Epilogue
Two months later
The June sun had sweat trickling down Eli's back despite the early hour. He stood by his makeshift market stall two blocks away from the roadblock the humans had built at the entrance of Last Hope. Byrd was next to him, buzzing with excitement.
He had a table of his own, and on it, he had a couple of knitting needles, a thousand-piece jigsaw puzzle with a faded picture on the mangled box, and a bunch of rhubarb.
Eli was curious where he'd gotten hold of the rhubarb, and if he might be able to trade with him to get the entire plant.
It would be a good thing to have in the garden.
Eli had eggs, some sugar snaps and leafy greens he'd managed to grow, some venison he kept in a plastic washbasin filled with ice, and Joshua had sold him one sack of flour and one of potatoes.
It wasn't much, but it was the first time they tried this, so better not have too much in case no one dared to come.
Thano had shadow walked into Last Hope last night to let Elijah know there would be a market stand and anyone who walked on the road and didn't go near any of the abandoned houses would have free passage to Eli and back.
He was both nervous and excited--not as excited as Byrd, but excited nonetheless.
“Someone's coming!" Feathers washed over Byrd's skin before melting away again. “Do you think they'll like the shinys? I almost kept them for myself." He touched the knitting needles as if he wanted to remove them from the table.
Eli grinned. “I'm sure they will, but you know many of them don't have much to trade with, right? Even if no one trades with you, it doesn't mean they don't like your things, only that they can't afford them this week."
Byrd nodded. “You can't eat shinys. It's why I brought the rhubarb. They might be willing to trade a shiny for the rhubarb."
Oh, boy. “Sure."
The figure moving toward them was close enough now for Eli to see it was Elijah. He hadn't seen him since he'd left Last Hope two months ago, and worry washed over him as he realized how much weight Elijah had lost. Fuck.
Without thinking he left the stall and hurried toward him. “Elijah."
“Eli." He grinned. “Still alive, I see."
“You look terrible."
Elijah grimaced. “Why thank you."
Eli gripped his arm. “How are things?"
“As expected. The sheriff lives in the apartment above the shop. The board keeps promising things will get better soon, says it's the transition that's hard."
Eli had never used the apartment since he'd had his house, so it'd been empty during all the years he'd had the shop.
“Transition?"
“To the new system." Elijah moved toward the market stall like a moth drawn to a flame.
“And what's the new system?"
He shrugged. His eyes were glued to the food on display. “I don't think I would've made it without the chickens you left me. I don't know how I'll be able to feed them come winter, but for now, I get eggs."
Fuck. “I'll talk to Joshua. I'll make sure you have feed for them."
Tears rose in Elijah's eyes, but he blinked fast to prevent them from falling. “Most people can't afford more than the members fee to the shop. The Fisherman's Lake people still come on market day, or they have so far, but they too have increased their prices to cover the mooring fee. It's rough."
“Who owns the shop?"
“The board. There is no single person who owns it. It's all part of the new system."
Eli frowned but movement farther down the road caught his attention. There were four people slowly moving in their direction, their heads turning from side to side as if searching for danger. Eli moved behind his table and focused on Elijah again. “How does the new system work?"
Elijah looked up from the meager display of groceries. “Once they get enough money, they'll start to give back to society. The membership will allow them to pay for transport and will give us better produce with more variety than there was before."
Before. When he'd had the shop.
“It's all bullshit. They've raised the salary for board members and those who work at the bank.
Some people have arrived here for conferences and meetings organized by the board, so I've had a few customers at the hotel.
I'd been dead by now if they hadn't. I guess... maybe something good will come of it."
The group walking toward them was closer now, and Eli didn't want Elijah to get in trouble if someone tattled to the board, so he changed the topic.
“I have flour and potatoes from Fisherman's Lake.
Eggs from my chickens. Venison--" He gestured at the basin.
“--from the wild country. And some greens I've grown in my garden. "
Elijah met his gaze. “You look good, Eli."
He'd put on weight since he'd moved in with Thano. He'd been right, no one went hungry at The Moonlight Ranch. “Hopefully, I'll have more veggies in a bit. I've never had as big a garden as I do now, so there should be both successes and failures."
He reached across the table and squeezed Elijah's hand. “I'll think of something to help."
Elijah was back to blinking fast, and Eli removed his hand as the group grew closer.
