by Ava Hardy
Chris and Blake started to walk down a worn path and I quickly retrieved my phone. I shoved it into my back pocket before slamming the door and running off to catch up to them.
“Are you guys sure this is the way to go?” I questioned once I fell in line behind Blake. We had to walk single file down the small path, the tall field grass brushing along at our hips. I looked up and noticed we were approaching the woods. Within it, there was a darkness that caused a shudder down my spine.
“All the evidence was pointing in this direction and we know that the Elder will be able to tell us if we are on the right track,” Chris explained from the head of our little line.
I didn’t have to ask what evidence he was talking about. The short time that I knew Chris, I got the impression that he researched the hell out of something before he went through with it. Take his brand new vehicle for instance. I tuned out when he went on and on about all the statistics he compared and how he decided on this one being the perfect year, model, and brand for the journey. Of course Blake was into it; he was a self-proclaimed car lover. He mentioned having rebuilt a 1956, or was it ’57, Chevy something or another with his dad.
“Do I need to be worried about this Elder person?”
The two stopped walking right when we reached the trees and both looked back at me. I started to open my mouth to say something but Blake shook his head. I didn’t know if he was trying to shut me up or was only shaking his head because he couldn’t believe I would ask something like that, again. But could he really blame me? I had no idea what these Elders were or what they could do.
A flutter of worry shot down my spine and I wanted to ask them if either really knew what we were walking into.
“They are usually older. Some are extremely powerful. The tricks they play are meant to be funny but they’re more annoying than anything else. They live a life of solitude so when they get visitors, it’s like they need to get some entertainment to hold them over ’til someone else comes along. Be polite, don’t insult them. Don’t seem annoyed. Don’t do or say stuff like...” Chris started to repeat information that they’d already told me but his voice calming. The melted butter had returned and it made me smile.
“Stuff like you usually do. Don’t ask how many people they’ve murdered out here in the middle of nowhere. You want an Elder’s help,” Blake finished for Chris. He was giving me a look that basically said my warped and somewhat demented sense of humor was a no-go.
Swallowing hard, I nodded. I gave them both a promise that I wouldn’t crack any inappropriate jokes and I’d be on my best behavior. They’d see that I’m not always full of nervous jokes. Neither one addressed my returning concern about the Elder. Maybe they were tired of repeating themselves or worse, they didn’t want to tell me the truth. Either way, I could feel the twisted knot in my gut getting bigger.
We walked into the woods and I wondered if Chris knew where he was going. The path that was barely visible. Dead leaves were all over and the vines of some species of plant, that I didn’t know the name of, laced over it like a spider web. I looked up and saw moss hanging down from the trees with patches of sunlight shining through. Little particles floated around in the light and I told myself it was just dust-not bugs. The whole thing gave me an eerie feeling and I inched my way closer to Blake. I had never experienced anything like this and kept twisting my head in each direction to take it all in. The scuttle of animals in the shadows had me getting closer to Blake; now and then I would accidentally step on the back of his shoe. It would make him groan as he fixed it but he never even looked at me. I think he realized that I was trying not to freak out.
When we silently made our way around a corner, an old footbridge came into view. Its old weathered wood arched over a large stream. They guys kept walking while I slowed down, taking it in. Something about the way it looked made my heart beat a little faster. I couldn’t help but picture the bridge scene towards the end of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. This bridge wasn’t nearly as big or as high off of the water but I could still end up wet.
Stopping right before the bridge, I looked down at the water. It was coming down off the mountain and I was certain that if it wasn‘t moving so quickly, the water would be frozen solid. Studying it for a moment, I guessed it was about five feet across and at least two feet deep. Though I would say it was deeper than that. I was having trouble seeing the bottom.
Every once in a while, a stick would float past or I’d catch the faint outline of a fish. I wondered what else was in the water. Just then, a frog croaked loudly. It was as if he was reading my mind and decided to let me know he was there. I shifted my attention to the large boulder that was half submerged in the frigid water. The thing was huge. Dark green and bumpy. I wrinkled my nose and he croaked again. The hairs on the back of my neck were starting to stand up and I thought about asking the guys if frogs could read minds but I didn’t speak. All I could do was stare back at the amphibian. He croaked again and I suddenly felt like he might be trying to talk to me. Was he warning me? Or was he simply welcoming me into the woods? Then again, he could be telling me to get the hell out of there, he didn’t want to see my gawking stare. Finally I was able to tear my eyes away from him and took in the scenery around me. With a deep breath, I took it all in and felt myself relax more than I ever had before. My head tipped and my eyes closed. The smell, the sounds, this experience . It was incredible. The frog croaked at me again and I came back down to earth. I looked the creature but he was already gone.
