Echoes from the Lost Ones

by Nicola McDonagh

  “It is yers for as long ye need it,” he said and offered me his grubby mitt. I placed mine in his and he wrapped his fingers around all six of mine and thusly entwined, we made our way forward.

  He moved smoothly through the scratchety foliage and uneven ground. I tromped beside him trying not to fall. When I did succumb to gravity pull and ended up upon my rump, Wirt offered me his back.

  “I’ll carry ye for a bit. Until the ground levels.”

  I gladly jumped up. “Hang on,” he said and I wrapped my arms around his neck. He wobbled, then found his strength and stood tall. I marvelled at his newfound brawn and relaxed into the warmth of his shoulder blades. My movement caused him to loose footing and he tottered uncertain-like upon his feet.

  “Maybe it would be best if you set me down.”

  “Nay.”

  “But…”

  “Just hold on,” he said and tried to take a step. I thought I heard him moan.

  “You are yet well?”

  “Aye.” I heard him gasp and loosened my hold on his neck. He bent forward and I felt myself slide towards his bot.

  “Maybe you should let me go?”

  “Nay. I can manage,” he said, then his knees gave way and down we both went into the mud and mulch.

  I had never tasted rotting leaves. I pulled the slimy things from my mouth and hoped I would never again have cause to swallow such pungent sludge. I spat out as much as I could, then ran my finger around the inside of my mouth. I turned to Wirt. He too was gauging bits of twig and moss from his gob. He looked at me, picked a wodge of something brown from my hair and grinned.

  “Mebbe, ye can go the rest of the way on foot?”

  “Goodly plan.”

  Wirt stood, shook himself so that all the nasty bugs and bleck fell off, and then offered me his hand. I took it and he pulled me up.

  “Ready to continue?”

  “That I am. I would be done with this wood,” I said and brushed away some maggoty things that clung to my ankles.

  “Then follow me, but stay close.”

  Wirt strode off and I hurried after, taking care not to relive my recent encounter with the mushy earth. We trod on, pushing foliage and fern from our path until the forest thinned and we came to a small clearing. There were many dead trees lying in rows on the floor as if someone had hacked them down.

  “Is this area used by your folk for logging purposes?”

  “Nay, we are not allowed to take from these parts. The Ladies have domain.”

  “Of this forsaken landscape? They are most welcome to it. Those prone logs will be a chore to clamber. I confess to being more than weary as it is.”

  “Do not fret, Adara. We are close. The Ladies abode lies just beyond the seventh fallen tree directly ahead.”

  I opened my eyes wide to let in all the tiny light that shone and could just make out a vast wall of thick brambles and the like.

  “Good it is not far, for I am soggy in parts I would rather not be.”

  “Take my hand then and let us tramp quick.”

  I did and we trod speedily to a great log. Wirt leapt onto said stump and hoisted me up beside him and so we went on climbing and jumping up and over fallen tree after fallen tree, until we came to the high, dense, spiky hedge. It was full of knotted stems with long dagger-like spikes and I pricked my finger when I tried to put my hand through. Wirt shook his head and cocked his ear to towards the sky.

  “What is it?”

  “Ssshh. Do ye hear that?”

  I listened and heard a scrunching noise. I put my hand to my mouth and held my breath. The sound again, only nearer. Wirt pulled me away from the brambles. A hoolet cried it’s sadly song and I jumped. Wirt pressed a finger to my lips then pointed to the wall of thorn and spike. The hoolet cried again and Wirt cupped his hands, pressed both thumblings together and put his pursed up mouth against them. He blew and out came the best hoolet scream I’d heard issue from anything other than the birdie itself. He did it two times more and the veggie wall parted.

  Chapter Eight

  All Cosy In The Wenchstead

  A Lady dressed in a blue skirt and tunic with a shroud of lightest white cotton, stepped out from the underbrush and walked in our direction. A small, sly smile spread unperturbed across her well-washed face. She had long straight black hair with such a sheen that I swear if I were to look directly at it, I would see my own reflection staring back. Her eyes were large, and almost as dark as her hair, and her skin was the colour of melted choc. There was not a wrinkle or blotch anywhere and I thought she was the most beautiful fem I had ever seen.

