She closes her eyes and tries to relax, but she doesn’t know what to feel or do. It feels weird, and she’s relieved when Knox pushes Dagwood’s arm and starts talking about dinner. She uses the opportunity to pull her hand back and sit up. Soon all three of them get up and start wandering back to the camp and the others with the catch of the day.
The head of the bear is right in front of his face. Its mouth is open and it tries to bite him. No matter which direction he moves in, it follows him. He can’t get away but he knows he has to move forward. His fingers are tearing into its fur as he pushes against its furry chest with his hands. It slowly starts walking backwards while it tries to push him back again. But he’s the strongest. Step by step he finally moves forward. His vision is blurred, but he still sees an unclear figure further ahead and he knows that this is where he needs to go. Forward.
His body suddenly becomes heavier and heavier and he doesn’t move any more. He’s stuck. The voices surrounding him become louder and louder, and he has to cover his ears to shut out the noise. Stabbing pains in his arms and legs make him fall over, and it’s so painful that he feels like screaming. Desperation spreads through his body and he sees the unclear figure further ahead, slowly disappearing. He feels like crying and there’s a heavy pain in his chest. The fight is lost, and he breaks down in tears.
Skye wakes up with a start. She looks around in the darkness, but everything seems to be as it should. Sleep overpowers her again and she’s almost asleep when she hears someone moving. The sound comes from Salomon’s bed. He moves, troubled, from side to side, so much so that his blanket’s fallen to the floor. Skye sits up in her bed. She’s wide awake now, even though she was tired and almost asleep just a moment ago. His bright shirt’s soaked with sweat and sticks to his chest. She can make out his markings through the fabric and is surprised to see how large they are. It looks as if they fill most of his chest and side. She looks at his face. It looks haunted, and she knows it’s not happy dreams filling his head.
She slowly crawls down to the foot of the bed and leans over the side. She’s trying to pick up his blanket from the floor, but it’s out of reach. Silently she sneaks out of bed and over to Salomon’s bed. She picks up the blanket and tucks it gently around him. Sometimes it helps when you have a blanket around you. Or someone holding you. Then you don’t feel alone with the demons and it’s easier to chase away the evil thoughts.
For a moment he stops moving, and Skye turns around to crawl back into her own bed. But something makes her stop. She turns to him again, and sits on the floor next to his face. Small drops of sweat are lying on his forehead like drops on a leaf, and the dark hair sticks to his face and neck. For a little while he looks peaceful, as if the demons are gone for the night. But then a single tear runs from his eye and the carefree face frowns into a worried look again. The demons are back, and he looks more haunted than ever. Small noises are finding their way out of his mouth and he moves, troubled, in small explosive jerks.
She puts her hand on his cheek to calm him, but he doesn’t seem to notice it. Instinctively she crawls up to him and slides under the blanket. The warmth of his body quickly embraces her, but it doesn’t feel unpleasant. It feels safe and comforting. She puts her arm around his chest and her hand finds his face. Gently she holds his cheek as she strokes it lightly, and she feels that he calms down. His body stops moving and she crawls closer to him. Gently she lays her head on his chest and falls asleep.
The next morning, before the others wake up, Skye sneaks out of Salomon’s bed. She looks at the others, but no one seems to have noticed where she’s slept. Even Salomon seems oblivious to his nighttime visitor. He lies on his side, looking peaceful with his eyes closed, and Skye smiles down at him. For the first time since she lost Ecco, she’s slept without feeling unsafe or scared. She walks quietly over to her own bed and silently crawls under the blanket. She doesn’t notice the watchful eyes following all of her moves, and her nighttime visit to Salomon’s bed.
CHAPTER 29
Axton looks at the ground. He can see the others from the corner of his eye. They’re standing a short distance away, but no one’s moving closer. The smell of burned flesh hits his nostrils and he buries his nose in the sleeve of his shirt. They should’ve built the fire further away from the camp so the smoke couldn’t find its way back to them and penetrate their clothing, hair and everything that soaks up smells. They can only hope that the direction of the wind will change and blow away the nauseating stench. He turns around and walks over to the others, who are gathered in a small group. How few they are now.
