The Scourge - Page 55

"There's no point in it," Clement said. "The wheat will be ground without climbing."

"That never was the reason for the treadmill," I said, understanding now what should have been obvious all along. "It was there to bring down the strongest people of this Colony, breaking them."

"Correct," Gossel said. "So you climb that mountain, and your friend here will escape his punishment."

I couldn't. The effects of the spindlewill leaf were still weighing me down, and I'd eaten so little since arriving that there wasn't much left in me to continue fighting. I knew I couldn't climb a hill, much less climb that treadmill. But that was the point. They still wanted me to have that accident.

"This grub boy nearly got you killed by giving you spindlewill. That's a terrible crime," Gossel said. "We wouldn't want any harm coming to you, of course. So trust me when I say he is facing a very harsh penalty." He raised the rod. In anticipation of its first strike, Weevil winced.

"I'll climb it," I quickly said.

"Until all the wheat is ground for the day." Gossel lowered the rod and his eyes narrowed. "Which I believe we promised would be twice what you had yesterday."

"Then I'd better get started." For a moment, I considered being sick all over the warden's shoes. If I'd eaten anything that morning, I could have done it. As it was, I could only stand there feeling nauseous.

The warden's grin turned evil, and he pushed Weevil forward. "He gets a smack of the rod every time you stumble. If you fall, he'll get the worst of what I can do."

I shook my head. "That's not fair. Everyone stumbles, even when it's dry. Those steps will be wet and slippery now."

"Well, it wasn't my idea to move the treadmill into the river. Accept this deal, or he'll complete his punishment here, with me."

Weevil shook his head, but no words came to him. His talk of wanting my punishment had been sincere, but that didn't mean he wasn't afraid of what was coming, for him and for me.

I met the warden's gaze with the most defiant look I could manage. "Let's finish climbing that mountain."

I walked out with the men who had come to defend me. Weevil and the other wardens followed behind us.

"I can't decide whether that was stupid or brave," Clement said.

"For the River People, 'stupid' and 'brave' are the same word," I said. "One is used after a person loses. The other is for when we win."

"Then we'll call you brave," Clement added.

Thanks to the river, the treadmill was already in motion when I approached. I started forward but a warden said, "Chain her to it."

I turned. "What? No!"

"When you were assigned this job yesterday, you cheated. You got off and moved the mill."

"She improved on your terrible design!" Clement said. "That isn't cheating."

"If she doesn't walk according to my terms, then her friend will take his punishment!" Gossel shouted. "The grub can choose."

"If you fall into the water, you'll drown." Weevil shook his head. "Don't do it, Ani. I'll be fine."

But the glare in Gossel's eye told me otherwise. Whatever he intended for Weevil, my friend would not be fine when it was over. I stepped into the water in front of the treadmill.

The chain was already attached to the base of the treadmill. Another warden fastened its other end around my ankle and then shoved me onto the mill, where I was immediately forced to begin walking. Maybe it had been difficult before, with the weight of two other men constantly pulling it down, but the climb was so much harder now. There was no give in the rhythm of the water, and the wheel turned much faster than when the men had walked it.

Weevil was brought to stand directly in my line of sight with Warden Gossel behind him. At first I glared at the warden, but then my gaze fell to Weevil. He was staring back at me, looking perfectly confident in my ability to climb this wheel. The smile on his face was so ridiculously calm that I hated seeing it. And I loved it too. Without a single word, Weevil was telling me that everything would be all right.

The steps were even more slippery than I'd expected. If my foot didn't go down squarely on the next step, it would slip. Within minutes, I made my first stumble. The warden noticed, and Weevil received one hit from the rod across his back. He gasped and gritted his teeth for only a moment; then the smile returned, even if it was more forced this time.

I wouldn't do that again, wouldn't let him receive another lick of pain. So I turned my focus to the steps of the mill and climbed, and climbed. And climbed.

"You can do it, Ani," Della called.

I wasn't sure when she had arrived. She hadn't been there earlier. When I looked back, I saw she wasn't alone either. Other Colonists had come to see what was happening.

Tags: Jennifer A. Nielsen Fantasy
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