I mull his words over in my head, truly speechless at what I have just heard. I never could have imagined such an evil existed. My anger at gra’da and the old folk for keeping us in the dark ain’t lessening any, but I think I kind of understand what they had tried to do now. They had tried to give us a normal life…a happy life free from the fear that the people on the other side of those mountains seemed to live in constantly. Like Tater had said I guess they figured they would never be looked for or found. They were so wrong and had paid a high price for their ignorance.
“You said the Prezedant ain’t never come on this side of the mountains before….why now do you think?”
He shrugs. “I could only guess. As far as I know his armies have never made the trek through the mountains….it is a hard journey indeed and as you well know the sand lands do not have much to offer. He has in the past left the exploring of the sand lands to us, the traders. The few brave souls who have decided to try and eke out a living in these barren desolate lands he has never shown much interest in. But with these vehicles of his apparently more mobile now he must have a reason for venturing into the sand lands. The man may be evil incarnate but he never does anything without a reason.”
What kind of reason could he have to just up and kill innocent people, I think. And why would gra’da send me to Littlepass ….toward this prezadent? Into his lands? It don’t make a lick of sense to me. Gra’da’s words on that day play over in my head.
“Find Lily, tell her she was right.”
Right about what?
“Tell her I should have sent word long ago.”
Should have sent word….to her, Lily. Tater’s words make more sense to me the more I think about it. Gra’da had certainly known of Lily and Littlepass…but why had he never spoke of her ‘til then? And was she able to help me get Ben and the young’uns back?
“When he takes the young folk…where does he keep ‘em?” I ask, knowing that this now must be my focus. I ain’t prepared for the harsh laughter that comes from the little man. It was so unlike his normal cheerful sound that I cain’t help but be shocked by it. He leans over and stares at me so intently it’s like he’s staring into my very soul. He points a stubby finger at me.
“I’m only going to say this once girl so pay close attention. Forget about finding your young kin ever again. They are as good as dead. As we speak they have already been sold into slavery, put to work in the iron mines or a dozen other possibilities, but they are gone, understand? Forget about them. My advice to you, go find your Lily…maybe she can keep you and the boy safe…give you a home. Keep you from ending up like your kin.”
“Shut…your…mouth!” I hiss, low but fierce. “They ain’t dead! Don’t you ever say those words to me…ever again!”
Fuming mad, my blood pounding through my veins, I want to lash out at the little man for his terrible words. How dare he tell me to forget about them! I want to smack that smug know it all look right from his face! But I don’t get a chance to do anything before Tater recoils and his eyes open wide, like I really did hit him! But I ain’t touched him! I was only thinking it! Why is he looking at me like that? Are my thoughts that obvious? Angry, confused, and not wanting to look at his face anymore, I turn my back to him and lay down on my bedroll. I am done with the conversation…I don’t want to hear another word from the half man. I can feel his eyes boring into my back but I don’t acknowledge him at all. I wrap my hand around my flower, my gift from Ben, hoping to get some comfort from it. I feel such overwhelming hopelessness…all I want to do is cry. But I don’t. I ain’t giving him the satisfaction of hearing me cry. Instead I focus on the faces of Ben and Jane and young Thomas. I try to picture in my mind what they look like, what they sound like, ‘cause as angry as I am at Tater for his terrible words there’s this small nagging part of me that fears he may be right. If the only way to get them back means going up against this Prezedant and his army, then I’ve lost before I’ve even begun.
It’s been days of traveling through these damn strangling woods, but the trees are finally starting to thin out. The tangled web of branches and leaves are giving way to golden beams of sunlight filtering through up ahead. Cat takes off, eager to get back out into the open lands, and I can feel the same anticipation. Just knowing we’re almost through the woods must have put Tater in a jubilant mood ‘cause he starts singing, a tune I ain’t heard before but Finn knows of it and soon joins in. Usually hearing the two of them singing is enough to raise a smile outta me, but not this time. My mood is somber…has been since my conversation with Tater. Our arguing ain’t affected him at all. Other than the occasional times I’ve caught him staring oddly at me, he’s been acting like nuthin even happened. Me, I ain’t done much talking these past few days, but I have done a lot of thinking.
