The Fourth World

by Marina Sandoval

  “I had the impression that doctors swore to cure anyone.”

  Steven sighed heavily and thought to himself, if you had seen what I saw, you would be choosy about your patients, too.

  “Wait a minute!” said Richard. “You said your name is Thomas! Thomas Cavendish! The captain! But we killed the...”

  The pirate smiled like a cat. “You fell for the old trick of putting the captain's clothes on a crewman.”

  “You watched a man on your crew die in your place?” Steven said, pressing the knife between his fists.

  “He was not a good sailor... and not very smart, either, since it was really easy to convince him to wear my clothes,” said the pirate, with disregard.

  He barely finished saying those words when Steven got up.

  Virginia placed her hand on his arm and said firmly, “You will not fight in here! I told you; you are not enemies. None of that matters. And, in a way, this is my house.”

  Steven sat down again. Richard and Thomas continued to eat and drink, but the doctor was immersed in his thoughts. After their ninth pint of beer, Richard and Thomas began throwing coins into the glasses, insulting each other and laughing about it. Steven could not help but be a bit amused at the scene, and Virginia was having fun, too.

  They fell asleep in a corner. Steven asked if she wanted help to sort out the mess and apologized for it, but she wasn't bothered by it; it had been a long time since she’d had company.

  Thomas slept on the couch and Richard slept with his face on the table.

  The house had two bedrooms, so she asked if Steven wanted to sleep in one of them, but he replied that he would not sleep peacefully knowing that the pirate would be able to do whatever he wished when he awoke.

  “Okay, so help me and we'll take him upstairs; he'll stay in the room and I'll lock the door,” said Virginia.

  “It would be better if he were tied up.”

  The woman sighed and said, “His wrists are already bruised. I don't care what he did; I have no reason to hurt him.”

  “You heard what he did!”

  “He did what was necessary to survive...” she said, with some regret.

  Seeing that he could not convince her, the doctor took the pirate by the torso and Virginia lifted him by the legs. The room was a cubicle with a single bed and a fireplace. They laid him on the bed. Virginia lit the fire and locked the door.

  “Thanks for the hospitality,” Steven said as they stood in the hallway. She simply nodded. “I'm going to lay down on the couch.”

  “Good evening,” she said, rather uneasily.

  Her room was a little bigger than the other one. There was a double bed, a small, wooden cabinet, a nightstand with a jar and a glass on top, a small chest at the foot of the bed, and a fireplace. She sat on the bed and spent some time thinking about the last few hours and how she missed had other people.

  Maybe I could go with them... no, you can't. It will put them in danger.

  Her body gave in; she laid down and slept without taking off her shoes.

  The next day, her guests woke with a hangover, and the woman took care of them, giving them tea and vegetable soup. Thomas was not surprised to wake up locked in a room. She brought food to him and each time she did, either Steven or Richard went with her to make sure he would not try anything.

  More than a day passed, and time remained the same. The sun did not rise, the fog did not give in, and the cold was constant.

  “What's up with this weather?” Steven asked as he helped her wash the dishes.

  “It's always like this here.”

  “It's very depressing...”

  “I know. But it is this weather that makes this a good hiding place.”

  They stayed there for two or three days; it was hard to say, since day and night could not be distinguished from one another. Steven always kept an eye on the pirate, but the man ignored him. The woman always dodged their questions. They thought it was impolite to insist, so they convinced themselves that she would not say anything more than what she had already said.

  One day, Steven could not stand it and wanted to know if there was anything he could do to help her escape. He could not believe that what she had done could have been so bad. But at that moment, they heard a scratch on the door. She ran to open it and they saw Ivy.

  She was a stout wolf, gray with white paws, carrying a basketful of food and other supplies in her mouth. The woman crouched and caressed her. She got up with the basket in her hands and said, “This is Ivy.” The wolf came in and she closed the door. “I'll give her something to eat, and you can go with her.”

  “Come with us,” Steven said in a rush.

  “I told you; I can't.”

  “Do these sermerios have a way of knowing that you got out of here?”

  “No, they don't know where I am, and they can't find me.”

  “And would you rather stay in this place? Isn’t it better to take the risk instead of living here for... I don't know how much time?” Steven regretted it as soon as he finished speaking. “It's your life; I didn't want to intrude. But it would be of great help if you came with us.”

  Without answering, she went to store the supplies Ivy had brought. She was doing everything very slowly; that little joy of having someone to talk to was over. Soon, they would leave, and she would be alone again, hoping that the promised help would come, but it had been so long… what if something had happened... She looked around and didn't really see anything that made her want to stay there. She went into the living room and put a bowl of milk and bowl of dried meat down for Ivy.

  Steven and Richard were standing around the table, analyzing the map. They had already taken Thomas out of the room. This time, there was no argument; they tied his hands, took him downstairs, and put him on the couch. The pirate watched the wolf with a sly smile.

  “I'll get some things that might come in handy,” said Virginia. She climbed the stairs, then came down with a small chest in her arms and a bow on her back. Inside the chest were arrows, daggers, glass jars, and dried herbs. She put it all in a leather bag and gave it to them. “I've also prepared food for the trip and I can give you each a change of clothes, should something happen to the ones you're wearing.”

