by Jeff Gunzel
Even once his feet were on land, he found walking only slightly easier, as the sand seemed to pull his feet down with each perilous step. He became distracted by a slight movement seen from the corner of his eye. He only glanced at first, then all the wood he had been carrying spilled from his arms and scattered around his feet. He resembled a stringed puppet limping along as his barely working legs did their best to run toward the leather bag rocking back and forth on the edge of the water.
He nearly overran it in his desperate stumbling, then turned back quickly and dropped down to his knees. They sank deep into the moist, cold sand as frozen fingers fumbled around the leather cord. “Oh please...please,” he mumbled while clawing away at it. He finally pinned the bag between his legs while using his teeth to pull on the cord. The tiny pop of the knot coming loose sounded as sweet as any music he had ever heard, but he was not about to relax before seeing what was inside.
At first he scooped around the inside with a numb hand before quickly losing patience. He turned the bag over onto the sand while mumbling a little prayer to himself. Wrapped packets of jerky, nuts, and raisins and a completely ruined loaf of bread that was nothing more than a ball of wet mush fell onto the sand, but he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry when a small cloth bag hit the sand—the same white bag that should have been in every leather sack. It was clear its contents were still intact, but he needed to see them anyway. He pulled the drawstring and peeked inside. Relief washed over him as his eyes fell on a small tube of oil next to the flint and steel.
He hastily scooped it all back into the leather bag along with quite a bit of sand and started back up the hill. Athel still remained seated just as he had left her. In fact, it did not seem as if she had moved an inch. “Athel, look. Look what I found!” he said, hoping to get some kind of response from her. She did little more than blink while staring off at nothing. “Here, there is some food in here. I’m going back for the wood. We’re going to make a fire, OK? And you...you’re going to be just fine.”
Now a bit more limber and moving better than before, he was able to scamper down the hill and collect the wood he originally dropped. It was completely saturated and nearly dripping, but with the oil and any kindling he might find under the trees he was sure it would still do the trick. He scampered back up with his first armful and dropped the pile before Athel, who didn’t even so much as look at him. “Just hold on, OK? I’ll grab a few more and we’ll get started. We can do this. Everything is going to be fine.”
He darted back down the hill, picking up the random pieces he had dropped from his first load. His heart was pumping hard from all the frantic effort, but it made him feel good. Alive. And although he was far from warm, he was limber now and moving well. When he made his way back up the hill he nearly dropped the second load as well. He could see Athel moving the wood around, forming crossing patterns with the pieces so the flames could breathe. She was moving very slowly...but moving. A good sign, to be sure.
“Here, here. Let me help you with that,” he said while gently pushing her hands back. She was still cold as ice, and he needed to get this fire started as soon as possible. “Just relax. I’ve got this.” He continued crossing the wood planks over each other in sets of two, soon completing the miniature tower. He then scooped up all the small twigs lying around the area. They were cold and still a little damp, but were certainly dryer than the larger wood. He spread them out evenly along the tower’s base.
With a few twists he removed the cork from the tube of oil, then dribbled it along the twigs. He hurried and gathered the flint and steel. Holding the flint firmly with what he determined to be the sharpest edge facing the wood, he struck it with the thin steel bar. It only took a few strikes before several orange sparks flared out onto the oiled wood. Within a minute he had a few small flames licking the much damper wood. It hissed and crackled defiantly at first, but before long they had a warm, comfortable fire to sit next to.
“Come on. Sit closer,” Jacob urged as he scooted Athel in, then began rubbing her shoulders and arms again. “Common, we have to get you warmed up.” He knew he was babbling on, but didn’t know what else to do. She had become so distant, almost as if shock were setting in. He just wanted her to hear the constant steady voice of a friend. He didn’t know if that would help anything or not, but figured it certainly couldn’t hurt. He knelt down behind her, placing his chest firmly against her back. When he wrapped both arms around her tight muscular stomach, he felt her begin to shiver for the first time. He vigorously rubbed up and down across her arms and shoulders, trying to generate as much heat as possible.
The fire popped and fizzled as the two sat there in silence. Jacob watched on as tiny glowing sparks rose high into the air. Watching them float off before eventually winking out, he couldn’t help the greedy thought that popped into his head. Here in this strange land he knew nothing about, he was very thankful not to be alone.
****
Eric moved along cautiously with his new friend in tow. The sheer innocence of this creature was simply astounding. While Eric was trying to move along silently, at least until he was sure they weren’t sharing this platform with anyone or anything, the young reptile bounded around him in circles as if it were all some sort of game. Scolding the creature only made it jump around even more, as it seemed to mistake scolding for attention.
But the grass-covered platform was not really all that large, and it only took a few hours to cover the terrain. Almost every inch was covered with some form of vegetation, mostly grass, but there were several patches of odd-looking weeds as well. He decided it was best to avoid them, seeing as how he knew nothing of this land. Almost anything could be considered dangerous.
The two of them walked clear around the edge of the stone platform as startled rabbits jumped from behind bushes and rocks. Well, at least there is food up here. Eric had to virtually force himself to look over the edge and see if there was any way to climb down. The sheer drop into nothingness made him weak in the knees. It was the same view from each angle, nothing but a long drop to where he couldn’t even see the bottom. Well, this is just great. There were two particularly large trees which he could not identify. If it weren’t for the oddly enormous leaves, he might have thought they were oaks.
