Wild Keepers

by Dee Bridgnorth

He took a deep breath, hitching the backpack higher on his shoulders. “It’s going to get trickier from here. We need to approach with caution. Let’s go.”

  ***

  Keeley reached out a hand towards him, breathing deeply.

  “Thad,” she whispered. “What’s happening? We’ve been walking for ages and we aren’t getting any closer.”

  Thad frowned. It was true. They had been skirting around it, hiding in the dunes, but every time they walked over another it seemed to hover further in the distance.

  It was a trick. A Vilgath security trick. To keep people away. But how could they break through it?

  He stared at the building. He couldn’t see any fences or security. No guards patrolled the perimeters, and yet Josiah Connelly had told them that he had seen them. Why?

  His skin started to prickle. And that was when he saw it, jutting out from behind a rock.

  He ran towards it, crouching down. It was made from brown string and old sticks, crudely shaped and stuck together. But its purpose was unmistakeable.

  It was a Vilgath symbol, shaped like a Celtic cross. His hand hovered over it. He was itching to pick it up and examine it, but he knew better. This could be their trigger system. If he picked it up it might alert them that there were intruders. But if they walked past the symbol, it might equally trigger some kind of alarm.

  He just didn’t know.

  “Keeley.” His voice was thick. “You should take some photos of this.”

  She walked towards it, staring down. But she didn’t take the lens off her camera.

  “No,” she said, a faraway look in her eyes. “It seems like an…intrusion.”

  He stared at her sharply. Why was she hesitating? She was the one that had wanted to bring the camera. He was just about to ask, when he could hear something in the distance.

  Dogs, barking wildly. His heart started thudding. They must have tripped the alarm just by approaching the symbol.

  “Run,” he whispered urgently, turning to Keeley. “Follow me.”

  He turned and fled, grabbing her hand and pulling her roughly behind him.

  ***

  The barking was getting louder. He knew that they were getting closer.

  His hand tightened on Keeley’s, yanking her. She cried out in pain. He didn’t want to hurt her, but this was no time to be gentle. If they didn’t find a hiding spot soon, the dogs would be upon them. He knew that he could change into the wolf to battle them, but then he would lose awareness of Keeley. He would only do it as a last resort.

  She stumbled behind him, crying out again.

  “Shhh,” he whispered urgently, turning back to her.

  But she was tiring. He knew it. They had been walking for hours in the hot desert already, and she had been struggling. She didn’t have reserves of strength left.

  “Halt!”

  He froze. A guard was standing on the top of a dune ahead of them. Two dogs were lunging and snarling at them beside him.

  He could feel the growl rise in his chest. He snarled, baring his teeth. He tried to suppress it, but it wasn’t working. No, he thought desperately. He couldn’t change now, against his will!

  But the instinct was taking over. It was the dogs snarling at him. It must be. An old instinct when the wolf perceived he was being threatened by another canine.

  He fought it with all his might, but it was too late. In the back of his mind he could hear his clothes tearing. He glanced at Keeley, desperately.

  “Run,” he growled, with the last of his human voice. “Save yourself!”

  With a burst of adrenaline, the wolf emerged.

  ***

  Keeley opened her eyes with difficulty, struggling to even blink. Her head felt like it was stuffed with cotton candy, and her eyes were gritty with sand. She raised a hand to them and wiped them, but her eyelashes felt almost glued together.

  Fear pierced her heart. Where on earth was she?

  Finally, her vision cleared. She gazed around in wonder.

  She was in a room. A large room. She was lying on an expansive four-poster bed. She examined the elaborately carved poles, etched with strange patterns. Suddenly she was conscious that she was covered in a white silk sheet.

  Her gaze wandered further. There were two long windows against one wall, with French doors opened to the breeze. White, filmy curtains billowed like sails into the room.

  It was beautiful. One of the most beautiful rooms she had ever seen.

  She sat up, slowly. What had happened? How was she here—and where exactly was here? As hard as she tried she simply couldn’t remember.

