The Veiled World

by Vanessa Garden

  “Don’t go lighting things up and waving it around without a warning,” he said, shaking his head, but then laughing with the rest of us.

  “It won’t be for long. I’m only lighting it so that everyone can get their mattresses unrolled and blankets out, then we’re going to be in the dark for the rest of the night. I don’t want to alert whoever’s out here to our whereabouts.”

  I noticed that Bruce had already set up camp, slightly away from us. It was almost as though he didn’t want to become too attached to us.

  We rushed to unroll our mattresses and get the things we needed out of our backpacks. Jacob held the torch for Axel once he was finished so that he could get his stuff ready as well. The forest floor was green, almost unnaturally so, like the grass in the fields. Small piles of soft, dark green leaves were scattered here and there, rustling with the slightest bit of movement or wind. Because I was a light sleeper, I was pretty sure that sleep wasn’t going to happen for me here.

  Jacob had unrolled his mattress beside mine, with Axel on the other side of me. Claire was on the other side of Axel and then there was Reece and Rueben, then Kyle and Noah.

  “Make sure you all eat something, otherwise you won’t sleep.”

  Bruce. So he hadn’t forgotten about us.

  I fossicked in my pack and took out a strip of dried meat. It tasted good, even though I didn’t know what I was eating. Beef maybe. The only problem was that it was extremely salty so I needed a few good swigs of my water until my thirst went away. I was so grateful for that rain. My canteen had been half-empty already by that stage.

  Jacob handed the torch back to Axel, who was munching on a crisp apple.

  Seconds later, the light went out.

  There was quite a bit of rustling until everyone got comfortable.

  An owl, maybe the same one from earlier, hooted and I swore I could hear the eerie sound of a pig squealing from somewhere far away. It made me think of the bacon and got me wondering who might be out there beyond the forest. My mind filled with images of friendly farm people, feeding us eggs and bacon and apple pie in the morning. But then my mind drifted to my parents, alone, back home on the farm. What were they were doing right now, and did they miss me?

  “What if there are snakes out here?” said Rueben.

  “Just go to sleep,” Claire said, and I heard some murmuring and rustling and then what sounded like weeping, before it turned into soft laughter and then...kissing sounds.

  I squeezed my eyes shut and rolled over, but I knew sleep wasn’t going to come easy. Especially not with the wet sounds of Claire’s and Reece’s tongues and lips going for it. Plus, my body was too wired, and it didn’t help that I had Jacob on one side of me and Axel on the other. Every breath, every rumble of a stomach, seemed so loud.

  “You can breathe you know, Amber,” said Axel, and a deep laugh rumbled in his throat.

  I sighed, and released a huge breath. I couldn’t believe that I’d been listening to both guys breathe while holding my own breath.

  “I’m just listening for sounds—intruder sounds. That’s all.”

  “Try to sleep,” Axel said, rolling onto his side. “We’ll need the energy for tomorrow.” He was close. Close enough for me to feel his breath against my cheek and the vibration of his deep voice.

  “You’re doing it again. Stop holding your breath, Amber.” There was an underlying chuckle in his voice. He was getting a kick out of the fact that his nearness was affecting me.

  But it was.

  Oh God, it was.

  And it didn’t help that a soft breeze was blowing his scent all over me. He smelt like...well, a man.

  How was I going to fall asleep when I was lying next to a hot, throaty voiced, grassy-pine scented man?

  My ridiculous heart was pounding so hard now, I was sure the whole group, including Bruce, who slept a few metres away, could hear it.

  It would be too obvious if I moved my bedding now, so I decided the only way I was going to get any sleep was to roll over and face Jacob.

  But as I rolled over, a tiny light caught my eye.

  I blinked and it was still there. Now my heart was pounding for an entirely different reason.

  The light moved, ever so slowly, towards us, through the trees.

  I sat up and reached out until I felt the warmth of Jacob’s shoulder and Axel’s...face.

  “What is it?” Jacob said, sitting up.

