‘Ah, you be weak. Weak like your wife.’ Without any further word, Kaylen flung open the door and staggered out. Miles rested his back on the door after he shut it. Kaylen was right. If he were stronger, he would be able to stand up to that bully.
All was quiet in the night. The stranger did not stir and the night sounds consisted of soft lapping waves and the occasional lowing of cattle.
After losing a whole day with the cow and the stranger, Miles thought it best to get up and start his chores early. He trod carefully outside, skirting the lake in the wan light, picking up driftwood and other materials. As dawn broke, he carried the bundles of wood back to the house and went to milk the cows.
Miles had his head down as he walked, thinking. He looked up and stopped suddenly. The gate to the cattle pen was open. Immediately, he suspected Kaylen’s hand. The loop of rope that he used to secure the gate hung on the post. At least, Kaylen hadn’t cut it.
One cow remained in the pen. He turned around. No cows were near the lake. With water there, it was unlikely one would accidently drown. Whistling he called to his cows and was delayed until well after breakfast rounding them up. His bull and a calf were gone and he guessed Kaylen had helped himself.
Miles chewed his lip as he headed into the house. Kaylen was unlikely to return the calf, no matter what tactics Miles tried.
Belle did not look up when he came in and she put the food down in front of him without speaking. He heard her sniff as she turned away.
‘What is it?’ he asked.
Swinging around, she glared at him. ‘You ask me that? Why don’t we move away from here, away from him? He controls us, plays with us.’
‘You exaggerate. It’s not that bad.’
‘Really? We have a stranger hidden in our woodpile because we are too afraid of Kaylen to be open about him being here. Instead of telling him to go home last night, you let him drink all your treasured spirit. What else has he done?’
‘Done?’
‘I can tell by your face that there’s more.’
Miles lowered his gaze to the crumb-covered table. ‘He’s taken the calf. The bull is missing too and he let out the cows. That’s why I’m late for breakfast.’
‘Oh Miles. This can’t go on.’
‘I know, I know. Any sound from our guest?’
‘Not a peep. Will you check him before you go out? Make sure he is still alive, as I don’t want to working with a dead body in the house.’
Miles finished his bread and broth and went to the bedroom. He opened the trap door and peered inside. The man stirred, blinking and shielding his eyes from the light.
‘Morning.’
The man sat up. Miles reached down and extended a hand. The man looked at it, grabbed it and climbed out. He eyed Miles, then his gaze went to Belle standing in the doorway. He nodded to her.
Belle smiled and waved him to the table. There she placed fresh biscuits and hot tea and stood over him while he ate. The man’s gaze wandered around the room and then out the window. After eating, he moved closer to the window and stared out at the lake. Miles stood next to him and pointed. ‘Found you in that.’
The man nodded and resumed staring out at the lake. Miles was wondering what to do. Did the man speak? Was he from the town over the hills? How did he make this far on foot?
‘The lake. How did you get in there?’
The man turned toward him, eyebrows furrowed. ‘Lake?’
He words were slow and accented. ‘Yes, the lake. Water.’
The man mumbled to himself. Miles tried to discern the words he was speaking but could not. Then man sat down again and put his head in his hands. Belle reached over and touched the back of the man’s neck. ‘Fever,’ she said, snatching her hand away.
‘I’ll put him back below. You move away from him. It could be catching.’
‘Well it’s too late now seeing I already have touched him. Best we check him for injury. It could be an infected wound.’
Miles urged the man into the bedroom, then mimicked taking off his clothes. The man nodded and then peeled off the remains of his shirt and then his trousers. Across his lower back were three gouges, like claws had shredded him. One of them was inflamed and oozing pus. Belle was right.
Belle boiled some cloth and came into the room to tend the man. Once the wound was cleaned and dressed, Belle gave him one of Miles’s shirts to wear and then he returned to the woodpile without argument. The stranger was asleep before the trapdoor lowered. Miles left Belle with her chores and went out to do more foraging. Before he could return, he had to face Kaylen and retrieve his bull.
