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prisoner Chapter 2 (redone)

Deviation Actions

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Chapter 2
Actions and Consequences
Jones

Jones' hand shook in anger as he held the knife to the prisoners throat. However before he could do anything else to him two of the guards rushed over and started trying to pull him from inside the carriage and off the chained man.
“I would very much like to kill you right here and now, criminal,” He whispered in the prisoners ear, “It would give me great satisfaction to remove the source of this curse,” The blade bit into his neck and a little blood trickled down the knife.
“Do it, animal. Prove me right. Any Human would not hesitate to give me a second smile,” the prisoner said looking Jones in the eyes. Several more soldiers came over to see what was going on. The guards yelled at them to help get Jones off of the prisoner, however Jones was so focused on what he was doing that he didn’t notice that Sergeant Mclean and Runningwolf were running over as well. The two men stared ferociously into each others eyes with intent when Sergeant Mclean, Runningwolf and a Cougar pulled Jones out of the carriage and tried to pin him to the ground.
Jones punched and kicked at his restrainers while yelling, “Let me go! I order you to let me go! I’ll make sure you all hang for this! This man is the reason for us becoming like this! I need to remove him from this world to end this curse! Let me go!” After ranting on a while longer he grew more violent with his captors, there was a sudden, sharp pain in the back of his head, before darkness took over his vision.

****
As the darkness cleared Jones saw that he was standing in what appeared to be a dense white fog, the mists were so thick that he couldn't see more than a few feet in front of him. It reminded him of the thick sea fog that he would sometimes see when he was a child living on the seashore with his grandparents.
The fog started to alleviate and seemed to be lifting, in the distance Jones started to see shadows, shapes that looked like buildings, unhitched carriages and street lamps. Curious, Jones started to walk towards the shapes, wondering how he got there and where he was.
As he neared one of the buildings the the mists lifted even more, the buildings were massive, much larger than he thought they were at first. Looking around Jones saw that the carriages didn’t have any place to hitch a horse to. He approched one of the strange horseless carriages and put his hand on it. It was cool to the touch and very smooth, made of some sort of metal.
Jones looked up at the massive buildings, he had been to large cities like New York, Boston and Philadelphia during the Revolution and they had some impressive buildings, but these buildings dwarfed those as they seemed to touch the sky. He looked up completely dumbfounded at the size and grandure around him. Glass covered the buildings reflecting the rising sun, looking down the street he noticed that the road was covered in a strange black substance with what looked like stone on the sides.
The city seemed to be completely empty, no signs that anyone had ever lived there, he suddenly heard a loud noise unlike anything that he had heard before coming from behind him. It was a single tone that changed notes up and down. Jones figured that it couldn’t be human since it didn’t take a breath for the entire thirty seconds or so that it continued. His hands shot to his ears in an attempt to drown out the deafening noise, when he looked up again he saw people surrounding him, pushing and shoving - trying to get away from something in desperation.
“What is going on!?” Jones yelled at the people running past him.
They flowed past him as if he wasn’t there when what appeared to be a soldier came up to Jones and said, “Slave, you need to continue down the road out of the city, we are doing what we can to protect you but you need to do your part.”
Jones looked at the man in shock and said, “Who do you think you are, calling me a slave? I am a free born citizen of this nation!”
The soldier laughed, “Alright taur, whatever you say, but you still need to get out of the city before the-”
Jones never got to hear what the man said because a shrill whining noise came from the sky and one of the buildings nearby exploded. Glass, stone and steel fell down into the crowded street. People ran for the buildings nearby to protect themselves from the falling debris. Jones heard gunfire in the distance; the city seemed to echo the sounds from all around so he had no idea in which direction the fighting was happening.
A roaring sound came from the sky again, this time different from what caused the explosion. Looking down the street to where the people were coming from Jones saw a great flying machine moving up the street, firing enourmous shots in split seconds at the soldiers below. Several objects shot from under its wings, leaving trails of smoke in their wake, the soldier that had been talking to me started firing his weapon, much faster than Jones had ever seen a gun fire before, at the machine but it seemed entirely ineffective. The machine fired more objects in Jones' direction, they impacted right next to where he was standing, the explosion consumed him along with dozens of the civilians nearby.
