by Em Pitts
"A time traveler." Bridget sounded floored. "Well, that explains it."
"Explains what?"
"You don't exactly fit in here. I thought maybe you were from another country." I laughed at her. No, I don't fit in here. I'm so far outside of fitting in that I'm in a dungeon waiting to be hanged. "Will you tell me about the future?" I smiled. That I could do. I would gladly pass the time and tell her of the good and bad in my time.
The sun was shining from the ridiculously clear blue sky. It wasn’t a forgiving sunshine day where the unicorns frolicked. No, it was a scorching, burn your scalp, hope your brain melts, sunny day. For the entire hour and a half walk so far, it was blindingly hot and sweaty.
There was a perfectly empty cart we could be riding in that the horses were pulling ahead of us. Instead, we were being led on foot and ushered to keep a quicker pace than necessary. Thankfully, Nick was on the cart after proving he could no longer walk on his leg. I was worried about him when he laid down and passed out quickly. I was also worried about Granny in these conditions, but she kept mouthing off letting me know she was perfectly capable of walking and had done so her entire life.
Funny thing, to be worried for others as we are all led to our deaths. I’m pretty sure I was in denial about the situation right now though.
Instead, I was focusing on the sweat pouring down my back and making my dress stick to my skin. That’s right, I had a dress again. Seems it would be inappropriate for me to die in a scrap of material that was offensive. Heaven help me if I should be inappropriate.
“The man was so drunk he would have thought me a man! Me!” Granny cackled again.
The guards had long since stopped asking her to shut up. One of the men, a stronger man not much taller than me, even dared go so far as to try and beat her for speaking. He learned that cuffed and chained prisoners could still attack. That man is staying with the horses now.
“He probably only had one glass.” Ollie leaned over to whisper to me. I chuckled and nudged him.
“That’s not fair,” I whispered back. “You weren’t even born then.” I teased.
“I heard that!” She yelled from behind us. “Ungrateful children! I had more men chasing me than Queen Mary II herself!”
“I should hope not,” Ollie answered in turn. “Because if you were that popular and chose to settle down with Edward, then I question everything you taught me.” She sighed in response.
“He was a good man once. Power corrupts people. And envy twists even the best men if they allow it.”
“I’m sorry Bridget.” I didn’t know what else to say. She snorted at me.
“I’m sorry you didn’t get to marry Isaake. He would have been a good one. He has power and didn’t let it change him.”
I looked back at Granny and smiled. That was as good as her giving me her blessing and it felt nice. Deciding to continue teasing her further I responded to Granny’s meddling.
“You’re right. He would have been a fine husband. But so, would one of his friends. What do you say, Ollie, want to get married now? Granny can officiate.” She hooted with laughter. Ollie shook his head with a smile. I bet Nick could help pick out the dress.
“And what, we celebrate before we leap off the rope?” Ollie pointed out.
“Obviously. Maybe there’s even time for a quickie.” I winked at him. Granny hooted again as Ollie looked away. “Fine.” I sighed out sounding disappointed. “I’ll just marry Nick.”
“So, he’s your second choice?” Ollie raised a brow at me with his lips quirked.
“Third, actually.” I pointed out.
“Marry them all!” Granny laughed out. “The men in this town keep marrying more women to produce babies of the best line. Make a scandal and marry more men instead. Show them that the women are just as strong, just as important! It’ll be our last hurray.” I heard a sound of disgust from one of the guards. That cemented my next words.
“You’re right. I’ll marry all four of them. I’m gifted now after all.” I raised my arm and got curious glances.
Good. Let them see women were strong enough to survive their stupid trials. And if men married more women for that so-called power, then why couldn’t women.
“Most wives cook and clean. What can you do?” Ollie had a twinkle in his eye as he teased me. Assholes can’t let that go, can they?
“Obviously, the roles are reversed. You are MY husbands. So, you can take care of the house.” I’m not sure if the others found humor in my words because they didn’t believe me or because I’m just a funny person. Either way, Granny and Ollie seemed to be enjoying themselves.