Miles made good progress with the junk that he collected. He found a half buried box of canned food; various lengths of twine; a metal bucket; some bottles of what looked like wine; floating glass balls, which would make a nice gift for Belle, and various lengths of cut wood along with more drift wood. There were bits of paper floating on the surface of the lake, which he scooped up. Dried they could be useful though any text on them had blurred and smeared. Further out a container bobbed on the light waves. Miles rolled up his trousers and took off his shoes so he could wade out and grab it before it floated away. After a few hits with a stick, he was able to guide it into range. This container contained shirts and other items of clothing. They made Miles think of the stranger, so he carried them to shore and, after putting his shoes on, carried it straight home. His stomach rumbled so it was time to eat anyway.
He heard Kaylen’s voice before he reached the front yard. Quickly he hid the container behind the outdoor wood stack. Then he rushed inside.
Belle hunkered close to her stove, hand clenched on her stirring spoon. Kaylen was a few steps away from her, hands on his hips. ‘Why don’t you come and sit down with me?’
He could hear Belle’s reply. ‘I told you. I’m very busy. I don’t have time. Please leave me alone.’
‘That is not very neighbourly of you—’
‘Can I help you?’ asked Miles, stifling his anger.
Kaylen turned slowly. ‘No, if I wanted to talk to you I’d come looking for you. I wanted your pretty lady’s company.’
‘Well, she is my wife. It isn’t right that you come here when I am away from the house.’
‘Not right. Who says?’
‘I say.’
‘You say. Who are you to tell me what to do?’
‘Last time I checked I was Belle’s husband. It is my duty to protect her. This is my land, my home. You are only a visitor here.’
‘Visitor? Not guest?’
‘Not a guest when you enter uninvited.’
Kaylen turned toward him, drawing himself up to his full height, anger staining his face red. Before he could direct his anger, Miles jumped in. ‘Now that you are here. I wanted to ask you if you have seen my bull today? Somehow the gate was open this morning...’
A look of surprise transformed Kaylen’s angry expression.
‘Don’t be askin’ me about it. You’re the careless one to leave the gate open and let your cattle stray. Not my fault they are a wanderin’.’
Miles slammed his hand down on the table. ‘I did not leave it open. I shut it every night as well you know.’
Kaylen’s gaze raked Belle, who stood shivering by the stove. ‘What business is it of mine to know your habits? I’ll be off then seeing I’m not welcome in this house.’
‘About my bull. I’ll walk back with you and fetch it shall I?’
‘What bull? There is only my bull and my calf.’
‘You lost your bull last season. Come on let’s not argue like this. Come along and we’ll talk about it as we walk back to your place.’
Kaylen grunted. Belle’s face had gone pale. She looked ready to swoon. Kaylen glanced at her and grunted again, setting his feet in motion to the door. Miles stepped back and allowed him to pass, his heart beating frantically in his chest. He had stood up to his neighbour? Had it worked?
With one last glance at Belle to check she was all right, he followed Kaylen out of the door. What was going on? Did the arrival of one stranger set things out of balance so much? As Miles walked, he wondered if they would find equilibrium again.
Kaylen stalked back to his farm without saying a word. In his stockyard were Miles’s bull and calf. In a corner was also some of the salvage that Miles had collected the day before. Kaylen had helped himself to it. Kaylen saw him noticing and lifted his chin, daring Miles to speak of it.
Miles walked up to the stockyard gate. ‘Thank you for finding my bull for me. You may keep the calf.’
Kaylen grunted and said nothing as he watched Miles open the gate and lead his bull free. Miles knew the other man did not deserve the calf, but thought it best to quieten the argument.
With a nod to his neighbour, Miles led his bull back to his property, further lamenting the lost opportunity to gather salvage from the lake and tackle his chores. With the bull safely in the pen, Miles irrigated the garden and collected more of the previously collected and stacked salvage before Kaylen could steal it.
