AshesAndBlood Page 2

  “Over there!” Men yell in the distance.

  Two men burst out of the woods holding torches, shining fire into the beasts’ eyes, blinding them. Grasping a blazing torch in one hand, a hatchet or a knife in the other, they swing both forms of weapons at the beasts. The light burns into the monsters’ faces, causing them to stop their assault. They leave us with blood-curdling screeches.

  Sarah motions to Dana and Ciara to turn the lights on their phones off and slide them back into their pockets. Ciara gives Sarah a questioning look, but follows her lead. Sarah is reading my mind. Why is there no cell service? Why do our rescuers have fire and axes for weapons? Where are their flashlights and guns? What attacked us? Where are we?

  None of us are dumb enough to express what we are thinking, not giving away our vulnerability.

  “We need to get to camp. They’ll be back,” the shorter one states. It’s hard to see his face in the flickering firelight. “Here.” He pulls out four more torches from a large quiver, passing one to each of us after lighting it. “I’m Xander. He’s my cousin Tristan. We have a camp nearby with a ring of fire for protection. We should go now.”

  With that, Xander gestures for us to follow while Tristan waits to take the rear.

  On the way to their camp, we introduce each other and say our thank you’s for coming to our rescue. But besides that we’re too freaked out to say anything else. Without options and scared witless, we hold our torches tight, warming our arms in the glow of their protection against the mutated panther-elephants with T-Rex teeth. There’s a lot to absorb.

  Everything.

  Chapter Two - Megan

  We aren’t on Earth.

  I’m uncertain if the girls looked up, but high in the night sky shines three moons, confirming we aren’t on Earth. A tiny rose-colored moon that resembles Earth’s moon with a crater-face smile, one large gray moon, and one not-too-big but radiant, smooth moon. Assuming Ciara saw the sky, she would freak out and scream—she doesn’t handle change well. Not that there’s any right way to handle being transported to another planet, but freaking out only hurts situations.

  There is a slight chance Ciara has seen the moons and knows to be quiet, that our circumstances are extraordinary and we have to be cautious. Normally, Sarah would ask a thousand and one questions while Dana would stare quietly at the night sky spectacle, keeping her abstract thoughts to herself, allowing time to process them before speaking. I’m not saying a word. We don’t know these men, nor do I want them to realize we’re unbelievably lost and unprepared. But I’m unsure of the girls’ reactions since I took second in line behind Xander.

  We have no weapons, no supplies other than sub sandwiches, snacks, more alcohol than water, three cell phones, and the clothes on our backs. No hoodies or sweatshirts. We only have tanks and t-shirts on. It’s dark and chilly. Thank God we’re all wearing jeans or else we would be cold. The torches keep our arms warm enough for now.

  We need to figure out things quick. We don’t know what wildlife lives here, so we should follow the strange men, but where are they leading us? Yeah, there’s four of us and two of them, but this is their home. Plus, they appear to be strong, rugged, hard-lived men. They might be hunters living off the land. The four of us might need to launch a surprise attack, if it comes to that.

  I didn’t see it at first, with the dense forest and my own torch’s glow, but out of nowhere we enter a ring of fire with two large firepits in the center. Eight huge bonfires illuminate the whole cleared area. Two are stationed directly in the middle. These cousins have lived here for a while. I can tell because there’s a lean-to set up between the two center fires, a simple three-wall, slanted roof shelter to protect them from the elements in this world.

  Their wool pants and loose shirts look well made, as if a professional tailor constructed them. “Is there a town nearby you could point us toward?”

  “We’ll take you to Capo in the morning because the nunda hunt at night. You can set up behind the hut.” Xander motions to an area between the two middle fires.

  He wants us to set up camp on the other side of their hut, outside, completely exposed. As much as all this scares the shit out of me, the ring of fire between me and the mutated panther elephants makes me feel slightly safer for the moment. We are as safe as possible while in the company of two strange men who live in the woods and can overpower us with ease. I wish we had a knife. Something. I’d welcome any form of protection besides the torches.

  The men don’t seem menacing, but you can never tell. In the light, you can see they are cousins, sharing a family resemblance. Both have dark brown hair, brown eyes, and the same pointy nose. Xander is shorter and broad-shouldered with a bristled, serious face. Tristan is tall and limber, clean shaven, and with a sly grin.

  “Where’re your belongings? Where did you come from? Where’re your weapons and fire?” Xander questions, realizing we have little to nothing.

  Tristan stares at our jeans. “Look at their clothes. They’re from some city. Someone or something must have attacked their caravan. We have food and shelter to share for the night. Capo is a two-hour hike. It’s downhill from here, so it’s an easy trip. Is that where you’re headed?”

