Rise of an Empire

Chapter 3 - A New Start

March 15th, 2013
“We found the perfect spot just up the road” I said to Brian as Henry and I walked onto the driveway. “What do you mean, just up the road?” Anthony asked. “Yeah dude, it’s a good piece of land. Just a big open field with a few scattered trees. It looks like something was going to be built there, because there’s a lot of lumber and a ridiculous amount of cement and stone blocks.” Henry answered. “You guys want to go take a look at it?” I asked. “Nah, we’ll take your word for it.” Brian replied.

“We got a few hours of daylight left; let’s get everything together so we can get started first thing in the morning.” Henry announced. “Alright, Brian, Anthony, get all the tools we have together; Henry pack the plans up and get those ready to go.” I told them. “Oh, and Henry, um, pack some of those books too. Just to cover the fact that we’re a bunch of dumb-asses, who don’t know what the hell we’re doing.” I said as well. “Hey, speak for yourself.” Anthony bounced back.

“So you found us a new place to live, huh?” my wife asked as I climbed into bed. “Sure did babe, here in a few months, we’ll be out of this basement and living in our own home.” I told her. “That’s nice.” Were the last words she said before falling to sleep. I followed shortly afterwards.

I woke that morning and got ready for the day. I met the rest of the guys in the living room upstairs. “James, I have to ask. How in the hell was your wife able to sleep last night with you snoring like that?” All I could say was “I was snoring last night?” “Damn right you were. Sounded like a 60’s hot rod without a muffler down there last night.” Henry said causing laughter throughout the room. “Alright, you’re all done picking on James, let’s get to work.” I told them. We all grabbed our tools, Henry grabbed the plans and a few books, and we headed out north to the site. “Wait, hold on one sec.” I said to the guys and went back inside. Anthony said “He’s always doing this, forgetting something. He’d forget his head if it wasn’t attached.” I went into the living room, and grabbed the sword off the wall and brought it with me. “Whoa, what’s that for?” Brian asked as I stepped out. “I’ve only got like thirteen or fourteen rounds left, and after that it’ll be down to this.” I explained to him. Unable to resist the urge to be a smartass, Anthony says with a Scottish accent “Hey, no problem William Wallace, you’re going to need it when we meet with Edward, The Long Shanks on the other side of the bridge.” “Shut up.” Was all I could say.

We headed north for about a mile, crossed a highway overpass, and about another quarter mile we were at the site. “There’s enough wood and brick to build a small town here. Looks like there’s more than enough here to build a house for everyone.” Brian said. “Yep, that’s what my thinking was. A total of seven houses, one for me and my wife, one for Brian, one for Anthony, one for Henry, and one for each of our parents.” I told them. “I’ve already have the plans made up, so we can get straight to work putting them together. They’re all going to be basic, one room houses with a fireplace. The seventh house is where we’re going to put a stove on top of the fireplace, a dining table with plenty of chairs, and anything else you can think of.” Henry explained to us. I made the announcement “The quicker we get started, the sooner we’ll be done.” With that said we began work.

The houses went up a lot quicker than expected. We already had two houses built with a third nearing completion at the end of May. Seeing how we were putting them up so fast, we started moving everyone into one house, and all of our supplies and goods in another. My wife and mother began working a near by field for crops.

“Henry, I got an idea.” I said. Henry only replied with a questionable look. “The last house, the gathering house, we should make it larger and add on a second story.” I suggested. “Why do that?” He asked. And I explained to him “What if people show up, not to harm us, but people who are just looking for a place to stay and eat? If people do come, and we decide to let them stay, they could be a big help. They could stay in the gathering house until we get them a home built.” Henry shrugged his shoulders, “Maybe that’s not such a bad idea.”

By the end of June, six of the homes had been completed, and we had begun work on the gathering house. Henry did a beautiful job of redesigning the gathering house. It was now a two story building with four bedrooms upstairs, the main room, dining room, and a kitchen obviously down stairs. Then, in the middle of July, what we expected to happen, happened.