The Finders Keepers

by R.G. Strike

  It was nightfall and Eliezer was walking fast along the rocky and steep ground. Judging by what she could see, the forest was entirely different at night.

  She could only make out vague figures around the woodland, as though there was a faint glow of light blinking furthermore. The rough up and down path seemed unending; Eliezer was nearly crashed if she had not clambered on a sharp rock when she stepped onto a slippery moss.

  There was no sense of direction. Everywhere she glanced were nothing but the vague figures and shapes of enormous gnarled trees. Eliezer was not even sure of what she was stepping at; whether mud or stones or moss, yet she continued walking.

  She had reached a spherical field, empty and silent, surrounded by trees so that she could clearly see the moonlit sky. The silence was the most perfect thing she was longing as she walked and settled herself flat on the grassy ground. Somewhere in the distance of the darkness, she could hear a calm rushing of river waters, and it sounded more pleasing than she had expected. As Eliezer lied on the ground, she was looking straight above at the slowly moving clouds.

  There was something unique in there, a fair black shape revolving around the moon. It was not stopping but was getting faster and faster that, for a moment, Eliezer was constantly amazed. The shape resembled a star, except that the points were undeniably longer like slivers.

  The cold breeze swiveled just as Eliezer giggled. Her dirty blonde hairs seemed to glow with the illumination from the moon.

  “That black star is funny!” she wailed joyously. “And, well, it seemed like – oh maybe it’s a wishing star!”

  Her face was suddenly full with glee. This was, of course, the first time she was out to see a star which was black, and it was giving her another set of excitement.

  “Should I wish – yes, of course, yes – yes! Maybe Frey would also want. . . .”

  She realized that she had said her brother’s name. Although there was apparently nothing wrong about that, she was quite considering him a bad person for trusting the rabbits. She knew that her instincts were perfectly right; right in a sense that she had never seen, nor believed, rabbits talking in English or in any other language.

  “It’s odd, but they’re just – uh – sort of pretending to be honest and good folks,” she whispered. “I never thought that Frey would be mean like that to think madly on trusting those creatures.”

  For some minute, Eliezer sighed and let go of the thought. Once again, she was looking at the black star, revolving slowly now, as it was obviously descending. Eliezer got her eyes wide open as the star was getting bigger and bigger, thus developing stranger but vague features.

  The black star was spinning like a top that its slivers got illusionary concealed. As it got nearer and nearer to the ground, the dark crows on the overhanging trees flew away until there was nothing left than total silence and emptiness. But Eliezer was not bombarded with fear. She was staring directly at it, apparently muttering her wish in the hope that it was a great wishing star.

  “I wish to have everything back to normal. . . . I wish to have everything back to normal. . . . I wish –”

  She stopped.

  The black star was not a wishing star. The moment it was a foot or so before the ground, it stopped. A blurry resilient creature spread out its wings as it gazed at Eliezer’s green eyes.

  Eliezer froze and was unable to move, though she had wanted to. There was something strange with the creature.

  It was a foot taller than Eliezer. It was standing on two scaly feet, and was gently flapping its bat-like wings. But the head was unusual. It resembled that of a man, except that Eliezer failed to recognize the face. It was after a long minute before Eliezer spotted snake-like tongue popping in and out of its unseen face. As it was in the beginning, none of them was making any sound. The creature might attack her if she executed a move.

  And it did.

  The creature’s speed was incredible. It quickly twisted its massive wings and appeared to grab Eliezer’s feet almost instantly.

  “HEY – NO – GET OFF ME! GET OFF ME!” she screamed, but it was no use. The creature flew higher, and Eliezer had the feeling of fragileness, like she was about to fall. “GET – OFF – ME!”

  Eliezer trembled as the creature tightened its grip on her ankles. They were elevating higher and higher now, and the wind breeze was getting colder and dryer. The creature was hissing a very terrible s sound.

  And then, seemingly in obedience to it, a flock of squawking crows covered them in circle, swirling like yarns getting sewed together. And the hissing never stopped.

  Eliezer could smell the damp odor of the crows’ feathers as they exerted incredible efforts. In fact, all Eliezer could see now was entire darkness, as though she was locked into a room with a thorny chain holding her ankles together.

  Then it was over.

  The flock of crows surrounding them flew away once again, and the creature locking her feet dropped her. Eliezer fell on something like a large floor of hay so it just churned when she dropped.

  Scrambling, she could barely stand. The creature’s grip on her ankles might have probably fractured it because her feet was searing with pain. After a short moment, she started to cry as she curled on the edge.

  “G-Godfrey! W-Where are you now?” she said as she burst into a heavier blow of tears. “Y-You were right! I shouldn’t have d-disobeyed you!”

  She thought there was no one who could hear her, but a calm voice of a boy spoke.

  “You don’t need to cry.”

  Eliezer froze. Slowly and very carefully, she turned her head towards her right and saw a boy at Godfrey’s age who was tied with the same thick vine that Hugo had used on them. She locked her eyes upon him and appeared unconvinced.

  “Who are you and what do you mean?” Eliezer stupidly asked.

  “Does my name concern you?” the boy said, relaxed.

  “Why, yes, of course!” screamed Eliezer. “You’re talking to me without giving your name, rude!”

  “Oh,” the boy said. “I’m Alex. Crying here would not help. Terrible things happen to terrible people.”

  Her jaw dropped.

  “Eh?” she asked disappointedly. “I’m not terrible, you Alex folk!”

  “Did I tell you that you’re terrible? No Right?”

  “Well, stop talking! I don’t want to hear from you anymore, okay?”

  Alex sat quietly without responding.

  “Okay?” Eliezer repeated.

  Alex remained still.

  “OKAY?” she screamed harshly. “ANSWER ME!”

  Sighing, Alex looked at her and shook his head, then looked far away. Beyond them, the trees were swaying calmly, telling them that no help would come, and Eliezer began to cry.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN:

  THE REQUEST OF LORD ALFRENDO