  “Shhh...look. A light.”

  Axel reached out for my hand and started to speak but then stopped and sat up.

  “Everyone, stay perfectly still,” Axel warned in a low voice.

  Some sat up and gasped, but others froze where they were, in their bedrolls.

  “What is it?” Claire whispered.

  “Shhh, Claire.” By the sound of his voice, Bruce was now beside Axel.

  The light grew larger, weaving through the trees, illuminating trunks temporarily before getting closer and closer.

  Without thinking I squeezed Axel’s hand and he squeezed back.

  “It’s okay,” he whispered. “Look how low the light is to the ground.”

  I blinked and stared at it and then noticed its proximity to the leaves on the ground and the base of the trees.

  “Elves?” I asked. “Are their elves out here? Do elves even exist?”

  “Sure, they could be elves. They could be any kind of fantasy creature. In someone’s heaven or hell, who knows? They could be dwarves, they could be apes.”

  “Or three breasted women,” said Reece, but he wasn’t joking this time. I could hear the tremble of fear in his voice.

  “I’m scared, “Claire whispered.

  Leaves on the floor rustled as the light moved closer.

  Axel let go of my hand and I heard the flick of his blade. I put my hand to my hilt and shivered at the touch of the cool, metal flames.

  Jacob moved in closer and touched my shoulder.

  “You okay?”

  I could smell his sweat and, combined with the grass, it reminded me of Red Gum, and of the farm, and I felt safe for just a moment.

  That was, until the light vanished and whoever or whatever had been holding the light, charged towards.

  18

  Axel

  I reached for my torch and lit it before the hurried footsteps reached us.

  When the light illuminated against the small faces in front of us, Amber, beside me, sighed with relief and slid her sword back in its sheath.

  “It’s okay.” I waved the torch over the small, round faces so that everyone could see for themselves. “They’re just kids.”

  Reece and Rueben swore.

  “Hey, they’re kids. Don’t swear,” said Claire, almost maternally, and it helped me to like her a little, which was quite a difficult task after seeing some of the dirty looks and giggles she’d aimed at Amber the past twenty-four hours.

  Bruce knelt in front of them, curving his broad back so that he was eyelevel with the small, puffy cheeked girl and boy in front of us.

  “Why did you run towards us like that? Were you trying to scare us?”

  The boy and girl shrugged at the same time, then shook their heads, as though they understood the question. But didn’t utter a word.

  They gazed at us all, their dark eyes, as black as dragon soot, moving slowly over each and every one of us. There was something unsettling about them.

  “Where are you from,” asked Bruce. “Do you have a mother and father?” “Did they send you out to get us?”

  The boy and girl shared a glance then held out their hands. Resting on their open palms were wrapped parcels of what smelt like bacon.

  “Food for us?” Bruce frowned and looked up at me. “How do we know it’s not poisoned?”

  The boy unfolded the cloth carefully and nibbled on a strip of crispy bacon. Before anyone could react, Reuben pushed through and seized a piece and shoved it in his mouth. Between chews he moaned and groaned.

  “You come from a pig farm,
kids?” he asked, bending down to their level. They smiled and nodded. “Did your parents send you here to invite us back to your farm?”

  The kids’ small black eyes lit up and they nodded some more.

  “Are their comfy beds and soft pillows at this farm? For all of us?”

  The kids nodded and the girl curled her hand, motioning for us to follow. Before we could blink they turned and disappeared into the forest.

  “I’m following,” said Rueben. Reece and the others agreed and quickly started gathering their gear.

  “Well. I’m not,” said Amber, who was rubbing her arms. Jacob grunted in agreement.

  Noah stood between them and shrugged. “I’m not hanging around here in the dark with everyone gone. Come on. They seem harmless.” He started rolling his bed up under the dim light my torch offered.

  Amber sighed and started packing her belongings. “I guess we have to follow them now so that we can save their backsides.”

  Jacob sighed and did the same.