  Thomas and Steven looked at Richard's clothes. He wore brown leather pants, a white shirt—clearly, much too large for him—and a black coat that went down to his knees.

  “I know they're not fancy clothes, but I don't think you guys are going to a party around here.”

  When everything was ready, the woman felt her heart racing. She didn't want to stay there, but she could not put them at risk, either. She wrung her hands nervously, trying to find something else she could do to slow their departure.

  Steven noticed. “I want to remind you that we know how to defend ourselves...”

  “I know, but...” she answered, barely audible.

  “You do want to come, don't you?”

  “You don't understand. If I go along, it may be... it's going to be a problem for you.”

  “We have a pirate with us. He may be a problem, but surely, you will not.”

  “I know you still don't believe me, but I'm the criminal around here; he is not.” She ran her hand over her face, picked up a straw cigarette, and lit it. “If I go, you must promise to let me go when the time comes. I will not be able to go to the end with you. Once you're on the way to Sermeria, I'm going somewhere else.”

  “Where?”

  “It doesn't matter.”

  “All right,” Steven said, without much conviction.

  “And if something happens on the way—if they find me—you should not interfere.”

  “I can't promise that.”

  “Then I won't come.”

  “Okay. I assure you that I will not help you. Is that what you want to hear?”

  “I don't believe you, but you're going to be convinced when you see the world outside.”

  Steven didn't give much thought to the comment and t
hey left right away.

  Chapter II - Lácio

  They followed Ivy through the haze for a long time. Before they left, Steven kept Thomas ahead of him. They soon realized why it would be challenging to get away without the wolf's guidance. They were walking on a narrow wooden bridge; it had many curves and they could only see two steps ahead of them. As they emerged from the fog, they found themselves in a swamp. On one side was a pine forest, closed and dark, not very inviting. On the other side was a river so smooth it almost blended with the ground. To everyone's disappointment, the night fell. They were desperate to see the sun, but they would have to wait until the next day. However, just being able to stare at the sky and distinguish the day from the night was already comforting.

  “Look at the horizon; can you spot the outline of the mountains? There's Sermeria,” said Virginia.

  “And where are we going now?” asked Thomas.

  “To Raban; it's the only place we can go by walking. Let's cross the forest until we find the road.”

  They discussed whether they should wait for the dawn, but Virginia convinced them it was better to go ahead, because they weren’t tired. She had taken two lamps from the house and thought it would be enough to light the way. The forest was—as expected—dark, cold, and damp. They used the lamp to light two other pieces of firewood, so they could all see what surrounded them. During the walk, was all was silent, except the crackling fire and some owls talking to each other.

  They walked until dawn and felt the tiredness in their legs. As they were stopping to rest, they heard a sound in the distance. They stopped to listen and recognized the clash of swords and shouts of men fighting for their lives. They tried to find out where the noise came from.

  “We’d better get away,” Virginia said in a whisper.

  “Someone might need help,” Steven replied. “Richard and I will look.” He tied Thomas to a tree. The pirate rolled his eyes.

  “This is not the best place to play the hero!” said Virginia.

  “We'll just look. Wait here.”

  With cautious steps, they walked toward the voices. The noises grew louder and louder. It was then that Richard slipped on a gap and rolled down to two tall, stout men, both with swords in their hands. Around them were seven beings that looked like giant monkeys lying dead on the ground, and a wagon with a boy inside. Both men pointed their swords at Richard. One of them grabbed him by the arm and studied the palm of his hand.

  Steven stepped out of the forest with his hands raised. “Don’t kill him!”

  “Who are you? Where did you come from?” asked one of the men.

  They were very similar; they both had shaved heads and their features were firm. Steven and Richard didn't have time to reply, as one man collapsed atop Richard. He had a wound in his back. The other went to his aid, forgetting the travelers.

  “I can examine him if you like. I am a doctor!” Steven approached the man and told Richard to cover the wound with his hands.

  At that moment, Virginia and Thomas stepped out of the forest with weapons in their hands.

  “And who are they?” inquired the man who was still standing.

  “You gave him a gun?” Steven cried, not believing what he was seeing.

  Thomas pointed the gun at him, smiling as if he had nothing to lose, amused by the whole thing.

  “Thomas, remember what I said; they are not your enemies here!” shouted Virginia.

  He lowered his weapon slowly, and Steven returned to look after the fallen man.

  Meanwhile, the other man held out his hand to Virginia. “My name is Lácio. This is my brother, Proctor.”

  Virginia introduced herself and the others.

  “The wound is serious,” Steven reported, concerned.

  “Can you treat him?” asked Lácio.

  “I can try, but it will take a few days—maybe weeks—for him to recover.”

  “No problem. You can travel with us. I can pay.”

  “It would be better if he rested.”

  “We can't just stay here. Can you care for him on the road or not? I told you; I can pay!” Lácio tried to carry his brother, but he couldn't do it alone. Richard and Steven came to his aid; they placed him in the wagon beside the boy, who didn't say a word but looked very frightened.