Jones was forced to the ground by the shockwaves, he lay there and shook his head, his ears rang piercingly as he recovered from the blast, he looked up again and saw that he was no longer in the city. Beds and people surrounded him, humans and half animal half human creatures filled the beds. Other people in white tended the ones in the beds. They were in such a hurry that one of them tripped over Jones.
“Oof, what are you doing down there?” The human asked as she picked herself up.
“I don’t know, where am I?” Jones asked.
She looked at him with a motherly sympathy, “You are in Refugee camp 113 medical tent number 4. Where do you think you need to be?”
“I don’t know. The last thing I remember was being in a city and an explosion going off right next to me,” she smiled at Jones and took his hand.
“Here let me take a look at you,” she led Jones to a bed and motioned for him to get on. Jones jumped up on the bed while she poked and prodded him with strange instruments. After a couple minutes she put down the tools, "You can step down now." Jones did as she asked and she held up a device and read it, “You seem to be a perfectly healthy foxtaur. Except for the memory thing you're in perfect shape,” she said putting one of the instruments around her neck.
“What... what is a foxtaur?”
“Well a foxtaur is a creature that looks like you, four legs, two arms and fur. However, since you are perfectly healthy we could use your strength today.”
“How can I help?” he said as he almost stood to attention.
“We need all the beds that we can for the people and anthros that are getting sick, so you will be one of the ones that clear out the ones that are beyond saving.”
“So you want me to be on the morgue detail?” Jones said crossing his arms.
“Yes, it would help us so much. The Weeping Death is taking a massive toll on our medical staff.”
She showed him to a room that stored the same white clothes that she wore, "Now you need to wear these contamination suits, there are a few taur sizes in here."
"Why? The people are dead." Jones asked.
"That's exactly the reason that you are to wear these suits. A vast majority of the people that have died in here have been victims of the Weeping Death and the blood on their bodies still carries the disease. Last thing that we want is for you to catch the disease too."
"Oh, I understand. It's like when someone dies of smallpox. If you touch them you have a chance of getting sick as well." Jones replied, finding one of the suits.
"Well, yes...though smallpox has been extinct for six hundred years."
Jones just smirked at the comment, Keep dreaming - smallpox is a part of life and will never be completly gone.
The nurse helped Jones get into the suit the rest of the way, zipping him up along his back. While it wasn't the best fit in the world it served its purpose. Leading the Sergeant to one of the rooms he saw that most of these people were covered in a sheet, with red stains where their faces would be.
"There is a bonfire outside where you are to take the bodies...Please give them the respect they deserve." The woman said before leaving jones to clean up and dispose of the bodies.
Jones worked for what seemed to be hours, after the first few bodies, his mind became numb to what was going on around him. He stood looking at the pile of bodies burning together, when it seemed that the fire from the pit engulfed him. He covered his face from the flames but lowered them when there was no heat or pain. The flames encircled him, burning without heat. He reached out to touch them out of curiosity, they dispersed leaving him standing in the middle of a courtyard made of polished limestone. Jones looked around at the tan columns marvelling at  what he was seeing. As he surveyed the courtyard he saw that there was a open door on the other side of the yard, walking over to the door Jones looked through into the hallway beyond.
The hallway was rather plain architecturally though made completely of gleaming marble, after a few minutes of walking Jones heard what sounded like a dog walking on the marble. But the sound was wrong, too few steps for a dog. Jones' curiosity once again led him towards the sound.
He didn’t have to walk far though, after a few corners he met face to face with the source of the footsteps; It was a fox lady, clearly very old judging by the grayness in her formerly red coat. She was dressed in plain linen clothing - showing that she was of about the same social class as Jones. She jumped in surprise when he turned the corner.
“Dear me, you startled me!” she said. She looked at me for a few seconds, her brow furrowed, trying to determine what I am, “You’re a Vultau aren't you?”
Jones cocked his head to the side a little, what is a ‘Vultau’, he thought, “I’m not sure what you mean.” he replied.
