by Leah Ward
Edwin looked down at his hand, and had an idea. “Can I try?” He asked.
He stepped towards the fire, concentrated and held his hand out – palm stretched out front. His forearm started to glow orange, and then the small snake-like red flames danced around his wrist and hand. Brighter and brighter they became, until a dash of fire shot out and burst their small stick hut into a roaring blaze.
“There we go! Stay warm, I will be back in a jiffy,” She said to Edwin as she grabbed her bow and arrow and headed towards the brush.
Edwin sat down next to the fire and stared at her until she disappeared from his optical range. Once her footsteps were faded, the sounds of the forest crept in. Howls, crickets chirping, and frogs bellowing, all were preparing for the night’s rest.
Suddenly all the noise stopped. It was as if a switch had been flipped, muting every creature. Edwin wondered if this was good or bad. Minute after minute he waited for Lena, yet no sign of her anywhere. He hated the feeling of anticipation in his gut.
Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.
Someone was coming! Edwin could see a silhouette in the near distance, although it seemed to be much taller than Lena.
“Lena? Is that you?” Edwin said, rushing to his feet. The image froze, and was angled like it was staring directly at him.
“Lena?!” He raised his voice in case the image hadn’t heard him. A hand reached out and touched the back of his shoulder. Edwin gasped and jumped to face whoever had just touched him. It was surprisingly Lena.
“Ah! What are you doing? How did you …” His voice trailed off as he quickly turned around to where the silhouette had been.
“You were just over there! I saw someone standing there! But how…” He trailed off again. Lena eyed him like she did the first time when she had him tied to her kitchen chair. “Wow you really need to get some sleep!” She said jokingly, and held up two dead squirrels. Edwin almost vomited in his mouth, but was able to choke it back.
“These are going to taste so good, trust me.” She said, completely ignoring what he had said about the strange image he had seen.
She took out her knife from her boot and started to skin the squirrels. Edwin’s stomach jumped with queasiness. “I’m not going to be able to eat those if I sit and watch you do that.” He said to Lena.
He turned his head and tried desperately to think of anything else besides the sound of ripping flesh.
The only thing that his mind trailed to was Agmund, and how disappointed he must be or what he must think of Edwin being missing for the past few days. Lena noticed Edwin’s sudden mood change; he had slouched over and leaned his head on his forearms.
“What are you thinking about?” She questioned him.
“My father, well… my adopted father. He probably thinks I’ve run away.” He said and sighed.
“Well, have you?” She asked curiously.
“Kinda, but for a good reason.” He replied.
“And what’s that?” Lena said, not knowing that she was opening a door for truths and secrets to be exposed.
CHAPTER 11
Edwin looked at her and considered telling her about his entire journey, and the reason why he had even started it. He also considered that if he confided in her, she might do the same to him. He was extremely curious about her life; she had barely told him anything about her. He didn’t even know how old she was.
“My parents died in the dark curse massacre, trying to put an end to the very roots of evil. The cave has a book, which contains the darkest magic spells imaginable, ones that can wipe out an entire universe if the reader wanted it so. Seers try every day to find the cave, and I can’t let anyone get that book before I do. What if they use the spell for themselves so that they can reign over the world? Or other galaxies? It is that powerful! My parents sought out to destroy it, and failed. It is my destiny to follow in their footsteps, destroy the book, and claim victory.” Edwin said, and gasped for air. He talked so fast that he had forgotten to breathe.
Lena didn’t say anything; she only stared at Edwin and absorbed his words. She had finished cleaning the squirrels and now had them roasting on a stick. The smell filled Edwin’s nostrils and when he inhaled, his stomach rumbled with hunger despite how queasy it felt only a few minutes ago.
“I am sorry about your parents, they seemed like good people for going to such lengths.” Lena said.
Edwin nodded, “Thank you, but I only knew them for the first few years of my life. Four actually, then I lived with my grandmother.”
Lena stared at the roasting squirrel, not knowing what to respond with besides her sympathy.
“Then my grandmother died, and that’s when I was adopted.” He said, twisting his stick and rotating his squirrel.
Lena sat quietly, and after a few minutes, she broke the silence. “My parents also passed away. I know your pain.” Her voice was soft, yet deep and Edwin’s skin had goose bumps while she talked. The tone was powerful and strikingly emotional.
“I’m sorry. How long ago was it?” Edwin asked, pushing to learn more about his new companion.
Lena hesitated; she hated talking about her parents, especially her father.
“My father died a year before the dark curse, and my mother five years after, when I was nine.” Lena said. It hurt to bring up her past life. She had tried so hard to forget it.
Edwin tried doing the math in his head, five years after the curse she was nine, which means now -ten years after the curse- that she is…fourteen?
Their squirrels were finished cooking, and Lena reached in the backpack and pulled out a folded cloth napkin that had small green leaves inside. She took one of the leaves and started to rub it over her squirrel.
“Uhm, what are you doing?” Edwin asked.
“It’s an herb, gives it a little flavor.” Lena said, then handed him a leaf. He did the same thing she had, rubbed the squirrel meat down.
