Chapter 3

By noon the hills had turned to flat plains as they headed southwest, away from the ocean. On the horizon, a town started to emerge. During the slow ride, Niall had time to think about what Gus had said.

Ever since Patty died, Niall felt like half of a person. Nothing in his old life could make him happy the way she had and it was like an anchor was perpetually dragging him down. For some reason, in this new world Niall didn't feel that way. He still missed Patty dearly but the unending ache of loneliness as if he were staring into an endless black tempest was gone. Niall thought of Patty, he was happy knowing that she was somewhere and not just gone.

“Hey Gus,” Niall said, breaking the silence.

“Yeah Niall? Not too much longer until we are there.”

“I have a question. You mentioned seeing people waste centuries. Do we not die here?”

Gus laughed again. “You love asking the hard questions. There are so many ways to answer that question but I think I understand what you’re asking. No, there is no true death if you don’t want there to be. Think on that if you want, but I think I’ve said it about ten times this morning already, let everything come as it will.”

“I’m sorry for being angry earlier,” Niall apologized.

“Don’t worry about it, this is a big thing for you. And you're not the first soul I’ve caught fresh from the other side,” Gus chuckled. He pulled a flask from under the bench and took a swig. He took a sigh and offered it to Niall. He took a nervous sip, it was a sweet red wine. Juicy waves of fresh strawberries splashed his tongue leaving a lingering pucker of tart figs on his taste buds. Niall took another good sip. Maybe I’ll finally get the chance to learn how to make good wine.

“So what’s this town called?” Niall asked.

“Silvermoss, just a small town but it has everything one could need. You’ll love it,” Gus insisted.

As they neared the town, the plains turned to fields of green wheat and corn. The road widened and turned to coarse gravel.

“Hello Gus,” a woman called out from a patch of blueberry bushes. Niall could tell she had been pruning them by the basket full of small clipping by her feet.

“How are you Charlie, how is Silvermoss?” Gus asked, slowing the carriage.

“Same as always,” Charlie replied, “will you be staying for the Flower Fair? I’ve a hidden grove of chrysanthemums I’m waiting to show off.”

“Ha I’ll be long gone by then, you know how it is,” Gus smiled.

“Who’s your friend?” Charlie asked.

“Charlie this is Niall, he just got here yesterday.”

“Hi Niall,” Charlie waved.

“Hi,” Niall waved sheepishly, “nice blueberry bushes.”

“Thanks,” Charlie beamed, “this is going to be the eight harvest and are they really starting to produce. All a bit strange huh?”

“Yeah you could say that,” Niall laughed, “but it's like something in the back of my head is working to have me ignore how unreal this actually is.”

“That's normal,” Charlie agreed, “that goes away once you’ve acclimated, I guess it's some kind of defense mechanism like adrenaline. Oops,” Charlie covered her mouth, “I hope you know what that is.”

“Yes,” Charlie laughed.

“Sorry, you’ll see people come over from all different time periods. Like Gus here, who I’m betting came from the stone age.”

Gus smiled wickedly but didn't reply.

“Well I’m guessing he’s taking you to see Ryu. Everyone is welcome in Silvermoss, so if you decide to stick around come and find me and I’ll let you try some of my blueberry jam.”

They passed a few more people, all stopped their work to greet Gus. Once they passed the fields the road turned to cobblestones. The town center was small and organized. A square formed the center of town with the tallest buildings surrounding it. However, even the tallest structure was only three stories high. Four roads broke off from the square in each direction forming four blocks of smaller structures and dwellings. The architecture was a mixture of early industrial age cottages accented by a smattering of traditional buildings.

Small pockets of people mulled around the square. Five or six sat at tables outside what looked, and smelled, like a cafe. A couple napped on a blanket under an old tree. A woman with short dark hair read on a bench. Everyone looked to be in their twenties and thirties.

“This is it,” Gus announced, bringing the carriage to a stop. He parked against a wall, the roads were as wide as six of his carriages. “Come on, let’s go find old Ryu.”

When Gus said old, he literally meant old. Gus led Niall to a small wooden cottage tucked between two of the larger buildings. A small lawn built up to the square, lined by manicured rose bushes. Wide ledgestones formed a walkway cutting through the creeping thyme and cool moss yard. Gus knocked then opened the door.

