Esther Sainz stood on the steps of the State House, surveying the crowd that lined the street. She knew practically everyone there. Most of the citizens of Augusta had shown up it seemed, along with many from the farms and smaller towns around Maine. All to see the fall of the prodigal child.
She swallowed, and began her walk towards the city gates. Esther kept her head high, hearing the whispers that followed her.
“...would've hung anyone else…”
“Mordecai is proving a point…”
“It was an accident. Esther’s only sixteen…”
The few misgivings about the incident made Esther feel a bit better, though it was far too late to help her. Some other comments sent a chill down her spine. Her grandfather was apparently much harsher when it came to punishments than she had realized, and some people thought she was getting off too easily.
Turning the corner brought Don Peters into view, his son nowhere to be seen. He nodded at Esther, turning away quickly. He and Jacob had been some of the few allowed to visit Esther in jail, and she learned from him that Augusta was split in two. Don spent many hours leading the debates in Esther’s favor.
Victor Blake stood by him, looking pallid, aside from the pink scars on his face. He had once come with Jacob, expressing his gratitude to Esther for what seemed to be the hundredth time, and swore to her that he was on her side. She had no doubts about that, considering that he had argued with Sheriff Lydia from the gates to the cells under the State House.
At last, the gates of the city came into view, and her family stood on the platforms where the guards would have normally kept watch. Esther stopped where in the middle of the road, where she could meet their eyes. She was forced to look up at them, her pride almost not giving them that one small victory. Her mother bore no expression, and would not meet Esther’s eyes. No different than some of her bad days had been, Esther supposed, though it would’ve been nice to see some sort of sadness from her Paula, her mother. Harvey looked nervous, and out of place. He held a brown bag in his arms,and looked from Esther, back to her father. Mordecai Sainz stood in the center of the platform, his guns hanging from his hips in an attempt to show his authority.
“Esther Maria Sainz, you stand here, on this day, October Twentieth, 2271, charged with the crime of manslaughter. You have been found guilty in the death of James Johnson, and will be given a proper punishment.. As the governor of Maine, in the land of The States that Remain, I, Mordecai Sainz, exile you from Maine for the next ten years,” His voice never wavered, and the streets were silent enough that she was sure nearly everyone could hear.
Esther had already known the punishment was coming, yet still felt sick when she heard her father announce it. She swallowed the lump in her throat, and continued to look her father in the eyes. Harvey was gone from the platform, she noticed. The coward probably got sick for one reason or another. Her cousin was too used to a more civilized lifestyle in Massachusetts, and never would grow used to Maine.
A sob broke out from nearby, and Esther finally broke her gaze away, looking for it. The Johnson family stood nearby, with Sheriff Lydia next to them. It was the oldest girl, who was about ten who had let out the sob, though tears ran down the faces of the rest of the family. The mother held tightly to the girl’s hand, her other hand rested on her pregnant stomach. The boy, even younger than the girl, held onto the mother’s leg. The widow’s face was a mixture of rage and sadness, and Esther was suddenly glad she had not dished out the punishment. Esther also knew that the family would be well taken care of, and the widow would never have to work again, if she didn’t want to.
“We have prepared a bag of rudimentary supplied for you within this bag, to help you gain a footing in your exile,” Her father spoke, and Harvey appeared again, this time on the street. He handed Esther the bag, and stepped away nervously. It was bulky and heavy, but she put it on right away. She would go through it when she was alone, and well away from Augusta. The gates creaked as they opened, the sound louder than ever to Esther’s ears. “In ten years time, we shall see where we stand.You have a week to leave these borders, and the rest of the time to think upon your crime.”
Esther stared at him for a moment longer, then turned to face the people she had known her entire life, and had been raised to one day lead. Some raised their hands in farewell, while some already looked bored with the ceremony. It was early, and work and life would still go on after she had left. She left her home through the gates, not providing her parents with one last look. If they wished, they would be able to see her for a while from atop the city gates, but she would not give them the satisfaction of turning to look at her home while they could see.
The fog that accompanied the chilly morning wore away by midday, and Esther decided to take a break then. Her feet and shoulders were sore. She would avoid Portland, she figured, and had diverted off the path already. Taking the roads leading to New Hampshire, and from there, to the Independence Hall, where the governors met yearly, would take nearly a month on foot, plenty of time to figure out what she was going to do. Canada was a viable option. She had never been there, but their colonies were accepting of newcomers. Maine and Canada had a closer bond, as they traded livestock. She was headed the completely wrong way for that though.
The day was nice for travelling at least. The sky was clear, and the sun shone down enough to drive any remaining chill in the air. It wouldn't be like this for long though. November would bring the cold, and it would only get harsher from there. Esther needed a solid plan, and preferably a place to stay before the snow set in.