"ENOUGH!" The punch happy guard shouted from in front of us. He didn't like laughter.
"Poor man," I fake whispered back to Bridget. "He needs to get laid." Ollie spoke up overhearing me.
"That's Jeremy. He kept putting the trials off and claimed he would take them the next time. I think he's upset about having the chance taken away from him." He informed me.
I forget these guys have lived here their whole lives and know most of the people in the village. The thought made my heart hurt. How betrayed must they have felt when the town turned on them?
"That doesn't excuse his behavior," Ollie continued.
I nodded along easily agreeing. He was going to hurt Granny because he got upset at her. Letting your temper rule your actions never works out in the end. I should know, I do it a lot.
"Almost there." Granny's words snapped me into the real world again. "One more bridge after this one. Then we get to sit pretty on top of the hill. Chin up children, so you don't miss anything." I smiled at her words, even if the subject was depressing.
"Hey, Granny?"
"Yes, child?"
"Thanks. For being there and teaching me what it's like to have you." I turned to give her my full attention and stopped, risking the guard's wrath. "It was nice having a mother figure. I'd like to think if I ever had kids, I would try to be like you. Well, not so grumpy, but as compassionate as you are."
She smiled at me kindly and reached her hands out before remembering she was chained. I laughed at her and walked underneath the chains to rest against her. If this was the last hug I had from her, I was going to enjoy it.
"Move it already! It's hot out here and I need a drink." Jeremy called back.
The guards around us were letting us have our moment surprisingly. I took my time at that moment too. When we both felt ready to pull away it was with laughter and our heads held high.
That was when a cry pierced the air coming from the wagon.
I jerked to see what was happening as Ollie crowded around me. Jeremy was writhing in pain holding his leg where an arrow stuck out of it. The wagon was holding still on the bridge as the horses whinnied trying to figure out what was going on.
Another cry sounded from my right. A guard was holding his arm with an arrow sticking out of it. The remaining four guards were looking around with their guns pointed in every direction trying to find the cause. Arrows didn't have a chance against guns. If they found them, they were dead. That didn't work for me, since I was pretty sure this was Isaake and Raynor’s rescue attempt. They came back to us!
I nudged Ollie, getting his attention before pointing at the guard to our left. He was slinging his gun around the trees trying to capture the culprit. Ollie understood me and let go.
I held up my hands and started counting down from three. When the last finger went down, we rushed the guard taking him down to the ground. Another shout rose from behind us before a gunshot went off.
My heart was hammering but I was trying to pay attention to Ollie wrestling on the ground with the guard. His gun had been kicked away so now it was just who could outmaneuver who. When Ollie got his chain around the man's neck, I knew he would be okay.
I turned to the rest of the party and saw Raynor fighting with a man, trying to wrestle control of the gun held between them. One of the guards was holding his leg with the arrow stuck out and crawling towa
rds his rifle he must have dropped. I started running towards him, but Nick stumbled in the path and kicked the gun farther away.
A different man jumped on the downed guard and took control. He wasn't Isaake. Where is Isaake?
I looked back towards the cart in time to see Isaake fighting Jeremy. He was okay. They were all okay. Jeremy screamed out as Isaake did something with the arrow. One moment it was in Jeremy’s leg, then it wasn’t, then it was in his shoulder. Fuck, that was gruesome to watch.
But we were going to be okay. Because everyone is okay. Right? I can’t go into shock right now from this, so everyone needs to be okay.
Ollie placed his hands on my shoulders startling me. I turned into him immediately in relief. Then I stiffened up again. This seemed too easy. All the struggle from before and now, this was it?
I looked over and saw Raynor's guard was on the ground bleeding. The last man had his guard on the ground choking him. That made four, one of the men must have gotten away.
"Is it done? Are we free?" I asked.
"If we hurry." Nick pointed out searching a guard's pockets. "Where the hell are the keys?"
