Page 5

No Means No

H e’s moaning like one of the whores from The Rim, I’m really debating cutting his tongue out, but I don’t want his blood on me.

Plus, he’d probably still find a way to annoy me.

I made him walk in front of me so I can keep an eye on him and halfway back to The Rim, he tried to run.

I threw my knife. It missed my target by inches, but it embedded in his leg.

I blame the sun getting in my eyes, so now he’s limping and crying.

At least he won’t try to run again, sands below, it’s too hot for that shit.

You ever tried running in scorching sun? Not fun, let me tell you.

“They’ll kill me!” he screams his dramatic ass off. I ignore him and keep walking, counting backwards from thirty to stop me from killing him here and now.

“You’re condemning me to death.” He turns to look at me, tears leaking out of his eyes, he’s pathetic. Why do they always cry, do they think I’ll feel sorry for them? They did the crime, now they have to face it.

“I don’t know what you did and I don’t care. I get paid to bring your sorry ass back, so that’s what I’m doing.” He stops, so do I. We face each other, the wind blowing dust at us from the side and the sun burning down on our heads. A howl echoes off in the distance and he flinches.

“I could pay you,” he says quickly, the desperation clear in his voice.

“With what? You have nothing.” I walk towards him, he starts walking backwards to avoid me with his arms tied behind his back.

“I have money, it’s just hidden.”

“Sure thing, let’s get right on finding that then,” I shove his shoulder and he turns back around with a stumble and a cry.

I spend the rest of the two-hour walk back to The Rim debating all of the ways I could shut this guy up, seriously.

One of my most creative ones involves a toe and some stitches.

The sun continues to beat down on me and I look at it shading my eyes and sigh carrying on walking to my new soundtrack, Jim’s wailing.

I block him out as much as I can and think about before.

We were lucky we were in the North of the UK when it all happened.

Before all communication cut off, I saw the devastation left by the polar ice caps melting.

Extreme weather hit the world, tsunamis, flooding, hurricanes, all leaving devastation behind.

Then the ice caps were gone, just gone and raised the sea level by over 216 feet, submerging entire countries and continents.

Buenos Aires, Uruguay, London, Denmark, and Netherlands were all gone.

Venice was reclaimed by the sea while the water left mostly mountains in other countries, leaving most of Africa completely uninhabitable.

The world as we knew it, wiped away by the encroaching water, the world we knew no longer existed. Like Mother Nature reclaiming her land.

No one knows what happened when all of the communications cut off.

No phone, no TV, not even any radio. The world became silent with only the cries of the dying to be heard.

People started fighting each other for scraps of food and slavery and death became the norm.

People only started migrating back to the cities ten years ago when a new government was ‘established’.

They flocked to them, thinking they were saved.

It was more like they took power and no one dared to stop them.

Rumours reach even The Rim of the dictatorship within their walls.

They tried to bring back a civilised society, but so many people are used to this way of life, it was a hard battle.

Which only a few managed to escape from and flee north.

They even tried to make The Rim bow to their command, when their diplomatic party was sent back to them in pieces, they gave up.

The burning in my face brings me back to Jim's cries. Wasters tend to avoid midday travel, but if I want to be back before all the roadies and scavs I knew, I had to set off. Plus, if there have been raids out here I’m more likely to avoid them while they bed down for the day.

I could have ridden my bike but then Jim would have to sit with his arms around me, not my idea of a good time.

Eventually, I see the spikes of the shacks and houses peeking over the horizon.

I quicken my pace, pulling him along with me.

We reach the back of The Rim and head around to the gate.

When I see the two guards at the front gate, I pick up the pace and count down the steps to them, wanting to be away from this guy.

“Here,” I shove Jim at one of the guards and he grabs his arm automatically.

He looks at the guy in disgust and then nods to me.

The other guard steps forward and starts counting out my money.

He’s a regular and is usually the one I give the men too.

I kick back against the wall and let the shade cool me.

“He give you any trouble?” he asks, not looking at me.

I snort and don’t reply. His lips twitch.

Done counting, he passes me my reward, I double check it to be sure.

At least Nan sent the money to the gate before I got back, it’s annoying having to drag their asses back to the hotel to hand them in.

“So, what did he do?” I ask curiously, still counting. The guard looks back at where Jim is being escorted through the gate. He’s now pleading with the guard and pointing at his swollen nose.

“Raped some young clan girl, got a big bounty on him.” The disgust is plain to see on his face and when his words click my face contorts to a snarl, I should have punched him harder.

Maybe even cut his cock off. The guard steps back and eyes me warily, touching his side where his weapon hides.

My lips twitch and I straighten up, he steps further back and spreads his legs in a ready stance.

“Don’t worry, cupcake, I’m not going to cause you any trouble.

They’d have to replace your pretty face and we can’t have that, can we?