“How can you not know what you are?”
“Quite simply: I’ve never heard the terms you use, but I forget my manners; I am Sergeant David Jones of the Third Pennsylvania Continental Army. Whom do I have the pleasure in meeting today?” Jones said trying to change the subject. He still wasn’t comfortable with his new form.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you Sergeant David Jones of the Third Pennsylvania Continental Army. I am Luahtano, Brushna of the village of Octe Nuah, but you may call me Luah,” she said, bowing slightly.
Jones smiled, “You can just call me David.”
“Very well, David. Do you know where we are? I have been wandering for hours before I met with you.”
“I have no idea, though I only arrived here a little while ago.” We chatted for a little getting to know each other. In the distance Jones heard the sound of footsteps coming down the hallway. He looked up and saw a human dressed like a noble’s servant. Luah looked at him as well but it was obvious she didn’t recognize him as a human. She pulled out a knife from her belt and pointed it at the man. The man just looked at her without any emotion on his face.
“Get back monster!” Luah called to him, her knife still pointed at the man. Jones put his arm out and lowered her hand.
“Don’t worry it’s just a human servant.” He said to her, she looked at him confused by his actions.
“If you both would come with me, the Judge is waiting.” the servant said, he turned and started walking from whence he came. Luah and Jones followed him until they entered what looked to be a large courtroom, the walls were painted white with massive murals covering them while torches lined a long narrow rug leading up to a throne. The servant walked up the path and stood next to the throne, a man in impressive golden robes entered from the left and took his place upon the almighty chair, power and authority seemed to ooze off of him, Luah and Jones both knelt a short distance in front of him.
The servant called out as if to a wide audience, “Presenting, Luahtano, Brushna of the Village of Octe Nuah, Servant of the One and Judge of the City-State of Brehan. Rise and approach Justice.”
Jones looked at Luah, not expecting someone of this type of status, he only understood a few of the titles but Jones knew fully well that looks can be decieving. She stood and approached the throne where the one called 'Justice' sat - stopping a few feet from it before kneeling once more.
The servant walked over to a pedestal and took a large book off of it, he handed the book to Justice and stepped back to where he was before, Justice opened the book and started reading, Jones caught a glimpse of the binding, it read, ‘The life and actions of Luahtano’. The Judge promptly finished reading and closed it firmly in his palm, he handed the book back to the servant.
“Luah, please stand, this isn’t your final judgment.” Luah stood her head still bowed and her ears laid against her head, still submissive.
“How may I serve you Lord?” she asked.
“You have served faithfully for the last forty years, your judgments, for the most part, have been just. You have sacrificed all to the service of the One.” He stepped down to Luah and put a hand on her shoulder, “You have not had the proper rewards for your service, Luah. I have a gift for you, but I will give it to you after I deal with your companion.” Justice then sat back down on his throne.
The servant introduced Jones this time, “Presenting, David Jones, Sergeant Major of the 3rd Pennsylvania Regiment of the Continental Army; bearer of the Congressional Medal of Honor and Hero of the Battle of New York, husband to Elizabeth Jones and father of Christie, Eric and Jeffery Jones.” Jones stood and placed myself next to Luah. He bowed his upper body, not quite knowing how to kneel properly. The servant took the book off the pedestal and handed it to Justice again, when Justice opened the book the name had changed to Jones'. Justice spent a few minutes reading the book, though less time than he did with Luah. Justice closed the book and the servant placed it back on the pedestal.
“Sergeant Jones, you have done much in your life so far. You have tried to do good and lead your men justly. Though you have made many mistakes, you are in balance.” Justice stood up and addressed us both, “Luah, David, you both have been chosen for a reason. Luah your world has suffered a great injustice during the War of the Cleansing. Though the humans responsible have all been judged and passed on since then, your world still feels the effects of the war. David, you are needed here, though I cannot tell you why at this point, suffice it to say, you are being tested. David, you have gifts and abilities you know nothing about, but it is time for you to awaken, take care and be vigilant in your protection of the prisoner.” Justice sat back down on his throne, the servant pounded his staff on the ground three times.