  Tristan’s sympathetic smile seems genuine, but his cousin looks pissed about the whole ordeal.

  “Well, what happened?” Standing with his arms across his chest, Xander raises his eyebrows, making lines in his forehead appear as he waits for an answer.

  “Robbers attacked us on our way to Capo. My cousin lives there. We would be grateful if you brought us to town. We have little to offer, only food and alcohol. You are welcome to share.” I blurt out my first thought. The girls return a blank stare.

  They will never believe we aren’t from this world or universe. I don’t completely believe it myself, and the most believable story is the simplest. It seems like attacks on caravans occur, so it’s not unheard of. Our best option is to play along till they need to know otherwise. Make them think someone waits for us in town. I should have implied it was a male cousin. I have an inkling mindsets are old-fashioned. Women may have little to no rights here.

  Dana takes the cooler backpack off to rummage through it. She takes out the four sub sandwiches, two large bags of chips, two large bottles of water, and a bag of chocolate chip cookies. Sarah has a hydration backpack filled with Chardonnay, which fits three liters of wine. There’s a bottle of whiskey and a bottle of Coke. Part of me doesn’t want the men to drink, unsure if they are friendly or angry drunks, but damn does a Jack and Coke sound good after the day we had.

  Xander eyes us as if he’s taken aback by our lack of story and supplies. Even if he suspects we are lying, he can’t think we are a threat or capable of hurting him or his cousin. So any lie we tell shouldn’t affect them. Tristan seems more gullible, while Xander is the decision maker. At least, that’s the dynamic I get from the two.

  After a few seconds of contemplating, Xander shrugs, rubbing his chin. “You can sleep in the hut—we have two blankets you’re welcome to share. We have nothing else to offer regarding more blankets or warmer clothes. Stay by the fire and you will keep warm. I’m hungry. There’s stew leftover from lunch, not much, but you’re welcome to it. Don’t cause trouble or headaches.”

  Flashing a thankful ruby-red smile, Sarah grabs the bottle of whiskey, passing it to him. “We won’t.”

  Xander takes the bottle of whiskey and drinks, his face turning beet red, but he swallows. He knows it’s alcohol, even if it doesn’t taste familiar. The cousins thank us for sharing the bottle, though it doesn’t seem like they’ve drank in a while. Tonight may get interesting.

  I follow Dana and Sarah over to the hut to set up our things, which isn’t more than organizing the tight space to fit the four of us, our two backpacks, and the borrowed blankets. Ciara prepares dinner for the group, preoccupying the guys. Between the stew and what we packed, there should be enough food for everyone. I hope Ciara fixes up the stew. She is a great c
ook and can make anything taste wonderful, if given the right tools.

  I figure with Ciara talking to them while they drink, the three of us will set up the tent which really means get our story straight. She won’t know what we decide, but she’s probably too nervous to talk too much. I’m proud of how well she is keeping herself together. Adding water to their stew, cutting the sandwiches while chatting, she’s tougher than I thought. Not that I don’t love her. Everyone has their weaknesses or demons, depending on perspective.

  “This stuff is strong. What is it?” Taking another swig, Tristan hovers over Ciara. He has been since she started handling the food. Xander gives her space but looks equally hungry, sitting down with his back against a tree stump, closer to the other center fire, watching everyone.

  “We only have a minute. What should we do?” Dana asks.

  Dana and Sarah empty the contents of their backpacks. Nothing. A little first aid kit, with Band-Aids, antibiotic cream, alcohol wipes, tweezers, and a small bottle of ibuprofen left over from a camping trip. Two phone chargers deemed useless except for their long wires, four collapsible reusable cups, a pen, a deck of cards, and a pack of gum. Our lives depend on these items.

  “The ibuprofen, bandages, alcohol wipes, and antibiotic cream we can trade or sell,” Sarah says as she sorts through the first aid kit. “What about our story?”

  “Keep it simple. We are from Seaside and a storm destroyed our village. We’re in search of your cousin and a new life. On our way here, robbers attacked the caravan. In the chaos, we escaped. If they ask questions, we say broad answers and that’s it. We ask more questions about them and the town, Capo.” Dana opens the bottle of ibuprofen to count how many are left.

  “Sounds good, but Xander might know I lied. The way he rubbed his chin, the way he smirked. I don’t think he cares. To him, we are four women he found lost in the woods, that he promised to escort to town. Besides that, where we come from doesn’t affect him. Plus he would never guess we aren’t from this world.”

  “At least we know we aren’t on Earth. Where the hell do you think we are or how we got here?” Sarah asks.

  “I have no clue and I wish we knew more. The moons are pretty, but terrifying. Do you really think he knows we are lying?” Done organizing her bag, Dana pushes it next to the other one to use as pillows for tonight. It’s going to be cozy in here.

