Chapter Three

Day Three

I wasn’t. I opened my eyes to the dawn peering through the one window in this attic, which lit the room enough for me to see that Corvu wasn’t there. Hearing faint voices I get up. The stairs nearby were steep and stretched around a corner, where I slowly waited to hear if it was Corvu’s voice so that I could come out. I didn’t want to meet any unexpected people or creatures. 

“Are you sure, boy?” I recognized that voice as the barkeeper. “Amulet’s like that are dangerous, and using them is just as bad.”

“I won’t have to use it,” Corvu’s voice responded, “, have you heard how much Daemonaria are willing to pay for an amulet like that?”

“What color was it?”

“It was an amethyst.”

“Humph.” The barkeep sounded pleased, “Keep that one close. You never know where she got that amulet from. It might be why she’s here. Just see if she’ll give it to you.” They were after the amulet? It was just like Patricia said. She was human and understood that Daemonaria would want this amulet, and that included Corvu. He was only being nice to me to get to the amulet. 

How could I have been so stupid? 

Without hesitation I make a run for the front door, pushing it outwards without concern. I think I heard them call after me but I didn't stop. The further into the crowd I can get, the harder it will be for him to find me and get this amulet. Whatever the reason, it was clear that some creatures just couldn’t be trusted, just like some people. Many stared at me and barked complaints when I bumped into them. I didn’t stop until I was sufficiently out of breath. 

And completely lost. 

Looking around there were still a lot of Daemonaria, but not enough for it to be crowded. I step backward, nearly falling over but I catch myself. 

“Hey!” A voice shouts. I turn to see a small boy, and he looks mostly human. The only difference was that his nose was slightly feline but other than that he was a blonde-haired, blue-eyed wonder. Completely adorable. 

“I’m so sorry, I got scared and didn’t see you there.” I say, leaning down to meet his eye. “I guess I’m a bit lost.” I didn’t realize how out of breath I was till that very moment. “Can you tell me which direction exits the town?” He tilts his small head. This boy couldn’t be any older than six. 

“Kilot.” A voice calls to the boy. An older man, dressed a little like a farmer with a white tunic and patchy tanned overalls, approaches us. 

“Dad,” The boy, Kilot, says, “, this girl is lost.” He turns to me with a smile, 

“This town is a bit harder to navigate than most. It was built on top of a much older city.” Relieved that he seemed so friendly I smile in return, 

“I’m actually looking to get out of the city. Could you point me in the right direction?” As I say the words, it makes me sound a bit like a fugitive. “I’m trying to get home.” I add.

“I can do one better.” He grins, gesturing behind him to a large wooden cart. “My son and I have collected the supplies we need and will be heading back home ourselves. North-East, if you wanted to tag along for a short ride.” It was music to my ears, and the best news I could have heard. Well, second to waking up at home in my springy bed. 

“I’d be eternally grateful.” I help him and his son load the last couple crates onto the back of the cart. I received a few odd glares from the creature manning the storefront nearby us, but I otherwise did my best to ignore him. 

After perhaps another twenty minutes the father, named Chitel, says it's time to go home and tells his son and myself to hop onto the cart wherever there is room. Finding a spot on top of one of the crates nearby Kilot, he takes off. I’m pretty sure we are being pulled by donkeys, but I’ve honestly never seen one before and I wouldn’t be surprised if they suddenly sprouted wings and took off into the sky. 

I got to have a good look at the city riding the cart like that. I wrote down descriptions of what I saw into the book that Corvu gave me, maybe eventually someone will be able to tell me what these creatures were, but I was hoping I’d be home before I had a chance to ask. If I could at least get to where New York should be, then perhaps I can find a Wizard, like Patricia said, and go home. Despite being in this world, there were a lot of familiar things. I saw some stray cats that didn’t look unusual, an apple tree that was actually growing apples. Maybe this place wasn’t so odd. I mean, these creatures are just acting according to their nature. Right? The bustle began to get softer as we approached gates nearby a great stone wall. It looked very similar to the gate I had used to enter the city but this was definitely heading in the other direction. As long as I kept heading East, I would be okay. I’ll make it eventually. Kilot opened his father's backpack and pulled out a canteen, handing it to me. It was nice to have the clean taste of water down my throat. 