"Got them!" Isaake called from the cart.
He jumped down and rushed towards us unlocking Nick's cuffs before turning towards mine. The cuffs slid off and I felt a strange stirring inside me. Like an electric jolt that went throughout my body. It felt pleasant instead of painful.
"Can we get out of here now?" Raynor came up to us with blood dripping down from his eyebrow.
"Gladly," Ollie growled out. The ground was rumbling beneath us a moment later.
"I'm sorry but you'll have to go on without me." A familiar voice said.
I looked up to see John. He was the other man fighting on our team. His hair was disheveled from the fight and his clothes were dirty, other than that he looked fine. Correction, he was holding his back and wincing.
"I'm not as young as I used to be." He complained stretching out. "I need to get out of here before anyone finds out I was a part of this." He made to leave with a wave.
"John, wait!" Isaake called out. "The clock."
"Ah. Yes, yes." He waved his hands and a clock appeared on the ground in front of us. "Now I must be going. I need a hot bath before my back locks up for good."
"We can get you there quicker." Ollie sounded concerned.
"I shouldn't be seen with any of you right now. I've got to get word to Aska to continue things as needed. If I get locked up too, then the whole setup is ruined." He waved us off again and started hobbling away. "Tessa, remind me to tell you about how we started that sometime. Not now, though. Now I need a drink and a good book maybe. Ah, that's right! I can get my own drink!" He held a mug of beer moments later.
"That better not be from my place, John!" Granny hollered at his back. "I notice when things go missing! Something always goes missing when you're around!" She complained.
I leaned against Ollie letting him hold most of my weight. "This still seems too easy," I complained, scared someone was going to jump from the trees. There was a shuffling noise from one of the guardsmen on the ground.
"We need to leave, now." Ollie urged me inside the tunnel. I glanced back and saw Raynor picking up the clock as the others followed us.
"What are we doing underground?" Granny was looking around in curiosity. "How can you see down here?" I laughed thinking about when I first rode through the tunnels. This was going to be funny.
"Stay close." Raynor pushed her near us before nodding at Ollie. The ground shifted beneath our feet, then we were off.
No matter how many times we travel, I keep getting a queasy feeling, especially when we are traveling so far for so long. Granted I didn't look as bad as Granny. The poor woman was heaving up anything in her stomach. And cursing us in between.
"Should have warned—" Hack, cough. "Me." Isaake was rubbing her back apologizing.
I looked around and couldn't tell where we were. It didn't matter, we were away from the crazy hang happy people. Right? "We are away from them now, right?" I questioned aloud.
"We are at the tribe. It was the only place I could think of right off the top of my head." Ollie admitted from his spot on the ground. No wonder the tunnel coaster seemed so long.
“Still feels too easy. Like the judge is going to pop out at any time.” I commented looking around again. This time searching for finely dressed men with boundary issues.
“They underestimated us. For some reason, with our powers bound they thought nothing would happen.” Nick grinned at his observation.
He needed to be healed quickly. The pale tone of his face was scaring me. His pants leg was glued to his skin and I couldn’t separate the pieces of breeches from the dirt at this point. Ollie was a step ahead of me as he shuffled towards his friend. I looked away, having had enough gruesome images in my head for the day.
“It probably helped that Raynor and I escaped. I’m sure people were still looking for us.” Isaake said making more sense. Granny seemed to be doing better now.
"Come on Granny, you're going to love it here." I gently pulled her upright and got her steady. "Besides, there's someone here who wishes to thank you." She looked confused at my words.
As soon as Nick could stand without any pain on his face the men guided us through the woods. Ollie was leaning heavily on the others, but I knew he would be okay after a few minutes. Once the wetus were visible, I wanted to cry in relief. It finally felt safe again.
The little blonde-haired girl was having her hair fixed with shells and feathers when I saw her. I steered Granny that way. Her eyes widened when she recognized Eliza.
