The Fallen

Chapter Two

“Hunter! Hunter!! Where are you?! Hunter please… help me!” Kayla screamed. I could hear her voice ring so clearly it pierced right through my soul. I could see her right- right in front of me. But when I tried to reach out to her she was too far. Suddenly she was just outside of my reach. I couldn’t- why couldn’t I reach her? I needed to help her. I needed to save her. I needed to tell her everything was alright. I need to tell her I’m right here, that I’d protect her. I need her to know she’s safe. But why can’t I speak? I can see her right there. Why can’t I touch her? I knew something was wrong. No, everything was wrong. It wasn’t supposed to be this dark here. It wasn’t supposed to be this difficult. It wasn’t supposed to be this isolating. I can’t see my arm, just her, just my sister. Why? And all at once my body jolted awake knowing full well it was a dream. Another nightmare. I sat up feeling the cold sweat drip from my body. The shirt sticking against my skin, pulling at every movement. The awful chill that came with it. Every single night.

The moon was dim tonight. It was quiet in the fields. The calm that overtook was torturous. There was a  big storm coming and every ounce of my body could sense it. The smell of the rain, the gloom of the clouds, the rumbling groan of every breeze. The animals could sense it too. Everything had been pretty dreary lately because of the rainy season so I should’ve known better than to think I could have a peaceful night of sleep. Thoughts of my sister crossed my mind on occasion but never leaving feelings this intense. Never leaving me needing to run out and find her, to know she was safe. I sat in my bed staring out the window wondering where she was and how she was doing. It’s been quite a while since I last saw her- abandoned her. It was my own stupid fault for getting caught up in teenage hormones and pride. Thinking I could outsmart a whole government of corrupt Agentumes. Thinking I was a true warrior because of some dumb title and none of the proper training. I brought it on myself. But Kayla had nothing to do with it. They didn’t even know she existed. So, why? Why am I having dreams of her like this? Is it just my anxiety or is something actually wrong? Who knows.

It’s starting to get light out, probably just before dawn, so I might as well make some breakfast and get an early start to my day. The animals needed tending and the shop needed opening. Don wouldn’t be up until late morning so it was safe to say I had the place to myself for a while, allowing me to carefully pick through my thoughts. And that’s exactly what I planned to do. I didn’t bother bathing since I would only get dirty again when I went to feed the animals and clean their stalls. In the ever so light morning dew, I stepped into the soft wet grass and let it massage my feet. Finding the food shed I pulled the feed and began to care for the animals. They didn’t come out right away, presumably because they were still sleeping, which was fine. I mindlessly went about my morning until the rooster began to scream which interrupted my very relaxing routine. Irritated, I stomped over to give him his share too when I noticed something unusual, the rooster still had food and water. The rooster wasn’t facing its usual nosy direction, watching me move about from stall to stall. The rooster was facing the woods. Just beyond Don’s land was a bit of forest that was very deep and probably connected to the next town over. But there’s not any predators around these parts. The worst thing I’ve personally seen is some very protective deer that might ram their antlers into you if you step too close to their fawn. But the rooster never.. He’s never even acknowledged the foreign animals, let alone called out a warning. I might’ve just thrown out a few cuss words and went on with my duties had it been any other day, but with that dream this morning I was on edge. Picking up the closest tool--a garden shovel, not bad-- I walked in the direction he faced. I thought I saw a glimmer of a shadow run in the wood but I couldn’t be sure it was anything serious. Especially not with the dim light of mother dawn. So I looked around for a bit to see if there were any signs of new predators in the area but there were only human footprints and being that so many people came to and from this place for business it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. The rooster had since quieted and begun his breakfast so I decidedly went on to start my own.

Winnie, the friendly and loveable sheepdog, came to greet me as I entered the kitchen, the smell of fresh eggs wafted through the air. I bet that was Maggie making another hearty breakfast for her hearty men of the house. Maggie was Don’s wife and very much a loving grandmother type that would bake 30 pies if she was mad and 50 if she was happy. You never left hungry from her house, no matter how little she had to use. It was the best gift the gods have given me, to be able to live under the roof of such a wonderful woman.

“G’mornin saweetie, how’s it be out thur t’day?” she greeted in her thick southern accent, making sure to skip and over pronunciate all the vowels in her sentence.

“Good morning Miss Maggie, it’s been a cool and quiet morning today. Still dark though, no doubt a storm is on its way. I smell some wonderful things in the air though, you wouldn’t be cooking me nothin’ special would ya?” I joked.

“Weell of course ya know I been cookin right up this mornin’ since I saw ye werkin so’s early t’day. Thought it’d be a nice little snack to munch on afta ya duties an all,” she said with a gentle smile. A motherly sparkle in her eye. I couldn’t begin to express how truly blessed I was to end up here.

“Ooh of course, of course. Can’t let no one out here knowin I go hungry after a long day of milkin cows and fightin roosters. Speakin a which, the rooster got all ruffles in his feather today. He must’ve saw something in the wood that spooked his tiny little heart cause he screamed like someone tryna murder him but he still perched high and tall on that fence out there like he do. I thought I’d check it out but nothin but human footprints did I see, so I came back in to have my own little breakfast, but here you are with that wonderful soul of yours. Will Don be up this mornin or he showing later when the sun is nice an bright?” I babbled.

“Oh honey, you know he always does his thang in tha mornin’s jus relaxin and all. Takin in the nice break since you been here with us. He should be comin’ round if ya open that door there and let him smell mama’s delicious cookin though. No doubt bout that. Now, go on, take ya dirty self ta the bath now and clean up ‘fore it’s ready. Don’t want you leaving with a mouth full o’ manure na do we?” She scolded.

“No ma’am, most certainly don’t. I’ll hurry on now and get to cleanin. Tell Don I’ll be ready to help him with some of that building today if he need. I dunno if I’ll see him til noon and don’t want him doin it all on his own. I know his back got problems and all,” I replied, making my way through the house to the bath.

“O’ course deary. See you soon baby, and don’t forget to clean behind ye ears this time, ya hear?” she hollered laughing merrily away, no doubt thinking up the next thing she’d be cooking today. With a heartfelt smile molded to my face, that was just the motivation I needed to get on with my day.