Wednesday, June 8, 2011

157

"You coming in?" The old man asked.

"That's they way I was headed. Yes."

The old man grunted and disappeared from the window in the door. The man stood in the road and listened to the clanking of metal keys in metal locks. After a few moments the clanking ceased and the door swung open on squeaky hinges. The man in the white shirt stepped through the open door and nodded at the watchman, who was staring at him through the window in the door.

"I expect you'll be lookin' for a place to stay," The watchman paused to spit on the road, "given the time of night and all."

"Yes, I think I could use a rest. Although, strangely I'm not that tired. I think I feel more awake then I have in a long time."

"We get all types." The old man said under his breath, although loud enough for the man in the white shirt to hear him. "Try the Eagle's Nest." A cough overtook the old man, and when he recovered after a moment, he spat upon the ground again. "Down the road a ways. Only paved road in town." He began to close the door. The man in the white shirted turned to watch him in his task. "Follow the sounds. You'll get there eventually."

"Thanks."

"It's my job." The old man turned away from the man in the white shirt and began climbing the stairs that led to a feeble flickering light in the watchman's perch. "I've got a drink waiting for me." The stairs creaked under his weight and he leaned on the railing to help him in his journey. "Try not to wake me."

The man in the white shirt watched the man climb the stairs until he was gone from few and then continued down the paved road. He could hear the sound of the common room of the Eagle's Nest growing louder as he walked down the deserted road. The buildings he passed were all somewhat uniform in colour and building material, resembling the construction of the wall the surrounded the village.

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