The Knight of Honor

He’s gotten banned from two others.

Wolf’s jaw works. He shoves the money across the counter again; before Wyatt can protest he turns on his heel, stalking out.

Wyatt opened the till, deposited the money, and slammed it shut before following out after Wolf.

“Ayah?”

His eyes narrow behind his sunglasses.

“Don’t give me any grief. I’m just here for cigarettes.”

@cxttonteethviolence

He licks his gums, tasting blood.

“Thought as much.”

Leonard shoves his hands into his overcoat pockets, hunching his shoulders, and tries to look away.

Leonard’s dejection looked all too familiar in that moment. Despite his hatred for the bastard, there’s a moral dilemma that runs to the core of him, and Wyatt stammers. 

His eyes narrow behind his sunglasses.

Now he does glance away.

“You wouldn’t be the first little heathen to die out here. Hobos. Runaways. Trailer trash. Every year when the temperature drops—things have been said—accusations that we disappear them—“

He strokes his beard, bites his lip.

“And it’s no secret you’ve been sniffing around my wife.

“You self-centered—“

He masters himself.

“It’s not about you. If it were just you, Maverick, I don’t mind telling you I’d let you freeze.”

“You wouldn’t be the first little heathen to die out here. Hobos. Runaways. Trailer trash. Every year when the temperature drops—things have been said—accusations that we disappear them—“

He strokes his beard, bites his lip.

“If you die,” rasps Wolf, in the tones of a man addressing a disappointing child, “it’ll be a nasty problem for us.”

Us: the locals, the believers, the real Silent Hill.

He masters himself.

“I don’t appreciate that, Maverick.”

He grimaces, showing stained teeth.

“I won’t have any of us accused of malfeasance—foul play—no, sir—so you’d better live through the winter.”

He doesn’t step back; he doesn’t glance away. He’s better-dressed today, at least, his beard combed and his overcoat clean.

“You have fuel for your generator?”

He grimaces, showing stained teeth.

@cxttonteethviolence

He licks his lips, a muscle working in the back of his hand.

“I wouldn’t be out here alone after dark, if I were you. A man could freeze pretty easily.”