Once walking through the iron gates I was mesmerized. The forest was not amber in color as it was on the other side of the city, but flush with life. Everything was a shade of green, and for some odd reason, blue and purple. I tried not to let my amazement show too much, being picked as a foreigner was bad enough, but I didn’t want these two to think I was insane if I started babbling about an entirely different world. 

The further the cart traveled, the more surrounded we became by the wondrous trees. Similar to oak trees they were tall, but dense, the sun was almost completely covered by their greatness. Through the forest, I could see that the ground was also grass-covered, except for the path beneath us, which has clearly been used as a road many times. Although the path split in many directions, Chitel seemed to know where he was going. The donkey’s were a lot quicker than I thought, and we rode for perhaps an hour before they began to slow down. 

Sharp pain spreads through my leg and I scream. Kilot bit me! I hadn’t noticed his sharp teeth previously, but my blindness was hardly concerning to me right now. Releasing his jaw he sits back and laughs, as does his father.

“He bit me!” I yell, 

“So?” Chitel replies. “It’s in his nature.” That was hardly an excuse for manners. Unfortunately, I wasn’t really paying attention to his son at that time. With impeccable strength, he lifts up one of my legs and tips me over, outside of the cart. I land on the shoulder that was already quite injured. Letting out a groan I exclaim,

“Why did you do that?” Chitel stops the cart and hops out, helping his son down at the same time. 

“I told you, it’s in his nature, and it’s in mine.” He smirks, kicking dirt at me. I closed my mouth just in time. I didn’t understand why they were doing this, what had changed so suddenly and out of the blue. Kilot throws a nearby rock at me, hitting me in my forearm as I block my face. 

“Please, stop!” I shout,

“Stupid human. How can you even expect our kind to do yours any favors?” Their kind? What happened to these creatures? These Daemonaria? “Because of humans, my son grows up without a mother.” He leans down to pick up a fist-sized rock, I try to scurry back and get up onto my feet, but the dirt moves beneath me. “Do you really think it’s fair I let your kind live, when you showed mine no mercy?” 

He lifts the rock behind him, prepared to throw, “Stop!” I shout, louder than I thought I could, closing my eyes and putting up my hand to block it. 

The next thing I knew, Chitel and Kilot go flying backward into the trees on the other side of the path, their cart tipping toward them. The unusual purple ambient colors die down as I get onto my feet. 

I run. 

Looking back could be a mistake, they could be awake and coming after me. I’ve learned that some Daemonaria can’t be outrun, what would happen if they caught me? They clearly hated me - hated humans. The forest was difficult to run through, I trip on most roots and I’m whacked in the face by every stray branch. How much longer could I keep running? After a few minutes, I realize there is no one chasing me. I was on my own, and very much lost in the middle of the woods. I listen but I hear nothing. What I would give to hear the traffic, the horns, or the shouting, of New York once more. Manhattan was my home. How am I going to get back? If I remember the map correctly, I was somewhere around where Las Vegas usually was, I traveled using some pretty quick donkeys for a bit, and I ran in an unknown direction. How long does it take to walk across the continent? 

I’ll give you a little hint. If you don’t stop, it would take around forty days on foot, but almost half the time riding. But that wasn’t something I knew at the time. I was really eager to go home. Someone I thought was protecting me turned out to just be using me. Another who I assumed was just being friendly ended up throwing stones at me. They were shaping up to be the worst few days of my life. I don’t want to give away too much, but I should have known that things could always be worse. 

I walked. And walked. 

With no end to the forest, I told myself to keep walking. Somewhere had to be safe from whatever lived and lurked in the woods late at night. As the sun settled I witnessed the most astonishing thing. The forest was flooded with tiny fireflies, all coming out to dance as dusk masks their homes. It was still warm, but my feet ached. The wound from the boy started to really strike me with pain, but I didn’t want to take my boot off to investigate the damage. It would probably be too difficult to get it back on again. 