Only a short while ago they were a large and strong clan with a lot of boys and girls who could hunt and build huts. Now, only six skinny, hollow-cheeked children with red eyes and snotty noses remain. He hasn’t cried about it yet. At least not in a way that shows, but it tears his heart when he thinks about how sad it is that four of his friends are dead. And in such a short time. They’d been laughing as they sat around the fire only last night and … now they were gone. Their bodies reduced to stinking, burning carcasses, that shrouded them in a nauseating stench.
“Come on. Let’s head back to the camp.”
His voice is low and joyless, and his movements are without energy. The short way back to the camp feels inhumanly long. The thought of having to clean up after the four friends they just said goodbye to is unbearable.
“It’s important we throw away all the food. We still don’t know which funguses or roots are poisonous. So to be on the safe side we need to empty the entire food storage.”
A slender, fair-haired girl lifts a piece of dried meat into the air as she asks: “Do we need to throw out the meat too?”
Axton looks at her and nods.
“Yes, do that, Lark. Even though it’s our last meat, I don’t want to risk anything. It’s not a chance worth taking.”
In silence they collect all their food and carry it to the burning fire of death. They throw the food on the fire and look at it as it disappears into the flames.
Axton looks down at his hand; he’s holding a small greenish fungus. He’s almost certain it’s the reason that his friends are dead. The four of them had been out collecting food and had eaten some fungus on their way. They’d been so excited about finding a new spot to collect fungus they hadn’t come across before. They’d filled a linen sack full of large and small funguses that many of them had never seen or tasted before. They looked so juicy and delicious. Shortly afterwards they’d prepared dinner and sat down by the fire, ready to eat. And then, one by one, they’d fallen over on the ground with cramps and white froth around their mouths. It all happened so quickly, and suddenly four of his friends lay lifeless on the cold ground, and no matter what they did, they couldn’t shake them back to life. During the night they all died without regaining consciousness.
He turns the small fungus between his fingers. It’s so small and pretty. No one would ever suspect it to be a coldblooded and cynical killer. No one, unless you’d seen its painful and fast execution of his four friends yesterday. He’s about to throw it into the fire, but he changes his mind and tucks it in his pocket.
The night comes closer, and only few words have been spoken since the day started. None of them has eaten anything and the crackling of the fire drowns the sound of their rumbling stomachs.
Suddenly Carver breaks the silence. “Do you ever think North and the others will come back again?”
He looks nervously at Axton, who doesn’t react to his question.
“I know we decided they should leave, but now we’re hardly any left. All the strong ones are gone … or dead. But maybe the others will return, and then we can all make up and be friends again.”
Axton turns his face to him and answers: “North and I will probably never be friends again. I don’t think I’ll ever forgive him for causing Kale’s death – accident or not. I miss Falkner and Brogan though. But you�
��re right that our clan is weakened. We’re being tested. I just don’t know by whom or what. And I don’t have the answer or solution to our future destiny.”
The others look at him with anticipation, searching for just a little bit of hope, but they soon turn their heads down as they hear Axton’s answer. Hopelessness is filling the air, and Axton looks at the empty faces and straightens his back.
He clenches his fists and says with a loud and clear voice: “Don’t look at me that way! You look at me as if it was my fault the others died from the poison in the food. Like it was my fault North, Falkner and the others are gone …”
His emotions take over, and Axton hides his face in his hands as he shakes despairingly. The burden of taking care of the others and always being strong is suddenly too much for him. The large responsibility is mercilessly heavy, and he feels that the enormity of it is weighing down on his strength, courage and hope, little by little. The only thing he feels like is being alone and crying over the friends he’s just lost. Without anyone expecting anything from him, or counting on him to find the answers to their problems. How is he going to save them when he doesn’t even feel strong enough to save himself? Suddenly, he feels an arm around him.