Night came early and cool, teasing the air with soft puffs of mist rolling in from the lake. Tendrils drifted over the cottage, mingling with the smoke from the chimney fire. It was warm inside the kitchen. Belle bustled about moving pots and shifting plates. The stranger sat at the table, complexion looking healthier. The man stood when Miles entered and smiled.
‘I thank you for the help,’ the man said slowly and with an accent.
‘You’re welcome. What shall we call you?’ Miles’s gaze slid to Belle. She seemed perfectly calm and happy. If Belle did not fear him then all the better.
‘I am Wayfour. In all my time riding the rift I have never heard of Lake Absence.’
Belle turned to the table placing bowls of stew and hot flat bread in front of them. So Belle had been talking to the stranger. ‘Riding the rift? What is that?’
‘I ride the rift between the lands of Ictual and Laden.’
‘I have not heard of these places. They are not the lands divided by the lake.’
‘No, not the same thing. I speak your language although your version is rather strange. So I think your people must have come from Laden originally, possible accidently like I have.’
Miles shared a look with Belle. She smiled weakly and then drew up her seat. ‘So we are in a land between these places you travel,’ he asked the stranger.
The stranger shrugged. ‘This is not a normal land. Do you understand? This is a between place. A place that only exists because of the rift. That’s the only way I can explain it. The water…I mean the lake, is part of the process, part of the balance.’
Miles sat back and blinked. ‘Not a normal land. What do you mean?’
‘When I say I travel between the lands I do not speak of ordinary travel, like on foot or by boat. Ictual and Laden exist on different planes. A great machine generates the rift and to travel from one place to the other one must ride the rift. It is hard to explain, if you have not seen the machine, or the rift.’
Belle reached out and squeezed Miles’ hand. ‘Wayfour’s a rift rider. When one travels on the rift, the water comes here and when they return it goes away again. Not many take the journey anymore. This explains why the lake is so unpredictable these days.’
Wayfour dug into his food. After swallowing a mouthful, he said, ‘Belle has explained the situation here. I will keep out of sight until I am ready to ride the rift again.’
‘When will that be?’
‘I am weak still. A day maybe two.’
There was a clunk outside the door. Miles and Belle started. It could only be Kaylen again. With a nod to the stranger, Miles stood slowly while the stranger darted into the bedroom and slunk down into the woodpile. Belle moved Wayfour’s plate and hid it behind the pot on the stove as Kaylen swung the door open.
He walked in without saying a word. Miles was frightened by the wild look in the man’s eye.
‘Evening neighbour. What can we do for you?’
‘What’s going on here?’
‘Going on? I’m just having dinner and a chat with my wife.’
‘I heard voices, a stranger’s voice.’
Belle stepped forward. ‘Miles was telling me a story and putting on a stranger’s voice. Won’t you have some stew? I have plenty here.’ She held a bowl out to him. With a swift cut of his hand, he knocked it flying.
‘Don’t want no damned stew. I want the truth. Who is here?’
‘No one I told you. You can’t just come in here and throw your weight around.’
‘Who says I can’t? I am doin’ it aren’t I? You goin’ to do somethin’ about it?’
‘Calm down, please. Just calm down. There’s nothing to get upset about.’ Miles backed away, his hands making placating gestures.
‘Really?’ He lunged for Belle, grabbed her to him and tried to kiss her. She struggled in his grip. Miles started shouting but didn’t know what to do. He tried tugging his wife out of the other man’s hands. Kaylen grabbed her left breast and squeezed. Belle screamed and struggled.
Miles jumped on Kaylen’s back only to be shrugged off. Kaylen backed Belle onto the table, smashing the bowls that were there. He started hiking up her skirts.
‘Stop!’
Kaylen paused. ‘You want to be tellin’ me what’s goin’ on now? Or do I fill your wife with my seed because I can?’
Belle was weeping now as she tried to keep her skirt down and push Kaylen off her.