  “Where are you going?” Steven asked.

  “Raban.”

  “I can go with you and take care of your brother. You don't have to pay me, but they must come with me.”

  Lácio seemed to ponder this for a moment. He looked at the wagon and back at them. “I think that works.”

  They left at once. The wagon was small and had not been created for so many people. Lácio drove. No one spoke at first. But the path was long.

  During the time they spent together, they bargained with merchants on the road—types of beings they had never seen before—but they tried to pretend it was normal, so Lácio wouldn’t learn they were new to this place. Thomas was free, so they didn't have to go into detail about who they were, but they kept him in plain sight. They hunted animals to eat, and took turns sleeping and caring for Proctor. And so, they came to trust each other a little more.

  They realized that the boy’s relationship to Lácio and Proctor was strained. Most of the time, the boy isolated himself, but he didn't seem to want to escape. Lácio didn't leave them alone with him, didn't introduce him, and never called him by his name. In fact, he rarely spoke to him.

  They had been traveling for five days. At night, they stopped to rest. That day, Richard had hunted a ram and with the seasonings that Lácio and Proctor had in their trunk, they ate a satisfying meal. Virginia made cognac and cinnamon drinks for everyone. Steven was also particularly proud because he saw significant improvement in Proctor's injury, which was a surprise to everybody, since they all thought he would not survive. They started a bonfire, and everyone talked, laughed, ate, and drank.

  It was Lácio who clarified things. He pointed to the boy, who was asleep. “His name is Chad, and he is our mission. I must take him to the sermerios, and my brother must kill him. Sermerios have a fine sense of humor. I realize what you're thinking; if we take him to Sermeria, he will die anyway, but it's not so simple—not for them. They did it so that only one of us can accomplish the mission. You know how it is—so that one doesn't help the other. It's ridiculous! It looks like a wizard is trying to take people out of here without the sermerios knowing. We don't know if it's just rumors or if we can trust it. Anyway, we don't have the name of the supposed wizard or where he is; so, we're traveling to Sermeria... that's the only thing we can do. Proctor doesn't have the courage to kill the boy... we don't know for sure what we will decide when we get there...”

  “What were those things on the road?” Steven inquired.

  “They were Cercopes. They wanted to take the boy to get a reward from the sermerios.”

  “Why do they want this boy so much?” Virginia asked.

  “I don't know if you know it, but a woman escaped death after not completing her mission. The sermerios are furious. Before, people assumed they could see everything we do. But after she escaped, it proved the contrary, and others imitated her. This made them even angrier. Now, they are pitting one against the other, so no one will have reason to help the fugitives. There are signs in all the cities and towns, and rewards for the other beings if they deliver them. Chad should have found something—a special spear, I don't know; I don't like these things. Anyway, he didn't find it. His time was up, and he ran away.”

  Virginia didn't speak. Her eyes were glued to the floor.

  Proctor noticed and turned to his brother. “What was the woman's name?”

  “I don't recall,” Lácio answered dismissively.

  Proctor stared at Virginia. She kept her eyes down. “If we took Chad and this woman, maybe we would both survive.”

  Virginia looked at him, more hatred than fear in her eyes. Her companions and Lácio observed the tension between them.

  “Wh
at is your mission?” Lácio asked Virginia.

  “I don't have a mission anymore.” Her tone was so firm that even she was impressed.

  The brothers glanced at each other. Steven and Richard placed their hands on their weapons. Steven said, “Proctor is already well. Maybe it's time we split up.” He got up and his friends followed him—even Thomas and Ivy.

  The brothers stayed seated.

  Proctor said quietly to Virginia, “What are you going to do?”

  “I'm just going to help them find transport to Sermeria and then I'll seek... someone who can help me.”

  “The wizard! Do you know where he is?”

  “I think I do.”

  Again, the two brothers exchanged deep, complicit glances. “You can sit down,” Lácio said. “We will not give you up. But it's best that you learn—your face is everywhere. We didn't recognize you because we never paid enough attention to the posters. I don't advise you to go into Raban like this; you’d better change something about your appearance. So, where is the wizard?”

  “I was told he could be at the Oasis.”

  “We must cross by there to get to Sermeria. Until then, we'll think about whether or not we’ll join you.”

  “How will we know if you're trustworthy?” Richard demanded.

  “You can leave. We will not stop you.” Lácio answered.

  “And you three have just arrived, haven’t you?” Proctor asked.

  “How can you tell?” Richard responded.

  “You don't have the mark that the sermerios make. Are you going to the wizard with her?”

  “No!” Virginia declared. “They're going to Sermeria.”

  “We haven't decided yet; we know nothing...” Steven replied.

  “You know what to do,” said Virginia. “You must go to Sermeria and forget me. I'm not your responsibility.” She rose and entered a small, improvised hut they had made from some clothes. The wolf followed and snuggled up to her.

  Lácio gave Steven the cognac. “This is not the best place to find a woman.”

  Steven drank it all in one gulp. He seemed doomed to relive the same situation, though there was a significant difference.