"Eliza!" Granny's voice carried, getting everyone's attention on us at once. Granny didn't care.
She stumbled to the little girl who laughed carefreely and hugged Granny just as tightly. The people around them relaxed when it was clear the two knew each other. I let them be as I followed my guys to the chief's hut. We had to announce our presence and figure out the next step of our journey.
I looked over at Raynor. "What are you doing with a clock?" I questioned him. "Is that the clock?" He shrugged his shoulders.
"Maybe. It's broken like the clock." He handed it to me. I recognized the broken clock.
"Is this Ollie's clock?" I stopped dead in my tracks. It couldn't have been right there the entire time. It wasn't even a broken clock at first. I'm the one who broke it.
Raynor noticed my fascination and led me to a log to sit down instead. "Yes. I got it when we went to Ollie's home before we came to rescue you. What is it?" I laughed. Hard.
"It's just..." I kept laughing before I could get my words out. Raynor was staring at me like I had lost my mind. Isaake came and knelt in front of me obviously wondering what was going on. "It's just that, I get here and land in front of Ollie. Literally, a flame and a crazy person away from him!" I pointed out. "And then find out, after having been here for weeks, that the clock was his the whole time."
"It might not be his clock. We haven't done any kind of ritual on the clock. As far as I know, it's just a clock." Isaake pointed out.
"But it looks like the clock." Raynor defended. I held up a hand to stop the discussion. Only one way to find out. I popped open the back panel to look for the symbol that I now know is a rune. All I found was the script carved into the back. I run my fingers over it.
"What does this say?" I asked looking up. All the men we were around me now.
"We will be known forever by the tracks we leave," Ollie answered me. The chief was beside him and looked sharply his way.
"It was something Weetamoo always said," Isaake answered the unspoken question.
"I had it carved in Latin because it was a language my father made me learn. It made me not forget." Ollie spoke calmly.
"Known by the tracks we leave huh?" I eyed the clock.
It could have been the clock, except it was missing the one rune. If only I could remember the rune, then maybe I could carve it myself and see if that worked.
Like the runes on our arms.
"Isaake. What is my rune?" I asked curiously. I hadn't felt any different except when the cuffs were taken off. Maybe it could help now.
"I'm not sure, I've never seen it." Isaake studied my arm looking curious.
"Figures," I muttered. "Can I have one of those knives you guys were carrying?" Isaake's eyes widened. Raynor grabbed my hand.
"I'm sure whatever it is we can figure it out without the knife." Raynor sounded so serious. Nick placed his hands on my shoulders.
"He's right. Weapons aren't always the answer." Nick punctuated his brother's statement with a shoulder squeeze.
"I want to try to carve my rune into the clock." I laughed at them. "The clock is broken because I broke it. I thought I would give this a try next. What do we have to lose?"
Isaake grabbed a knife from his waist. It was sharp enough to work. I took a breath and grabbed the panel.
"Here goes nothing," I mumbled.
I carved my symbol above the words. A straight line down then a straight line at a forty-five degree angle upward to the right. I was worried about the next part because the line went left and curved before ending in an incomplete loop. I tried my best and it looked passable. Now what?
I blew on the panel to clear away any shavings. Nothing happened.
"I guess it wasn't the clock after all." I shrugged my shoulders.
I was more disappointed than I wanted to be right now. It was silly to get my hopes up, but after the freeing feeling of making it out alive, I had hope again. It was easy to cling to the idea that the clock would take me home. Isaake rubbed my rune on my arm causing shivers down my spine. Whoa. That's new.
"We will figure it out. We can keep searching after everything calms down with the village." He tried to reassure me.
"Chief." We turned our attention to a man approaching us. "This just appeared addressed to you." He handed the letter over. The chief read the letter before raising his eyes in disbelief.
"It appears you are dead already. News is, that six people were hanged today on execution hill for witchcraft. It appears it was made a private affair at the last minute. John sends his regards as he will be the new liaison between us and your people."