  She took Wirt’s hands in hers and twirled him round until he gasped for air. Then embraced him with as much affection as if he were her own big bub. Wirt pulled free and gestured towards myself. I limply waved and grinned a grin of mortification. Glad the dimness hid my deep red skin. She glanced me up and down and nodded her head. Then he and me and she scrambled through the thicket wall and out into a bright, light clearing.

  There were at least a dozen colourfully painted small log cabins all in a row, with a larger dwelling to the far corner opposite the entrance we came in by. All had roofs made from sun panels not unlike those we have in Cityplace. I was impressed that they owned such tech so far from the hub of civilisation. Round solar-powered lights attached to the outside walls of their abodes, illuminated the quadrant and shed such a soft glow that I thought I was watching a vid.

  There were traces of artistry too. Each front door had its own craftily crafted gold-like knocker in the shape of leaves. I turned my wonder-filled head this way and that and saw in the centre of the complex raised soily beds full of flowers, veg and fruit bushes. Then to my further amazement and joyousness, a host of real live pets tumbling and jumping amidst the muck and dead leaves that swirled around our feet.

  “You have bunnybuns and pupples and…”

  “And chikkles and kittlekits. But they are elsewhere.”

  I stared open-mouthed at the sight of animals that bore no trace of the usual Clonie defects or disease-ridden abnormalities. When I had come across such beasties in vids or mags, they had a sorry appearance and were firmly from the past. To my knowledge, which is quite limited, no such creatures exist in thisdayandage. Yet here they were. I clasped both hands against my cheeks and blinked in disbelief.

  The Lady chuckled, clapped twice and within a bubs gasp, other Ladies appeared from behind the closed doors. I had never seen such human perfection. These fems had none of the misshapenness that afflicts us paltry hominids. I stared down at my stumpy six fingered mitts, then at their slender five-digited hands and felt quite roly-poly. Even Wirt, with his fine features and long leggy-legs, had the Woodsfolk curse of shortthumbs.

  “Ladies, Ladies all, come gather, welcome our dear friend Wirt and his somewhat sturdy companion. Who’s name I do not know, and do not want to if she would rather not give it. My name, dear treasure, is Audrey.”

  Well named. A noble strength was present in her demeanour all rightly. I felt giddy surrounded by such comeliness and stuttered out my name expecting the usual cries of expectation. But no, not a thing occurred. Instead, the divinely creaturelings embraced me one by one and uttered their own epithets.

  “Well now, let us all to the meeting house and partake of refreshment together. Walk with me stranger and inform me of the threat you are most assuredly fleeing from.”

  Audrey entwined her arm in mine and I inhaled a whiff of her odour, an aroma that caused my nose to twitch with delight. It was as if I was surrounded by flowers all in bloom. I breathed in her perfume and let Audrey guide me towards a large wooden house adorned with garlands of wolf bane. I turned my head to see Wirt all but drowned by a sea of waftly Ladies eager to caress his cheek and face. Such was the atmosphere of merry, that for the first time since leaving Cityplace, I actually felt at ease.

  I waved to Wirt, but he was engrossed in chat with the Ladies and did not notice my gesture. So I dropped my hand and walked w
ith Audrey to the meetinghouse. It was a jolly building to be sure, the colour of a summer sky and it had big red and white flowers painted here and there. We climbed the five wooden steps to the entrance and Audrey let go my arm. She opened the door, which boasted a huge gold knocker fashioned to resemble an oak leaf, and flicked her fingers in way of presenting the interior.

  “Come in, come in and sit. Our dear Wirt will soon follow I’m sure,” Audrey said and pointed at a host of finely patterned soft bags propped against the walls. I plonked myself upon a vastly sized pillow the colour of the rising sun, sank into its squishiness and let out a rightly sigh. I gazed around the room and saw such splendid chattels. There was a table as big as three Manlymen that near filled the entire space. Silver candlesticks ran the length of it and high-backed chairs with curly carved legs were pushed underneath and each had a plate and shiny cutlery set in front.