The first bite was impeccable. Edwin was skeptical at first, but after sinking his teeth into the moist, fresh meat he couldn’t put it down.
“So, you’re fourteen?” Edwin said. Lena looked at him confused, and then responded “Oh I am? Cool.”
Confused he raised his eyebrow, “You didn’t know you were fourteen?” He said.
“No. I’ve lived in the woods since the curse. Once my mom passed, I lost track of time. So I don’t really pay attention to counting the days. I have other priorities, ya know.” Lena said.
Edwin watched her wavy hair lift off her shoulders when the cool breeze blew. He couldn’t tell if she had natural brown in her hair, or if it was just dirt, yet he still found it gorgeous. He watched her face as she spoke, her lips were thinner, her nose cute and small, and her eyes were mesmerizing.
“Edwin?” Lena asked, her eyebrow rose wondering what he was staring at.
“Do I have squirrel on my face?” Lena asked. The question made Edwin laugh, and come out of his trance.
“No, I was just thinking. So you’ve lived in the woods since you were nine? By yourself? How…” He asked her, continuing their conversation.
“None of my family was alive after the curse except for my mom. You’re lucky you had your grandma. So anyway…I was good with a bow, and I was good at taking care of my mom and me, so I figured why not?” Lena said. Her reasoning sounded absurd to Edwin. He was fifteen and scared of every aspect of the forest, yet she had been living amongst the beasts like they were no big deal.
Edwin was so curious that it drove him mad. He wanted to know more, he wanted her to trust him. She had no one, but he wanted her to know that she had him. He dared to step a bit further.
“How did your parents…pass?” Edwin asked quietly. He had finished his squirrel by now. Since he met Lena he had rushed every one of his meals, and was amazed how Lena had savored each one. She was so calm and at peace to be living in the most dangerous area of the world.
She didn’t answer right away, which made Edwin feel nauseous from nervousness. She was good at ma
king him feel that way.
“My mother died because she was…sick. She had been sick for years, and I had taken care of her. She struggled for us to survive after the curse, but we managed. That’s when I learned the bow, and how to use a knife. I hunted for us and it was the only meal we got some days. It was tough, but I got used to it. Living in the forest was just as easy as living with the town folk, so I figured why not stay out here and not have to deal with looks of pity as I walk around?” Lena said. Edwin had never heard her speak that long at once before.
“That sucks, I’m sorry about your mom.” Edwin said, which was all that he could manage to get out.
Did he dare to cross the line completely? He knew he was asking for trouble, but he asked anyway, “And your dad? You didn’t mention him.” He said.
Lena gave him a look that made Edwin’s skin tingle from fear. He figured he had gone too far. Too much information was being leaked out and Edwin knew it wouldn’t have been too much longer before she stopped.
“My father died before the curse. That’s about all I have to say about him.” Lena said; her tone different than it was only a minute ago.
Edwin reached into the backpack and pulled out two small blankets Lena had packed for them. He handed one to her, and spread the other out for himself.
“I’m sorry, I was just curious. I think I’m going to get some rest now; it has been a long day.” Edwin said, gesturing to lie on his blanket, feeling guilty for asking so many questions. He made a cocoon and wrapped himself in it, it wasn’t the bed he was used to at home, or even the cot from Lena’s tree house, but it would have to do.
“I just don’t like to talk about him is all,” Lena said, continuing the conversation that Edwin thought was over.
“I understand, we don’t have to. Goodnight.” Edwin said and rolled over to face the tree.
“He wasn’t much of a father, or a good husband to my mother at that.” Lena said again. Edwin thought to himself, so she spills the beans if it seems that I am ignoring her?
He shrugged and thought that it must be a girl thing, but he had never had any luck with girls so he wasn’t really sure. This time Edwin didn’t say anything.
“Do you not want to talk about it?” Lena asked, completely confusing Edwin since she had been the one to cut him off from the conversation in the first place.
Edwin sat up and looked at her, “Sure we can talk about it. What did he do wrong?” He asked. Her cheeks grew red, and Edwin couldn’t tell if the fire had warmed them, or if it was something he had said.
“Well, it’s complicated. He was good once, but his heart grew blacker each day. He…he would hit my mother. He yelled at me when I tried to stop him. He babbled on and on about things we didn’t understand… Dark things…” She said.
Edwin was completely shocked, he wasn’t expecting that. “Wow… And then he died?” He asked.
“Oh, yes. Then suddenly he just…died.” She said.
“That’s an awful story, I can’t even imagine.” He responded.
“Now you know why I don’t mention him. That’s why I don’t want to be a half Seer, I want nothing to do with him.” Lena said.
“A Seer is a gift beyond measurement! It definitely has had the downside of seeing awful creatures, but just think, we are going to destroy the book of Darkness! How could you not want a gift that will help you accomplish such a goal? Even if it did come from him?” Edwin said.
“You just don’t understand Edwin…” Lena said, her voice trailing and quieting.
“Help me understand, tell me more about your father.” Edwin said, knowing it may be a long shot.
It was. Lena quickly changed the subject. “Speaking of gifts, why did you not jump up and kill the baby dragon on the floating piece of land? Why did you throw the fire? By the way you could’ve hit me you know.” Lena said playfully.
