Energy - Awakening

by MJ Schutte

  ‘Seems a bit strange,’ Brighton murmured as he took a closer look at the little one’s eyes.

  ‘White as the moon,’ he said.

  Brighton slowly wagged his finger in front of the little one’s nose.

  ‘He is certainly not blind. He follows my finger easily.’

  ‘I know what we’ll do; we’ll ask old Thomas about it. He seems to know a lot about animals,’ Brighton said.

  They sat in silence for a while, Lilian playing with the small cat and Brighton stroking the big one.

  ‘Let’s name them,’ she said.

  ‘Why would they want names?’ Brighton asked.

  ‘They are not pets, they are dangerous predators!’

  ‘I know, but I still want to name them,’ Lilian replied.

  Brighton smiled at her.

  ‘Ok, but as long as you think of the names. There is a reason I have never named the goats.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Because I can’t think of any good names,’ Brighton shrugged.

  The little one had calmed down and was trying to find a comfortable spot in Lilian’s lap to have a nap.

  When he finally settled she stroked his black fur and said, ‘He feels so soft. We will call him Velvet.’

  ‘You can’t call a boy Velvet,’ Brighton complained.

  ‘Mmmm, maybe you’re right.’

  She leaned over a little and stroked mother panther’s fur.

  ‘Her coat feels the same. We will call her Velvet.’

  ‘Yes, that’s a good name for a girl,’ Brighton said.

  Lilian looked at the sleeping baby in her lap.

  ‘He looks very mischievous. We will call him Mischief.’

  Brighton nodded his approval.

  At around midday Brighton picked up his knapsack and pulled out four slices of bread and some cheese wrapped in a cloth. He always brought more lunch than was necessary so that he could share with Lilian. Brighton’s mother knew this but didn’t mind. They had more than enough food for the two of them and she often remarked that it wasn’t going that well with Lilian’s family. He handed Lilian two of the slices of bread and a slice of cheese.

  ‘Tell me if you want more,’ he said.

  Lilian’s mouth was already too full to speak so she just nodded.

  He turned to Velvet.

  ‘I have something for you too, girl.’

  ‘Velvet,’ Lilian said past the piece of bread in her mouth.

  He shot a sideways glance to her and repeated, ‘I have something for you too, Velvet.’

  Reaching into the knapsack, he pulled out a large piece of raw meat.

  At the smell of the meat, Velvet’s ears perked up.

  ‘Here you go,’ Brighton said and placed the meat in front of her.

  She did not immediately start eating as Brighton expected but instead let out a low growl. Instantly Mischief was awake and made his way over to the meat. He tore off a small piece and started chewing. Only then did Velvet start eating.

  ‘That’s odd,’ Brighton remarked.

  ‘What?’ Lilian asked.

  ‘A goat will suckle on its mother for days before it can eat solid food. The cub…uh…Mischief is a day old and he is already eating meat.’

  ‘You can’t compare a goat to a black panther,’ Lilian giggled.

  ‘No, I suppose not.’

  Brighton made a mental note to ask old Thomas about that. It just seemed strange to him. As Brighton was on his last mouthful of bread, he got that strange feeling of danger washing over him again. His head snapped up and he stared through the undergrowth. Nothing moved but he was certain there was something there. He noticed that Lilian and Velvet were still calmly eating but Mischief had stopped and was also staring in the same direction.

  ‘This is happening too often,’ Brighton muttered.

  ‘Come, it’s time to go,’ he said to Lilian as he got up.

  ‘But I want to stay a while longer,’ Lilian complained.

  ‘Someone is coming and I don’t want them to see Velvet and Mischief,’ Brighton said.

  Lilian shoved the last of her bread into her mouth, gave both the cats a quick scratch behind the ears, and followed Brighton.

  ‘How do you know someone is coming?’ she asked.

  ‘I heard them.’

  Lilian cocked her head sideways and listened but could only hear birds.

  They walked back to the clearing without encountering anyone.

  ‘Are you sure you heard someone?’ Lilian asked.

  ‘Yes,’ was all Brighton said looking very worried.

