling, standing sopping wet from the rain in Herad's pub. "Thanks anyways." Christian pulled away from the man, grabbed his whiskey off the counter, gave the bartender his pocket change, and took a stride toward the door.
"What's the rush?" The man pressed on Christian's shoulder. Christian turned around keeping his glass of whiskey balanced in his hand. "Take a seat with my boys. I know you got time." He edged his hand along the side of his pants toward his pocket. "You got time now don't you?" He grazed his pocket as he asked.

"Is there a problem here? My wife must be waiting on me; I have been out since sunrise." Christian looked out the window of Herad's pub; the rain fell harder than ever. "You wouldn't stop a man from seeing his lover, now would you?" He looked straight into the man's eyes and a relentless smile stretched across his face.

"We are only bunch of buddies on a Saturday evening, drinking the week away. We saw you walk in here, and we saw ourselves." The man's arm fell off Christian's shoulder, as he took a deep breath. "I didn't mean anything from my pocket sir, me and my boys" He glanced toward his table. "Get a little rowdy when newcomers, come in on a Saturday, evening."

"It's fine. But if I don't get home tonight, well I am going to bleed in the morning. You must understand sir. It is best that I start to the road as soon as I get my car fixed." The man looked puzzled.

The front door to Herad's pub opened, and Christian saw the red sweater walk into the pub. The sign he read when he entered the town shouted through his mind.

We promote religious execution.

The man looked at the little girl as if it were his own. Christian's face dropped. "That's her, my little girl." He smiled contently and pointed at the dull red dress. "That's my little girl." He walked over to her and grazed her cheek with his hand. "Did you get the water dear?" He grabbed the red sweater in his hand and pulled her tightly toward himself. "Did you get the water?"

"Thanks, but I got to run." Christian took a cleansing sip of whiskey, tossed the glass on the bar, and pushed his way toward the door. He threw his hands in front of his face, to hide his identity from the little girl. His mind raced with thoughts.

Children, are innocent, she's bound to rat me out. Tell someone of my religious status. She wouldn't know any better. If she did, would she even care? Fuck... Just open the door, and get out, there's hope outside of this town. I am not dying in a foreign land. I don't belong here. I don't even know their names, how dare I think they will kill me. "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Matthew 7:12. I shall not go against the lord in a place I know nothing about, but I will not stay, for it is no mans duty to put himself into threat of death.

Christian didn't get out the door before hearing the man's voice. "Where are you going? Mind my manners, I am Oden Fer sir." The man pointed toward his daughter. "And this is my daughter Lucy."

In a frantic panic, Christian turned around, keeping his face hidden behind his arms. "Yes... Yes... The name is Thomas." He took a panicking gasp of air. "Mr. Thomas. It was a pleasure to meet you, but my duty calls me elsewhere." He turned toward the door, and in a frantic manner, pushed the door open.

I am a coward. My beliefs are for no man to judge, and I am afraid of death, because of another man, an innocent child for that matter. I am so dearly a coward. The rain still hailed from the clouds, and Christian Thomas pulled his coat over his head and timidly walked toward the town entrance. I am free. He chanted in the back of his head. He blended into a crowd of strangers.