Greenhaus Part 1: A Storm Brews by Bryan Reckelhoff Page B

trip to the glass would bring her trouble. She blew through the fortress gates and headed straight to the Elder tent, never once glancing to see if the spotters were waving her through. Risky, especially given that her arrival was unexpected, but worth the gamble in her estimation.
    After removing her mask, but before she could speak, she was addressed by Elder Ashe, who was alone. “ Ella, what’s wrong? You look pale, like you have seen a ghost.”
    In between large draws from a salvaged oxygen tank, she managed to get out. “ I’ve….been….spotted. We must….abandon this fortress...at once. Or prepare its defense.”
    “ By who, were you followed?”
    “ No….I don’t think I was followed. But…I….didn’t stop to look either,” Ella said as she huffed and puffed for air.
    “ We must sound the alarm then, to put everyone on high alert, and prepare to defend our fortress,” the tall man said as he approached Ella, hovering over her by a good foot and a half. “How could you be so careless to lead them here? More importantly, how were you even spotted in the first place?” Elder Ashe scolded her, his voice rising.
    “ I went to the glass,” she responded, wiping sweat from her face. “And….”
    “ You did what?” shouted Elder Ashe as he interrupted her explanation.
    Ella ’s statement would have to go unfinished. Hearing the commotion, Elder May Stone burst into the tent and said, “Elder Ashe, what is the meaning of this tone with my camper?”
    “ Ella went to the glass,” he replied, flashing a smirk that quietly asked ‘Can you believe this shit?’ “And who knows what else. The best part… she led them here, May,” his gruff voice informed her. He crossed his arms, confident he was in the clear with Elder Stone. “Never mind that Elders Cloud, Sky, and Fire are making treaties with other mini camps north of the city. We don’t have enough firepower to hold off even twenty Rangers until they return, nor the manpower to move the camp,” he finished, shaking his head in disgust.
    “ Ella is this true?” asked Elder Stone, in the husky tone of those Masked lucky enough to live this long.
    “ Yes, it is, but…”
    The tone Elder Ashe used was nothing compared to the tongue lashing Elder Stone was about to deliver. “ Why on earth would you do such a thing?” her voice just beginning to rise. “Of all the stupid things you have done, this is almost enough to make me want to put you out of our camp.” Elder Stone paused to contemplate an appropriate punishment rubbing the loose skin on her chin with her hand. “But I won’t, and only because I need bodies. But you can hand over your binoculars and the rest of your spotting equipment too. You will be replaced in the bunker.”
    Ella ’s heart crumbled and the scolding would have likely continued had it not been for several loud, unmistakable pops. Gunshots. The blasts were followed by the banging of metal on metal, then by a few sharp bursts from an air horn and finally the wailing of a hand cranked alarm.
    “ Rangers,” exclaimed Elder Ashe, pulling a hand back to slap Ella that was quickly blocked by Elder Stone. “Damned Rangers! Ella, see what you have done? Are you happy?” he screamed.
    “ There will be time to discipline her later, we have a fortress to defend,” Elder Stone said as she waddled to the exit. “Quick, everyone into positions,” she shouted through the flaps of the tent. “Arm yourselves with whatever scrap you can find and remember aim for the starrrrr!”
    Ella had her rifle, which did no good without bullets, so she placed it at the base of the tent and removed the knife taped to the end, before rushing to take a position atop the exterior wall of the fortress. There was plenty of rusty, pointy scrap, things that would have given her more reach, but for now her best weapon was her wit. She removed her binoculars and scanned the area. She saw no Rangers, so she moved further down the wall as the