  He never told anyone he could feel danger, not even Lilian.

  He still felt it, someone, or something very dangerous was close by. He was pretty sure Mischief also felt it.

  They retrieved Lilian’s dress and shoes. As she was getting dressed, Brighton looked over to the east side of the clearing, the side from where he felt the danger.

  A black robed figure was standing at the edge of the woods.

  ‘Hurry, we have to go,’ Brighton urged Lilian.

  ‘But the goats…’

  ‘We’ll come back later to get them.’

  Brighton grabbed her hand and started walking towards town with long strides. Lilian had to run to keep up.

  ‘Bri, what’s going on?’

  Brighton gestured towards the robed figure.

  ‘That man is dangerous. It’s best we get away from him.’

  ‘What man?’ Lilian asked.

  Brighton stopped and looked.

  Nobody.

  ‘There was a man,’ he said sheepishly.

  Well, now he’s not there. Let’s go back to Velvet and Mischief,’ Lilian pleaded.

  ‘I think we’d better get you home. I will come back for the goats later.’

  ‘But Bri….’ she started.

  ‘Don’t argue with me please Lilian. I don’t want you to be in any danger and that man I saw is very dangerous.’

  Although very disappointed, Lilian didn’t argue further. It gave her a warm feeling all over to know Brighton was that concerned for her safety. They started walking again, a bit slower this time. As they reached the path that lead to town Brighton stopped and looked back.

  The robed figure was almost in the middle of the clearing and moving towards them with incredible speed.

  ‘Get behind me,’ Brighton snapped.

  The man reached the middle of the clearing and opened his arms. A line of black smoke as thick as his arm came from his right hand and raced towards Brighton and Lilian. Brighton turned, grabbed Lilian, and covered her with his body. When he looked back the line of black smoke was just reaching them.

  The moment the smoke touched his forehead it recoiled as if in pain. The smoke tried again and again it recoiled.

  ‘What’s happening?’ Lilian screamed in fear.

  Brighton looked at her.

  ‘I don’t know but it’s time to do something about it.’

  As he said it, he felt a shockwave going through his body. He looked around again and saw a bolt of pure white light racing towards the robed figure. The bolt hit the man square in the chest and sent him flying backwards at least ten paces.

  The black smoke was gone in an instant.

  ‘Let’s go before he decides to try again,’ Brighton said to Lilian.

  She had tears running down her cheeks and could barely stand.

  He bent down and said, ‘Tell you what, hold on to my neck and I will carry you home.’

  Lilian gratefully threw her arms around his neck and clung onto him for dear life. She wrapped her legs around his waist and buried her face in his neck.

  ‘What happened?’ she asked through her tears.

  ‘I don’t know,’ Brighton said.

  ‘What was that white light that you threw at the monster?’

  ‘I didn’t throw anything,’ Brighton said. ‘I don’t know where that came from.’

  ‘It came from you,’ Lilian said in a small voice.
>
  Brighton managed a small smile.

  ‘I really don’t know Lily.’

  ‘But….’

  ‘Lily, I don’t know. Please stop it now. I am just as scared and confused as you.’

  She pulled her head back and looked him in the eye.

  ‘How can you be scared of anything?’ she asked.

  ‘You’re as big and strong as…as….as the biggest oak in the woods.’

  ‘Oh really?’ Brighton chuckled, ‘That big and that strong?’

  ‘Yes,’ she confirmed.

  ‘And also very kind,’ she added.

  ‘You always share your food with me and you helped Velvet and Mischief. Only a very kind person would do that.’

  ‘Thank you, Lily,’ Brighton said a bit self-consciously.

  They walked in silence until they reached the village and Brighton put Lilian down. She took his hand as they walked through the streets towards Lilian’s house, which was on the northern edge of town. Brighton and his mother stayed just outside of town on the south side closer to the clearing where Brighton took the goats to graze everyday.

  This early in the afternoon, the town was deserted because everyone was in the fields tending to their crops or busy working in their vegetable gardens.

  Almost everyone.