“I wouldn’t have hit you, I have superb accuracy!” He joked back and then continued, “But, I did try to jump and it didn’t let me for some reason.”
“Maybe you didn’t want to save me bad enough.” Lena said.
“No, I saw a terrible vision of the future…trust me, I wanted to save you.” Edwin said, not sure if he should have told her about his newest discovered gift.
“You can see the future? Exactly how many gifts is that now?” Lena said half-jokingly. She wasn’t sure how to feel about the new information; it was magical but certainly very odd.
“Yes, I saw you devoured by the bird if I did nothing! It almost made me pee my pants I was so scared.” Edwin admitted.
“Boy oh boy! Wouldn’t that have been funny?” Lena said, laughing. It was the first time Edwin had seen her laugh. He knew right away that he loved hearing it.
“I highly doubt that it would have been, but once I saw you were in danger I threw the fire and took off running to heroically catch you! For some reason, then I was able to jump really high.” Edwin said, the both of them still joking back and forth.
“Oh how brave of you Edwin! It took a vision of me being Big Bird’s dinner for you to know I was in danger! Gee, I figured my high pitched screams, and being picked up by Big Bird’s meaty claws would have been a good sign!” Lena said, full of sarcasm and roaring with laughter.
In that moment, Edwin knew what happiness felt like, Lena was perfect. It was one of the best nights he could remember having.
CHAPTER 12
A chilled wind picked up, interrupting their talk.
“Oh no, I think the weather is changing. We have to get somewhere with shelter quick.” Lena said, all joking aside from her voice.
They looked anxiously around, searching for a cave or protruding rocks that they could hide under.
“There!” Edwin said, pointing towards a few boulders a hundred yards away. It wasn’t like ordinary freestanding boulders; these had massive rocks lying all around them and a few on top. They gathered their blankets and things, put out the campfire and ran towards the boulders.
Once they got there, they found a perfect spot to shelter two people. They sat down next to each other and put the blankets around them. The temperature had already dropped heavily, and the wind picked up quicker and quicker. Fortunately the boulders blocked most of the wind’s chill.
“How bad are these storms normally?” Edwin asked.
“They can be rough. I followed Seers into these parts and they died because they didn’t find shelter, and huddled out in the cold. This is a great spot though; the rocks are blocking most of the wind. It shouldn’t be too terrible.” Lena said, already making Edwin feel safer.
A few moments later, rain started to fall, large drops of rain. They were on a bit of an incline so luckily the water didn’t rush into their hiding spot.
It didn’t take long for the rain to freeze, and turn into hail. Huge pellets were dropping from the sky, some the size of pennies, some the size of golf balls. The temperature continued to drop, and Edwin started to shake. He didn’t have nearly enough meat on his bones to keep him warm. Slyly, he scooted closer to Lena. Their arms touched, and immediately he felt his skin warm.
Lena didn’t move and Edwin wondered if she even felt how close he was next to her. He thought it would be better if she didn’t either.
In the midst of the hail, Edwin saw that it had started to snow as well, creating a blizzard-like mix. “I love the snow; it’s so peaceful to look at.” He said.
Lena didn’t respond, only watched it fall. He looked at her out of the corner of his eye and sighed, trying again to get her to open up to him.
“I’m freezing; I don’t think these blankets are going to cut it. Can we make another fire?” Edwin said through chattering teeth.
“We can’t make a fire without any wood, and all the wood we gathered is a hundred feet away through a golf ball sized hailstorm, so no. We are going to have to suck it up, use body heat and wait for the morning. It will be over by then.” Lena said. Through her entire spiel all Edwin managed to get out of that was - body he
at, what did that mean?
“Okay…” Edwin said, his teeth clenched together.
Lena laughed and put her arm around Edwin. “You would never make it out here kid.” She said jokingly.
Heat traveled up Edwin’s spine, relieving his body of possible frostbite. Edwin knew that he should have been the one to put his arm around Lena in this situation, but he was too cold and honestly thought she would provide more warmth since she seemed to be stronger than him.
Lena moved her arm after a few minutes though, and lay down. “I’m going to sleep; it will make the cold easier because you aren’t thinking about it.” Lena said as she pulled the blanket over her. Edwin lay down as well, with his back towards her.
Edwin scooted his back closer to hers, so that they were touching.
“Do you think the Earth will ever be what it once was?” Edwin asked, staring at the wall of rock.
Lena responded, “No I don’t think it will ever be the same as people say it once was. Can you imagine? Something called a ‘cell phone’ that you can talk to someone miles away? Or a ‘computer’ where you can search for any question in the world and it will have an answer? It sounds impossible. Sometimes I wish I could remember things like that, but I was barely old enough to remember what I do.”
“Yeah, sometimes I wonder if the world before was just a legend? If people of this world now just made things like that up to make themselves feel safe, and like there is hope that we all may experience those things ‘again’, ya know?” Edwin said, deep in thought.
“Yeah…I know…” Lena said through yawns.
Edwin closed his eyes, and drifted off to the faint sound of Lena’s sleepy breathing.