by Madoc Fox
“In danger? I told him this would end badly. Where is he? What happened?” The woman's eyes started to cloud over again but she shook her head even more severely this time in an attempt to dispel the effects.
“Tapie, I need to escape and get to Etiainheim. Do you know how I can? I don’t know what to do.” Oscar pleaded urgently.
“Well, I'm not an expert with crossing…” she bit her lip worriedly then shook her head again, fighting to retain control. “…not like Vergil, but I think I might know a way. Though first you need to get out of here, this prison. You need to escape the birds.” Tapie gazed around fearfully, slipping again back into her ramblings. Oscar pressed on regardless.
“I need a pick for the lock, Tapie. A thin slip of metal or a wire. Do you have anything on you?” He looked searchingly over the slight frame and at the basket of herbs, as the woman rifled absently through the many folds and pockets of her layered skirts and shawls..
“Here.” Tapie said with a jerking motion, as though losing control. She held out a hand. “Take this it's all I have, I think.” The muddied fingers opened to reveal a handful of odds and ends, which she tipped unceremoniously into Oscar’s outstretched hand. Loathe to look at what kind of disagreeable objects or poisonous herbs the wild woman might have carried, Oscar shoved the collection of items into his trouser pocket, for inspection at a later date.
“Oi you!” The yell rang out across the Institute grounds. “Get away you filthy beggar.” A small projectile sailed past Oscar's face, slicing between the railings and striking the woman in her side. Oscar didn't have to look to know the origin of the flight. Edmund and the other children had obviously spotted Tapie. The young woman was now curled on the floor, having recoiled from the impact, all sensibility lost.
“Oh no, oh no! Is it the birds? This place is cursed, I must go. I must get back to the forest. Where are the orbs? They float like candles.”
With that the woman dragged herself to her feet and shuffled away, more rocks pelting her as she receded. Fortunately for her, the many layers of mud-coated clothing appeared to give some protection from the onslaught. Oscar called out to the receding figure as Tapie -his only connection to Etiainheim, his only way back- walked away.
“Meet me here tonight Tapie! I'll try to make it out. Just don’t forget.” Yet in amongst the sound of the rocks and the murmuring still falling from the woman's lips, Oscar feared that his message had not been heard.
“Yeah, away with you, crazy witch!” Edmund and the other boys had reached the gate now, jeering and hurling rocks and insults at the receding figure.
“Back off Edmund, leave her alone.” Oscar said, but Tapie was now out of sight.
“Ossscar. You still around? Can’t get rid of this stain, eh lads?” A few boys laughed in support.
“What's your problem Edmund? Why don't you just do everyone a favour and get lost.” Oscar stepped forward making a defiant stance. Edmund might just have cost him his only chance at getting back to Etiainheim.
“My problem? I’ll tell you what my problem is. Some stinking low life rat has been going through my stuff in the middle of night. Eh Ossscar?”
His hand flicked out from behind his jacket to reveal his whittling knife. Moving closer towards Oscar he held it out threateningly. Though Oscar tried to take a step back, the group of boys surrounding them jostled forward as an arc, trapping him against the railings. Each boy looked uncertain as to where the situation might lead but was equally afraid of any reprimand from their peers for not being involved. They acted as a group.
“You shouldn’t touch my stuff, Ossscar. I thought that’s something you already knew, but you seem to be getting out of place these days. Maybe you need a stronger reminder.”
Oscar drew his fist ready for an attack, but before it could come there was a rapping on the window pane high up in the Institute building. As if in response, Matron McKay came pacing out of the main door.
“Brek' it up lads, we’ll ave none o' that.” Never before had Oscar been so glad to see one of the matrons. Edmund’s gang dispersed in moments, leaving the two boys staring at each other as the matron reached them. Edmund subtly slide his knife back into his jacket pocket.
“Be seeing you ,Ossscar.” He hissed, before turning and striding back into the Institute, no doubt in pursuit of his deserters.
“C'mon Oscarr, git away from tha gate. We dinnae want you doing a runner eh?”
