by Mary Coffin
Loki returned her horse to the stable. She took a few minutes to brush Beno and fill a bin with hay, and then approached the house.
Don’ go in miss! The dark be in there!
Their message caused Loki to tense. She knew something was wrong. She reached for the door handle but didn’t press down on the lever. She recalled her father nearly striking her mother one time. Fortunately, he was too drunk and clumsy to cause harm. Instead, he simply tumbled to the floor, where he remained unconscious for the entire night but it was enough to let Loki know that he was capable of harming her or her mother, given the right circumstances. She didn’t believe that her mother would let it get to that point but ever since Elwyn left, her father’s behavior had become less predictable.
Then she wondered, if the darkness returned while she was gone, could it have overpowered him and helped him hurt her mother while she was out riding? Or could he simply have hurt Gwynn by himself? For a moment, she considered not going inside. If he did hurt her mother, could she control her own anger and not provoke him further? Would it be better for her mother if she stayed away for a while longer? After some consideration, she decided to open the door after all.
No, miss. No!
The first thing that caught her eye was her father at the table, slumped over and, apparently, unconscious. What she saw next made her skin crawl. As her eyes adjusted to the dim light inside the cabin, she noticed a dark shadow loom over him. It was similar to the shadow that appeared outside her window but this one was big and the energy radiating from it was almost unbearable, as if it were more than mere energy but rather the very source of the darkness itself. It changed shape, consolidating into a smaller space over her father and quickly turned into the head of the panther.
Loki sensed that it was about to do something to her father. She took a couple steps forward.
No, miss! Don’ go near!!
The panther turned to face her. Its golden eyes pierced her with a sinister sensation as if evil itself had just entered her body.
Gwynn yelled at her from the bedroom doorway. “No, Loki! Stay back!”
As soon as her mother shouted, the sick feeling left Loki’s body. The black form turned its attention to Gwynn and suddenly vanished into thin air. Loki took another step forward and observed her father. His head rested on his forearm on the table and the other arm hung at his side. The handle of his drinking mug was about to slip off his fingers and fall to the floor. On the table in front of him was a small, empty bottle. Loki walked over and reached for it.
“Don’t touch it!”
Loki pulled her hand back and looked at her mother standing in the doorway.
Gwynn leaned against the door frame, her shoulders slumped and one hand held the side of her face.
“Mother? What’s going on?” she whispered.
Her mother hesitated but then slowly lowered her hand. Her cheek had a dark red welt that was already bruising. Her dark hair, which was usually tied in a neat bun, was a mess. Strands loosely fell down her back and around her face.
Loki rushed to her side.
“Mama! Are you...did he...” She glanced back toward the table at the lifeless form of her father. Rage burned in her eyes and she balled up her fists. She started to turn toward her father. “He should get the same treatment!”
Gwynn grabbed her arm and pulled her back. “Listen to me, Loki. I want you to quickly pack some things. We’re leaving. Now!” Her eyes searched the room. “Before it returns.”
“But what about father?”
Gwynn, still holding her arm, gazed gravely into Loki’s eyes. “He’s gone, Loki. He poisoned himself.” She searched her daughter’s eyes, trying to determine how she took the news, but there wasn’t time for discussion. “Go. Pack quickly. We can’t be here when it returns to claim his soul or it might…I don’t want to take any chances.”
Loki glanced at her father and then back at her mother, feeling somewhat dazed by this turn of events.
“Go! Quickly!”
FIVE
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