Short Story: The Division & The Conqueror (REN3)

The Division & The Conqueror, Part 1

“God blast it all!” Naylor choked out. He stumbled backward out of the house, his lungs burning. The acrid smoke filled his nostrils, and he turned away in disgust, heaving for fresh air. He swore to himself when he got his hands on that no-good, God-blasted, mother-fu—

“Naylor Beckett, what did you do this time?” 

Naylor straightened up, wiping his soot-covered hands on his fraying trousers. Eland Brann, Fitzer’s snooty little assistant, stood just beyond the gate, one eyebrow raised above his spectacles. Naylor grumbled under his breath. First, Fitzer had called him over, claiming something “urgent,” which turned out to be yet another proposal by the crazy self-proclaimed inventor for buying his property. How many times did he have tell that blasted imbecile that he wasn’t selling? He had the best piece of the ol’ Culdees there was left, and he wasn’t handing it over to some idiot who was liable to blow it sky high.

“I ain’t done nothing, Brann. If you want to go blaming someone, go chew out your boss. He’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to this here town.”

Eland rolled his eyes, pushed the gate opened mechanically, and marched down the sidewalk, eying the smoke that still billowed out of the doorway. He sighed. “Was anyone injured?”

Naylor snorted. “Dunno. Why don’t you go inside and check? Ain’t that your job? Keeping the ol’ doc in line?”

Eland scowled. “My job, Mr. Beckett, is to keep Dr. Fitzer’s records and accounts organized. Not that you would understand anything of the sort, considering the pigsty of an estate you live on.”

“Say what you want about me. Go right ahead and smear my name left and right. You’ll get what’s coming to you one day, Brann. Go on. Go inside and help out your generous employer. Next thing you know, you’ll be standing at the pearly gates right alongside him with an angry angel pointing you in the other direction.” 

“Hmpf,” was Eland’s only reply, and Naylor chuckled to himself as he strolled down Fitzer’s sidewalk, slamming the front gate behind him. He could feel Eland’s eyes on him the entire time, and he kept his back straight and his head up. He’d be damned if he was going to let some young spoiled brat hurt his pride. 

By the time he’d ambled back into town, it was going on noon, and he picked up his pacing a bit, hoping to catch the post office before it closed. The bell on the door gave a faint jingle as he entered, worn out from its many years of use. Naylor eyed it closely. He was a young, young man when this post office had been built, and he remembered the day they put that bell on the door. Renaissance was a different town back then. 

As he shuffled over to his box, he rolled his thoughts back to the good old days, back before bird-brained scientists like Fitzer and snooty young scholars like Eland had encroached upon his territory. Back when Lia had been still living. Back before Frederick had moved off to God knew where. Back when he’d still had a thriving dry goods store. 

“Those were the days.” He mumbled to himself as he turned the key. The box swung open, revealing a small pile of letters. He quickly sorted through them. “Bill. Bill. All bills. And…” He reread the last one again, his face beginning to flush. “What in the God-blasted hell is this?!”

'Eviction Notice'

 

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Rule of Three Blogfest Entry

"The Division & The Conqueror" Part 1

1st Character: Naylor Beckett

Word Count: 584

Prompt: There is an argument.