“We’ll make it together, Ax. I promise …”
He looks up with red eyes and sees Lark by his side. She smiles gently at him, and he feels a renewed energy flowing through him. There’s a determination in her eyes he hasn’t seen before, and suddenly she seems to have the answers to all of their problems.
She looks him in the eye without blinking and says: “I think it’s about time that you let your armor down and reached out …”
CHAPTER 30
“He’s gone!”
Puk runs to the campfire, shouting frantically. Dagwood turns towards the noise and sees Puk running with wild eyes. He doesn’t know whether to laugh or be worried, but the panic in Puk’s eyes tells him that this is serious. Dagwood quickly walks towards Puk, but he can’t get eye contact with him. Puk’s looking in all directions as he tries to get his breathing under control.
“Who’s gone?”
Dagwood speaks in a low voice, trying to keep calm in order not to worry the others around them. He gets no answer, and Puk runs back to where he came from. He turns and shouts back at the others: “Twice! He’s gone!”
Dagwood runs after him, asking: “What do you mean he’s gone? Has he run away?”
Puk doesn’t speak, but he soon finds the answer himself. The enclosure Puk’s built for the little roundsnout has been destroyed. The fence is smashed and there are signs of something violent happening. Puk kneels and runs his fingers through the dry grass that used to be the bedding in Twice’s nest but is now scattered everywhere. He speaks with desperation.
“Look, it’s blood …”
He lifts his hands, covered in blood, towards Dagwood.
“No, no, it can’t be right. Something must have happened to him. And where’s his lucky chain? It’s gone too!”
Dagwood doesn’t know what to say to Puk. He kneels next to him. Slowly the others from the clan gather behind them, curiously following the drama of Twice’s inexplicable disappearance.
“Oh Puk, I think he’s been taken by a large predator. Maybe a deer killer. Or a bear …”
A shock hits the group surrounding them, and Dagwood immediately regrets that he’s named the possible culprits out loud. The thought of large predators sneaking around the camp isn’t the most reassuring feeling to have. But he doesn’t want to lie to Puk and tell him that he’s misunderstood the situation and create false hope. Dagwood looks at Puk and puts his arm around him.
“I’m sorry, Puk. There’s nothing you can do now. You better walk away, then we’ll clear up the mess.”
Puk’s body sinks a bit as he answers quietly: “I’d like to be alone for a bit …”
Dagwood gets up and looks at the others. He makes a sign with his head indicating they should leave. They turn around and start moving away from Puk when Salomon suddenly stops and starts removing some dry grass by his foot.
“Wait a minute, Dag. Look at this.”
He points to a footprint in the mud. Dagwood looks at Salomon and then down at the footprint again. There’s no doubt. It’s the print of a human foot. Puk gets up and walks over to Salomon and Dagwood. He can tell by their eyes that they’re worried and also angry.
“… but that means that someone took him. Some people.”
Puk smiles as he throws out his arms and continues: “And it also means he could be alive!”
Quickly, he turns on his heels and runs to the hut. He returns shortly after with a small sack and a water skin.
“I’m going out to get him. I have to find him and bring him home.”
He starts walking, but Dagwood grabs his shirt and says: “Wait, Puk. I’m going with you.”
“Me too.”
Salomon nods at Puk as he feels whether his knife is still fastened to his belt or not.
They’ve been walking for a long time without finding any tracks made by Twice or the others. Puk whistles desperately in all directions hoping that the little roundsnout will hear him and come running. But the forest is quieter than ever. Dagwood’s hopes of finding Twice decrease at the same speed as the sun sets in the sky, but he doesn’t dare to share his lack of faith in success.
Suddenly Salomon raises his hand, and all three of them stop. He points to a fallen tree trunk from which a small cloud of smoke is rising. A chilling feeling runs through Puk as he quickly runs towards the smoke, followed by the two others.
“It’s a burned-out fire. Someone’s been here earlier today.”
