The Gabrielle Series Boxed Set

by Zachary Chopchinski

  Without a moment to consider what she was doing, Gabrielle walked off the porch and made a B-line towards the field. Her eyes fixed on the horizon; she walked to the path that led through the field and toward the rising smoke clouds on the opposite side of the farm.

  Gabrielle could hear her pulse pounding in her ears and the rest of the world had fallen away to a dull whine. As she walked on the pathway, surrounded by fields of grain, the stalks seemed to dance in the wind to the rhythm of her pounding heart.

  She'd moved past the fear, past the questioning, past the loneliness and had fallen solidly in the plains of disregard.

  The plumes of smoke behind the barn were getting closer and closer to her as she pounded her feet on the ground and made her way toward the barn.

  She could see the concerned faces of the workers in the fields as they plowed and planted. When she stormed past, many of them stopped what they were doing to steal a glance at her before continuing on with their work.

  As she broke from the field line, the familiar stench of burning wood mixed with the bile that covered the Sluagh stung her nostrils. She pushed a lungful of air out of her nose and tried to breathe through her mouth.

  As the smoke rose and the smell wafted about, the odor of death lingered in the air. She wrinkled her face and her nose wiggled around as if it were trying to detach itself from her face.

  Still unsure where she was going, or what she intended to do when she got there, Gabrielle made her way to the barn and walked up to the massive doors. Without cessation of her march, she grabbed the old wood and cast the sliding walls aside.

  The smell of burning and death were absent from the wisps of air that came out of the opening. The barn light was muted, as the opposite door was also closed and this appeared to have kept the smoke from tainting the room. Gabrielle took a deep breath of the cool, hay-scented air and stepped inside.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Gabrielle paused for a moment and closed her eyes; the cool air ran across her face while the sun lay warm upon her back and neck. She imagined that this moment was a lot like her current circumstance. She was warm and cold; alive and dead. She played herself the victim in her own mind and wished it all to end.

  “If you close the door, the smell will stay out,” a small voice pried through her billows of self-loathing, shocking Gabrielle and making her jump. She opened her eyes and strained for a moment in the low light, looking for the source of the voice.

  “Sorry Mistress. I didn't mean ta scare you.” Gabrielle wrenched herself around and found Elizabeth sitting in the shadows of the loft.

  If it hadn't been for a ray of light that found its way through the spaces of two boards, she wouldn't have even seen the little girl hiding in the corner.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were in here Elizabeth,” Gabrielle’s features softened at the sight of the child standing before her.

  She closed the doors to help eliminate the smell, but left a small crack so that a bit of light could make its way inside. She didn't want to close the doors entirely, as the fight had left her uneasy in the dark.

  In the faded light of the barn, Elizabeth’s beautiful skin appeared darker, more like the jet skin of Morrigan. Gabrielle forced the image of Morrigan out of her head.

  She looked from the scars that laced Elizabeth’s tiny neck, left by the leash her “master” would force her to wear, to her vibrant, hazel eyes. Elizabeth was named after a queen, and Gabrielle thought she was pretty enough to be one.

  “I’m happy you’re feelin' better. Sorry for hurtin' you and making you go to sleep.” Elizabeth’s light voice had a strange calming effect on Gabrielle. The air could travel deeper into her lungs, her eyes could open wider, and her skin could feel every particle in the air.

  “You don't need to be sorry, little one. It wasn't your fault. It was the Sl—” Gabrielle caught the word before it left her lips. She remembered that to protect them, Thompson had told everyone they'd fought a group of men who go out and hunt runaway slaves. “The Home Guard,” she finished, walking over to Elizabeth and sitting on a bucket a few feet from the little girl.

  Elizabeth paused for a moment, looking from Gabrielle to the floor as if she were trying to determine if it was safe. Then with a few wobbly footsteps, she sat on the floor next to Gabrielle.

  “Those don’t look like any Home Guard I’ve ever seen before. They look like monsters.” Elizabeth’s words jarred Gabrielle and her heart sped up at the realization that this little girl could cause more Sluagh to attack.