  A fireplace the size of two Nearlymen belched out roaring heat and a sweet pine-scented smoke. Before it, curled up quiet-like upon a red woven rug, lay a brindled kittlecat and its three kittles. Before this day, I’d only ever observed said felines on my lapcom as vids or games. A red-haired Lady with big green eyes and freckled skin entered carrying a tray with two large mugs upon it. She gave said cups to Audrey, winked at me, bowed and left us alone.

  “That was our dear Odelia. She is a prize to be cherished, as are all or dear friends.” Audrey lifted her chin and scrutinised my face through half closed eyes. “You are from Cityplace are you not, my dear?” Audrey asked and handed me a cup of steaming wet. It smelt like sweeties, only better and I took a grateful sip.

  “Choco-real and no mistake.” I gushed. Then realised the rudeness at not answering her query and added, “Is right, I am a Citydweller. Or was.”

  “I wonder if you would tell my humble self, why you are here with little Wirt?” She sat next to me and brushed a lock of dirty hair from my somewhat mucky brow.

  “I have no reason not to tell. The Agros took my bro-bro and a City guard gave me cause to believe that their trail wandered deep into these woods. He did not, however, give forth the info that a Clan of Nearlymen and Manlymen abided near with.”

  “Ah. No need to expound further. I saw the discolouration upon dear Wirt’s features. At the hands of those hideous males?”

  “More than once from Wirt’s own mouth,” I said.

  The Lady turned her pretty hands into witch-claw clench.

  “Do not fret,” I said. “I delivered a sentence to fit the crime.”

  “What did you do, my dear?”

  I opened my gob to answer, but caught sight of Wirt entering with the Ladies. He strode up to the table and said directly to Audrey, “She sang and sent the raptors upon them. We fled and left them bleeding.”

  “Oh dear, I fear that they will be out for retribution,” Audrey said and took my hand. “You and Wirt are in great danger. Manlymen are known to be fierce when wronged, and you two have wronged them greatly. I am amazed, to be sure, that you made it this far without molestation. You must repose awhile with us, until we can be assured that the Manlymen have tired from the looking for you. Do not fear, we are hidden from all those whose company we do not wish to keep.”

  “Wirt found you out pretty quick.”

  “Only Wirt is privy to our whereabouts. He would not blab.”

  “Nay. I would not.”

  I chewed my lip and Audrey sensed that more was amiss. “I take it you have other concerns that weigh deep within?”

  “Ever since I left Cityplace I have reason to believe that I was followed. Suspicion falls on Agros, since it was they who sent forces in to bend us to their will.”

  “The Agros have been busy my dear. Word has spread of their infractions concerning provision distribution. Even we Ladies have been caught up in their scheme. We sensed something ugly in their manner the last time we were called forth to entertain. Good for us that our reliance on these villains is minimal. We here have all but severed connections with them. Still, they have made us somewhat itchier than we like.”

  Her words caused a wave of high-pitched agreement from those present. I was glad in some measure to be talking of the far-reaching Agro threat. It seemed to dissipate its menace somewhat.

  Yet my innards twisted at the thought of irate Manlymen bent on our demise. I was all but given over to panic at the thought, when I felt a softliness swish around my lower legs. I looked down and saw a tiny kittle nudge and budge at my ankle. I had never felt such cosiness and I guess my face reflected said thought, for the Ladies all as one said, “Ahhh.”

  Audrey picked up the fluffy bundle and laid it upon my lap where it snuggled into my thighs. It turned and turned and made itself into a ball and for the first time in my life, I touched the furriness of a living animal. Oh, I had stepped upon beetles and buggles and the like, but I had never seen, let alone touched a breathing mammal. There were a few rigid stuffed ones in the class at the learning place, but they were old and musty and had eyes made out of glass. This, this was warm and soft and made a noise that made me want to smile. I did and let my hand fondle the tiny thing.

  “It likes you. Not all kittles here would be so bold as to rest with a stranger. He knows you are no threat.”