He finds a stick on the ground and desperately rummages through the ashes. A small bone appears from the cold embers and he screams. Salomon quickly picks up the bone and looks at it in his hand.
“It’s from a bird. It’s not Twice.”
Puk breathes a sigh of relief and looks around him.
“They must be somewhere nearby. We have to hurry!”
Salomon looks at the sky and sees a large flock of black birds circling on the horizon. Something out there must’ve attracted them, and he fears what that might be. The presence of the birds is usually a sign of death.
Without sharing his discovery with the others, he points in the direction of the birds and says: “I’ve a feeling we should go in that direction. I remember that I’ve been here before. Not far from here the trees of the forest will thin out into open terrain, which merges with some cliffs soon after. There are many cracks and caves there, ideal for setting up camp. That’s where I’d hide if I was on the run.”
The others agree and follow Salomon, who’s already started walking. He glances at the sky again and sees that the flock of birds has grown larger. He knows they’re in a hurry.
Soon after, the trees become fewer and the last rays of the evening sun shine beautifully. The tall trees throw long shadows across the open landscape creating a distinctive division between light and shadow. All three of them scout the clearing to familiarize themselves with the area, but nothing indicates that they’re on the right track except the flock of birds. Salomon tries to distract the other two before they see the dark cloud of death’s messengers in the sky too.
“Follow me. I think there’s a large cave right after the group of trees over there.”
He points at some trees in the middle of the clearing, and they pick up their pace. Dagwood walks ahead while Puk desperately scouts the ground, looking for tracks and signs of animals or people.
Suddenly Dagwood stops and slowly starts walking backwards. The sight behind the trees is horrifying. He turns around quickly and walks straight towards Puk while he covers his line of sight. Puk freezes when he sees the look in Dagwood’s eyes and his small shoulders collapse. The serious look in Dagwood’s eyes kills all the hope in Puk, and an ov
erwhelming feeling of hopelessness hits him. Dagwood grabs his shoulders, keeping eye contact with Puk.
“Don’t go over there!”
Frantically, Puk tries to wrestle out of Dagwood’s grip, but he’s too weak. He shouts out in despair as he tries to look past Dagwood’s massive body: “Twice, are you there?”
He turns his look to Dagwood.
“Is it Twice?”
His voice has almost gone and he looks at the ground. Dagwood doesn’t have to answer him because Puk already knows the answer to his question. He throws himself towards Dagwood as he breaks down sobbing, and Dagwood hugs him close. Salomon walks quietly past the trees, and a chilling feeling runs through his body too. He turns to the other two as he clenches his fists. Puk pulls away from Dagwood again, and wipes his nose and eyes on the sleeve of his shirt.
Quietly he says: “I want to see him, Dag. I need to say goodbye …”
Dagwood eases the grip on his shoulders and nods at him. Puk slowly moves towards the trees with Dagwood following him. Nothing could’ve prepared Puk for the sight meeting his eyes, a sight that will never be erased from his memory or his heart.
Between stones and leaves, Twice lies lifeless in the mud. Each of his legs are tied with rope to four sticks firmly placed in the ground. His belly is turned up so that his naked, soft stomach is exposed and vulnerable. His tongue is hanging out of his mouth and looks unnaturally long. What were once eyes now look like two bloody holes. Puk screams out in panic and runs to the little roundsnout. Dagwood is right behind him.
“What have they done! WHAT HAVE THEY DONE!”
He throws himself to his knees next to the lifeless body and starts untying the ropes. But they’re much too tight, and he can’t get his fingers through the ropes and loosen the knots. Dagwood quickly grabs his knife as his eyes inspect Twice’s body. Large burn marks cover the fine pink skin, and deep cuts circle the little buttons that run in two straight lines on its belly. In a few places they’ve been cut off. He grabs his legs and hurries to cut them free of the tight ropes that have carved themselves into the skin and have almost amputated his little limps. Puk carefully rolls him on to one side and puts his ear to his chest as he gently strokes him across the head.
The Dawn of Skye (The Someday Children Book 1) Page 19