Still somewhat shaken from the unexpected violence of the confrontation, Oscar joined Josie by the pool. The small girl’s face was the picture of concern and Oscar could not bring himself to give her further reason to fret. Making light of the scene which had just played out, Oscar assuaged her concerns and proceeded to join her in skimming stones across the pond. Despite her small frame she had an excellent arm and Oscar struggled to trump her in the contest.
“Listen Josie” he said casually. “I'm going to try and leave tonight…” The young girl gasped, looking upset.
“No!” she cried. “Please don’t leave me.” Oscar looked at her solemnly.
“It’s okay, I won’t Josie, not for long. I'll be back soon, I promise. There’re just a few things I need to take care of but I will definitely come back. Okay? Just keep strong like I told you and stick by the Master.” Oscar had made his case so confidently that the girl dared not argue any further, though she eyed him suspiciously.
“You better” she retorted. This decided, the two continued with their leisure time.
That afternoon Oscar looked through the belongings bestowed unto him by Tapie. There were as he might have expected from the random collections of a woman who dips in and out of reality. However the assortment of items was not without value. Disregarding some poison Ivy and a few suspicious looking berries, he was fortunate enough to happen across a collection of buttons. After some deliberation, he convinced Josie to broker a trade with one of the girls from her dorm; the result being a hair pin. He now had a suitable set of tools to replace those taken during his time in Etiainheim and the set he had given to Piggy.
That evening as the matrons called for lights out, Oscar waited. Staring wide eyed at the ceiling he counted the minutes until sleep would call him into its oblivion. Years of night time skulking had conditioned his body to awake at midnight: he only hoped that he had not fallen out of practice.
He awoke on time, or near enough. Moonlight streamed in from the window high about the bunks but all was quiet. Carefully Oscar tiptoed out of the room and made for the gate, his newly acquired lock pick ready for use. Yet unbeknownst to Oscar, another had awoken at the same time and now followed his trail.
Oscar reached the gate with breathless anticipation, wondering whether Tapie would show. Yet the gaps between the railings were empty and Oscar exhaled with a troubled sigh. Though he called out several times, it seemed Tapie was not even in within earshot as all was deadly silent. Or almost silent, for suddenly there came the telltale crunch of gravel underfoot. 'She's here' Oscar thought gleefully but something in him recognised the discrepancy and his blood ran cold. The sound had issued from the Institute. Turning around he saw the outline of a boy. As tall as a man, there stood the adolescent giant whose muscles were twice that of Oscar's and whose clumsy mannerisms betrayed a predatory eagerness.
“Osscar. Bit late to be outssside now.” Edmund hissed. “How about I give you that little reminder? No matrons around to interfere this time”. Steel glinted by Edmund’s side as he drew his left arm from behind his jacket and revealed again the wicked knife. Oscar panicked, looking up in desperation to the Master's window.
“Go on, call out Osscar. Let the matrons see you out of bed. I know you’re up to something but they’ll soon put a stop to that. You lose either way. So what's it to be?”
Biding his time and thinking fast, Oscar knelt down in the dirt as Edmund approached, adopting a manner that suggested defeat. The towering figure loomed closer, already grinning in triumph. Oscar watched as the ugly jutting jaw ca
me nearer, now close enough to be in range. Without warning, he swung his arm round, dispatching a handful of dust straight into Edmund’s eyes. It was just enough: Edmund took a forward swipe with the knife but missed Oscar's face by inches. Sidestepping neatly, the smaller boy swung round and with all his might, punched Edmund’s square in the jaw. The giant fell, crashing into the earth with enough force to kick up a cloud of dirt. Scrabbling around, he growled with such ferocity that the noise reverberated across the Institute grounds as though it were entombed. Lights flicked on successively throughout the Institute building, from high up in the turrets until they reached the main entrance hall. The matrons would be out any moment.
Edmund clawed at his own eyes, stunned for now, but he would not be distracted for long. With the precious few seconds he had bought himself, Oscar made a dash for the gate. Tapie was still not there, but faced with the alternative of staying in the Institute Oscar knew he had no choice. He would be lucky if the matrons got to him first, for Edmund would not miss a second time.