Esther sat against a beech tree, taking the bag of her back, her shoulders thanking her. Her stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn't eaten since the day began, and she hoped there was at least some sort of trail food inside. She opened the bag, and found what had made it so bulky.
A long brown coat, similar to the one she had always admired from her father, was folded inside, and as she took it out, she realized that bundled within were what helped to add to the weight of the bag. It was her shoulder holster, along with her favored handguns in their pouches. They were both unloaded, and there were a few boxes of ammo in the bag. These gifts added the weight she had to carry, but Esther was more than thankful for them.
Following traditions set in place when the world turned over, every child began learning how to use firearms from the age of ten, to at least be knowledgeable of them and safe practices. Some children kept taking classes to better their aim, or gain proficiency with different sorts of weapons, extending beyond firearms, usually ending up as guards on the border walls, or couriers who travelled from state to state to relay messages between states. Esther had continued in the course as was expected of her, as she would likely be the next governor of Maine, but rarely did she use anything bigger than the handguns that she held.
The jacket too, was a sort of status symbol. The tan color of the long duster Esther held would have put her in the same rank as the generals on the walls, or Sherriff Lydia in town. Esther would have paid to see the look on Lydia’s face when she wore it for the first time. Mordecai’s coat was darker, and was trimmed with black along the edges, helping him stand out more. The coats were custom made, and Esther had begged for years for hers. When she figured she had finally reached her final height, at 5’8”, her father relented, and took her in to get measured. That had been this past summer. He likely had been saving it for her birthday.
Slowly, Esther stood, slipping on the holsters, and putting the long coat on. It fit perfectly, and hit nearly to her ankles, with a slit in the thick fabric where it would've been convenient for riding a horse. She could have cried, and she took a deep breath to steady herself. It was all she ever wanted, to stand by her father wearing the signs that she would carry on the Helsing name, and continue their governing of Maine.
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Sitting back down, Esther saw that the rest of the bag proved to not be nearly as exciting. Food items that could keep for awhile, a large knife that she attached onto her belt, and other necessities for outdoor survival, such as rope and a firestarter. She took some sips from the water canteen, reminding herself to fill it the next time she saw moving water. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to follow along one of the rivers or streams. It may add travel time, but would also allow her access to fresh water, and provide a source of food. There was a map as well, but she didn't bother to open it just yet. She knew the roads well enough for the time being, and maps never folded the way they were supposed to.
There were no notes from her family, and while it saddened Esther, it didn’t entirely surprise her. Her father was likely pushing his luck providing her with as much as he did, and her mother had always been distant. Esther wondered if she would miss her at all, or if doting on Harvey more than usual would take her mind off her daughter.
What leaves were left in the trees rustles as a group of birds took off squawking. Esther jumped, her hand on a gun, realizing she hadn’t loaded either one yet. It was a little silly. She was still well within Maine’s borders and safe for the time being. A deep rumbling came close enough for Esther to hear, which had been what scared away the flock. She ducked behind the bushes, peering over to see who it was. Only a handful of people had access to working vehicles, and none of them were likely to travel out this far.
The dull yellow of the small motorbike came around the corner, and Esther jumped up. The bike stopped, and Jacob threw out the smaller brake as he got off. He threw his arms out, and hugged Esther tightly. They were cousins, though somewhat distantly, but Jacob had been Esther’s best friend as long as she could remember, and his father, though being her cousin as well, was more like an uncle to her than her true uncle had been.
“Dad thought you would take the northern road! I’ve been looking for you for hours, and he finally got a hold of me, telling me someone saw you coming this way,” He said, breaking away from the embrace.
“I had wondered where you were! I didn’t get a chance to talk to anyone before I had to leave,” Esther told him. She spun, showing off her new coat. “Finally, I get my damn duster! Think it’ll last ten years?” She wanted to delay the inevitable, and keep her best friend with her for as long as possible. Esther didn’t want to move on quite yet, though the week she had to leave Maine’s borders gnawed at the back of her mind.
Jacob's eyes widened when he saw the guns. “I’m sure it will. Those guns will too, as long as you take care of them. For someone who would exile his own kid, Governor Sainz sure did make sure you were set up well,” He mentioned. Jacob had always been vigilant about keeping machinery clean, and spent a few minutes giving Esther tips, though they had taken the same classes. His family were mechanics, and skilled ones at that. He knew more about the inner workings than Esther did.
“Where are you going?” He finally asked, giving Esther back her guns. He sat, sitting on the ground. Esther leaned against her tree again. “I’m sure you could seek refuge in Canada, or even one of the States. They know who you are,”
She agreed with him, but suddenly, she didn’t want to go anywhere where they knew her. Esther had visited most of the other states in their alliance. She spent considerable time in Rhode Island and Pennsylvania. Even in Canada, they would know her as the daughter of Governor Helsing. She argued with herself.
