Chapter 8 (Incomplete)

Oily marks appear on walls

Where pleasure moments hung before the takeover,
The sweeping insensitivity of this still life

- Hide and Seek, Imogen Heap

“You put him up to this! I know you did!” he spits into my ear, and although I cannot see him, I know his face is contorted in rage. It’s an expression I’ve seen him wear many times before, in both my dreams and real life.

“No, no! I swear I didn’t!” I gasp, my brain in a dizzied state and every inch of my body shaking. It’s not a complete lie. After all, Carwyn was the one who chose to take the blame, even though I urged against it.

“Don’t lie to me, girl!” he tightens his grip on me, and I can’t breathe any more. He’s going to kill me soon if he doesn’t let go. And maybe that’s exactly what he wants…

“Please-” I manage to choke out, and miraculously, his fingers loosen around my neck. I fall to the ground, taking in generous gulps of air, of life.

“No, it wouldn’t be right to kill you now.” he says quietly to himself. “You only have a month or so left, anyway. I don’t mind prolonging the torture. In any case, you don’t have your precious friend Carwyn to confide in anymore.”

I try to absorb everything he says, because every twisted word from his mouth could be the death of me. But it’s so hard to concentrate when I can barely breathe. I feel a tug on the back of my shirt and he’s threatening me again. “But if you so much as think about doing anything else to me, I will kill you.”

He releases me and walks away. I sit there and listen to his fading footsteps, my breathing heavy. I feel my neck and wince from the pain. I’m still shaking all over, and I can feel the tears welling up in my eyes, a few escaping. But I won’t let them get much farther. I push them away with the back of my hand and force myself not to cry. Because this isn’t the time to feel sorry for myself. There’s someone out there who needs me, and I can’t let him down.

I have two options. The first is to stay where I am, to stay in the kingdom and be killed in a month’s time. The other is to go out and find Carwyn, and try to set him free. One thing I know is that I’m not going to sit around and let someone take my life. Not after I’ve worked this hard to survive.

I fling my hair out of my face and stand up, looking behind me just to make sure he still isn’t here. And then I run into the depths of the forest, never looking back.

Through the trees, past the outskirts of the kingdom, into a world I’ve never been to before. Sure, I visited Ionor many times before, just past the borders of Aondraio, but I’ve never been this far. It’s so quiet, and yet so wild. Everything is overgrown and unattended to. The trees’ gnarled branches loom over my head, almost blotting out the sun. The ground is littered with leaves, not a pathway or human trace in sight. It gives me an eerie feeling, to be out here, all alone. Not even a bird chirps its happy melody in these woods.

But as I push my way past the thorny bushes and thick vines and make my way to the top of a sloped hill, I see the first trace of civilization. From here I can see an enormous church, its stone structure entirely covered in dense vegetation. It looks completely abandoned… except for one thing- the door is completely uncovered and seems to be refinished.

I am utterly bewildered as to why someone would place a church on the outside of the kingdom. I know it does not belong to the neighboring kingdom, for they are more than fifty miles away. And I know I definitely did not run fifty miles. But if the door is new, then there must be someone going there or in there at this very moment. And if they live on the outside of the kingdom, they must be against the king as well!

I make my way down the large building, desperately praying that my ridiculous reasoning will be at least somewhat true. But as I venture into the church, I find something I didn’t expect at all.

The inside is just as deserted looking as the outside. There is not a single sign of life, nor are there pews, or an alter, or anything for that matter- just an empty room…

If I was confused before, it cannot amount to the way I’m feeling now.

I steer the little boat down the tunnel. Water drips from the stone archway and the sound echoes in a dreary refrain. As I venture deeper into the tunnel I see that it holds many chambers and passage ways. Skeletons hang from chains on the ceiling. Rats scurry along the side of the passage. Their big, yellow eyes glare at me as I make my way through the tunnel. The longer I spend in that ominous setting, the more apparent its purpose becomes.

The hanging chains, the stone bars that hold the bones of not only humans, but figures I do not recognize: this place is a dungeon, a torture chamber. I know this is where King Donnell stores the people who rebel against him, the creatures whose magical powers he cannot control. Perhaps my mother and father have hung from the chains. Perhaps they have looked through the bars of their containment, hoping for a way out to freedom. My eyes flood as I pass the countless numbers of skeletons and rotting carcasses, miserable animals with barely a breath of life left, their sad eyes staring into mine, longing for the freedom I have.

I hang my head, feeling defeated. I have lost. New humans and creatures will join the bodies that have tried to defy the king, and all because I couldn't defeat him. My friends are hurt, my efforts are lost, and my life’s purpose wasted. Every little bit of hope seems to leak out of me and float down the river, carried off to face my unknown destiny. I let the water carry me where it wants, the current slow. I barely notice a pair of red eyes glowering at me in the darkness.

I look at them curious, wondering, not even scared of the danger they could bring me; I don't care anymore. A creature emerges from the shadows, its black coat gleaming in what little light there was. It is brilliantly beautiful, a giant horse that glows like the moon. Its fierce red eyes allure me and I steer the boat to the edge of the passage way. I get out and hesitantly reach my hand out to touch the beast. It turns its stunning head to look at me, and it seems to beckon me closer. I place a trembling hand on its side, its skin is smooth and icy cold but I hold onto it even tighter. I grab its sopping wet mane and hoist myself up over its back. It whinnies in approval and bolts off into a fast gallop. I hold on for dear life as wind rushes past me and rips at my face.

The horse takes a sudden leap and plunges into the freezing river. I try to let go but an uncontrollable force binds me there. I struggle for air but my lungs find no peace. The creature dives deeper into the water. I try to scream but I cannot open my mouth. I begin to get dizzy and blackness overcomes me…