One large gray peak stood up through the middle of the stone platform. The stone peak was hollowed out on one side, forming a shallow cave. It would make for a good place to rest for now, at least until he could figure out how to get down from here. The ceiling was too low for him to stand up straight, so hunching down low, Eric crept inside as his lizard friend eagerly followed. The walls were pitch-black and looked to be made of some sort of crystallized coal. They were rigid and almost sharp to the touch as Eric lightly rubbed his hand along them. The ground was loose and soft, most likely sand, but the light was too low for him to be sure. He also took note of two sharp stalactites hanging down from the cold, black ceiling. Both were towards the side of the wall and he wasn’t likely to bump either, but if he ever forgot about them and cut himself open up here in the middle of nowhere...
Sitting down with his legs crossed, he leaned forward, resting his chin in one palm. The little creature boldly moved in and began sniffing around his chest. Eric jerked back a bit, not quite ready to trust the wild beast just yet. Although it was very young, a full set of white sharp teeth promised it could do some serious damage if it suddenly got an idea.
“Go away. Stop it,” he said while pushing gently against its head. Even though it hadn’t shown any aggression at all towards him, he didn’t want to set off any primal instincts by moving in a way that could be mistaken as hostility. He stopped pushing and just dipped his shoulder, using it as a barrier while the creature kept sniffing away. “Look, see. I don’t have any food for you.” He held his hands out wide to prove he was telling the truth.
The creature sniffed his open hands one at a time, then backed away looking a bit disappointed. “Believe me, I wish I had something to eat.�
�� A slight growl of his stomach backed up his statement. “Besides, I don’t even know what you eat anyway.” As soon as the words left his mouth, he remembered how he got here in the first place, and what was almost certainly the reason this creature’s mother had brought him here. “On second thought, I think I know exactly what you eat, and that is no longer an option.”
A brief crackle of lightning flashed just outside the entrance, illuminating the dank stony walls for a second before the growing darkness swallowed the room once more. He sat on the cool sand and watched as the final layer of redness left behind by the setting sun slowly disappeared behind the mountains. Black clouds ponderously rolled in, covering any stars that might have been out this evening. A dim, struggling ring of light was all that could be seen behind the black curtain, giving away the moon’s approximate location. Light, drizzling rain peppered the grass as it wiggled like tiny fingers in the light, cold breeze.
With his new friend now curled up in a ball, his scaly side rising and falling with the steady breathing of sleep, Eric actually felt a bit lonely. At least the creature bounding around had provided some distraction—distraction from his current predicament; his hunger, his misery; the fact that his all-too- important mission had been a complete failure; the unbearably painful reality that he would never again hold...Jade?
He rubbed his eyes in disbelief. Certainly he had just imagined it. The dark, robed figure that just flashed across the entrance was no more than his own longing; his imagination conjuring what he wanted to see. “Jade?” came his weak, questioning voice. A whisper was all he could summon, for any more commitment than that would lend strength to his growing madness, madness that was increasingly becoming difficult to deny. It simply couldn’t have been her, but he would give anything at all to see her once more.
Now on his feet, he glanced toward his sleeping friend once more before scurrying out into the light, misty rain. Icy bits of snow now blended in with the light rain and growing fog. Low, rumbling thunder echoed off the endless sea of mountains, reminding him once again how truly lost and alone he really was. The fog had grown quite dense, especially given the extreme elevation. He could be hidden amongst the clouds for all he knew. Shielding his eyes with one hand, he squinted hard as his head whipped back and forth. Everything seemed normal enough. There was no sign of anyone, as best as he could tell. I was so sure I saw—
The sudden quiver of black clothing fluttered from the corner of his vision. He turned just in time see a black robe whirl around the side of one of the trees. He dashed through the fog and hooked the tree trunk with one arm, spinning himself in a complete circle around it. Nothing. I’m going mad. That’s all there is to it. Just then it became clear; he could feel the dark presence lurking behind him. Hot black smoke released into the air the moment Eric gripped his angry blade; an emotion he could certainly relate to, knowing full well without turning around...this was not Jade. A slow, long hiss filled the air as Spark came free inch by inch. Every inch of exposed blade crackled into flame as the fire licked the air with an insatiable hunger. He turned even slower as anger coursed through every inch of him.
“Show yourself, or I shall remove your hood after I’ve removed your head,” he hissed toward the black cloaked figure standing before him. With its dark hood hanging low and hands locked together between loosely hanging sleeves, its shoulders began to shake with low, rumbling laughter. Jagged lighting forked across the sky as the rain intensified. Large drops of water sizzled against Eric’s sword as he held it out wide, waiting for his answer. Eric’s threat had been no threat at all, and he didn’t plan to wait much longer.
“Who am I?” came a shrill hiss that didn’t match its low booming laugh at all. “Why, don’t you recognize me? After all, our hearts beat as one...Eric Aethello.”