As the room darkened Jones heard Justice say to Luah, “I now give you your reward. Because of your dedication to the One I give you the gift of...” Darkness overtook Jones before he could hear what her gift was.
jones sat up, sweat drenching his head, yelling, “Luah!” as he woke.
The sergeant looked around sheepishly; it was night though the sky was bright like it was a full moon. Some of the men that were still awake looked at him but soon went back to their business.
His head started spinning from sitting up, he tried to remember details of the dream, but it was washing away like trying to keep water in a bucket with a hole in it. He lay back down on his stomach, his hands holding either side of his head. Under his hands he felt bandages wrapping his head.
Groaning from the splitting headache, he4 heard someone walk over to Jones and felt a hand on his shoulder.
“How are you feeling Sergeant Jones?” A voice asked, Jones tried to figure out who it was, it too high for Sergeant McLean, and too young for Runningwolf or Leappingdeer. He raised his head and looked into the golden eyes of the young private that had been turned into a cougar.
Jones moaned again, “Who are you, private? Why does my head feel like I got hit by a log?”
“My name is Elliott Cazier, Sergeant. I was assigned by Sergeant McLean to watch you after I knocked you out.” He looked away when he said that.
“I don’t remember why you did that, please enlighten me,” Jones said as he tried to stand up. His legs gave out under him as a wave of dizziness hit. Elliott grabbed a hold of himand helped him back to the ground without hurting himself.
“I don’t think that you should be trying to stand right now Sergeant. And as to why I hit you with my musket was you were trying to kill the prisoner, Sergeant McLean and Runningwolf had grabbed you and were trying to hold you down. They were having a hard time keeping you down so I hit you with the butt of my musket. We patched you up as good as we could, but you were bleeding a lot, and when you didn’t wake up the Captain started to get worried that I hit you too hard, he said that I wasn’t going to have charges against you unless you wanted to but I hope that you don’t ‘cause I’m new and have my entire career ahead of me...” Private Elliott continued in this vein for a while, Jones barely heard him over the pounding of his headache and the constant talking was starting to make it worse.
“Private Elliott, relax,” Jones said putting his hand on Elliot's shoulder, “I’m not mad at you, in fact I would have done the same thing. Just next time you watch your strength, you have bigger muscles than you did yesterday.” Jones smiled at him as he sat there shaking, “Now tell me, where are you from?”
“Lancaster, Sergeant Jones, my step-father owns a big farm just outside the town.”
“I’m from Allentown, myself. I left there when the war started and joined the Militia under the command of General Washington.”
“Were you in many battles?” Elliott asked.
“Yes many, I was in small and large battles, I was involved in the Siege of Boston, I even helped take back New York and Philadelphia.”
“You were there during the crossing of the Delaware? My father was a part of this company and died at that battle.”
This bit of information shocked me; This is the son of Captain Cazier? How did I miss this? Jones thought, “Yes, I was there when your father died, I was under his command when he was here. It was an honor serving with him.”
“Thank you Sergeant, that means a great deal to me, coming from you.”
Jones shook my head slightly but stopped when it made my headache worse, “I’m sorry that you are involved in all this,” He said, gesturing at our changed bodies.
“Why are you apologizing Sergeant?” Elliott said, “I always knew that something could happen, after all my father died in the war, and though this isn’t something that I was expecting to happen, what's done is done. You and the Captain will find a way to fix this. I know you will.”
“Thanks, Elliott, both for helping me relax and for putting your faith in me.”
“Not a problem Sergeant,” Elliott stood up, placed his musket on his shoulder and started walking away. Jones looked up at the sky to see the full moon, but what he saw wasn’t what he expected.
The sky above him was covered by what looked like a shimmering road spanning the sky, reds, greens and blues shone like jewels set in the road. The road seemed to extend from one side of the sky to the other. The light covering the ground came from this road, there was a moon in the sky but it was much smaller than the one Jones had seen the night before, and it was a crescent.
“I don’t think we are on Earth anymore,” He said to himself as he stared at the road in the sky. Eventually he fell asleep, the shimmering road above him still there.
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kolbaski's avatar
Cant wait for more chapters :)