“For short periods. And it’s cloudy today, which will give us some cover. I’ll tell the boys.”
“Sarah, I’d like you to come with me to the Apothecary while they’re all searching.” Doc took her arm and pulled her along. “We’ll get some medical supplies together. If they find the wight’s den there’s going to be a fight, and I want to be ready.”
Eighteen
The hours dragged by for Sarah, even though the women kept busy. Sarah helped Doc pull salves and bandages together, brewed some thermoses of tea for taking the chill out of body and soul in case someone was badly injured. Doc pulled out a small cauldron and glanced sheepishly at Sarah.
“I thought it was funny when I saw it. Appropriate, you know? And it’s really useful!” She said. Sarah just laughed and helped gather ingredients. Together they mixed a potion to treat wight inflicted wounds. Doc explained that if left untreated a wight wound could chill the spirit and seep into the soul, often resulting in not just the death of the victim but the very real possibility of the victim becoming a wight themselves.
“So they’re kinda like vampires then?” Sarah asked.
“Oh no. Vampires are mostly really sweet. At least the two I’ve met were, and they assured me that the others they’ve come across were very civic minded.” Doc said. Sarah honestly couldn’t tell if she was joking or not. They opened the shop and Sarah found herself serving tea to customers and putting scones and tea cakes on plates to take out to tables. Doc’s assistant Eunice showed her how to work the cash register and by eleven it was like she’d been working there for a week. All she really had to do now was learn more about the teas, but they were labeled so well she could mostly figure out what the customers were asking for without too much trouble.
“I’ll have to make you fill out paperwork later,” Doc commented as they passed each other near eleven o’clock. “Oh, and the cauldron has cooled down enough to fill the bottles. I’d like your help with that when you’ve finished there, please.” Sarah nodded and turned back to the teapot she had steeping. When she joined Doc in the back the woman was finishing a chant, her palms held over the cauldron’s swirling contents.
“Well, that’s as much energy as I can put into it. Should be more than enough there.” Doc frowned at it. “I hope. We don’t know how many wights there are in there.”
“In where?” Sarah asked.
“Kai just called. He thinks he found the hole these guys have been hiding in. The entrance is in a rock formation that’s actually visible from the freeway, but the base is hidden by trees. They found a small opening, just about big enough for a person to go in— or out— and it gets very dark very fast.” Doc said. “It’s near a few trails and the creek, but it’s far enough off the path that most folks don’t go near it over in the Open Space Preserve. Grab those bags over there, would you?”
The two women busied themselves packing first aid bags and water bottles and other things they thought might be necessary for the rest of the day. They didn’t talk much as they worked, instead mentally preparing themselves for battle.
The small group gathered by the rocks. Sarah and Doc had left the car on a street near the border of the Open SpacePreserve and hiked in. They could take the trail much of the way, fortunately, and Doc commented that was probably how the wights had gotten into the Village so easily in the first place. When they got to the location Kai described, it looked to Sarah’s east coast eyes like a cliff, but was probably just a small rock slide where the dirt hadn’t accumulated enough to cover the hill with vegetation again. Jennifer and Ellie were there, speaking quietly to each other, and turned as the two came closer.
“Kai, Sebastian, and Mr. Young are already in there,” Jennifer said as Doc reached her. Sarah set down her share of the supplies at the base of a tree and started to clear rocks and sticks out of a nice, flat area to spread out a blanket. She remembered the way Sebastian’s shoulder looked that first day she met him and knew that the potential for injury today was much, much higher.
“Do we know how many there are in there?” She asked. Jennifer shook her head and started to speak, then stopped and frowned.
“No. The way Kai described it when he came back from scouting…” she shook her head again. “It might be a long day. My boys are coming and I don’t like that, but it really makes the most sense. Let them know I’ve gone in already?” She reached out and squeezed Sarah’s shoulder, then turned and headed for the small crack in the rock face.