  “What do you mean?” Gabrielle asked, doing her best to play it cool.

  “Those things in the fire are monsters. They look like a nightmare I used to have at the old house.” Elizabeth trailed off and began to rub the marks on her neck. She stuck her small thumb into her mouth and began to rock back and forth on the barn floor.

  “You know, I have nightmares too. You just have to—” Gabrielle rested her hand on Elizabeth’s back as she spoke, only to be cut short by child’s retort.

  “I’m not afraid of the monsters,” she said, her frustration showing through her narrowed eyes and scrunched nose. Elizabeth’s face softened and she cleared her throat before continuing, “I’m not afraid. My momma told me monsters live in your fear, so if I’m not scared, they can’t hurt me.”

  “It just doesn't make sense, does it?” Gabrielle asked, relaxing a bit and talking to Elizabeth as if they were two adults having a casual conversation about monsters. “None of it makes sense anymore.”

  “My momma always says life aint supposed to make sense. That too many people go 'round looking for reasons for things, and forget to be happy.” Elizabeth picked up a rock and tossed it at a stack of grain in front of them.

  Gabrielle’s head swam. She felt like a fool for acting the way she was. She’d lived the lives of powerful and strong women, faced gods, and died more than once, and still she acted like a child. Even a child had enough sense to not sound so petulant. Gabrielle stared off at the rock Elizabeth had thrown lost in her own thoughts for a moment before speaking again.

  “If you could change one thing, what would it be?” Gabrielle asked. She didn’t know why she asked the question, only that she wanted to learn more about Elizabeth. Gabrielle picked up a stray piece of hay and began to roll it between her fingers.

  “I wouldn’t change much. My paw says that what we go through shows us who we really are. I guess I would change the pain. The monsters—they—” at this Elizabeth looked off as if remembering the horrors that life had brought down on her.

  The child’s bottom lip began to quiver and she shoved her thumb back into her mouth.

  “You know what, Elizabeth? I think that—” Gabrielle’s words were drowned out by a sharp, cracking sound that ripped into her ears. Elizabeth’s expression changed and she brought her gaze up to meet Gabrielle’s. Somewhere, outside of this cold and dark room, a gunshot had erupted.

  Gabrielle jumped up to her feet, her body already in defense mode while her mind was still trying to catch up. She held a single, steady finger out to Elizabeth to motion for her to remain in her place.

  Slowly placing one foot in front of the other, Gabrielle made her way to the front of the barn and pressed her cheek up to the door. Only the sound of her heart thudding in her ears greeted her. Gabrielle rotated her cheek to look through the crack left in the door.

  The sun still shone bright over the peak of the house, but she couldn’t see any movement or anything out of the ordinary. As she surveyed the field’s edge, two more shots rang out. A pause in the commotion and then several more shots followed by a scream.

  CLICK.

  The hair on the back of Gabrielle’s neck stood at attention as the all-too-familiar sound sang its warning. Gabrielle spun around to look at Elizabeth whose face had contorted into a scared little girl.

  “Something's wrong, do you understand?” Gabrielle asked, nodding her own head to prompt a response from Elizabeth. Elizabeth opened h
er mouth as if she was going to say something, but nothing came out.

  More shots erupted. These were louder, as if they were coming from someplace closer. Someone was shooting back.

  “What’s happening?” Elizabeth asked, her fear obvious from the shakiness of her voice. She ran to Gabrielle’s side and squeezed close to her.

  “The Monsters. They’re here,” Gabrielle kneeled down so that she was eye level with the young girl. “I need you to stay put while I go out and see what’s going on,” Gabrielle said as she reached out and placed a hand on Elizabeth’s shoulder.

  Elizabeth nodded but didn’t say anything. Gabrielle stood and went to open the door when she felt a firm tug on her arm. Elizabeth stood behind her, a tear rolling down her cheek and her shaky hand still clinging to Gabrielle’s dress.

  “The monsters can’t be here. We aren't scared of 'em!” Tears welled and her voice cracked. “Momma said—momma said—”

  Elizabeth sucked in a lung full of air as the tears flooded her eyes and plunged down her cheeks. Gabrielle pulled the girl in close, embracing her entire body and caressed the top of her head.

