Prompt Word: Even
Hunter James 12
James had been in lock-up for two days. His bucket was almost full, and he hadn’t been fed or watered since the day before.
“James?” The stranger stood at the cell bars.
James nodded, and quietly checked his voice, “Yessir.”
“I’m Lieutenant Wicker, I’m to present your case to the magistrate.”
James nodded again. Wicker pulled a scroll, and without reading it says, “It says you were charged with not reporting a crime. Can you help me understand what that means?”
James sighed, “I ain’t the best at speaking sir, but I’ll tell you what brought me to the gate guard.”
Wicker braced himself for a yarn, and nodded, “Go ahead.”
James said, “I was hired by a group, Hunters Association, cause I’m a good climber. I’m known for being able to get into tight spaces. They don’t tell me where we’re going, and I’m not one to ask.”
James continued, “Someone said something that gave me the idea that the job was someplace none of us are supposed to be. On account o’ packing together, I dropped my bag, told them I couldn’t get involved with something that would get me on the bad side of the Count’s Guard, and I left.
“I thought if I was with the guard, explaining that someone else has some of my climbing stuff. I couldn’t end up here, but here I am.”
Wicker nodded, “So, you went to the guard, reported a lent out set of tools, and did not explain why?”
James slumped, “You said it like that it sounds dumb, but if someone leaves my treble hook someplace where I don’t belong, the Count’s people will drag me in.”
Wicker shook his head, “Odds are even you’ll be spending a month in the mine.”
James yipped like a fox, “Huh? I didn’t do anything.”
Link to First Post: https://wandering.shop/@vollink/117323694216187498