New Job

Posted on Sun Jan 18th, 2026 @ 10:20pm by René Rouen & Samuel Garrett

1,805 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Safe Harbour
Location: The Forge
Timeline: 04 December 2012, 1000 hours (10am GMT)

René was wandering about the icy streets of Thistledrift. He had been in Thistledrift for the last few days. He knew that he needed to find something to do for the community and since the community was small, it probably didn't require the services of a courier. Living off the kindness of strangers in the world was not an option. He wanted to prove useful.

René was walking down a snow covered road and heard the sound of clanging metal. He followed the sound to a garage attached to a cottage style home much like most of Thistledrift's buildings. A sign with spray painted orange letters that read The Forge hung over the garage door. He had learned weaponsmithing over the years and wondered if it would translate into something useful for the community. He shrugged and knocked on the garage door.

Inside the banging of metal on metal stopped and a voice called out that whoever it was could come in but they had to watch their step. The door once open revealed a warm inviting space but it was only lit by a few small lamps and a huge fire. The man who had called out moved his visor off his face and looked the man up and down. He was a large man but in the dark small space he looked even more imposing. “Can’t say I recognise you so are you the French man or the southerner?” He wondered.

René stepped forward and offered his right hand. "Bonjour Monsieur, I am René Rouen. I come to you seeking employment. I learned weaponsmithing as a lad. I am adept at forging blades for swords and daggers."

"The French man then..." The man took off the visor and slung it aside, looking the man up and down. "You came to me seeking employment? I do not believe I have ever had anyone come to me asking that before." He said, running his hand over his stubbled cheeks before he realised he had his gloves on and slung them with the visor.

René looked up at the towering blacksmith, but remained silent. He glanced about the garage turned forge. In addition to the forge and there were numerous machining tools. There was even a grinding wheel. "I am looking for something useful to do for the community, Monsieur and it's either this or being a cook at the pub. I would prefer working here. If you don't trust me enough at the forge then perhaps you would allow me to maintain the workspace."

"I did not say I did not trust you." The man commented. "Just that I have never had anyone coming to seek employment, if that is even how life works now." The man chuckled a little at his humour. "I am not entirely sure how employment would work nowadays, but I guess I do have the space once you are approved for residency." Samuel could use the help preparing items for spring now that it was colder, and the zombies struggled a little more as time went on.

René shook his head. "I wasn't seeking compensation as in wages. Most of the people I have met since my arrival have been extraordinarily kind. I want to simply give something back to the community that graciously took me in."

"Fair enough. We all do work for the community." Samuel said and pursed his lips together to think on his options and phrasing. This man did not know him, and he had been helpful, so he did not want to scare off someone with his gruffness. "Look, if you pass the council. I could use some help."

René gave a nod of his head. "Merci Monsieur, all I ask for is an opportunity to prove myself."

The older man nodded. “I can understand that one.” Samuel had felt the same when he had first come there. “Let’s see what you have though?” The man commented glancing around to what what was around them.

René glanced around the workshop as well. He saw various molds for different items, such as blades, horseshoes, spikes, nails and other items. "Anything in particular you would like for me to craft?"

Samuel prised his lips as he watched the younger man look around at the items he had scattered around. If he was going to have someone else in his space he was going to have to tidy up. “Suprise me.” He said simply.

René took a deep breath and blew it out audibly as he glanced about the room. An idea came to mind as he spotted some sturdy wooden shafts leaning in a corner. He stepped over to a work table and selected a spearhead mold and a suitable amount of iron to melt down.

Twenty minutes later he had the metal melted down in a small vat and poured the molten iron into the mold. Another fifteen minutes and the metal had cooled enough to pick up with tongs and begin hammering. René worked the iron and by the end of an hour had fashioned a complete spearhead he finally affixed to one of the six foot long shafts. He presented his finished work to Samuel for inspection.

