The moment his feet touched the ground, he became aware of loud voices.Darcia had dropped the body about fifteen feet from the men on the gravel where no human should be.Thano grinned and passed the gun-waving men as they discussed if they should go grab the body or not.
Thano would've liked to stay and watch, but he needed to head back.The others were waiting for him to start the meeting.
* * * *
Chapter 17
Eli had never felt as lonely in his house as he did that evening.There was nothing.He was all alone, and he didn't have to go out into the garden to close the gates behind the rabbits and chickens.
After a couple of hours, he grabbed a thick sweater and put on shoes, and hurried out through the door.The street was deserted--of course it was.Maria, Teresa, Lorenzo, and Alice were at the ranch.He was the only one living here now.He hadn't said goodbye to them.Guilt washed over him.Alice had come into town to get him, and only a few hours later, he'd left again.
Shaking his head, he hurried toward the hotel.He didn't go past the shop.He didn't want to see it, so he stuck to the other street leading out to the town square.Most windows were dark, which wasn't how it normally was.It wasn't so late people had gone to bed yet, so there should be activity.
He crossed the square without seeing a single soul, then he hurried over to the hotel.There was light spilling out from the windows, and Eli opened the door to the lobby.It was unlocked, but the reception desk was deserted.There was no one by the bar, and when Eli stilled to listen, he couldn't hear a single sound.
After a moment's hesitation, he walked toward the kitchen.Elijah had been there when he'd last come around.He gently rapped his knuckles against the swing door before pushing it open.
Elijah was by the kitchen island, knitting something.The image made Eli still.He hadn't known Elijah could knit, and since it looked like a simple scarf without any patterns or decorations, maybe he wasn't great at it.
A sound escaped Elijah when he spotted Eli and dumped the knitting needles and yarn in a small basket and shoved it onto a shelf underneath the island as if ashamed of having been caught.
Eli stared at him.Why hide it?“Are you okay?"
Elijah looked at him for a second.“Yeah, sure.I didn't think you'd be back already."
Eli shook his head.He wasn't sure what he meant by it, but it was what he did.“I think I panicked."
Elijah grinned.“You panicked?What happened?"
Eli sighed, and Elijah jumped off the stool he'd been sitting on and gestured for Eli to take it.The island wasn't built to sit by, there was no room for his legs, but it was nice to get off his feet.Elijah hurried out through the swing door and was soon back with a stool from the bar.“Tea?"
“Would be lovely, thank you."
Elijah put a kettle on and prepared a pot.“It's not real tea.I've dried spearmint leaves."
“That's perfect."Few people had real tea these days.Or he assumed those who lived where they grew tea had it, but transportation was dangerous and expensive.
They were silent while Elijah prepared their drink, then he placed a mug each on the island and sat on the stool.“So...what happened?"
Eli told him about going to Thano's, how everyone had helped carry his things, and built a chicken coop and a pen for the rabbits.He left out fucking Thano on his bed while people worked outside, but the memory made him blush.
“Why are you here then?"Elijah poured the tea.
“They talked as if I'd live there."
Elijah's face was blank.“Yeees?"
“But what about the shop?What about the people here?What will they eat?"
Shrugging, Elijah cradled the mug.“Maybe it's the wake-up call they need."
“You think I should let people starve?"
Elijah grimaced.“Someone else would've taken it over.What's happening is insane, and the new rules are coming too fast.In only a couple of days, our way of existence has changed.Ambrose brought in some friend of his and made him deputy.He lives here too now, which is good.More income.But I feel like I'm harboring criminals or something."
Eli guessed it was the man Rosie and Lisa-Mae had seen on the dock.Was someone from another settlement trying to take over Last Hope?Nah, the board was power-hungry, but Eli didn't think there was any agenda from outer forces.
“I have to be here.People will starve without the shop.They'll most likely starve with the shop too because I won't have any meat.How will anyone get hold of meat?"He cradled his head.“The others aren't coming to town anymore.They're having a meeting now where Thano is forbidding them to come."