  She peeked under the silk sheet. She was wearing a white shift-like dress. She knew she didn’t own anything like it. Someone had dressed her in this.

  Fear overwhelmed her again. Had she suddenly fallen ill and been taken here for treatment? Was it a sanitorium of some kind?

  Her gaze drifted to the bedside table. There was a pitcher and a tall glass. She leaned over, gazing into the pitcher. It looked like water. She was suddenly conscious of how thirsty she was. With eager hands she poured a glass, spilling a little in her haste. Then she drained it. It was so cold; the coldest water she had ever tasted, like it had been hauled fresh from a well.

  She was just contemplating whether to pour herself another glass when the door opened. She put down the glass quickly, her heart beating wildly.

  A woman was standing there, smiling at her. She was dressed in white from head to toe. Keeley stared at her, trying to work out what she was wearing. Was she a nurse? It was almost like a loose, two-piece suit. The top had a high mandarin collar and long sleeves, and the pants were wide, falling to her ankles. Her black hair was scraped off her face into a severe bun at the back of her head.

  “How are you, Keeley?” The woman’s voice was soft and low.

  Keeley gazed at her. “Alright, I think,” she said hesitantly. “My head is cloudy, and I’m very thirsty.” She paused. “Where am I? I can’t remember how I got here.”

  The woman smiled slowly. She approached the bed and sat down on the edge.

  “You were found wandering the desert,” she said in that same soothing voice. “You could barely speak and were parched. We took you back here and let you rest.” She paused. “You’ve been asleep for two days.”

  Keeley blinked, trying to take it in. “I was wandering the desert? I can’t remember that at all.”

  The woman nodded. “We’ve seen it before,” she said slowly. “People get lost out here, looking for gold mines. Perhaps that’s what you were doing.”

  “Perhaps,” agreed Keeley slowly. There seemed to be something hovering on the edge of her memory, but she couldn’t quite grasp it.

  “You were looking for gold mines,” said the woman, smiling, in a gentle but firm voice.

  “I was looking for gold mines,” repeated Keeley softly.

  The woman nodded decisively. “Good,” she said. “Do you think you are able to stand?”

  Keeley frowned. “I don’t know,” she said. She shook her head quickly. “You haven’t told me where I am yet.”

  The woman nodded again. “We are a community,” she said. “We live in the desert with our followers. It is a closed community, but one of our central beliefs is to assist everyone if we can, and that is why we brought you back here.”

  “A community?” Keeley’s eyes widened. “What type of community?”

  “A glorious community.” The woman stood up. “Our home is called The Glory. You are very welcome here, Keeley. In fact, now that I see that you have awoken and have gained your strength, I wanted to invite you to our assembly tonight.”

  Keeley blinked. “An assembly?”

  “Yes.” The woman stared down at her. “Every evening we assemble to hear the teachings of our revered leader and to chant together. We tell stories. Mingle. And of course, offer refreshments.” She paused. “What do you think? Everyone is keen to meet you. If you try to stand now, we can go for a little walk to test your st
rength.”

  Keeley nodded slowly. “I suppose.” She remembered the short shift she was wearing. “But I would need my own clothes. Where are they?”

  The woman smiled again. “I am afraid your clothes were beyond repair,” she said gently. “We tried to wash them, but they simply tore to pieces beneath our laundress’s hands.” She got up and walked to a large ornate wardrobe in a corner and opened the door, taking out a white suit the same as her own on a hanger. “You are welcome to wear this.”

  Keeley hesitated, staring at it. Why was it exactly the same as the woman’s? Was it a uniform? But what choice did she have? She could hardly walk around in this short shift, and it was just a suit, after all. It would do the job until she could get back home.

  “Of course.” Keeley reefed the silk sheet off and swung her legs to the floor. It was incredibly cold beneath her feet. She stared down at it. It seemed to be marble.

  What was this place? She had never seen anything like it. Everything in the room was luxurious beyond belief, almost dripping with wealth. Whatever this community was, they had money.