  Four young men were sitting outside one of the cottages when Brighton and Lilian walked past. They were all slightly older than Brighton but not nearly as big.

  Garth, the leader of the gang saw them and shouted, ‘Look at the two love birds holding hands in the street.’

  The others hooted and howled with laughter. Brighton ignored them and Lilian pulled a face.

  Garth snarled at her, ‘One day that ox won’t be with you and then you and I are going to have some fun.’

  Brighton stopped, slowly turned his head and in a low, quiet voice said, ‘Touch her and it will be the last time you ever touch anything.’

  Garth went white as the moon and the other three, John, Brent and William fell silent instantly.

  Brighton and Lilian resumed walking and Lilian said, ‘They are scared of you.’

  ‘I don’t know why,’ Brighton said, ‘I’ve never laid a hand on any of them.’

  ‘But you’re as big and as strong as an oak tree and the way you just spoke even frightened me a little,’ Lilian told him.

  ‘Yes, that must be why they are so scared of me,’ Brighton laughed.

  ‘They don’t like you very much, but don’t worry, everybody else likes you. Especially me,’ Lilian purred.

  ‘Thank you, Lily,’ Brighton replied. ‘I think everyone likes me because we give them food.’

  ‘Yes, that’s probably why,’ Lilian agreed.

  ‘Why is it that you and your mother always have so much food while everyone else is struggling?’ she asked.

  ‘I don’t know,’ Brighton said honestly.

  ‘Our crops just seem to grow really well and our goats have lots of babies. I can’t tell you why.’

  ‘Well, I think it’s good. If it wasn’t for you and your mother a lot of people would go hungry in this village.’

  ‘Yes, I suppose so,’ Brighton sighed. ‘We have too much food for two people and rather than letting it go to waste we give it away.’

  ‘See, I said you were kind and I was right. I think you learnt it from your mother,’ Lilian speculated.

  Brighton just smiled at her. He often wondered why they had such good fortune while everyone else seemed to struggle so much.

  As they passed Thomas’ cottage Brighton stopped.

  ‘I’m going to see whether old Thomas is here. You go home,’ he said.

  ‘Ok,’ Lilian said.

  For once she didn’t argue because she already had plans to make another dress tonight. When she found the white material in her mother’s closet yesterday, she also came across the prettiest pink material.

  ‘A hug?’ she asked.

  Brighton bent down to hug her but instead she planted a kiss right on his lips, turned around, and skipped off towards her house, the ordeal of earlier completely forgotten.

  A little puzzled, Brighton walked up the path to Thomas’ house. He knocked and stepped back.

  That was strange he thought as he waited.

  It took only a few moments for Thomas to open the door.

  ‘Ah, young Brighton,’ Thomas exclaimed. ‘What a surprise. Don’t just stand there; come in. Would you like some lemon juice? A biscuit perhaps? You should like them, your mother made them for me.’

  ‘No thank you,’ Brighton said. ‘I just came to ask a quick question. I don’t mean to bother you for too long.’

  ‘It’s no bother, young man, I’m actually very happy for the company.’

  ‘Well, in that case I will have some juice with you,’ Brighton said, following Thomas into the kitchen.

  Lilian saw her mother pacing outside the house. This was never a good sign and Lilian had an overwhelming urge to turn and run back to Brighton. She wished her father, Markus, was home but she knew that was unlikely this time of the day. He worked in the field until it was too dark to see. She felt sorry for him; it seemed that no matter what he planted his crops always failed.

  Martha spotted her and shouted, ‘Stop dawdling Lilian. Come here!’

  Lilian slowly walked up to the house.

  ‘Where were you?’ Martha demanded.

  ‘I…..’

  ‘Never mind, go inside,’ the older woman snapped.

  When Lilian did not move immediately, Martha pushed her through the door. Lilian shrank away from the touch. She new her mother’s hands would be dirty and now there was probably a big brown mark on the back of her pretty, white dress. Lilian was sure that Martha never washed her hands, not even when she was preparing supper.

