I lay down by the fence, resting my head on my paws. As I watched, she lifted her head and looked in my direction. I thought I saw a smile appear momentarily on her face.
The smile vanished quickly as a group approached the tree. Blair pressed herself tighter against the trunk, as though trying to disappear into the trunk. The group at the base of the tree were made up of four young men and two adolescent girls. They did not seem to have noticed Blair but she still looked distressed by their presence. I tensed, shifting anxiously. I wanted nothing more than to spring to her defence but I forced myself to lay still. She was not in any danger that I could see… not yet anyway. I mentally stored away their appearance. It was always wise to keep track of who posed a risk.
A bell rang within the school and the children began to file inside. The group dispersed, disappearing inside. After a few minutes, Blair slipped down from the branches as well. She paused by the tree and waved in my direction before following the others.
BLAIR
All things considered, the day hadn’t gone too bad. Isolation was actually better than being in class and the sight of what I was fairly sure was my furry friend boosted my mood a little. I wasn’t entirely sure how he’d made it all the way to my school but then again that was probably the least strange behaviour he’d demonstrated.
The bus ride to and from school hadn’t been great. I’d tucked myself away in a corner and kept my head down to avoid any confrontation but I still felt on edge the entire ride. When it pulled up, I bolted off faster than lightning.
I went to the pub. Uncle Noah’s cat had recently had a litter of kittens and they offered a pleasant distraction from thoughts of school. I would have happily spent the entire night there, but after a while Noah insisted I head home. He walked me through the village and up the hill which I appreciated. Both my uncles were fairly beefy guys and I was confident that no one would mess with me while they were around. Once I got to the hill I felt considerably safer, like I’d crossed an invisible barrier.
The dog was sleeping under the bed when I got in, with no sign that he’d been out or even moved for most of the day.
The next day was much the same, with the exception of Liam overturning my school bag as I waited for the bus home. I had to gather the books, pens and miscellaneous junk that had been scattered across the tarmac while the bus drove off. I could see Connor, Patrick and Liam laughing through the back window as they watched me. I knew that there was a later bus for people in clubs and other after school activities, but I decided to walk. It would take a while but would still be quicker than waiting.
By the time I got back to the house, the dog had worked himself into a frenzy. When I entered the room, he immediately threw himself at me, checking me over thoroughly for any sign of injury.
“I’m fine! I’m sorry, I just got held up!” I gave him an affectionate scratch behind the ears before sprawling on the floor with him, staring up at the skylight. “Some days I think someone up there has it out for me,” I said pointing an accusatory finger at the ceiling. “Maybe it’s that pigeon…”
The dog snorted at my avian conspiracy and nudged me with his muzzle. I chuckled softly and stretched, checking my watch as I did so. I decided to head out and make the most of my freedom. I could grab food after but it was rare for my aunt and uncle to go out. I needed to appreciate it.
“You up for an adventure buddy?”
The dog barked his affirmation, tail wagging. I scribbled a quick note for my brothers telling them where I’d gone and grabbed my bag, shoving a towel inside. The dog came to my side and we left the house, moving at a steady pace up the hill. It was a little chilly but our brisk movement kept the air from biting too hard. The dog occasionally wandered off the path, investigating the nearby hedgerows but otherwise stayed nearby. His tail wagged merrily as he snuffled around my ankles. I laughed and quickened my pace before breaking into a run. He barked and sped up, bounding along beside me.
“Think you can beat me?” I cried out, sprinting. “Come on slow poke!”
The track gave way to grass as we crested the hill and the dog seemed to catch onto the wind, flying ahead. I pushed myself, summoning a last burst of energy that sent me careening over the turf. The dog leapt into the air and pounced on me, knocking me to the ground. We rolled across the grass, hair and fur tangling wildly. He barked happily as I laughed freely, in a way that I hadn’t in a long time.
We fell into a panting, giggling heap with the dog’s weight resting on top of me. I smiled, breathing hard, and gently stroked along the curve of his neck. He gazed at me, his amber eyes deep and warm like caramel. The look he gave was almost human.
Something seemed to pass across his face and he got to his feet, retreating back quickly. I propped myself up on my elbows.
“You okay pup?”
He responded with a weak wag of his tail, glancing around. I smiled slightly but couldn’t help feeling something was upsetting him. I got up and started back on my way, the dog falling into step beside me. The pair of us walked in slow silence up past a broken down cottage and on to the edge of the large lake. It was one of my favourite places to visit, wide and mirror like with a perfectly circular island in the centre. The edge of the ground seemed to merge without any disruption into the water, deep green fading into pure silver. Even at night the water seemed to give off its own luminescent glow, enticing me in. Usually when I visited it was late, long after sunset when I’d managed to sneak off the property. Today the sky was still a pale blue, dusk drawing in but not quite there.
I went over to a spot where a cluster of rocks were balanced at the edge of the water and set down my bag. The dog clambered onto the rocks, looking down at the water with a wary expression. I turned my back and pulled off my top, folding it neatly and tucking it inside my bag. No one swam in the lake and very few people even went near it except for the occasional hiker, almost guaranteeing privacy. I shed the rest of my clothes, goose bumps instantly rising along my skin. The dog whined, glancing over at me before settling his head back on his front paws.