The humid punch of cooking soup slapped Niall’s face. His mouth began to water at the savory smell of roasting pork. “Ah, Gus just in time for lunch,” an ancient man called from across the room. From what Niall could tell the cottage consisted of just one large room.

“I’d be crazy to miss your Tonkotsu ramen, Ryu,” Gus laughed.

“Sit, sit,” Ryu beckoned them toward a low chairless table, “it is almost ready.”

Gus listened and Niall followed suit getting down and sitting cross legged at the table,

something he hadn’t done since elementary school. Ryu set bowls and cups out on the table then brought out a glass carafe of water. Rose petals and lemon slices floated around in the pitcher. He filled Gus’s and Niall’s cups then returned to his soup. Gus picked up the carafe and filled the third cup for Ryu.

Moments later, Ryu returned with a thick cast iron pot and filled each of the bowls with broth and noodles. Next he plopped a couple of slices of roast pork in each bowl, making sure to put the thickest in Niall’s. Finally, Ryu sat down.

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“Welcome,” he greeted Niall, “I am happy to meet you, my name is Ryu Tazaki. Thank you for joining me for lunch.”

“Niall, Roth,” Niall replied, “thank you, I apologize if we’ve invited ourselves in.”

“Nothing to apologize for, a meal with company is always better than a meal alone,” Ryu replied.

“Alright, I’m digging in,” Gus announced, “we can talk later.” Then like a wild dog he began inhaling the soup. Ryu smiled then began to eat as well, albeit slower. Niall picked up his bowl and took a hesitant bite of noodle. It was amazing. The broth was rich and savory like melted butter and the pork broke apart in his mouth soft snow.

“This is amazing,” he exclaimed through choked mouthfuls.

“Thank you,” Ryu acknowledged.

A minute later, Gus set down his empty bowl, sighed, then burped. “So Ryu, this is my new friend Niall.”

“Are we really friends though? I’d almost say you kidnapped me,” Niall said.

“I’ll ignore that for now,” Gus said dismissively. “I rescued him actually,” Gus mockingly whispered across the table to Ryu, “the guy didn’t even know how to pick his class.”

“So you’ve brought him here,” Ryu inferred, he turned to Niall, “I’m sure my friend has given you more questions than answers. He’s a traveler who somehow has specialized in finding people fresh from the other side.”

“Some call me the Angel of Death,” Gus said in a comically low voice. Niall and Ryu ignored him.

“That about sums it up,” Niall nodded, “to be honest I have no idea what I’m supposed to do or where I’m supposed to go.” Except search for Patty. “I mean, what are my options?”

Ryu shrugged, “anything you want. You’re more than welcome to make our town your home, if you follow our rules of course.”

“Which are?” Niall asked cautiously, he’d avoided an HOA his entire life and wasn't looking to spend an eternity with one.

Ryu chuckled, “don’t look so scared, we’re simple here. Our rules are this, follow the universal basics, no stealing, killing, and so on. If you have a problem try to just go to the person first and talk it out. We take a slow pace here and it becomes clear fairly fast if someone doesn’t fit in.”

“Do I have any other options?” Niall asked.

“Gus can take you to the next large town, it's about a week's travel by carriage from here, and from there the world is yours Niall,” Ryu answered.

“I’m sorry, I just don’t get the point of this all,” Niall said.

“Neither do I,” Ryu shrugged, “but I take what has been given and mold it into something that does.”

Niall sighed and mulled on the words. “I’m sorry, I still don’t know what to do next.”

“Well, I’d be happy to take you for a walk around town. That may give you some ideas.”

“Hey Ryu, is there anymore ramen?” Gus asked.

***

Ryu put on a wide brimmed hat and grabbed his walking stick then they headed out. Gus told them he wouldn’t be joining them for the walk between mouthfuls of his second ramen bowl.

“I heard you’re having a Flower Fair,” Niall commented as they crossed Ryu's small yard. Yard was too simple of a word to describe the carefully manicured lot, it was a flower garden etched into the fibers of the property.