“Eli!" Rosie rounded the table and engulfed him in a hug. He stood stunned for a moment, unsure of what to do. Rosie had never hugged him. She too had thinned, though not as much as Elijah.
“You look good." She squeezed his arm and then stepped away. The moment she did, invisible fingers brushed over his nape, and he had to suppress a grin.
“Yeah, I'm well taken care of." A light pat on his ass followed his words, and he had to force himself not to roll his eyes. “I don't have a lot, but some flour and potatoes--"
“I have some shinys." Byrd gestured at his knitting needles.
At first, Rosie only gave him a courtesy look, then her eyes snagged on the knitting needles. “Do you have a size eight? My knitting needles are made of wood, and I broke one of my eights and have been unable to find a replacement."
Byrd looked at Eli for guidance. He shrugged. “You better check for yourself, Rosie."
She walked over to Byrd's table. There were five knitting needles. Byrd had placed them all in one bunch and had tied a string around them, but Rosie pulled out one of them and placed it on the table in front of her. “How much?"
Byrd's eyes widened. “You only want one?"
“Yes, I have the other sizes, but maybe someone else will be by who needs them."
He nodded eagerly then looked at her. “Do you have anything shiny?"
“Eh..." She turned to Eli.
Byrd looked into her basket. “This." He held up a bunch of keys.
“I can't give you my keys."
Eli almost laughed. “She needs those to get into her house."
“Oh..." Byrd looked disappointed. “What about the ring?"
Eli looked at Rosie's fingers, but she wore no ring. “The key ring?"
“Yes, she can keep the keys, and I get the ring."
Eli shrugged and looked at Rosie. There were two keys in her key ring, but maybe she could use something else to keep them together.
“You want the ring? This?" She ran a finger over the gleaming metal, and Eli chuckled. Shiny.
“Yes, I get the ring. You get the stick." Byrd held up the knitting needle."
“Deal." She started to remove the key when there was a squawk, and a crow landed on the table only to then jump down on the ground and shift into a naked Lark. “What did you get?"
“A shiny." Byrd puffed his chest, traded the needle for the ring, and held it up for Lark to see. Thano chuckled near Eli's ear, and Elijah, who stood closest widened his eyes, most likely having figured out who else was there.
He reached into his pocket. “This is what I can spare today.
" He held out his money. “Can I have some potatoes and flour?
I brought a container." He held up a pink rectangular plastic lunch box with a see-through lid.
Eli grabbed it and placed it on the scale he'd brought from the shop, then measured the flour, weighed the potatoes, and threw in a handful of sugar snaps as a bonus.
The others bought a few things too, but either didn't have money or they hadn't known what to expect and hadn't brought more than a little.
“Will you be back?" Mrs. Martin handed over her money before Eli could give her the total.
“Back in Last Hope or back here by the market stand?"
“Here. Is this a one-time thing or will you sell things from here now?"
He handed back a few coins in change. “I'll be here every Tuesday."
“Me too." Feathers washed over Byrd before they melted away as if the thought was too exciting to contain.
She smiled. “All right. How much for the rhubarb, dear?"
Byrd cocked his head in a bird-like gesture. “What kind of shiny do you have?"
She gave him a confused look.
“I got this from Rosie." He held up the key ring.
“Oh, you don't want money?"
He shrugged. “If it's shiny I might take money, but most money isn't."
Mrs. Martin sent a pleading look Eli's way before focusing on Byrd again. “I'm not sure I have anything shiny, sorry."
“Don't worry. Next week you can bring something shiny, and we'll see if I have something you want to trade."
She nodded at them both before heading back together with the group.
“That went well." Thano materialized next to him.
“We'll stay. Word might travel now when they get back."
Thano looked like he wanted to object but went up on tiptoe and kissed him instead. “Whatever you want."
Eli nodded. He wanted this. He wanted to help the people in Last Hope but he'd never been happier to be out of there. Reaching for Thano's hand, he squeezed it. “Thank you for getting me out."
“Of course. I'll always get you out. You're mine." Thano leaned in for a kiss. “I'll go closer and see if someone is heading this way inside town." He nuzzled Eli. “I'll be back in a bit."
“Be careful."
Thano raised an eyebrow.
“Love you."
“Better."
Eli huffed. “Idiot." But he couldn't help but grin. His life might not be perfect, but never had he believed he'd be as happy as he was now.
THE END