I stretched and dived into the water. The first moment was both the worse and the best, when the icy water invaded and conquered each of my senses in turn, stole the breath from my body and forced me to surface. The chill was followed by the spike of delicious warmth, the false cocoon that followed intense cold.
The water was clear and when I opened my eyes I could see the plants that grew at the bottom, an underwater forest that I loved to explore. The lake was too deep for me to swim to the ground, although I often tried, but from above I could see the floor was layered with smooth stones that shone in a variety of colours. Beautiful fish flitted past and occasionally I’d catch a glimpse of freshwater seals circling nearby.
The lake was massive and I had only explored a small fraction of it over my many visits. The island in the centre was a decent size, crowded with trees and a small cabin. A jetty protruded from the land but no boats were ever docked there. I don’t think anyone had even set foot there for at least a hundred years. I’d not even dared a visit. I was a strong enough swimmer that I could have reached it with a little effort but the one time I’d drawn close, I’d been hit with a wave of nausea and dizziness that only subsided when I retreated. I’d mentioned it to Nan and she’d made me promise not to try again.
Still there was plenty to explore even without the island. The lake walls were a mixture of mud and large smooth stones, almost like bricks, suggesting that it wasn’t an entirely natural creation. Caves riddled the walls, some tiny, some large enough for me to enter. Here I’d found a number of small shiny items; coins, coloured glass and peculiar glimmering scales of an iridescent green.
Today I was content to swim with no real purpose, just happy to be out of the house. My body had begun to adjust to the temperature, except for the brief moments when I surfaced and the cold air struck my damp skin.
I floated on my back, staring up at the sky. It was peaceful, with nothing but the ge
ntle lapping of the water against the shore. The sun began to dip beyond the horizon and for once my mind was at peace. Nearby the dog let out a low growl, drawing my attention.
“What’s wrong boy?” I asked softly, lifting my head. He turned his gaze the way we had come and whined. I frowned and shifted so I was treading water, straining my ears. At first I heard nothing and began to think that the dog was just imagining things, then he growled again. The sound of voices carried to me on the breeze and I felt my blood run cold.
“Are you sure she’s out here?”
“Yes I’m sure.”
“What, you put a tracking chip on her or something?”
I could make out the shape of three people approaching and I ducked down, submerging myself up to my ears. I knew that if I remained too exposed, the undisturbed view of the lake would make me easy to spot.
“Why are we even doing this?”
“Yeah, it’s freezing out here. I want to go home and play Xbox.”
“I’m doing this because that bitch needs to learn some respect.”
“You’re the godfather now?”
“Don Connor?” There was loud laughter, which died quickly “And what are you going to do when you find her?”
For a moment there was silence and the three of them stopped moving as Connor pulled something from his pocket.
“Is that… is that a knife?”
“Yep. Swiped it from my old man,” he said, shoving it back in his pocket before moving on. The other two didn’t follow, hesitating behind him.
“That’s going too far… she’s fifteen…
“Yeah I mean, she hit you but you did give her a black eye. I think you’re square.”
Connor huffed and turned back to look, clearly irritated by their unwillingness.
“Oh relax, I’m not going to hurt her. I’m just going to scare her.”
“How are we going to find her anyway? I’m not going in that water.”
“We’ll find her.”
“And then what?”
“Can’t we just call it even? She’s learned whatever lesson you’re trying to teach her. And I mean, she didn’t really do anything to either of us… just you.”
“Look neither of you need to be here if you don’t want, okay? But if you’re going to stay, both of you should shut up and grow a pair.”
The other two reluctantly came to join him, perhaps deciding it was better to be on his side than against him. Connor pointed towards the rock where the dog was watching them as intently as I was.
“See? I told you she was out here!”
“Is that a dog? It’s huge.”
“Ugly too…”
“Maybe it ate her.”
“We should gut it and find out.”
“That’s not what I meant. There’s a bag there. It’s got to be hers.”
The dog got to his feet and growled loudly, baring his teeth as the boys approached. I tensed as I watched, unwilling to let him get hurt. One of the boys reached for my bag and the dog snapped, hackles raised and eyes ablaze with fury.
“Vicious mutt isn’t he?”
The sky had darkened, reducing them to little more than silhouettes. They huddled together, obscuring the dog from my sight and a moment later I heard a muffled curse, followed by a loud yelp.
That noise was enough to send me catapulting from the water, leaping to my feet in one swift movement.
“LEAVE HIM ALONE!” I roared.
The boys turned, startled. I stood there, rage radiating from every pore of my damp, naked body. For a moment none of the boys moved, taken aback by my sudden appearance and lack of clothing. I balanced on the balls of my feet, eyeballing them each in turn, ready to strike if any of them made so much as a twitch in the direction of the dog. I wasn’t entirely sure what I would do – I was outnumbered and they were armed after all – but I was determined that they would not harm that animal.
Connor was the first to regain his composure. A twisted grin formed on his face and he ran his eyes slowly over me.