I have decided to keep on going to Littlepass, to try and find Lily like gra’da wanted me to do. There must have been a reason for his wanting me to. I need to know at least why. I ain’t given up on the idea of her being able to help me find my kin. I refuse to believe that Tater is right. They were not gone, like he says. But he is right about one thing. It was way too dangerous for the boy to be accompanying me. I’m hoping this Lily can help me with that. Look after him perhaps, give him a home, keep him alive. More than I can offer him. As for Cat, well she was a wild animal after all, she could survive on her own. It would break Finn’s heart to let her go but it was either that or probably have her get killed. Finn didn’t have much of a choice. As for myself, well, I wasn’t staying in Littlepass. I couldn’t. Once Finn was settled I would move on. As dangerous as Skytown seemed, it was where I had to go. I don’t care what Tater says, I was going to find Ben... or at least die trying.
By mid morning we’re finally out of the woods. After so many days of being in dim light the sun is almost blinding. My eyes ain’t used to so much light no more. I close them to give them time to adjust and just stand there with my face turned up to the sun, enjoying its warmth. I notice right away there ain’t no smell of rot no more. The air is fresh smelling, like sunshine and grass and sage. It’s real nice and I breathe it in deep.
“Tara! Look!” Finn’s voice is just quivering with excitement, breaking my tranquility. He starts tugging on my arm trying to get my attention. I open my eyes to see what has him so riled up.
We’re standing in a valley spread out about half a league across. The whole floor of the valley is grassland. It’s brown and stubbly but it’s plentiful, there ain’t a bit of cracked soil to be seen. Surrounding us on both sides are high sloping hills dotted with gray trees and big red boulders creating almost walls through the valley. But it’s what’s on the other end that has Finn all wide eyed.
They hover on the horizon like blue-gray giants, so massive it seems like they’re actually touching the sky. The tips of them are hidden by puffy gray clouds, making you believe that if you were to climb to the top you could just hop on a passing cloud and float away. Like Finn, I’m awestruck at this sight. I ain’t ever thought I’d see such a thing in my lifetime. They are breath taking and scary all at the same time.
“That’s them ain’t it Tater,” Finn says breathlessly. “The mountains you was talking ‘bout.”
Tater nods. “Yes. Are they not magnificent? I never tire of seeing their majestic beauty. They truly are some of the god’s most impressive handiwork.”
“Do we gotta go over ‘em?” Finn is sounding all worried now but I’m glad he’s asking ‘cause I’m fearing the same. There ain’t no way we’re going to be able to climb those giants.
“Oh dear me, no. No, no silly boy that would be impossible.” Tater slaps Finn on the back laughing as if that were the funniest thing he had ever heard.
“You do amuse me so. No we will go through them. Yes indeed. You see, there is a gulch, a pass through them, almost impossible to find unless you are aware of its existence. Which lucky for you both, I am. As my dear mother would have said, our meeting was indeed a most fortunate throw of the
dice.”
I shake my head. After days of being in Tater’s company I am starting to believe he speaks just for the sheer joy of hearing himself talk. I cain’t understand half of what he says and if his ma truly said all those things he says she said…well she must have been a real odd woman, I think. I guess the branch didn’t fall far from the tree.
Winnie by now has gotten the scent of the grass and she’s itching to feed. Tater lets her go and she wanders off to particularly tasty looking patch. Cat is way off on the valley floor, running and jumping. Looks like she’s maybe chasing some sort of small critter, though she’s too far away to tell. The open land, the sun, the fresh air, it fills me with a sense of well being….something I ain’t felt for a long time. I don’t know why but I start smiling. Then I look at the others. They’re smiling too. We’re all just standing, smiling….looking round like we’re a bunch of wide eyed young’uns.