  “It hums and vibrates. Ha-ha, it tickles,” I said and all let loose a chortle. I heard a wailing cry and the kittle sat bolt upright. It opened its mouth and sent an ear piercing “Meeoooow!” back, then jumped off my lap and scampered towards what I believed to be its mam, who gave it an earnest licking before they wiggled-bottomed out of sight.

  “How come you have such things? Are not all pets quite extinct?”

  “That is what those in power would have you think. It keeps the order of things intact. As you can see, some animals survived and thrived, thanks to those who sought to preserve them for future generations.”

  “Such as?”

  “The forgotten ones.”

  “And they are?”

  “Moocow monks of the order of Maya,” Odelia said.

  I stared at these fine fems, my head all-full of what others had said about them. How they are foolish, vapid and only exist to ease the lustiness of males. But even in my short time amongst them, I realised they were as deep as the barren seas that surround our blighted land.

  “I am grateful to said monks for their farsightedness in protecting such beasts. I do not think that I have ever been so overwhelmed by the caress of any creature before.”

  “You have a fine sensitivity about you, my dear, that is rare in these harsh times,” Audrey said.

  “Do not they consume flesh?”

  “Yes. We feed them with prepared goo that comes from...Well, perhaps you will find out for yourself.”

  I was about to press the matter further when Odelia spoke, “Excuse me, if you will, but did I hear rightly that the young fem, Adara, called upon the raptors?”

  “She did.”

  “Then she has the gift. She will be of use.”

  I huffin’ well knew it. Didn’t take long for someone to glean my importance. My mood of contemplation and cosiness left me quicker than a blink and I gave myself up to my full height, which was not so tall, and said, “Now look Ladies, I am more than grateful to you all for letting us abide here for a short while. But, I do not take pleasure in the ensnaring and ultimate demise of our birdybird friends. In fact I will leave now if you mean to force my acquiescence in that matter. In fact…”

  “No, no. You misunderstand Odelia’s remark, my dear one. Our prize egg layer has gone missing and it may be that with your powers you can persuade said chickle to return. Now calm down and resume your sitting position if you please.”

  “Apologies a thousand fold,” I said and plonked my carcass back upon the softly pouch. “It’s just that the last time anyone demanded my abilities be put to the test, well, hence the reason we are here.”

  “I have never understood those that partake of flesh. I find there are more than ample tit-bits to satisfy my dee
pest hunger, right here in the forest,” Odelia said and sat next to me. “You have power for one so young.”

  “Not so certain I’d call what I do ‘power’.”

  Odelia smiled, slipped her arm around mine and leant her rust-haired head upon my shoulder. However, after not more than one quickly breathing in, did said head jerk itself away and a pretty little hand clasp its delicate little nose.

  “Goodness, how you throw up a stink. May I suggest a soak in something fragrant? Lest our finery become tainted.”

  “Thanks for bringing my lack of clean to one-and-all’s attention.”

  “Do not be offended. If you wish it, I would offer both you and Wirt the comfort and cleanliness of our bathhouse,” Audrey said, and before I could say yes or no, Wirt clapped his hands and answered in the affirmative for us both. Audrey nodded to Odelia, who stood and proffered me her hand. I took it and she pulled me from my cosy place.

  Wirt came a-scurrying over, linked his arm under Odelia’s and mine and said, “Will ye find the chickle first?”

  “I can but try. Although I have never sung to fowl before and am not certain that my call will be apt.”

  “Do not question your ability, Adara. Have faith in what you do and who you are and you will find the note that you require,” Audrey said, and with her encouraging words, I left with Wirt and Odelia to call forth a chickle.

  Chapter Nine

  The Chatter Of Chickles

  We stepped outside and walked towards the open courtyard that held the veggie beds and fruit bushes. I could not help but be gladdened by the lushness of my surroundings. Trees and ferns are all well and good, but they loom all haphazard and tangled like. Here all things green grew in such neat rows, that it caused a soothe to the eye and heart. Back home all I ever saw was concrete and stone. On special occasions some straggly plants were plopped into a dull container by way of brightening the place up a bit. All it did though was to accentuate the blandness of the place. Not so here. Here, all was leafyiness and colour.