  “Well, even if we aren't scared of the monsters, sometimes they try and scare you. You have to fight back when that happens. That’s what we’re going to do, ok?” Elizabeth sucked back a hiccup and nodded her head into the side of Gabrielle’s ribs.

  “Alright. I need you to stay here. I’m going to step out and see where the shots are coming from.”

  As Gabrielle went to turn back towards the barn door, an immense pain erupted from her scalp and she was yanked backward. Gabrielle threw her arms out in surprise and she flailed around in an attempt to thwart her attacker.

  Her elbow made contact with something hard and a howl of pain shot out from behind her. She thought she was getting the upper hand when Gabrielle felt a kick to the small of her back and her attacker forced her forward.

  She attempted to stay on her feet and match her velocity, but only managed to take several steps then fall face-first into the hay. The reeds stabbed at her face as her chin bounced on the earthen floor.

  Somewhere behind her Elizabeth screamed. Gabrielle flipped onto her back to face whatever monster Arawn had sent after her but a man stood before her, a human man.

  The man’s face was covered in dirt and soot, which matched his dirt covered overalls. When he spat at the ground, bits of black earth flew from his thin pursed mouth. He said nothing, only wrapped his long fingers around his rifle and wracked a round into the chamber.

  Elizabeth screamed as their attacker reached out and grabbed her by her hair, hocking another wad of dirt laced spit at Gabrielle.

  “Ah, looks like I got me a goodun!” he smiled and continued to jerk Elizabeth around by her hair. She was crying and doing her best to hold onto the man’s hand to limit the pain with each jerk. The more she fought, the more he smiled.

  “Oh, you’re a spry little one, aint-cha? Little bit o’ the whip’ll teach ya some good. Or we could just slit-cha throat. Be a real good example to the others ‘bout runnin off.” Gabrielle’s heart tightened as she realized what was happening. Home Guard. They'd come for the slaves that Morrigan saved.

  “Hey, fellas! I got me one!” The man craned his head to the side to yell out of the barn door. In his sickening enjoyment, the ignorant man had forgotten that Gabrielle was there.

  Gabrielle looked around for something she could use as a weapon. Her eyes landed on a bucket that way lying on the floor next to her.

  Without a moment’s pause, Gabrielle grabbed it by the rope handle and pushed herself to her feet. The man turned back towards Gabrielle in time to see the bucket whirling towards his face. The man’s nose made a cracking sound and a spray of crimson shot through the air between them.

  In that moment, the man released Elizabeth and dropped his rifle. He brought both of his hands to his face and wailed at the top of his lungs. Elizabeth dropped to her hands and knees and crawled away from him, disappearing into the shadows of the barn.

  Empowered by her successful strike, the rage that had been taunting Gabrielle erupted like the fires from a volcano.

  Letting out a warrior’s roar of attack, she collided with him, pushing him against the wall of the sliding barn door. He cried out in surprise and threw his arms out in a feeble attempt to fend her off.

  Gabrielle grabbed him by the shoulders and brought her knee into his groin as hard as she could. His face fell blank and a low grumble slithered from him as he crouched, cupping his injury.

  “Stay back and get ready to run!” Gabrielle yelled over her shoulder, into the shadows where Elizabeth hid. As the sentence flew from her lips, the Home Guard soldier grabbed Gabrielle by the arm and spun her around—a slew of curses shooting out of his mouth at her.

  His face was twisted, spittle glistened on his lower lip and he gritted his teeth and shifted his arm away from her. Gabrielle followed his hands and saw that he was moving for a large knife that hung sheathed on his belt. The man’s gnarled fingers clasped the hilt and he withdrew the weapon.

  On reflex, Gabrielle brought one of her hands up and struck the man in the throat. The soldier weakened his resolve and gasped for air, but he still fumbled with the holster of his knife. Gabrielle’s eyes landed on the weapon, still sitting in the leather holster on the man’s belt.