  Amber leaned in towards Jacob and whispered something in his ear. He whispered back. I didn’t know why her being so close to him annoyed me, but it did. Perhaps the fact that they’d most likely known each other their whole lives bothered me. Everyone my age I’d grown up with was dead. Except for Ollie, who I hated with a passion. My best friend was my emerald dragon and she had left me. Not that I blamed her. In fact, I was happy for her to have broken those shackles once and for all. She deserved to soar above us and paint the black night sky in orange flames. She deserved to be free.

  “Something creepy about those kids,” Amber said, shivering. I know they’re only kids but...something about them makes my hair stand on end.”

  “Me too.” Jacob shivered and pulled his jacket back on and then his backpack and tied bedroll.

  “I agree.”

  “Come on, let’s catch up,” said Jacob.

  Something crunched beneath my feet.

  “Wait.” I bent down to pick it up and saw that it was Claire’s pink device, the thing she called a “phone.” Amber took it from my hand and slipped it into her pocket.

  “I’ll give it to her. Come on,” she said. “I can see some lights. Maybe it is a village.”

  Jacob seemed to quicken his steps.

  The kids must have relit their lantern because I could just make out its movement in the distance.

  “There’s a path,” Rueben called out. “Just follow our voices and stay on the firm ground once you feel it.” The guy was being helpful. Interesting. The dynamics of the group were ever changing.

  I wondered briefly how they’d behave towards one another once they learned that not everyone could bring their loved ones back to life. Would friends turn against each other? Was the blood on Amber’s helmet the blood of the victorious challenger’s friend who had weathered the journey by his side until the end, only to face death at the hand of the one who he’d trusted? This possibility troubled me deeply. There was so much that we didn’t know, despite the historical documents and journals.

  We walked for a few more minutes before I felt a smooth stone path beneath my boots.

  More boot heels found the stone path.

  “I wonder if they speak English?” asked Kyle, who had slowed so that we could catch up.

  “The kids seemed to understand us,” I said, shrugging.

  Music, faint but merry, filled my ears, and as we neared closer and rose over a hill the lights grew brighter. Our footsteps quickened.

  The little girl pointed at the first house that came into view and clapped her hands and started to run. The boy followed, lantern swinging from his hands. I turned and caught Amber’s gaze and she half smiled.

  I relaxed my shoulders a little and sighed. If she wasn’t worried, then I wasn’t. The girl had good instincts. However, her friend, Jacob, was like a tightly wired coil. He was going to pop a vein in his neck if he wasn’t careful.

  “Relax,” I said to him, just as we passed the house. “We don’t want anybody thinking we’re hostile.”

  The path opened up to a small nest of homes all built around a central courtyard.

  “It’s a pub,” Jacob said, frowning. “Or a motel.” He pointed to a sign that said The Egg and Ham, with a picture of a chicken and a pig toasting frothing pitchers of beer. It swung from the roof of a large, black thatched, stone building.

  “At least the sign’s in English,” I said.

  “Must be an Englishman’s heaven,” said Amber, sounding more hopeful. She smiled at Jacob and that seemed to relax his shoulders and unclench his fists.

  Amber moved closer to him. “They might have beds at least.”

  Jacob nodded and I was certain his cheeks were more flushed than usual.

  Why was I even noticing this? So the two were probably lovers already. Fine. It didn’t bother me.

  The others had already followed the two chubby cheeked kids inside and I quickened my pace and stepped through the warmly lit entry into the noisy establishment.

  I felt for my grandfather’s blade, just to know that it was there, and the dagger beside it. But my hand left the hilt as soon as the delicious scent of good food hit my nose. It smelt similar to the split-pea and ham soup my mother sometimes made when I was sick. She hadn’t made it in years.

  My stomach growled and I was hopeful I wasn’t going to have to eat any more dried meat the king had supplied in our packs for the day. A good feed may help us to get some much needed sleep. Though I couldn’t imagine myself shutting my eyes for this entire journey. I intended to sleep with one eye open until we reached Leirza and my brother. I’d slept enough nights in the past few years in the lead up to this. I’d sleep only after I had my brother firmly back in my mother’s arms.