Doc came over with Ellie who would not be much help in the fight, and together the three of them made a makeshift first aid area. Ellie managed to increase the vegetation to ensure that they were screened from passersby— the freeway was close, and the trail closer and nobody wanted civilians to accidentally stumble across a pitched battle between spirits and monsters. Or have the police show up to question them.
“That’s a neat trick,” Sarah commented, trying not to stare a new hole into the rocks. She kept looking at the cliff and then turning away deliberately.
“Yeah. I can’t do it as well as Mom, of course, but it can be handy.” Ellie agreed. She waved a hand at the newly overgrown vegetation. “It’s easier when I don’t use the power every day, it sort of stores up a bit. It can get a bit wild so I usually give the plants I pass in peoples front yards a little boost when I pass them, sort of help their flowers bloom a bit better and stuff. Lately I’ve been so deep in my stupid paper that I’ve just let it build up though. Seems to have been really good timing.”
“For sure.” She glanced at the rocks again. “I wish I could do something useful to help.”
“Oh, Sarah. You’re here and that by itself is helpful. I know Sebastian will fight harder in there knowing you’re out here.” Ellie grinned. “I have honestly never seen him look like such an idiot as he does around you sometimes. I mean, I’ve known him to be stupid, but then he is a guy and that seems to be their job. But I’ve never seen him actually blush before. It’s totally adorable.” Sarah felt her own color changing and was glad when Judah and Asher appeared beside them. She’d seen them in passing a few times since they’d met, and they always seemed to be smiling, at least a little. They struck her as so cheerful and friendly in nature that the grim determination that was etched on both faces was a shock.
“Your mom’s already in there.” Doc joined them and pointed to the entrance. “It sounds like there are a lot of wights.”
“Kai and the rest have been in for maybe two hours, your mom went in about forty-five minutes ago,” Ellie added.
“Thanks. We’ll let them know you’re set up out here,” Judah said and they moved off to join the fight.
Sarah stared after them. There was a cold wafting from the darkness now, and she could feel it even where she stood some fifteen feet from the cave. She had no idea what was going on in there, but she didn’t much care for the idea of anyone going into that hole, let alone two teenagers who should be off flirting and laughing. The cold, slightly angry expressions they and worn disturbed her at least as much as the idea of a cavern full of wights.
“How many wights usually hang out together?” She asked.
“I’ve never heard of more than six in the same tomb, and that was in one of those horror bedtime stories meant to scare kids into behaving,” Doc said. “But then I’ve never really looked into it. I just know stories and fairy tales.”
“I wish we could get some sort of idea of what’s going on in there,” Ellie added. “This not knowing is going to kill me.” She shivered slightly, and the other two women nodded agreement.
“It’s going to start getting dark soon,” Doc noted. “I really hope this is over by then or we’re going to have some trouble.”
“We brought reinforcements.” Said a voice behind them, and they turned to see Nick standing there. With him was Alex, and behind her were three others that Sarah hadn’t met. Doc nodded and pointed to the cave. No more words were exchanged as the newcomers took up positions in a tight semi-circle
around it. Sarah had a passing moment of curiosity, wondering who— and what— the strangers were to be so confident in their ability to fight wights, but the anxiety pushed it aside.
The minutes stretched out into half an hour, then an hour. The steady hum of traffic filtered to them through the trees and bounced off the rocks, blending in with the birdsong and squirrels rustling and chattering. Then another hour passed. A few more Villagers showed up, some to go join the fight and some to stay at the makeshift camp, ready in case they were needed. The shadows of the trees crept over the ground, growing and merging into dusk, and those waiting on the blanket shivered. Doc got out a thermos of coffee, strong and hot, and passed it around. Sarah wished she had brought another sweater and maybe some gloves. She’d never thought of California as someplace it got cold, but it certainly did in January. Particularly at night in the woods.
There was movement at the cave entrance. The circle of guards tensed, then relaxed as Asher appeared, carrying a fox. They both looked tired. Doc hurried over, helping them over to the blanket. Asher nodded and accepted the cup Ellie held out to him, drinking the rest of the coffee inside.