“It’s so pretty here,” Finn says quietly, breaking the silence. I’m thinking the same. It is pretty…peaceful almost, like nuthin bad could ever happen here. Like a madman never existed just on the other side of those mountains. But Tater quickly crushes that illusion.
“Indeed,” he says. “But do not be lulled into a false sense of security. There are hidden dangers we must be aware of.”
He reaches into his jacket and pulls something out. At first I think it’s his musical flute but then he holds it to his eye. It’s made of a shiny light colored metal. He pulls on it with his other hand and it gets longer. He looks through the narrow end and I can now see there’s a circle of glass at the other, wider end. Finn had been standing hands on his hips, looking out over the valley, but at this new object of Tater’s his eyes grow all big and round.
“Shizen! What is that?” he says in wonder.
“Finn!” I say, scolding him. “Stop your cussin’!”
But I’m sure as shizen wondering the same. What is it?
“Ah yes, this little beauty is called a spyglass,” Tater answers but he don’t take it from his eye. He just keeps sweeping the valley.
“Got this off of a real friendly lady in Skytown by the name of Glenalda. Traded her a bottle of whiskey and a lovely silk dress of my mothers.” He laughs to himself. “Yes…that was quite the night indeed…but I’m rambling again aren’t I? This, my young friends, helps you to see far off in the distance. Very handy for scouring the vicinity for any sign of danger or threat.”
He does another sweep then takes it down from his eye.
“And it appears we are good.”
I forget all my hostility and anger towards Tater and nearly run Finn over in my haste to reach the little man and his curious object.
“Let me see!”
“Can I try?”
We’re trying to yell over each other, to be the first to get a look at this wonder, but Tater holds the spyglass away from us.
“Careful! It’s a very delicate object.”
He hesitates for a bit, looks from me to his spyglass. I can tell he don’t wanna part with it, but finally he relents and hands it over.
“You promise to be careful?”
“Aye!” I say, taking it eagerly.
I hold it to one eye, squinting the other like Tater had done. All of a sudden the mountains that seemed so far away before loom in front of me and I cain’t help but step back in shocked astonishment. I can see every rocky ledge and treed valley perfectly clear like I could reach out and touch them!
“Holy Shizen!” I say, pulling it away for a moment just to make sure my eyes weren’t playing a trick on me. Nope the mountains are just as far away as before. I quickly put it back to my eye again. How is this little thing making this possible?
Finn is yanking at my tunic impatiently.
“My turn! My turn!”
I don’t want to let it go. It’s one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen but it ain’t fair not to let Finn try so I reluctantly hand it over. I cain’t help but laugh when his mouth falls open at what he sees. His hand goes up in front of him and he’s reaching like he thinks he can touch what’s in the spyglass. At hearing my laugh he turns the spyglass to me, grinning.
“Hey Tara, you got a hanger in your nose.”
“What?” My hand goes to cover my nose but Finn cracks up laughing.
“No there ain’t you mule turd,” I yell at him but it makes me laugh too.
Finn hands the spyglass carefully back to Tater.
“That was amazing Tater!” he says, bouncing up and down. “You got anything else to show us?”
“Another time perhaps,” Tater says putting it away. “But I think it is best we head out. A word of advice though before we proceed through the valley, yes?”
His tone is light but I get the feeling he ain’t telling us everything, and my gut clenches, chasing away my earlier feeling of peacefulness.
“What is it?” I ask. “Did you see something in that spyglass of yours?”
“No, no. Everything was clear. No sign of any threat. But I suggest we move through the valley quickly. Not make camp until we get to the base of the mountains. If we make haste we should be there before nightfall.”
Taters words are not easing my worries none.
“Why? Thought you said everything was clear? Why do we gotta hurry? Are there critters or such we should watch out for?” I say.
He chuckles as if the idea of such a thing was ridiculous.
“No not ‘critters’ per say. But beyond that third rise there is a village I am familiar with. I have done some trading there in the past. They….tolerate my presence. But they are, how shall I put this, very unfriendly towards strangers of any sort. You two, being so young and…..innocent, let’s just say you do not want to make their acquaintance. And as for Cat, as extraordinary as she is, they would only see meat and a fur cloak. Do you understand?”