“Just the girl we wanted to see. If this is your way of trying to make things up to us… I don’t know about these guys but it’s kind of working for me…”
He took a step towards me, closing the space between us. I held still.
“Is that flea-bitten mutt yours?” he asked, gesturing with his knife.
My anger got the better of me and I kicked out. Unfortunately he predicted my attack and grabbed hold of me, tossing me to the floor with ease. He knelt, pressing his knee into my chest. The dog snarled and made to defend me, but one of the others knocked him back. The pained whimper from him was like a stab to my heart.
I flailed helplessly underneath Connor. He pressed the tip of his knife to the hollow of my throat.
“Tell me you’re sorry.”
I could feel his breath on my skin and turned my head away. There was a stone a few feet away and I desperately reached for it, my fingers grazing the edge.
“Connor…”
“Shut up Patrick. If you want to go, just go!” Connor growled, his face more animal than human.
Carraig
The word came to my head from nowhere and was gone as soon as I realised I was thinking it. I felt a cool pressure against my hand, the rugged smoothness of the stone against my palm. I slammed it against Connor’s cheek with as much force as I could manage. He recoiled but quickly regained himself. He grabbed hold of my hair and wrenched me forward. I felt the sharp edge of his knife against my throat, the warmth of blood spilling free, then my head was submerged into the icy water. It flowed down my throat, filling my lungs. My blood ran down my throat, dripping into the water around me.
Water swirled around me, the weeds seemed to be reaching out to me. My blood sank to the depths, disappearing into the darkness.
Cabhrú
The lake erupted around me. Connor’s grip on me slackened as he fell backwards. I jerked upwards, gasping for breath. The lake had become a broiling, seething mass of furious water that churned and raged at the banks. The waves reared up like horses, taller than any of us and I swore I heard an angry wail coming from the water.
Patrick caught my eye and took a stumbling step back, before bolting. Liam was quick to follow. I turned my gaze on Connor, sprawled in the dirt. He was clutching his face, whimpering in pain and I saw that where the water had struck him, a fierce burn had been left behind. He stared at me with a mixture of confusion and horror. I summoned all my strength, still gasping for the air that had been denied me, and walked towards Connor.
“Get. Away.”
The voice that came from me was not my own, it was a twisted growl. Connor leapt to his feet and fled.
I waited until he was out of sight before sinking to the ground. The blood on my neck was stiffening and my throat burned from where he’d held me down. I crawled over to where the dog lay. He seemed okay, suggesting the boys hadn’t done too much damage.
“You alright?” I asked softly, stroking his head.
He hesitated for a moment, as though testing to see if his body could take it, before getting to his feet. I rested a hand on his cheek and leant my forehead against his.
“I’m glad you’re okay. I was… I didn’t want them to hurt you…”
Everything was a confusing blur in my head and seemed distant, like a dream that was slipping away. The lake was still once again, not even a ripple to signify what had passed.
“We should get home. I think that’s enough excitement for one night…”
I kissed his muzzle lightly and got up, turning to the rocks to collect my bag and clothes. My eyes widened as I took in the shape of a man perched atop the rocks where before there had been no one. He was staring out across the lake but as I watched, he turned his head lazily to look at me.
“That was quite an impressive performance.”
The man was older than me by a few years, with defined features. His hair was dark and his eyes… his eyes looked like two pools of molten gold.
With languid movements, he rose and pulled my towel free from the bag, holding it out to me. I took it hesitantly, wrapping it around myself.
“Who… who are you?”
“Oh yes, forgive me.” His voice was soft and almost melodic, with a peculiar accent that I couldn’t quite place. “My name is Rhydian. I didn’t want to intrude but… that was truly something.”
“You see a girl getting drowned and decide it should be a spectator sport?” I asked, folding my arms across my chest and raising an eyebrow at him. My mind was racing trying to work out where he’d come from. I could have sworn there had been no one there moments before.
“I was confident that you could handle the situation. You don’t exactly strike me as the damsel in distress type.”
“Usually I’d agree with that but I do consider drowning quite distressing.”
“Apologies. I… didn’t catch your name?”
“I didn’t say it.” I hesitated. “I’m Blair.”
“A pleasure.” He paused and seemed to be considering for a moment. “I hate to be forward but… your current state is quite distracting. Would you maybe put some clothes on? I have already seen… everything but I can turn away while you dress to give the illusion of privacy?”
“Umm… thanks I guess?”
The stranger handed me my bag and turned to face the water. I glanced at the dog and gestured for him to watch the man. He barked and took up a defensive position, ready to strike if the need arose. I quickly dropped the towel and pulled on my clothes, the cloth sticking to my damp skin.
“Alright. I’m dressed.”
Rhydian turned and smiled.
“Much better. I must say I didn’t expect to run into a naked girl on my walk.”
“This place is full of surprises,” I said with a shrug. I shouldered my bag, shifting awkwardly as I tried to determine why this man was talking to me at all.
“I’ll say. You live here?”
“Yep, unfortunately so. Are you a tourist?”
“Not exactly. I lived here a long time ago and have only recently come back. It’s changed quite a bit.”
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