You're Esther Maria SAINZ! You’ve been defined by your family your whole life, why is it only now bothering you? She tried to tell herself. Logistically, heading to a place where she was known was far safer than going to one of the States that Are, and there was no knowledge of the States that Once Were, only rumors and stories from traveling merchants. It was a ridiculous thought to go anywhere else.
“I’m going to visit the other side of the country,” She found herself saying, against her better judgement. She was rewarded with a gasp from Jacob. “You can come with. We don’t know what's out there.”
“Esther, I can’t. Dad needs me, and…” He trailed off. “Are you sure about this? Like you said, we don’t know what's out there. That's why everyone figures you’ll stick close, and come back safely.”
She wasn’t sure. Not even sure where the idea came from. But the more she thought about it, the more she wanted to do it. Defy everyone’s expectations. She wouldn’t hide somewhere for the next ten years. She would do something. Create her own path.
“I am for now. It’ll take me a long time to get to the other side. Maybe I’ll change my mind halfway through, and do something else. But for now, that’s where I’m headed. I want to see another ocean,” Esther found herself liking the idea the more she defended it. It was exciting, out of her comfort zone.
Jacob thought about it for a moment. “I’ll tell dad, but we won’t say anything to Governor Sainz,” He glanced back at the motorbike. “Well, it’ll help you more than we thought, I guess,” He handed her the set of keys.
She didn’t take them. She couldn’t. “Jacob, what are you talking about?”
He pushed them towards her. “You gotta. Dad’ll kill me if I come back with the thing, especially if I tell him your plans. We both decided this.”
“You’ve worked on that thing for the past two years. I can’t just take it!” Esther argued. The motorbike was Jacob’s baby. He spent hours just looking at the different colors he could paint the bike, nevermind the time he spent finding the right parts, and bartering in order to fix it. This past summer he finally got it working, and Esther could see proud tears in his eyes.
“Esther, you’re my best friend. You know what this bike means to me. That’s why I need you to take it. I know you’ll take care of it. It deserves to be on the roads beyond Maine,” Jacob looked close to tears again, but he still held the keys out to her. “You’ll die walking the roads in the winter. At least with this, I think you’ll have a chance to come back to us,” Esther surprised herself, and felt tears fall on her own cheeks.
She hugged Jacob again, and tried to find the words. “You’ve always been my brother Jacob, I hope you know that. It’ll get back safe, I promise you,” He nodded against her shoulder, and gave her the keys.
They broke apart, and walked to the bike together. “It’s a darker orange, just in case anyone asks,” he mentioned. “And refer them to my shop, we take custom orders,” he joked, smiling through tears.
Esther folded the coat back into the bag, and put the bag into the side pouches. It was pristine, and Esther still felt unsure about the gift. She could ride it. She had spent many hours helping Jacob fix it, and she was one of the few he let ride it.
“Any ladies or guys you want me to give a special goodbye to?” He teased. “I’ve always been better with words than you,” Esther rolled her eyes, and laughed with him. His smile fell. “I’ll miss you, you know, and dad will too.”
“I’ll miss you guys too,” She told him. Esther couldn’t think of anything else to say. Jacob was right, he was the better speaker between the two of them.
“You better get going. I want to make sure you can ride alright, and I have to get home before dark,” He was reluctant to let her go too, she saw.
Esther nodded, and kicked up the brake, putting on the helmet Jacob had left on the seat. She went through the memorized motions, and took off. She didn’t want to turn away from the road, and raised her hand in farewell. She couldn’t hear if he called out after her.
The road fell away quickly under the tires, and Esther felt lighter as the miles ran past her. She was leaving behind everything she ever knew, everything she had worked and studied for, but she was more excited for the future than ever. It was her own choice where she would go from here, and not just a preordained future chosen by her birth. She let out a small laugh.
The ruined roads were less than perfect for travelling, and Esther scarcely made it past Maine’s borders before she stopped for the night. She had gone through a gap in the walls, where no one would see her leaving. She was on the outskirts of the alliance borders, where no one would patrol, and the only other people were traders who preferred to take the routes outside of the states, where they would be forced to pay for setting up shop within the small towns scattered throughout.
Esther stopped in a shack, where she was sure to check for other humans, as well as any animals who may have lingered. She made a small fire, and ate her meager dinner. Esther made sure the door was blocked by pushing a dresser in front of it. She wasn’t the first to have the idea, made clear by the dresser being near the door in the first place. Esther used her backpack as a pillow, and slept.