I understand. I understand that the world is a lot more evil and dark then I had ever thought possible. But I just nod.
“Aye. We need to go through unnoticed. Let’s move then,” I say.
But Finn as always was more concerned about his beast than us.
“So if we get to the mountains Tater will Cat be safe from the villagers then? Won’t they just follow us into the mountains?” he says, his face a mask of anxiety.
“Oh no dear boy….do not worry about your she devil. The villagers, they do not venture into the mountains…they avoid the mountains at all cost.” He grins his toothy smile and I see Finn visibly relax.
“They are too afraid of encountering the raiders you see.”
Finn gasps at this and Tater’s smile dies away.
“Oh dear, maybe I shouldn’t have said that.”
This just keeps getting better and better, I think.
We don’t talk, we don’t stop, we walk as fast as we can. Tater don’t come right out and say what the villagers would do to us but my mind keeps filling in the gaps with all kinds of horrible thoughts. I find myself looking over my shoulder every few steps and jumping at every noise. Sometimes I swear I catch a glimpse of movement behind us at times, like someone was following us but it never amounts to anything. I know it’s just my mind playing tricks on me but it don’t ease my rattled nerves none. It only makes me pick up the pace and have Finn and Tater struggle to keep up with me. But by sundown we’re at the base of the mountain, and without incident. We decide not to attempt the gulch at this late hour but wait for the morning light. A small grove of trees halfway up a side slope looks to be our best bet for a protected campsite, though we’ll have to do without a fire tonight. After making it through the valley unnoticed there ain’t no need to draw attention now.
We set up our beds by the early evening moonlight, but I ain’t the least bit tired. I feel all on edge and my blood is strumming through my veins. I lay staring up at the night sky, listening ‘til finally I hear Finn’s slight snores and Tater’s louder version. Even Cat is sleeping, twitching as she chases some dream prey. But sleep eludes me. I move my b
lankets to a tree, prop myself up against the trunk and lay the iron shooter in my lap. I cain’t rightly say what’s bothering me but I watch the valley floor, the slopes for any sign of movement. I strum my fingers against the long barrel of the shooter. I wait.
The moon is high in the sky now but it’s not much help with all the shadows of the valley. I keep watching, looking for…I ain’t sure what. I don’t know how long I sit there. I can hear a critter hooting off in the distance, its call eerie in the quiet night. It’s getting hard to keep my eyes open now. I’m being foolish, I think. I should get some sleep.
Then suddenly…..there below me! Something is moving! Fully awake now I bolt upright and hold the iron shooter tighter. I wish I had thought to ask Tater for his spyglass. I keep watching the spot. There it is again! A shape moving real slow. I get a brief glimpse of it as it emerges from the shadows into a moonlit patch of valley floor. It looks to be hunched over and shuffling like….like the creature I had seen in the sand lands. I blink my eyes, trying to focus. It disappears into the darkness again and I cain’t see it no more. I keep watching, not blinking ‘til my eyes start to burn but I don’t see it again. Was I imagining it? I could have sworn something was there. But if there had been something, there was no way it could have been the same creature. What I had seen that night in the sand lands had been weeks and leagues away from here. What were the odds the creature had been traveling in the same direction as us? Following us? Even though I don’t see no more movement I decide I ain’t sleeping tonight. Imagination or not somebody needs to keep watch, I think. I sense…something in my gut and it just don’t feel right. I settle back against the tree and level the iron shooter on my knee pointing it straight ahead. If there was something out there it wasn’t getting past me tonight. No way in hell!
“Tara! Tara, wake up.” Dazed, confused I open my eyes. The sun is up, it’s morning. Suddenly remembering the moving shadow, I search my lap frantically for the iron shooter. It ain’t there. Then I realize Tater is standing above me waving the shooter and grinning.
Awaken Page 8