  The woman walked quickly back to her, laying the suit on the bed. “I’ll help you dress. And then we’ll go for a little walk down the hallway and back, just to see how you go. I don’t want to tire you too much.”

  Keeley blinked back tears. “You are so kind,” she whispered. “Thank you for helping me. If only I could remember how I got here.” She took a long, ragged breath. “But I promise you I won’t impose on you too long. As soon as I am well enough, I will get out of your hair.”

  “Of course,” the woman soothed. “It is our pleasure to assist when we can.”

  “What is your name?” Keeley stared at her. While not conventionally beautiful, the woman had an aura about her that was drawing her in. Almost maternal.

  The woman gazed at her steadily. “Valeria,” she said. “But we do not call each other by our given names here without the respectful title. We are all brothers and sisters here. So, you may call me Sister Valeria.”

  Keeley nodded, a bit mystified. “Sister Valeria,” she repeated. “It is nice to meet you.”

  “And you,” smiled the woman. “Now, shall we get you into these clothes? Stand up, and I can help you.”

  Keeley did as she was told. The woman briskly undressed her and then helped her into the white suit.

  “There,” she said, holding Keeley by the shoulders. “You already look so much better! After our walk I will get you to rest again, and then have some food brought up to you. I don’t want to bring you to the dining hall before you are ready. We must save your strength for the assembly.”

  Keeley nodded. At the mention of food, she suddenly realised how starving she was. Her stomach began to growl ominously.

  Sister Valeria laughed at the sound. “All in good time,” she said. She held out her crooked arm to Keeley. “Shall we?”

  Keeley took the woman’s arm, and they walked slowly to the door of the room. She felt a little bit dizzy, but she seemed to be managing.

  Sister Valeria patted her arm gently. “Well done,” she said. “Now let’s see how far you can go.”

  ***

  Keeley twitched slightly in her sleep. A restless wind had caught her in its grip, and she tossed her head from side to side.

  She was running.

  Every way that she turned was the same. Sand, in every direction. She was so hot; boiling to the point that she thought she might combust at any second.

  Sadness twisted her heart. The man. She had left the man behind. But then he changed in her mind. He was no longer a man. He was a wolf. How could it be? And yet, she knew they were one and the same.

  They were almost upon her. She knew that she couldn’t last much longer…

  “Keeley.” A soft voice hovered at the edge of her consciousness. “Keeley. Wake up.”

  Her eyes fluttered open. For another second, she was disoriented, not knowing where she was. And then the kind face of Sister Valeria came into focus. The woman was leaning over her and speaking gently.

  Her mouth felt parched, dry as the desert. “I’m sorry,” she said thickly. “I must have fallen asleep.”

  The woman smiled. “You must have needed it,” she said. “You looked very tired after our little walk down the hallway.” Her eyes drifted to the bedside table. “And you polished off the late lunch I sent up. That would have made you sleepy, too.”

  Keeley nodded slightly, struggling to sit up. She was still dressed in the white suit that Sister Valeria had dressed her in before she had taken her down the hallway and back. She remembered wolfing down the food when it had come, then collapsing on the bed in a stupor, unable to even crawl beneath the sheets.

  “I was having the strangest dream,” she said, rubbing her neck.

  The woman raised her eyebrows. “Yes? Vivid dreams often occur after what you have experienced. You were very distressed when we found you.”

  “I was running.” Her voice was low. “And there was a man with me.” She hesitated, straining to remember the dream. “Or was it a wolf?”

  Sister Valeria laughed softly. “Dreams are so real when they happen, but they mean little, Keeley. I think it is just your mind struggling to make sense of what has happened to you.” She paused. “Perhaps you were running from the wolf in your dream.”

  “Perhaps,” agreed Keeley, frowning slightly.

  “You were running from the wolf,” said Sister Valeria, firmly.

  “I was running from the wolf,” repeated Keeley.

  The woman’s smile broadened. “There! You have shaken off the dream, and now you are back with us.” She stood up. “I have come to take you to the assembly. If we leave now we will get there before it starts.”

