Nov. 2nd 2014

Hopped over to writingexercises.co.uk to get a writing prompt for today’s entry. They seem to have a new prompt – Generate three nouns….

loyalty bucket money

And here we go.

I was beginning to question the loyalty of my team.  Though I had trusted them with my very life, as they had trusted each other, I was starting to believe that keeping each other alive was no longer their primary focus.

I had lead them through hell and kept them safe, but things had changed. We were no longer being shot at, no longer in danger of being ambushed.

In the middle of nowhere, miles from any other civilisation, we had stumbled upon a deserted town.  In the centre of that town, amidst the falling down houses and crumbling buildings stood the only building left intact.

The town bank.

The abandoned town was eerily quiet, as were my team.

“We’ll camp here for the night.” I instructed.

I knew what was in their thought, what was formulating in their minds. I knew they wanted to check out the bank.

The possibility of the almighty dollar, no matter how remote, was tugging at each and every one of them. 

I can’t say I wasn’t tempted, but I knew we were out here to complete our mission, and we had no time for diversions.

As the men set up camp and prepared chow, I reviewed my maps. Stevens found a reason to interrupt me, by offering a plate beans.

“Ya know” he started, “the boys can’t help but notice that bank right there.”

I knew what was coming “What about it?”

“Well, we was thinking that maybe there might be something worth looking at in there.”

“Stevens, you think that whoever lived here before, didn’t already go check on that?” I understood his curiosity, but needed to keep focused.

“Can’t hurt to look, can it?”

I glanced over at the men, they had all been straining them selves to listen, but as I looked up, they hurried back to their tasks. I couldn’t help but snicker.

“Whadaya say, Cap?” Stevens pleaded. “It won’t take but a little look to know one way or the other.”

I had to admit that my curiosity was getting the better of me.

“Get camp set up, then ya can go take a look.”

Stevens cheerfully jogged back to the camp to tell the men as I ate the plate of cold beans.

It didn’t take long after camp was set up and chow was cleared away before the men were peeling back the planks from the door to the bank. Six well trained guys are no match for a few planks.

Inside the bank, they scoured the registers and drawers and cabinets; nothing.

“Over here” Johnson called, from behind a door.

The team crowded in behind him to admire a 8’ tall safe, shiny and clean and locked.

The conversation that followed included some cockamamie ideas on how to open it. We had drills, or any weapons powerful enough to open the safe, there were no codes written and no visible keyholes to try to pick. The task seemed unlikely.

A few of the guys tried to open it by randomly turning the dial and tugging on the handle, but it didn't budge.

The topic of conversation then turned to what might be behind the impenetrable door.

“I bet there’s gold” Philips remarks, “Bars and bars of gold.”

“Naw, there’s millions of dollars. Glorious, wonderful, spendable money, millions of bills.” Johnson dreams.

The conversation went well into the night, and unfortunately, we would have to get back to our mission in the morning.

“Call it a night men, we have an early start tomorrow.”  I knew they would object, but for now, they quieted down. I would worry about their loyalty in the morning.

Ok – so, no bucket yet.  I’ll pick it up later and see where it goes.

I too, have an early start in the morning.

Cheers.