Steadying his nerves, he reached into the pocket and pulled out the hair pin pick and the metal tension rod. He had just moments to get it right and frantically began using the pick to push the lock pins with as much control as he could muster.
“Who’s out there?” A matron’s voice from overhead broke his concentration and the pins reset. He could hear Edmund behind him slowly getting to his feet, grunting in pain and frustration.
“I'm gonna get you now, Ossscar.” The boy hissed, already closing in. ‘Click’. Relief flooded through Oscar -it was unlocked. In one flowing movement he unlatched the gate and stepped through, slamming it closed behind him. Just in time! An arm shot between the railings clawing at the air. He could see Edmund’s face coated in dirt moistened from tears, his mouth wide with teeth viciously poised. Quickly ducking another flailing arm, Oscar reached forward, rapidly relocking the gate. His heart pumping, he turned and sprinted into the fields beyond.
He did not look back, not even for a second. With every step the noise of the commotion behind faded and so a confidence slowly began to grow inside of him. He could not relent to the tiring in his limbs as the matrons would have sounded the alarm. The wardens would soon be after him. So with every cell, every fibre of muscle, tendon and ligament he kept on going. So intent was his focus, in fact, that he failed to notice the black blur in the tree line. Running as he was at full pelt, it came upon him so suddenly he could not avoid it. He crashed into the murmuring figure, throwing them both forward so that they tumbled over one another in a tangle of muddied material..
“Tapie, oh Tapie. I'm so glad to see you.” Oscar said between breaths, the initial shock turning into blessed relief.
In what was growing to become a characteristic manner, the young woman twitched her head to displace the mental fog.
“Oh, Oscar. Sorry I did not meet you sooner. I found myself waking up only to be in a completely different location. It appears you have escaped though.”
“We can’t linger for long Tapie” Oscar said urgently. “The matrons saw me leave and will have raised the alarm. The wardens could be onto us any minute. We must get back to Etiainheim quickly!”
“It’s not that easy, Oscar. We must hide - for now at least.” Twitch. Tapie shook her head again. “Follow me”
The wild woman led the way stumbling into the dark woodland, the boy following her haphazard path. As they entered the shelter of the trees she became somewhat calmer, perhaps feeling more at home. Oscar still caught snippets of her ramblings as he followed: more about the orbs. After a moment Tapie turned to him, gesturing towards an empty patch of woodland:
“Aren’t they beautiful? So good to be back”
Given the lack of anything to be seen, Oscar could only suppose Tapie actually thought herself in Etiainheim once more. Fortunately, the apparent lucidity that came with this belief worked in his favour. Despite not really seeing their surroundings Tapie now seemed to know where she was going and was calm enough to have a conversation once more. Oscar seized the opportunity to voice his concerns, explaining to Tapie what had happened when he was last in Etiainheim and his worries for Vergil.
“Do not be troubled too much for Vergil.” Tapie replied dreamily. “It is very difficult for another soul to kill a mind in Etiainheim, and besides it is hard for any creature to pass twice.”
Oscar glanced at her in confusion, but before he could pick her up on this comment, Tapie continued, more clearly this time.
“The bigger worry is where Edmund is leading the children’s Itse, for they will have travelled far now in Etiainheim. My guess would be that he is taking them toward a place sufficiently foul enough to corrupt them, somewhere so entrenched in misery that he will be stronger and able to fully turn them.”
Oscar listened with concern. He hardly thought Edmund needed to be stronger. After all, Oscar had never stood a chance in their previous fight thanks to the blinding images. After a moment he queried this with Tapie.
“Tapie. When I fought Edmund before, whenever we touched I think I could see his memories. It was things that had happened in my world but everything was so sad and despairing.”
“Yes, I’m not surprised. Vergil and I have commented on this occurrence in the past. Sometimes, Itse, especially unstable ones, can leak memories or feelings. It is certainly a strange sensation at first but with time you can guard against it happening.”