“I will not ask you again,” Eric growled, pointing his sword toward the dark specter. Flames pulsed angrily across his blade. Raindrops sizzled into nothing before ever touching the flame as Spark pleaded, begged, to be fed.
“Oh, but I’ve already answered you...Gate Keeper. Is that not what they call you? Is that not the lie you’ve been told by so many?” Eric slowly lowered his sword, keeping his eyes glued to this specter. “Do you still not know who I am? Then perhaps your eyes will see the truth where ears have failed to hear it.” For the first time the specter released its hands from under his long, hanging sleeves. They were gray and gnarled, with long, wiry, black hairs thinly spread about. It slowly reached back, sliding gnarled gray fingers across its drooping hood. Eric held the sword up once again as he braced, but then it fell from his hand, the flames extinguished long before it every hit the ground. His blood froze as horror flooded through him.
He stared unblinkingly at...himself! It was the same face he had seen back at the palace: an older, sicker-looking version of himself. It began to boom with hollow laughter once more as a thick, snakelike tongue whipped around in the air. Blinding golden light cascaded from its eyes and mouth before consuming the entire being in a bright yellow flash. Its thunderous voice echoed off the mountains one last time. “You must release me!”
Lighting crackled across the sky, followed by lazy rumbling thunder. Eric fell to his knees as the cold rain and snow peppered his face. Had it all been some kind of illusion? Maybe. Was he going mad? Almost certainly. The only thing he knew for sure was...he was wide-awake. That was no dream.
Chapter 9
Athel and Jacob sat by the low fire as it crackled and fizzed in the light misty rain, each with their hands stretched out, trying to savor every bit of heat. Jacob had gathered two thick piles of leaves, which they would use as beds tonight. He figured they just needed a little drying out and then should do just fine. Each time he asked her if she was all right, she simply nodded her head absently before shivering for the hundredth time. At least she was acknowledging him now, if not actually saying anything back.
“You know, Athel, I’m pretty sure it’s just the two of us now. I just don’t see how the others could have survived that storm.” He folded his hands across his knees, letting out a deep breath as a puff of steam rose up. “You know, Eric and I used to play together as children. I’ve known him my whole life. Not that we’re very much alike, mind you.” He laughed as he gazed up to the night sky.
The moon was hidden by dark clouds, and even the stars couldn’t penetrate the black cloak. An owl hooted off in the distance, pulling him momentarily from his happy childhood memories. Within seconds the hoot was answered by a distant howling, most likely a wolf or coyote. He shivered before scooting closer to the fire, then reached out to give Athel’s knee a slight shake.
“Stay with me now,” he said with a smile. “You know, he was the one always trying to keep me out of trouble. Whenever I thought of a prank or joke to play on the townsfolk, he would always try and talk me out of it. Not that I ever listened, of course.” He looked to Athel, whose distant eyes remained glued to the fire. At least she appeared to be listening. “He even stood up for me when no one else would,” he sighed loudly. “I had a thing for the ladies, you know. And...well...I guess I got my hands on the wrong one. I remember the day Trish’s older brother gathered a bunch of the neighborhood boys. They were set to give me the thrashing of a lifetime, one I most certainly deserved. But just when they were set to pound me, Eric stepped right in front and told them it had to be one-on-one, or they would all have to go through him.” He laughed absently to himself. “You know, they all backed down immediately. I mean...Eric is not small, you can see that. But it’s more than that. He is a natural leader and doesn’t even realize it. He hated fighting, but he hated injustice even more. Whenever he spoke, people listened.” He was suddenly thankful for the light rain. He didn’t want Athel to see his sudden tears forming. “And now he’s gone. My best friend is gone.”
Two hands sliding gently down the front of his chest broke him from his trance. Athel’s beaded braids rattled lightly on the side of his head as she pressed her cheek against hi
s. He clasped his own hands around hers and leaned his head back. A deep rumble steadily rolled from her throat as she rubbed her breasts up and down his back. Was she...purring? “Athel...Athel what are you��”
A strong hand clasped over his mouth with lightning speed, turning his head sideways. “Shhhh,” she purred. “I never did say thank you for saving my life.” Jacob mumbled something inaudible as her hand gripped the sides of his mouth even tighter. Her cold, wet lips began kissing their way up the side of his neck, stopping at his ear before delivering a sharp bite. He flinched at the sudden pain, but was not exactly struggling to get away either. With her silver teeth clasped tightly on his ear, she tugged several times, shaking her head back and forth as her beads rattled away. She finally stopped pulling when Jacob let out a soft whimper, but even then delivered one last hard bite before driving her tongue in as deep as she could.
With a sudden push, she toppled him backward, then mounted him with the same lighting speed she had shown earlier. Athel dropped down flush across his chest, forcing him to carry her full weight. She slithered along him like a snake, then hovered over his face with their lips almost touching. “So you believe your best friend is gone forever.” He began to protest the painful bluntness of her statement, but her lips pressed hungrily against his, choking off any words before they could form. She pulled back, then continued purring like a cat while sliding her tongue along his neck, then up across his lips and face. She drove herself down again, kissing him deeply before her teeth began working harder than her lips, biting his lower lip and even trying to grip his tongue.
