Shining Through Shadows

The Invisible Border

Lydia

“Take her to the border!” A scrawny man yelled at the older coachman. He didn’t even reply as he clicked with his tongue to urge the horses forward. From my seat, if you could even call it that, I stole a glance at him. He had unkept gray hair and a long, scruffy beard that swayed in the chilling breeze.

The sound of hooves in the soft snow was rather comforting, and I found myself having trouble staying awake as we traveled for several hours. I’d made myself somewhat comfortable in the hay, trying my best to tuck myself under it to stay warm.

I woke up with a startle as something tickled my nose. The coachman was touching my face with a long piece of hay, forcing me out of sleep, much to my annoyance.

“Out.” He said, his voice low and very hoarse, as if he had trouble speaking.

“Of course, sir.” I replied apologetically, quickly brushing myself free of hay before crawling out of the carriage. How embarrassing of me to fall asleep when I was on my way to protect our town against the evil villain.

Once I was out, the coachman returned to his seat and gave me a nod of his head. With a click of his tongue, the horses began moving, jolting the carriage forward as he left me, left me, in the middle of nowhere in the freezing weather with nothing but my soaked shawl to protect me against the Alpha and his vicious wolves.

Usually I would prepare myself better for a trip in our harsh climate, but it wasn’t like I had much time to do that. Instead, I was standing in my normal clothes with only my old shawl to protect me from the wind. Not to forget the vicious wolves.

Feeling rather confused about my whereabouts, I glanced down at the snow, noticing tracks from the carriage indicating which way we’d come from. With nothing else to guide me, I released a hesitant breath before beginning my journey towards the border.

How was I supposed to know when I had found it? What was I even supposed to do when, or if, I reached it? A shiver went down my spine, and it was not from the cold, as I thought about the rumors back home.

Rumors said that those who were chosen to protect our town had to fight against the Rogue Alpha himself, a fight to death! I was in no position to fight against anyone, let alone the infamous alpha, who murdered everyone standing in the way of him reaching more power and wealth. At this rate, he would rule our entire province, and who knew what else he had in mind for the future?

God, please keep me warm… And alive…

My feet trudged forward, sinking deeper and deeper into the snow with each step I took. I was shivering from the cold and I could barely hold onto the shawl around my shoulders, my fingers practically frozen.

I could barely feel my heart beating anymore as cold wind and snow pounded into my face, the night quickly eating the last rays of daylight left to guide me. When it came, I was surrounded by nothing but darkness, the stars barely visible through the thick curtain of clouds.

What am I supposed to do?

I could barely catch my breath, it felt as though I was hyperventilating in the cold air and I fell to my knees, not even feeling the snow covering my legs as the cold seeped into my bones. And that was when I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer.

I’d failed to protect my town and barely lasted an hour in the snow. With my failure, the wolves would come to Issdal to take another life because of my lacking stamina. I felt nothing but shame as I drifted into unconsciousness. Who would it be this time? My mother? Cameron?

“Bloody hell.” A dark voice rumbled over the sound of the howling wind. Was I imagining this or was somebody really here?

I felt something warm dig under my cold body only to realize that somebody was lifting me. My body was both stiff and numb from the cold and I was unable to speak, ready to submit myself to death if he indeed was ready to reap my soul.

“Another one already?” A second voice called from somewhere behind whoever was carrying me. They were having a conversation, one I couldn’t concentrate on as I drifted in and out of consciousness to the sound of snow crunching underneath a heavy weight.