” He takes a deep breath and drops his arm, a relieved smile twisting his lips.

I pat his shoulder on the way past and he shakes his head at me.

I wonder if it’s too early to start drinking.

I’m looking for a new top, the one I’m wearing is on its last life.

I do have one in my bag, but it’s my emergency top.

You never know when someone is going to rip yours in a fight and honestly, fighting with your tits hanging out isn’t fun.

It wouldn’t do to just walk around in just my bra.

They might get the wrong idea, and then I would have to play smack a bitch. So a new top it is.

I pick up the black ribbed tank top. I always tend to go for black, hides the blood stains easier.

It’s a bit shorter than I usually wear, hanging just above my belly button, but it will do.

I’m digging through my bag for my money when a hand reaches past me and pays the bored shop merchant.

I glance up and then snarl when I realise it’s the dickheads from last night.

If they are stupid enough to buy me a shirt, who am I to refuse?

I nod at the owner and move around them.

“You’re welcome,” the olive-skinned man says. I turn and walk backwards.

“I didn’t ask you to,” I turn back around and make my way to the next shack needing a new blade for my boot. I’m just admiring a small throwing knife when I feel them behind me again. Do these guys not get the picture?

“You’re not a talker are you?” The voice is different, darker and less growly so I look up. It’s the dark-skinned guy. He flashes pearly whites at me. Well hello, if he had been just passing through, I would have climbed him like a tree. He sure is pretty, in a scary sort of way.

“No.”

“It’s refreshing.” The voice is different again, smoother.

It’s one of the twins though I wouldn’t have a clue which.

Turning back to pay for the knife, I bend to slip it into my left boot.

Then I strip off my chest harness, which is handmade with two holes.

One for a back weapon– I put my sword in there– and one on the left side, my second largest blade rests in that one.

Placing it gently down on the table with my bag and yanking my ruined t-shirt up to throw it aside, I grab the new one and pull it down noticing it fits well.

I put my harness back on and look up. The guys are just standing there looking shocked.

Really, where are they from? Surely they’ve seen a naked woman before.

“What do you want?” I ask gruffly.

“Did you think about what we said last night?” This time it’s the leader talking again.

“No,” I say honestly. I push through the middle of them and make my way to Nan’s.

They fall into line with me, the leader walking next to me the others behind.

I just ignore them and keep walking. One of the whores steps out and pushes against him and he tries to sidestep her.

I watch in amusement and carry on walking, leaving him behind. I’ll have to thank her later.

I step through the front door of Nan’s and with chagrin realise they followed. Can’t a girl catch a break? One of the twins steps in front of me blocking my way.

“Just hear us out,” his voice is the smooth one from earlier. I hear a whistle and with a sigh yank him out of the way of the flying blade. He turns and looks shocked at where the knife is now sticking out of the wall where he was standing.

“Look, greenhorns. I don’t know where you’re from, but here in The Rim no means no,” I walk around them grabbing the knife as I go.

I test the weight in my hand and look up at the person who threw it.

Two big men in leather stand there looking like it’s the funniest thing in the world.

I smile my shit eating grin at them and then throw it with deadly accuracy.

It embeds in the wall in the tiny gap between both of their heads.

Their expressions make me laugh as I make my way to the desk. I ring the bell and wait.

“Yeah, yeah.” Nan shuffles around the corner and glances at me.

“You get that raper?” I nod and lean on the desk, sliding the bill across to her. She nods and throws it on the pile on the desk.

“You got any more?” I grab my knife and clean my nails as she looks behind me. I wonder if I knocked myself out on the desk, would they leave me alone? Nah, probably would sit around staring at me creepily until I woke up, persistent hot bastards.

“Ya brought company, girl?” She asks, no doubt stroking her gun under the desk. They don’t exactly fit in and Nan knows I don’t take anyone back to my room. There’s something about having a sanctuary that no one else can go in, plus it means I know there’s nothing hidden in there.

“Not with me,” I say and turn to watch this go down.

“What ya motherfuckers want?” she snarls at them. It’s safe to say they look shocked at her language, I laugh before I can stop myself.

“They are just passing through, Nan, ain’t that right, boys?” I arch my eyebrow at them, the leader steps forward.

“We are her new job,” he says nodding at me. Motherfuckers, Nan was right.

“That right girly?” I narrow my eyes at her in warning.

“No.” She ignores me, smiling she stops stroking her gun.

“Sure, sure. Ya boys need a room, ya pay.” The dark-skinned one leans forward and offers her some money.

“The one next to hers.” He jerks his head at me, asshole. I put my knife away and push off the desk, done with this whole conversation. I stomp off towards my room, ignoring everyone.

“I’ll slip that job under ya door, girly,” Nan shouts after me. I flip her off over my shoulder. I can hear them murmuring something to her, but I pointedly keep walking.