Glancing towards the end of the bridge, both men were standing on the trail watching me. Blake had a big amused smirk on his face and Chris was expressionless, his norm. “What?” I asked.
“It’s almost cute how you seem to be like a kid in the candy store. Have you never been in the woods before?” Blake asked as Chris turned to start walking again. I walked off the bridge to join Blake so we could follow after him with a quick pace. I was reminded once again that I needed to exercise more.
“I’ve been to parks but never something like this. My parents weren’t really the outdoorsy type.” I shrugged my shoulders as I thought about my upbringing. I ended up with my hands shoved into my pockets as I fell in line behind Blake, biting my lower lip. I wonder what else I had missed out on.
An idea suddenly hit me. “Are you the only ones out here?” I asked, unable to say the word w word for some reason.
“We are,” Chris answered from the front. “And before you ask, we would be able to hear them. You might too. If they are really good at going undetected, we’d be able to smell ‘em. If for some reason that failed, the Elder knows that we’re coming. Only the three of us are allowed to pass through his protective shield.”
“The frog...was he an alarm system of some sort?” I asked with a chuckle, pointing over my shoulder with my thumb. I had been half joking but Chris said it was a possibility.
“Nobody ever knows what they use exactly. It would defeat the purpose.” I nodded at Chris’s answer. It made a lot of sense.
During their explanation at the Mexican restaurant the night before, they spoke about hunters. I immediately pictured humans wearing fluorescent orange vests with camo shirts, going through the brush and searching for whatever it was they wanted to kill. The description I was given was a similar but a completely different idea—humans that knew of the supernatural world and set out to eradicate anything that wasn’t 100% human. Blake explained that they could wipe out entire packs in a single night and my heart hurt, a lot. I couldn’t imagine losing my family or anyone I knew to something so tragic. It wasn’t ’til he reminded me that I wasn’t exactly human that fear shot straight through me. Chris must have seen the expression change in my eyes
“You have nothing to fear,” He had told me gently. “What you are is a little more difficult to track.”
“Besides that, if you are with us…we’ll keep you safe.” Blake had to get his two cents in.
Even if it gave me some comfort, I was still sc
ared. Could I have met a hunter before and not known it?
I spent most of the night staring at the ceiling and trying to make sense of everything. The more I had talked to them, the more I accepted that there was something different about me. I was starting to believe them.
The trail twisted one way and then another before it finally took us to the front porch of a small cottage set back amongst some fallen trees. There was moss, grass, clovers, and several species of flowers growing all over the roof. Vines grew up along the sides. It appeared that the foliage was keeping the whole thing together or perhaps that’s what the home was made out of. It helped to disguise the building and was doing an excellent job. I would have walked right past it if Chris hadn’t motioned to turn when he did.
Both Blake and I followed behind Chris as he took the steps up to the front door. He reached out to knock, but right as his hand was about to make contact with the wood, it opened. A warm rush of air came out to greet us. It smelled like fresh bread with a hint of burning wood. My stomach growled in response. Eating was the last thing on my mind as I stared at the dark entrance. I could sense that there was something in the shadows and I held my breath. My imagination started working overtime. What was it? Was it the Elder? Maybe it was a hunter. Hunters could hunt Elders too. Right?
“You are late.” The voice was deep with age and gave no indication where it was coming from. I immediately looked to the roof and then the trees, thinking perhaps the Elder was watching us from somewhere other than inside. “Keep focused, Kiera.”
I looked back to the entrance, surprised to hear my name.
“Sorry...” I started to say, feeling my voice go weak.
“You’re not sorry. Now come inside before you let out all the warm air.” The voice didn’t change in volume but commanding all the same.
Chris entered first and Blake ushered me in next. He came up behind me and I realized that I was being protected, sandwiched between them. The thought made me smile. It was instantly wiped from my face. Afraid that I might upset or insult the Elder was still at the forefront of my mind.
It took a few seconds for my eyes to adjust to the darkness of the cottage. It was dimly lit by the roaring fire on the opposite end of the room. The flickers of light caused the dark corners to lighten. I was able to see more and noticed the home was one big open area-like a studio apartment.
Near the fire was the kitchen or what resembled one. The Elder couldn’t have any running water all the way out here or any kind of septic system. I started to wrinkle my nose at the idea but managed to catch myself before it was noticed.
The four of us stood in the living room; several pieces of older furniture were organized in a circular pattern. Each piece had a crocheted blanket draped over the back and I guessed that was how the Elders spent most of his time. Turning my head just enough, I looked over my shoulder and saw his bedroom of sorts. I didn’t dare look for too long so I snapped my head forward the moment Chris started to speak.
“We were told that you could help us,” he said softly. His voice sounded extra buttery and almost submissive. I was surprised that someone who was supposed to be a powerful wolf would act as if he couldn’t rip all of our throats out in a flash. Chris’s actions made me even more curious about the Elder.