Lit by the fireflies I continued, regardless of my exhaustion. I needed to find a clear area that I could rest in, where I could see what’s around me. I had thought about climbing up the trees but I’d just as easily fall and crack my head open. Would serve my clumsy ass right. I was so thirsty that I could actually hear the sound of running water. It was only a moment before I realized I actually was hearing running water. Tranced by it I walk in that direction. It was probably the opposite direction to where I wanted to go, but water was far more important to me at this moment than trying to get home. A few minutes later I came to a lake. The water was so clear that I could see the fish beneath it. It helped that the fish, like the fireflies, also were glowing, but a magnificent ambient blue. The lake didn’t appear connected to anything in particular and since it was so clean I had to assume it was fresh and cleaner water, but was that really safe to drink? I honestly didn’t know. I’ve never been camping. I looked up at the sky, no longer covered heavily by the trees. 

I couldn’t believe my eyes. I’ve lived in New York all my life, and I have never seen anything as beautiful as a million stars sitting amongst the darkened spread that was our universe. Whatever land, time, or realm I was in, there was no mistaking how treasured it should be. I wonder if in years’ time, factories will begin breaking down this version of Earth too. I look around, the chill of the night crept in while I was distracted. I think if you boil water it's safe to drink, I just needed to start a fire. 

I also had no way of boiling the water. 

Accepting whatever fate might befall me I cup my hands beneath the water's surface. It’s relaxing on my fingers so I keep them under for a moment. I bring the water up to my lips, leaning over the lake,

“Don’t drink that!” Startled, I let my hands fall, or technically spread out in panic. To my left, I see a boy, although older than the last one I met he was still a boy nonetheless. This one had light blonde curly hair, which didn’t hide his short pointed ears. He was quite a skinny boy, dressed in brown leathery garments with a bow strapped around him. Even though he was small, I was still worried about how quickly he approached me, the last encounter really set me back. “That’s the Lake of Hushed Souls.” I blink at him, a little dumbfounded. His voice was cute, with an accent I couldn’t quite place. If I didn’t know better I may have asked if he were German. He tilts his head at me, “You don’t know what this is?” 

I shake my head at him, “No. Sorry.” His eyebrows raise and push together, his pink lips lifted in a sad expression. 

“Why do you look scared of me?” I didn’t expect a boy, maybe only ten years of age, to ask me such a question. 

“I’ve had a long day.”

“Humans should stay in cities or travel together. Where are your friends?” 

Feeling the tears well up in my eyes I respond, looking down at the ground. “I don’t have any.” My knees were starting to hurt from kneeling, so I slant to the side and sit down. The boy touches my boot where Kilot had bit me. 

“I can be your friend.” He smiles at me. Don’t get me wrong, it was sweet of the boy to say something like that, but I’ve learned now that even children are greatly affected by whatever has happened around here. 

“You seem really nice, but so did many others. And they all tried to hurt me.” I attempt to explain, though I’m not sure if this child would understand.

“Then I will help you.” Sitting down next to me he pulls my leg toward him with surprising strength. I don’t know what he’s planning, but I cautiously lean back away from him, preparing myself to sprint away if necessary. From a pouch kept at his side, he pulls out a small bottle that glowed green, similar to what Patricia had with her. Without a word he pours a drop between the tiny holes in my boot. I felt tingling, then stinging, and then nothing. “You see, I fixed it.” 

“You don’t hate me?” I ask the boy, not really sure why. If anything, I should have at least thanked him first.

Tilting his head to one side as he squats beside me he responds, “Why would I hate you?”

“I’m a human, and you’re not.” 

The boy smiles at me, “Humans have never been mean to me. And they have never been mean to Pixies.” So the boy was a Pixie? I thought they were meant to be smaller. With wings. “Are you not from around?” His English, I mean Skivak, was a little broken. Honestly, it made me feel relieved to hear that his interest in me wasn’t because I was human.

“No,” I begin, “, it’s actually a long story.”