‘I told you nothing is going on. We were eating our dinner.’
Kaylen shoved a struggling Belle back hard. She hit her head on the table. Kaylen began to fumble with his trousers. Miles picked up a shard of pottery from the floor and readied himself to launch at his neighbour. Before he could act, Belle aimed her clawed fingers at his face. Kaylen backed off her with a cry, hands going to his eyes. ‘Filthy bitch. I’ll get you for that.’
Kaylen shouldered Miles out of the way and lunged for the door. Miles stunned, stood there gaping, until the sound of Belle’s weeping reached him. Then shaking himself, he went to comfort his wife. When she quieted, he shut the door, wondering what would happen next. The stranger Wayfour stood there his face glum. ‘I see what Belle means. I hate to cause you all this trouble.’
‘The trouble would be greater if he found out now. After that row. He’d probably kill you for being here.’
‘If you are well, I will rest now. Perhaps I will be fit enough to leave tomorrow.’
Miles nodded. The trapdoor lowered and he led Belle to the bed. She would not talk to him. Miles did not blame her. What kind of husband was he that he could not stop another man trying to rape his wife? Kaylen’s loneliness must be hard on him. When his wife was alive, he was more bearable.
Miles lay on the bed but couldn’t sleep. Worry harried him. If he did let his eyes close, the scene with Belle pinned under Kaylen kept replaying.
Belle continued to keep to herself, not huddling close to steal his warmth. Disgusted with himself, Miles shuffled out of the house to start his chores early.
The door of the woodpile lifted as he trod to the kitchen. Wayfour climbed out and placing his finger to his lips, signalled for silence.
It was dark outside, with dawn many hours away. The sky was sickly yellow with brown-stained clouds. Wayfour accompanied him to the lake. Copying Miles, Wayfour stopped to pick up wood and other odd bits and stack them as Miles did.
‘You do not have to stay here. I could take you back with me.’ Wayfour spoke after a while.
‘No,’ Miles said as he squatted to tidy a stack of wood. ‘This is my home. This is all that I know. This thing with Kaylen will pass and things will go back to normal.’
‘Are you sure? Belle said she wanted a normal life for her and her child. Will you not consider it?’
‘What leave here? Leave our home?’
‘You can make a new life. A
life where you belong. A better life too. Not one filled with toil.’
The dawn broke and dull light spread over the dun coloured lake. ‘Best you return to the house and hide yourself. Kaylen could be abroad at this hour.’
Wayfour nodded, cast his gaze around them and the left. Miles hurried to his chores, hoping to put his sleeplessness to good use. Why did Belle talk to this man about her fears? She should talk to him? He did not like the talk of leaving. This was his world, his home, his life. He rejected the thought of leaving.
All the salvage was neatly stacked and the cows milked before he headed back for breakfast. The stove was cold. Belle was still abed. The stranger was up. When Miles came in, he handed him some cold bread.
They both looked towards Belle and then shared a look.
‘How do you feel?’ Miles asked in a whisper.
‘Better. I think I can manage to open the rift. You should come with me, both of you.’
Miles shook his head. ‘Thank you again for the offer. But this is the only life I know. My father built this house...’
The stranger nodded slowly. ‘It’s too dangerous for you here, dangerous for her. I won’t push you but I will show you how to trigger the rift. I will wait for you on the other side for a few days before moving on, in case you change your mind.’
Miles nodded. When the stranger was ready and had said his goodbyes to Belle, Miles checked the perimeter to make sure Kaylen was not anywhere around. Together they skirted the lake. The stranger walked slowly, pausing every now and then. Miles pointed to the tree where he had found the stranger.
‘That is not the point. I drifted there. I need to feel my way. Not easy to detect if you don’t know what you are looking for.’
Wayfour continued on and then slowed. He appeared to be sniffing but that wasn’t it. ‘Do you feel that?’ he asked Miles quietly.
Beneath the Floating City collection Page 9