“I am helping you.” The Elder spoke clearly as he stepped out of the shadows and inched closer to where we were.
I was finally able to take a good look at him. I was a bit disappointed. He wasn’t nearly as scary as I had imagined. There was no resemblance to Yoda or Dumbledore or anyone else for that matter. Then again, if I saw someone who was green skinned with tufts of hair, I might not be able to keep a straight face. Add in Yoda’s pointy ears and I would be done for. Even though he was about the same size as what I would assume Yoda was, I bet the comparison would stop there. His skin was extremely pale. Years without sunlight would do that to anyone, but the more I looked at him, the more his looks seemed very much him. Wrinkles and creases marked his skin and gave proof that his age was unmeasurable. There was a youthfulness to him that was a bit confusing and I couldn’t exactly place it. His eyes shone with a depth that said he had seen many things and held many secrets of the universe. The smirk he carried on his thin lips reminded the three of us that he was a jokester, ready to make a jab at whoever was the easiest prey. As he moved towards us, I noticed how loose his clothes hung off his body. Had he once been taller? The Elder’s shirt nearly reached the floor, skirting at the wooden planks as he shuffled forward and stood directly in front of Chris.
“We...” Chris started to say but then corrected himself. “I really appreciate all the help that you are offering us.”
I raised my eyebrow in question, wondering why Chris had changed his statement from a group to only himself. Blake shook his head a little when our eyes met. I didn’t bother to question it. There was more going on here than I was aware of.
“Your team is small.” The Elder stopped in front of Blake and looked over him closely. The dark-haired man didn’t move but stood there silently, his body rigid like he was at attention during a military drill. He didn’t flinch as the Elder examined him. My curiosity was about to get the better of me and I was forced to bite down on my lower lip. How could they be so calm? Had they been through this before?
The short man glided forward and stood directly in front of me, surveying everything about my appearance.
“Yes, sir. We are confident that we can collect the first element with just the three of us. I hope that we’re able to add to our team before the second element. As you know, time is of importance so Blake and I felt that it was imperative to not waste a second—best to be working towards the goal rather than sitting by, waiting for the rest of the team to surface.” Chris seemed to say the words perfectly. The pleased look on the Elder’s face made me relax a little.
“She’s never fought before.” The Elder poked me in my kneecap with a bony finger and I let out an “oomph” as I tried not to fall forward a little.
“No sir, she hasn’t. My plan is to take a few days and train her the best that we can. Right now, we’re not even sure what exactly she is.”
Chris wasn’t making excuses for my lack of experience, which I was thankful for. But this talk about fighting, training....this was starting to sound a little more dangerous than either of them had originally led me to believe. Maybe it was my naïve imagination that pictured us walking through the woods, happy and enjoying the wildlife, and then we’d just so happen upon the element. Nothing there to stop us. Nothing to fight. Once again, worry washed over me as I tried to picture the new unknowns.
“A few days may not be enough,” the Elder stated as his feet carried him towards Chris. “You’ve already wasted half a day going in the wrong direction.”
“I’m sorry...” Chris stated to speak but was cut off by a small hand appearing in front of his face. I couldn’t stop myself from staring at the Elder’s knobby knuckle. They were so skinny. Did they have anything on them other than skin and bones?
“You heard me, shifter. You are going in the wrong direction. Turn around and go back the way you came. Head north.”
Nothing more was said as he spun on his bare heels and started to walk away from us. Were we being dismissed? I glanced towards Chris. His eyes were focused on the Elder. My gaze turned towards Blake, who was doing the same.
“She needs more discipline,” the Elder stated from his place in front of the fire. His back was towards us but he knew I was fidgeting.
“I’m sorry.” My voice wasn’t as strong as I would have liked. I didn’t know if it was fear or nerves, or a mix of both.
“You will be if the earth ends because you failed to do your duty. This is not a game. You are not on vacation. This is a matter of life and death, but somehow you believe it all to be a lie. Discipline yourself. Respect the journey as it is laid out before you and step up to accomplish the tasks. Gaia has picked you for a reason, and for the life of me, I do not unde
rstand what she saw in your future. You have no accomplishments. You have no talents. Your job is mediocre at best. And yet you stand before me with two Gifted. If you do not complete the task at hand, you will fail. You fail and millions of people will die when the earth ceases to exist. Now go.”
We were officially dismissed then but I couldn’t move. I felt like I had been smacked hard across the face. His words stung and I wanted him to apologize, even though someone like the Elder never admitted they were wrong. Chris put his hand on my back and started to usher me towards the door. Before he closed it behind us, he thanked the Elder for his time.
The three of us walked silently back towards our vehicle. I think Blake and Chris were giving me a moment to myself. Everything was sinking in. This shit was serious.