“Thanks. I should go back.” He started to turn, but Ellie’s hand on his arm stopped him. He closed his eyes for a moment and seemed to be soaking up the body heat from her hand. Ellie nodded and wrapped her arms around him in a fierce hug before leaning back.
“What’s going on in there? It’s been forever. Is everyone okay?”
“It’s bad. We’ve been incredibly lucky,” he said. “It’s not just wights in there. There’s a pair of basilisks spitting all over the place, and that’s hampering everything. Those things have got a crazy range on their venom and we just can’t get close enough to take them out. Hundreds of wights. I should head back in.”
“Is anyone else hurt?” Doc asked. The air beside her shimmered and Sebastian shook his now-human head.
“Nothing to worry about, so far as we can tell. I dodged back from a stream of basilisk venom and went over on a rock. Wrenched my ankle. Better that than acidic poison, but is not doing my ego any good,” he said. “Asher happened to be next to me. Thanks, man. I owe you” The teen just waved his hand in dismissal and turned back to the cave.
“We’re making headway. Mr. Young is a terror, but he won’t engage the basilisks. I think there may be some sort of relationship there that he’s being careful of.” Sebastian said. “He’s backed into a corner and somehow drawing the wights near him to him, and just mowing them down, but he won’t shift or tend his power. I’m not sure why.”
“Perhaps he doesn’t want to hurt you?” Sarah spoke up. When she’d seen him being carried out, his tail dangling limply and his ears drooping, she’d almost thrown up. It had taken her this long to fight the sick feeling to be able to speak again. Ellie and Sebastian turned to look at her while Doc poked gentle fingers at his ankle. Sarah shied back a little but carried on. “I mean, he’s really powerful, isn’t he? Maybe if he fought all out, he’d hurt everyone nearby and he doesn’t want to do that?” Sebastian face turned thoughtful.
“I bet you’re right.” He said. “I remember Gramma was always very respectful to him, and she was not exactly weak herself.”
“I think he’s a god, personally.” Ellie agreed. “I’ve always thought so, but nobody talks about it, so I never asked.”
“A god?” Sarah turned to her.
“Yeah. You know, a super powerful, really ancient spirit? Like Kai’s dad.” Ellie shrugged. “It’s impressive, and terrifying to think about, but I don’t know. Mr Young’s just always been here, and he sneaks the kids candy when nobody’s looking, so I have a hard time being intimidated by him.” She grinned.
“Wait, Kai’s dad?” Sarah ran her hand through her hair, searching for a way to process that.
“Yeah. Didn’t you know?” Ellie tipped her head to the side, then glanced at Sebastian.
“Well, it’s not something we really bring up much.” He shrugged. “ ‘Hi, I’m quarter kitsune and this is my half-brother the demigod.’ I mean it’s just Kai.”
“Okay, everyone. Earth-shaking revelations and speculations aside, we have more urgent matters.” Doc’s practical voice swept over them and brushed away the creeping sensation of unreality. “Yes, Sarah, it’s one of those things that’s such common knowledge around here that nobody talks about it. It is also none of our business. Sebastian’s right, it’s just Kai. Sebastian.” Doc turned to him. “Let’s see your older wight wound. I know I took the stitches out, but let’s see it. Your ankle will be fine, just stay off it for a bit. Otherwise, you’re just a bit banged up. And drink this.” She handed him a cup of healing tea from another thermos. Sebastian just chuckled at her.
“Thanks. After the chill in that damned cavern, I can’t tell you how good it is to laugh.” He looked up at Doc, then glanced over to Sarah. She sat down beside him and took his hand. He squeezed hers back as their fingers laced, and she knew that this was her way of fighting the soul-killing injuries the wights could inflict. Just the strength and living warmth of her own feelings. And somehow she knew that these people here— all the people in the Village really, even the ones here that she’d never met— they were her family now. That connection was a power of its own.