Samuel looked at the spearhead and held it up as if he was going to throw it, but changed his mind. "Not too bad. Lighter than I make, but not bad kid." Samuel commented with a smile as he held it out to the man.

René took the spear back and gave it a small lift, as if testing the weight and balance. "I noticed an improvised spear by the door in the house I stayed in last night. I thought the resident deserved a proper weapon with which to defend themself against the Soulless...or anyone else that might want to cause them harm."

Samuel instantly knew what house he had been given a berth in as there was no one else that had an improvised spear other than Lola. “She does not have an improvised weapon because of a lack of options.” He noted pointedly around. “I would never deny someone a weapon.”

René nodded as he glanced at several weapons that lay above in various stages of crafting or repair. He looked Samuel in the eyes. "What of you, Monsieur? What is your weapon of choice?"

"A sword," Samuel commented, pointing to the weapon that was in a scabbard just inside the door. It would attach to his belt or anyone else's belt in a split second. "But Lola will eventually come to want something less improvised. I promise when that happens, she will have a weapon fit for her."

René glanced at the English long sword with a sturdy looking cross guard and nodded appreciatively. "It is a fine looking weapon. I'm an accomplished swordsman myself. I even took the championship for the under 18 division in Paris...before the world came to an end."

"It got me from the north. So you have a sword on that bike of yours?" He commented. His tone was growing softer by he moment from its usual gruffness to something more friendly and less defensive.

René nodded. "A rapier and a dirk I obtained at a museum as London fell. I made my way to Dover, planning on taking the Channel Tunnel to Calais, but there were infected on one of the trains the Dover station was overrun with the Soulless and soon-to-be Soulless. I headed back inland and was able to survive alone in a park cabin that first winter. I hunted and fished. Fixed the motorcycle I found there. Come spring I headed out. Ran across a man who had been nearly beaten to death by road brigands. He asked me to carry a message to his family. It was pretty much the start of my career as a courier."

“The good thing about the United Kingdom is we have lots of weapons just hanging around in museums that have become much needed in modern times .” It had made his hobby of black smithing for a living museum a much needed and required skill. There were so many things he did that he had not done before in the old world.

René grew thoughtful for a moment. "Are there any others in town that use an épée (French word for sword) or are you and I the only ones?" It would be nice to have someone to practice with. He was afraid his skills had atrophied in the several years.

“Sword? Aye lad lots of people have picked up the old ways.” Samuel almost laughed at what was said. “We do not have guns here so people have learned other ways to defend themselves against.” Samuel often thought if someone time traveled from the Tudor time to now they would not find much different when they did not have electricity.

"Does someone conduct training?" René was curious. The sword could be a difficult weapon to master for some people.

“It’s more a group training.” The man shrugged. “It works for our community.” The man glanced at what he had been made and used tongs to pick it up and put it on his hammering plate.

René took a minute to consider Samuel's words before nodding. "I would like to join this training group...if the Council allows me to stay."

"I am sure you will find the time to do that," Samuel said, looking at the clock on his wall. It was an old clock that always ran ten minutes late but he did not want to get rid of it ever. "So what do you have planned for now?"

René glanced at the clock. "I have about an hour before I have to meet Doctor Parrish and Mademoiselle McDowell for lunch at the pub for lunch. Then there is the Council meeting to determine if I am allowed to stay."

"One hour to help me then." The man said quietly. "How are you at making arrowheads?" He wondered, holding up the mould he used to make them. It was a fidly job if the lad could do that without argument and passed the council, he had a job with him.

René studied the mold for a moment before answering. "I have never made metal arrowheads. Épées, daggers and such. I am willing to learn though."

“Find some gloves that fit you properly and let’s see.” Samuel said. The boy was enthusiastic and that was what he was missing so maybe this would be a good partnership.

René did as he was told. He listened carefully to Samuel's instructions and was able to produce half a dozen arrow heads, four of them actually usable, in the hour before he had to leave to go meet Juliet and Lola.

Finished

 

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