“I hope so. It was frightening, and…strange. There was one figure which kept on coming back; a shadowed silhouette with glaring bright eyes. You know, I don't think it was his mind's memory. It was like no one I’ve ever seen before. Could it be from Etiainheim, have you seen any Itse like that in your world?”
The woman stopped and turned to the boy, looking worried.
“I know of what you speak. I believe it is another Maere, but not an ordinary one, Oscar. It is one that has festered for a long, long time. Some know them as the Kurjus – the shadow stalkers - and over time Edmund’s Maere will darken further until he becomes one. They are Maere who are so detached from anything but despair, they have no other form than a shadowed figure.”
“A long time ago when I was younger, just a girl, I saw such a being. It had strayed toward the town of my birth and other Itse fled from its very presence. I could not leave but wished I had not stayed, helpless as I was. I watched as it easily consumed weak and unwitting souls, leaving smaller Maere in its wake; each to inflict a lifetime of cumulative damages.” Tapie looked seriously at Oscar once more, before her head lolled to one side and she returned to her murmuring.
“Tapie…” Oscar began, somehow managing to regain the woman’s attention. “…are there many of them?”
“What? Yes. Their numbers have increased slowly over the years, but fortunately they seldom stray into the towns. Vergil has encountered many himself. But then, he does tend to seek out the challenge.”
They continued wordlessly through the forest for a while, until they reached a tall single oak tree on top of a cleared mound. Leaping forward, the crazy woman twitched and held her arms outstretched,.
“Welcome, to my humble abode!” she managed, before drifting back once again to her mentally unstable alter ego.
Underneath the shelter of a mighty branch was a makeshift campsite, the kind of habitat that was to be expected of a homeless person if it were not for the obscure potted plants that lined the boundary. Piles of old rubbish and recycled metal parts were strewn across the grounds, possibly highly prized items to the real-world Tapie. Surprisingly, Oscar saw that a tarp had been hung from the branch overhead to provide a waterproof shelter and also that an old copper kettle sat on a heap of embers in the centre. Quite resourceful for someone whose mind seldom graced their physical reality, Oscar thought with a wry smile.
The crazy woman pottered about gathering up belongs and tidying the place haphazardly as though making the grounds suitable for guests, all the while running an extraordinary conversation with herself
. For Oscar it was incredible that Tapie had managed to live as long as she had. Her frugal existence was more of a tribute to her survival than it was a discredit to her person.
The embers of the campfire glowed a little but not enough to give away their location to any searching eyes. Climbing up to the first branch of the tree, Oscar could see over most of the forest and back towards the Institute. Specks of light lit up the darkened outline of the grounds, showing that the matrons were still up. At that moment there came the gentle, distant hum of an electrocart, accompanied by two white beams of light scanning the ground ahead. Signalling the arrival of the wardens on the scene. The men would soon be searching for them and Oscar just hoped that Tapie had chosen a secluded enough spot for her residence. The boy jumped back down from the branch, instilled with a new sense of urgency.
“Tapie, I can’t wait for long or they will find me. How do I get back?”
“Yes, Yes. Sorry Oscar. It is hard for me to keep track.” Twitching once again, Tapie walked over to the stove and picked up the kettle, using a cloth as protection from the heat.
“I am not as well versed as Vergil with treading between realms, so try to hold your expectations. But I have given this some thought and hopefully it should work.” The woman jerked spasmodically, before pouring out the contents of the kettle into a wooden cup.
“Valerian. It will give you very, very, deep dreams, hopefully deep enough that your mind might touch Etiainheim. If it does, well, I will attempt to pull you through from the other side.” She looked at Oscar hopefully and pressed the steaming cup into his hands. The mixture within consisted only of murky water with green wilted leaves swirling about on the surface. Yet as Oscar lifted the cup towards his face the aroma was strong and woody and as he inhaled it his head felt light.
“Strong eh?” he said nervously to Tapie, who only twitched and looked blankly on. With the conviction of a person who has little or no alternative, the boy took a long gulp of the hot liquid, coughing as the vapours filled his sinus.