  At the thought of my mother, pale and weak in bed, muttering deliriously about her dreams of us all in heaven together, my throat thickened and my fears deepened. But I shook my fears away and focussed on making my way to the bar, where a large woman and man, possibly twins, poured frothy beers from golden taps.

  I turned and saw Amber suck in a deep breath before she entered, as though bracing herself, but when I caught the smile on her face just as she disappeared into the crowd, I felt my tension die.

  Jacob followed, the last to enter. Of course he followed in Amber’s wake.

  The room was warm and filled to the brim with the stench of too many people, seemingly too many for the amount of houses in the village. Perhaps most here were travellers like us, and for a moment I wondered if there were other portals around the world that led to the Veiled World. It was possible. But was it possible for other souls to cross into another soul’s heaven? Were we witnessing the ghosts of the afterlife spirits? Or were these people a product of somebody’s heavenly imagination?

  I shook my head free of these brain-hurting thoughts and came to stand behind the same bar the others were leaning against. A minute later, Amber turned away from it, grinning, with two frothy beers in her hand. She handed me one. Jacob already had one in his grip.

  “Think it’s safe to drink?” she said before she took a sip anyway.

  I shrugged.

  “If somebody wanted beer in their heaven, I’m sure they’d make it not only drinkable, but damn good to drink.” I blinked, tiredness seeming to get to me. “I’m too tired to care anyway.” I took a long slug, gulping the warm, bitter drink before wiping froth from my top lip. I swallowed down a belch so that I didn’t do it in Amber’s face and was surprised to find that not only had she already finished her beer, but also that she knew how to belch, impressively loud. So loud that a nearby group of women and men cheered.

  “What’s going on over there?” I asked when I noticed Reece, Rueben, and Bruce speaking to a small, round woman with a pig-like nose and rosy cheeks. She looked like the mother of the small children. They shared similar features.

  Amber shifted closer to my side as we made our way over to the woman.

  “I’ve several beds upstairs. Enough for all of
you,” she said, her black eyes gleaming with something...excitement perhaps. The way her eyes roved over Reece and Rueben’s biceps, then my own, left me feeling cold inside. Something wasn’t right.

  “But we don’t have any money,” I said, folding my arms across my chest and staring her down.

  “We don’t accept money here,” she said, raising her chin with pride and hoisting her shoulders back. “All I ask from each of you is a hard day’s work tomorrow morning. Just half a day’s use of your lovely young bodies and then you can be on your way. “I’ll even pack you some food for your journey.”

  It seemed too good to be true. Amber took a sip of her second beer and shrugged. And before we could say another word, the lady ordered a bunch of men, who’d been playing cards around the table, to “clear off for the fresh little piggies.”

  “Did she just call us piggies?” Amber asked.

  “I think so,” I said as I watched the others weave through the crowd towards the table, excited by the prospect of food and a warm bed that wasn’t a forest floor.

  A young girl, rather pretty, with dark hair and shining eyes winked at me as she plonked a large pot of soup on the table and began ladling the greenish-yellow, chunky soup out into ceramic bowls.

  “Pea and ham soup!” said Claire before she seized a spoon and began to tuck in.

  Amber squeezed in beside Noah and Jacob and soon they were slurping back soup like there was no tomorrow.

  I sat down beside Bruce, who seemed a little on edge.

  “I don’t trust these people,” he said behind his hand, not touching his soup. “And I didn’t build my empire and soft drink business from the ground up to spend a day tending to pigs. I’m here for my wife and my wife only.”

  “This tastes different to the normal pea and ham that my grandma makes,” said Reece, but he shrugged. “It’s still good though,” he said before spooning more into his mouth.

  Bruce nudged my side. “Look around. See how they’re all watching us?”

  I nodded. “Maybe you and I shouldn’t have any soup and see what happens.”

  “I don’t suppose we can tell the others without alerting the people around us.”