Ninteen
The hours crawled by. Several newcomers from the Village arrive and headed into the cave. Night fell in earnest and Doc and another resident went around setting a distraction blind around the camp to keep unrelated people from wandering in by accident. Someone brought a small portable grill and started a fire to heat soup and keep hands warm. Sebastian dozed off, exhausted from the fight he’d kept up.
The Andersons filtered out of the cave to rest and were replaced by others. They drooped on each other as they sat on the blanket, Doc and Sarah tending their wounds which were thankfully mostly minor.
“We’ve made a lot of headway,” Jennifer finally said, after she’d had some time to just sit and drink the warming tea. All the people who came back out of the cave were so cold that they got wrapped in blankets and moved near the fire. Sarah knew that the cold went deeper than just their skin and made sure to remind them that they weren’t alone in the universe.
“Has anyone managed to deal with the basilisks yet?” Sarah asked, rubbing Jennifer’s arm and refilling her tea. Judah nodded.
“Kai managed to get behind one and killed it,” he said. His hair was damp from sweat and grimy with filth that Sarah didn’t want to dwell on too long, and stuck in curls to his neck. It made him look very young, she thought. “The other one managed to back up against a wall and was keeping everyone away when we came out. It’s a little hard to figure out a way to get over to it without looking at the thing, though. The upside is that it’s attacking the wights, too. Just lashing out everywhere.”
“And the wights? How many are left, do you think?” she asked.
“There were hundreds when we went down there,” Jennifer said. Some of the strength was returning to her voice now, even though she still looked like she could sleep for a few days. “I’d say maybe fifty are left now? I’ve never fought one before. It’s…” She shook her head, trying to find the words.
“I don’t think we could describe it. You’re not just fighting the monster, you’re fighting yourself. Those things just…” Asher shared Jennifer’s vexed expression.
“It’s like you have to force yourself to believe you can fight at all before you even start,” Judah said, his mother and brother nodded. Sarah understood exactly what they meant. When she’d been faced with just one wight she’d frozen in her tracks until Sebastian had startled her into action. She couldn’t imagine facing hundreds of them and doing anything other than lying down and giving up entirely, and she said so.
“We all felt the moment you guys showed up. It was like feeling the edge of the heat from a fire. It wasn’t enough to warm us really, but it reminded us that we could get warm again, once we were finished,” Judah said, his smile growing
more sure with every moment.
“You guys are amazing. I wish I could be as strong as you are,” she said. “I’m almost jealous. I wish I could fight too.”
“You are, my dear.” Doc finished the last of the cuts over Asher’s eye. “You and I are fighting in our own way. We don’t have the same abilities as the Andersons, for example, but we have our own part in this battle, and you’re doing your job admirably.” She patted Sarah’s knee as she went to stand up. Sarah looked up at the older woman, the signs of strain and exhaustion written on her face as well. Judah punched her shoulder playfully and grinned when she looked at him.
“It’s good to remember how to smile.” He said simply. Sarah looked around the small group of exhausted warriors around the barbecue grill fire and they all nodded agreement. Even Sebastian looked like he was content in his nap. Sarah managed to smile herself, putting her worry aside.
“Well, you should smile. You went into that hold and beat the snot out of the forces of darkness. You guys are literally actual heroes. When this is all over I’m going to learn how to bake a cake and we’ll have a party,” she declared.
“Cake?” Asher sat up. Sarah laughed now. The group started talking quietly as others joined them near the fire. The night started to feel less cold. Soon there was a cheer as another fighter straggled out of the cave.
“That’s the other basilisk!” he called. “Stevie got it, what a woman! And there’s only a couple dozen wights left!” The man, a dark wiry African-American, who introduced himself as Chuck as when she brought him a camp cup of tea against possible wight poisoning, had a gash down one arm that was bleeding freely but was all smiles as Doc hurried him over to the warmth of the fire. Someone put a steaming mug of soup in his hands when his tea was gone and someone else wrapped a blanket around this uninjured shoulder to keep the warmth in while Doc cleaned him up. The mood was lightening as the wight population decreased.
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