  Her eyes took a moment to adjust to the gloomy light inside. A man was sitting at the kitchen table. He wore a black robe that had a neat round hole in front, right on the chest. Lilian froze.

  It can’t be she thought.

  It was the black robed figure from earlier, she was sure of it. He was tall and thin with long white hair. His deep-set black eyes and thin dark lips contrasted his white skin giving him an evil appearance. A scar ran down his left cheek.

  Although the man spoke in a soft voice, it was deep and menacing, like when the thunderclouds came rolling over the mountains.

  ‘Come closer little one.’

  Lilian couldn’t move.

  The deep voice rumbled again, ‘Come closer, don’t make me wait.’

  Martha was beside herself with fear.

  ‘Do as he says before you bring more trouble to this house,’ she shrieked. Another shove on the back and Lilian was suddenly standing right in front of the man.

  ‘I am Seth. What is your name?’ he asked.

  She managed to squeak out ‘Lilian’ in a small voice.

  His hand shot out and touched her forehead. Lilian yanked her head away but not before a sharp shooting pain went through her entire body.

  ‘You’re quite a find,’ the man whispered to himself.

  ‘Where is the boy that was with you earlier?’ he asked.

  Lilian did not answer.

  ‘I will not ask twice,’ Seth threatened.

  Lilian did not like him and certainly was not going to tell him where Brighton was.

  Instead of answering him, she asked, ‘How did you get here so fast?’

  ‘I ran,’ he growled. ‘Now tell me where the boy is?’

  ‘At his house,’ she lied.

  ‘Show me where that is,’ Seth demanded.

  He grabbed Lilian behind the neck and marched her out of the house.

  ‘Which way?’

  Lilian pointed down the street. Seth set a brisk pace down the street still keeping a tight grip on Lilian’s neck. When they passed Thomas’ house Lilian was relieved to see that Brighton was not still standing outside.

  They reached Brighton and Clarissa’s home. Seth simply pushed the door
open and entered.

  ‘Where is the boy that lives here?’ he demanded from a startled Clarissa.

  ‘He is not home yet,’ she said.

  ‘Who are you?’ she demanded.

  ‘Where is the boy?’ Seth repeated.

  ‘I told you already,’ she said.

  Looking at Lilian she asked, ‘Who is this rude man?’

  ‘Seth,’ was all Lilian managed before his big hand slapped her so hard across the face it knocked her clean off her feet.

  ‘LILIAN!’ Clarissa shouted. She tried to get around Seth to see if Lilian was all right but Seth grabbed her by the throat and threw her clean across the kitchen. Lilian watched in horror as he lifted his hand and from his palm, black smoke appeared. It shot across the room and slammed into Clarissa’s head.

  Clarissa’s first reaction was shock and then the pain came. More pain than she had ever experienced. Her body twisted so violently that Lilian heard her spine break. Clarissa’s eyes and ears were bleeding. She tried to scream but no sound came.

  Please let me die, she thought.

  ‘Oh, you want to die?’ Seth mocked.

  ‘Well, ok then,’ he said as he dropped his hand.

  The smoke disappeared. Seth crossed the room and grabbed Clarissa by the throat again. He jerked her up so that her face was almost touching his and whispered, ‘I will be more than happy to help you die if that is your wish, but I do prefer the feeling of flesh under my hand rather than killing you from back there.’

  He turned to Lilian.

  ‘Come here,’ he ordered.

  Fearing that she might get the same treatment as Clarissa she immediately did as he said.

  ‘Look into her eyes,’ he instructed.

  Lilian looked down at Clarissa. She saw the life draining from the woman’s eyes.

  Seth let go of the lifeless body, walked to the door, and said, ‘Come.’

  Lilian sank to her knees next to Clarissa’s lifeless body. She could not believe what she had just witnessed. The black smoke slammed into her head.

  Chapter 3

  THOMAS PLACED TWO mugs on the small table and filled both with lemon juice. The biscuits were already on the table.

  ‘Help yourself, your mother made them.’

  ‘Yes, you said so, thank you,’ Brighton said as he took one.

  Thomas also took a biscuit and shoved the whole thing in his mouth.