She stopped by sometimes after the Father had left. Judge knew the longing of her heart. They had wished many times to go with her, but their place was here, where he'd told them to guard, to keep the family safe. Gloved hands pulled the door open for her, before forming a question. 'Any luck?'
New Eden was a dot upon the horizon; the sun was hanging low behind the tall wooden walls. Ever since the Highwaymen made themselves known it was no longer safe to take a straight path anywhere. A traveler who did not wish to lose their freedom or their life would have to flit between the trees and make sure their left no trace of each step. To do this, they would have to know the area rather intimately. There could be no room for error, and so Hannah did not often venture away from her hidden home on the island where it all began. The Highwaymen did not venture out that far, and thought the place infested with radiation and snakes. Let them think that, she thought as she heard the buzzing of bees within her ears. Let them think that there is nothing here but a wasteland with nothing to offer she muses as she plucks pears in her garden.
Today was different though. It had been nearly a month since she had stepped outside of her isolation, and her need to check in on the former people who were once familiar to her was too strong to ignore. Were they doing fine under the guiding hand of Ethan? A sour child that one, never thinking of the collective whole, but of himself. He wanted to be their new leader, but more importantly he wanted a father’s love that was not coming. She tried with him when he first arrived in New Eden. She truly did, but there was an air about him that made her suspicious. Made her question his motives for even the smallest of things. She did not know what it was about him and had yet to be able to set those feelings aside for more than an hour at most.
The castle upon the horizon was no longer a dot, but within reach. Her calloused hands brushed against the worn wood. Too many hands pounded against them and not many made it to the other side. She could still see the tears upon the faces of those that the Judge turned away and the pure elation on the faces of those that made in inside. With a strong knock, she awaited the familiar face of the judge and did not have to wait for long. The familiar masked face caused a small smile to appear on her face. The Deputy once, the Judge now. She liked the latter more than the former. “ Yes. ” Hannah replied brushing her hand against the soft fur on the Judge’s shoulder; a greeting. “ I was able to grow more this time. If I can get a couple of people together to come back with me, there would be enough pumpkins and squash to last us through the fall. ”