  Keeley nodded, but inside she was hesitant. What was this assembly that Sister Valeria spoke of? She had said that the community of people gathered to listen to their leader and hear stories. Who were these people? And who was their leader?

  “I can sense your questions,” Sister Valeria said in a soft voice. “And everything will be revealed in its time. You are safe, Keeley. Everyone who is here is filled with the glory. They are eager to meet you, and welcome you into our fold, even if it is just temporary.”

  “Of course it is,” said Keeley quickly. “I have to get back home. My mother will be worried about me.”

  Sister Valeria’s eyes softened. “Do not worry. We have sent a message to your mother saying you are well and that we are looking after you.”

  “You have?” Keeley’s eyes widened. “How did you do that?”

  “Your phone, Keeley.” She smiled. “We checked your contacts and saw your mother listed in them.”

  Keeley nodded. “Of course.” Her eyes rested on the bedside table, where the tray and empty plate were discarded. “Where is my phone?”

  Sister Valeria stared at her. “Perhaps you don’t need your phone here.”

  “Perhaps,” said Keeley slowly. Her heart was beginning to thud.

  “You don’t need your phone here,” said the woman.

  “I don’t need my phone here,” Keeley repeated.

  “Wonderful.” Sister Valeria held out a hand to her. “You are coming along well.”

  Keeley hesitated for a second, then took it. The woman pulled her up until she was standing by her side.

  “We must go,” Sister Valeria said in a firm voice. “We will be late.”

  Keeley followed her down the same hallway she had walked before, then turned to walk down a large staircase. She gasped, stopping for a minute. At this height she could see the whole long wall of the building. It glittered so intensely she had to squint.

  “What is this place?” she breathed. “Is it made of…crystal?”

  Sister Valeria smiled. “A good guess. It is a compound that is very close chemically to crystal. It is called cyanmar.” Her smile widened. “We are very proud of it. Our leader discovered how to engineer it, and we make it here, among other things.”

>   “You make it?” Keeley stared at her. “It’s so beautiful! I’ve never heard of it before.” She paused. “Your community could sell it and be unbelievably rich.”

  Sister Valeria laughed. “No, you wouldn’t know of it. The world doesn’t know. We are not interested in worldly wealth, despite the beauty and grandeur of the Glory that you see around you. No, we make our stones and glass for other reasons.”

  Keeley stilled. At the bottom of the staircase she could see people moving as one towards a place beyond her vision. They were all dressed in the same white suit that Sister Valeria wore, and that she wore now as well. They didn’t look up in curiosity at the visitor gazing down at them. Instead, their eyes were fixed ahead and their faces impassive.

  “Come.” Sister Valeria grabbed her arm. “It is almost time.”

  She guided her down the staircase. When they reached the bottom, they turned and joined the mass of slowly moving people, flowing into them as seamlessly as a stream meeting a river.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Thad groaned. Pain slivered through his consciousness. He tried to stretch but found that he couldn’t. Something was binding him. Holding him down.

  As soon as he opened his eyes his head started to throb and pulsate. The pain was overwhelming. He also became conscious of how thirsty he was. The thirst was so bad that it was all he could do to stop himself screaming for water.

  He forced himself to focus. His vision slowly cleared, and with it came the knowledge of the enormity of his situation.

  He was imprisoned. He could see the black bars of it in front of him.

  He gazed around. He hadn’t just been thrown in a jail cell. He had been placed in a cage. A very small cage. So small that it would be impossible to stand. He stared at his ankles, and then his wrists. He had been chained to the sides of the cage. He couldn’t move at all.

  Memory started to flood back slowly. He had been in the desert with Keeley, when he had heard the dogs. They had run, but the dogs had found them. His last memory was of changing into the wolf against his will. After that, everything was black.

  He gazed down at himself. He was completely naked. They must have chained him in this cage when he had been the wolf, and either hadn’t noticed or hadn’t cared that he had changed back into a man and needed clothes. But then, why would they?