“Yes, we hold a lot of little events like that throughout the year so that people have something easy to look forward to,” Ryu explained. “Do you mind if I ask you about your class?”

“Only if you tell me yours,” Niall smirked.

“Fair,” Ryu agreed. “My class is craftsman, but my specialization is glasswork.”

“Was the glass carafe from lunch your work?”

“Yes, and most of the glasswork in town. I have been working on stained glass recently. It has been difficult sourcing quality dyes,” Ryu commented. “Now, how about you?”

“Homesteader, you probably know more about what that means than I do.”

“I probably do,” Ryu agreed. They walked at a snail’s pace, and had only made it a few dozen yards from Ryu’s lawn. Niall had to consciously slow his pace.

A brown haired woman ran by them in a whirl calling out, “hi Ryu,” as she passed. A couple yards past them she stopped in her tracks and turned around. “Hey, who’s the new guy?”

“Talia, this is Niall the homesteader,” Ryu answered as if Niall were an old friend of his, “Niall, Talia here owns the town pub. What are you rushing around for, I was just explaining to our friend how we take a slow approach to things here?”

“Sorry Ryu, an ale barrel leaked last night and I woke up to the tap room sticky and smelling like a drunk sailor. I’ve spent all morning cleaning and I haven’t had a chance to prepare for tonight’s crowd.”

“Why don’t you close up for the night and have dinner with us?” Ryu offered.

“I suppose that will work, I guess I’ll have to go around telling the regulars,” Taila said. “Maximilien will be upset, he had a new set prepared for tonight,” she muttered to herself. “Thanks Ryu, I’ll see you later then, looking forward to getting to meet you Niall,” Talia called before she was off again.

“How many people live here?” Niall asked when Talia was gone.

“Around fifty live in town and about another dozen live on the outskirts on little farms and ranches.” They found a bench under a tree and sat down. The couple still napped under their tree, a few new faces were in the cafe, and now the dark haired woman talked to someone. Across the square, Niall saw Gus messing with his carriage while talking to a pair of women.

“Are any of the people that live outside of the town homesteaders?” Niall asked.

“No, they all have specialized classes,” Ryu answered. “Tell me, what did you want to be when you were a child?”

“I don’t think that's really relevant questions.”

“Humor me, I’m just trying to get to know you a little better. Feel free to ask me questions too, I don’t shutter my past life like some people, however my memory has faded somewhat.”

“Fine, I wanted to own a donut shop,” Niall confessed.

“So you like to cook?”

“Not particularly, I don’t think there was really any reason I wanted to have a donut shop besides being able to eat as many Boston Cremes as I wanted. Does everyone here pretend to be a psychologist psychoanalyzing people’s past and class?” Niall reeved.

“I’m sorry Niall, I’m just trying to get to know you better, isn't that the first step to making a new friend?” Ryu huffed.

“I’m sorry, this is just so weird,” Niall sighed.

“So what was it you really wanted to do?” Ryu asked softly.

Niall scratched his nose. “For a while I wanted to be a soldier… like my brother, but then he died.” Niall paused.

“What was it that made you want to be a soldier?”

“I don’t know. They had cool uniforms and went around the world and were the good guys. Even if you weren’t that great, they stood for something, and changed the world.”

“But you don’t feel that way now?”

“No,” Niall wiped back a tear then bent forward to rest his head between his knees. “No, they just end up dying for the wrong reason. Pointless deaths over pointless battles.”

“And was there anything you wanted to do after that?” Ryu continued.

“No,” Niall shook his head. “After Colt died, I sort of just coasted through life until I met my wife. I built my life around protecting her then she died too. What are you smiling for?” Niall yelled. A few people in the square looked their way.

“You are on the start of a journey, a long, beautiful, painful journey,” Ryu said.

“Shut up,” Niall barked, “you don’t know anything. I lost them, I couldn’t do anything,” he cried.

“Niall, they’re all here. Pain is momentary, it is our soul, our drive that lives forever.”

“Go away, I’m sorry I just need a moment to myself,” Niall growled.

Ryu nodded. “Find me when you’re ready to talk again. But Niall, you already died once, don’t relive a temporary life.”