  She gripped both hands around the bone handle and threw her shoulders into the man’s chest. As she leaned into the soldier, she withdrew the knife from its sheath. The man became frantic, his body wriggling under her like a fish out of water.

  He reached for the knife with one hand and slapped at Gabrielle with the other. Fearing that she was losing control of her new weapon, she squeezed her eyes shut and slammed her body as hard as she could against the Home Guard soldier.

  The man hit the wooden planks of the barn wall and suddenly stopped fighting. Gabrielle slammed her body against the soldier one more time, waiting for the next attack. It never came.

  After a moment of stillness, Gabrielle pulled herself off of the soldier. His face was blank and had begun to lose its color. His hands that once lashed out at her now remained wrapped around the bone handle of the large knife sticking out of his chest.

  Crimson blood poured from the wound and made little red spatter marks on the dusty barn floor. A whisper of a sound escaped the man’s cracked lips and then he fell to his knees and toppled over onto his side.

  Gabrielle’s ears rang and her hands shook with adrenaline and she backed away from the fallen man. She looked down at her shaking, blood-soaked hands.

  Gabrielle had never killed another human being before. Killing Arawn’s monsters were one thing but this was a real person. Someone with a family that they will never see again because of her. A shuffling sound brought Gabrielle out of her daze and she looked around for Elizabeth.

  The little girl stood behind a post, her small eyes peering around the edge to the man that now lay dead on the barn floor.

  “A-a-are you alright? Did he hurt you? Are you alright?” Gabrielle clenched her jaw as she tried to compose herself.

  “Was he a monster? Are the monsters gone now?” Elizabeth’s sweet voice pierced the dead air. Gabrielle couldn’t bring herself to face Elizabeth, so she kept her eyes focused on the dead Home Guard soldier.

  “Yes, he was a monster. He’s gone now.” Several shots rang out again in the distance, jarring Gabrielle and causing her to look away from the dead man.

  “The monsters are still here,” Gabrielle whispered as she wiped the blood from her hands onto her dress. “We have to get out of here and hide. If we can get back to the house, we can get you into your room and they won’t find you.”

  Gabrielle kept her gaze on the wooden barn doors and she jumped when Elizabeth wrapped her small arms around her waist.

  “We can hide there together. They won’t find us there,” Elizabeth ran from her to the door and grabbed it by its large metal handle.

  “Wait!” Gabrielle reach
ed out, panic covering her face. “You can't just run out there. Stick with me and don't run off again. Understand?” Gabrielle snapped; fear laced her voice. Taking a deep breath, she walked over to the barn doors and peeked through the opening once more.

  A layer of smoke hung over the field like fog and the gunshots were a steady happening now, cracking through the air like a vicious thunderstorm.

  The farmhouse had never seemed farther away than it did at this very moment. A strange feeling of déjà vu came over Gabrielle at the thought of running through the field to the house. This time however, she had a little girl to look after. She drew another deep breath and thought over their options.

  “Alright, Elizabeth. We’re going to have to run. I need you to hold on tight and not let go. If something happens to me, stay low and quiet and get to your room. Understand?” Elizabeth nodded, but a small tear threatened to betray her strength.

  “Yes, I understand.”

  Gabrielle poked her head out of the barn and looked around for danger. She saw nothing other than the wheat swaying in the breeze and the only sound she heard was the shooting off in the distance. She tightened her grip around Elizabeth’s hand.

  “Hold on!” Gabrielle yelled as she darted forward with the little girl in tow. The warm air hit her skin and Gabrielle realized how much she was sweating.

  With her eyes focused on the field ahead of them, Gabrielle didn't take a single second to glance at the world around them. She only wanted to get the two of them to the cover of the grain.

  The shots grew louder as they approached the field. Gabrielle wanted to turn and run in the opposite direction but she knew they would be much safer in the secret room of the farmhouse.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  When they entered the field, Elizabeth slipped from Gabrielle’s grip and the two stumbled over a log that sat just inside.

  Gabrielle got to her knees and turned to grab Elizabeth when she realized that what they tripped over was not a log at all. Another terrified set of eyes peered back at her through the grain stalks.