Read Online The Path of Decisions by Mike Shelton - Free Book Online

family was fairly new
to the area. “Soldiers have been sent to Belor and Denir to deal with trouble,
but he ignores us here in his own backyard.”
    “I’m not going if she is going to be there,” Anya said, pointing
to Christine. “She’s stirring up more trouble. Things were quiet until that
boyfriend of hers from the city started hanging around. Ever since he left
there has not been any peace around here.”
    “It doesn’t have anything to do with that, Anya,” said Thomas. He
was always the first to stand up for Christine.
    Christine had heard enough arguing and not enough doing. “Well,
while you two sit here and argue, I’m going to go do something about this
situation. I have some plans of my own to bring to the other farmers.”
Christine turned, making her long blonde hair swish around her head. She jumped
on Lightning, her Cremelino horse, and raced away.
    Nice touch, alienating your friends now.
    Christine slammed her mind shut against Lightning. She watched
Thomas and Anya over her shoulder in the fading distance.
    Anya leaned close to Thomas, and Thomas stumbled backwards into a
log. He was so clueless to Anya’s advances. Of course, Anya advanced toward
anything that was male and had two legs these days. She was obsessed with
finding a husband. Christine faced forward again, gritted her teeth, and rode
harder.
    An hour later, Christine sat away from her friends on the front
row of the gathering. They stood in one of the larger barns in the farmlands
and had made room for people to sit on bales of hay. Spring planting was just
around the corner, and sacks of seeds sat around the edges.
    Nothing much was being decided on, so Christine stood and waited
for the crowd to silence. The death of her father still gave her some respect
and notice. “I think we should boycott the city from getting any more food from
us. Don’t sell them any of our stored vegetables or any beef or pork. They
can't go anywhere else at this time of year to get food. They make us store it
all and then demand the price for which they will buy it from us. Maybe when
they are starving they will listen to our demands.”
    “She is right,” someone else argued. “The King doesn't care. I bet
he has enough food for months stored in that castle of his. But if his people
start to get hungry, maybe he will do something about the problem.”
    “I agree with Christine. Something harsh has to be done. They need
to see we aren't just talking but that we are doing something,” said another
man from the back of the musty barn.
    The air, still cool, caused Christine to wrap a wool cloak around
her shoulders. “Everyone must agree, because if we don't they will see our
weakness, and it will never work.”
    A lady stood up from the side shadows. “But if we don't sell them
our food, we won't have any money. I am a widow with two children. I need to
think of them too.”
    A heated discussion erupted.
    “Everyone is too afraid to stand up and do anything.” Christine
walked back and forth in front of the group. She removed her cloak and strode
around to emphasize her point. “Think of us as a whole and what would be the
best, not just for ourselves. The only way we hold any power is to be united. If
we stop the food, they will be forced to listen or die.”
    “Let them all die!” shouted someone as others joined in.
    “What about the children?” asked the same widow in a worn-out
voice.
    “Who invited you here, old lady?” asked one of the men. “I don't
remember seeing you around here. Who are you?”
    The widow answered that she was a poor farmer from up north of the
farmlands. The man who had questioned her moved closer to her.
    “I thought I knew everyone from up in that area. That is where my
family is from. Why don't I know you?”
    The lady shrunk back into the shadows a little further. The room
had all turned toward her with their threatening looks.
    “Let me see your hands!” demanded the man.
    The old women started to