John K Sutherland

The Trader. John K Sutherland

Fenn, was one of the four, walled cities of Women, in Thorium. They survived because of a treaty with the Thorians; a terrifying race of warrior men; their absent rulers, whom they never saw except during times of difficulty and punishment... or so the tales related. Each month the cities were required to send out a total of ten young women into the wasteland, but to meet what fate? It constantly nagged at them. They dared not refuse, or question what the treaty required, or they would violate the treaty, and the punishment would get worse. Each week, a 'Yunk' trader-a giant of a man called, Stoker, came to Fenn, with everything they needed from the outside world, and to trade with them. He had done this for three years, rarely staying more than a few hours; rarely saying anything, but observing everything, biding his time. He was intimidating in every way. If 'he' was intimidating, what would a Thorian be like? They dared not consider that. He arrived, bloody, each time, because of the animals which attacked him as he crossed the wasteland. Their bodies were stacked in the back of the second cart, attesting to his skill with his weapons, and his strength. He rarely conversed with them as they washed the blood out of his carts after he'd emptied them. Today, everything would change because of the weather. He would need to stay overnight. Today, was the day when all of their lives would be changed. Today, he would tell them about Thorians and, today, they would challenge him in some way, to trade, or to win from him, those personal items he brought, that they were driven to possess.