  “Yeah, Megan’s right. He looked like she told him a joke, but I don’t think he cares. Where we come from shouldn’t impact them,” Sarah says.

  My stomach growls, then flops. “Hope it doesn’t, but can we trust them? Should one of us stay on watch tonight? Trade off every couple of hours just in case?”

  “Great idea,” Sarah says. “Ciara should go first since she’s cooking. I’ll go second.”

  God only knows the last time the cousins were around women. Some men can’t control themselves in general, and it seems these two have lived in the woods for some time. Plus, they’re drinking. Not a good mixture.

  “I’ll go after ya,” Dana says.

  “That leaves me with the last shift. I don’t know the time here, but I don’t think we will sleep past dawn. These guys seem like the type to wake up with the sun. Two-hour shifts should work.” I can’t help but yawn.

  Sarah stands, brushing her black hair out of her eyes. “It’ll be hard, but we should try to get some sleep tonight. Tomorrow will be a long day.”

  ***

  Sitting around the campfire eating stew and sandwiches is awkward. The only noise is the chewing of food, and the crackling of fire and Ciara’s knuckles, while bugs sing their mating songs. Some things don’t change no matter where in the universe you are: Bugs still inhabit the world, buzzing and biting everyone.

  Ciara did her best with dinner, splitting it between six people, watering down the stew to serve the group. Big chunks of gamey-tasting meat with diced vegetables similar to carrots and potatoes covered in a thick, creamy gravy; it warms the stomach while filling it, too. The subs are served with a handful of chips and a couple cookies on thin metal plates. Our collapsible cups hold our favorite alcohol to finish the meal. Mine is an extra strong Jack and Coke.

  No matter how satisfying the humble meal is, the tension is thick. Everyone has questions, but no one wants to ask or is too nervous of where the conversation will lead. How do you start a conversation when you know nothing about the world you’re trapped in? How do you pretend to fit in?

  Our life experiences aren’t the same. The norms here aren’t the norms on Earth. We don’t know where they’re taking us, if it’s a town or a village or a cluster of huts. Not knowing what establishments exist can hurt or benefit us. We need to ask questions, find out more information about our predicament, while giving nothing away.

  “Please tell us about Capo. What’s the town like?” Sarah decides it’s time to talk, looking Xander in the eye, awaiting a response.

  Xander doesn’t give her one.

  Tristan picks up his head, glad to talk, as if the silent treatment Xander is giving is his normal temperament. “It’s a decent-size town. Last town before you reach Skogur Forest and the White Lands. It’s the second biggest trading center in the Sliabh region. People travel from small villages to buy and trade. It slows down this time of year, the market will close the first day it snows. Everyone is traveling back home after buying supplies, stocking up for the winter. It’s nothing special. It’s big and used to be a lot nicer. Since the fire and plague, the town has never been the same, never fully recovered. Where can I get more whiskey and choc-o-late cookies? These are amazing.”

  “You guys don’t have cookies and whiskey? Guess it’s something we make on the coast,” I say. Hopefully, they won’t ask around about whiskey and chocolate chip cookies. How can they not have chocolate? Hope my face doesn’t show my disappointment. I need to change the subject before he asks more. “How many years has it been since the plague hit?”

  I don’t want to go into a disease-infested town, catch another world’s illness, and die.

  “Twelve years ago. Where are you from?” Xander asks, giving an I know you’re lying smirk.

  “We lived in a small fishing village called Seaside. A horrible storm destroyed it. We hope Megan’s cousin received our letter because we have nowhere else to go. The storm destroyed everything we had. Our homes… There’s nothing left,” Dana says.

  God damn it, Dana played too damsel in distress. Hope they don’t think we are, that’s when people take advantage.

  “That’s awful. I can’t imagine what you went through. What’s your cousin’s name? We grew up here and we know practically everyone in Capo. We’ll help you find him once we get into town,” Xander says, pushing while he pretends to be nice. I wouldn’t call it mocking, but it’s close enough to irritate me.

  Shit. Who am I supposed to know? Should be male. Women may not have equal rights in this world. Can’t take too long to answer or else they will know we’re lying. Fuck. “David. He travels a lot and spends time in Capo. Can’t remember where he was staying, but the last letter came from Capo. Do you know of any inns?”

  “What’s his last name? What does he do?” He crosses his arms and leans his back against the stump, looking smug. He is enjoying toying with us.

  Tristan bursts out laughing, unable to contain himself. “You’re bad liars. You need practice.” Hiccup. “Do you know anyone in town?”

  Alcohol glazes Tristan and Xander’s dark brown eyes. They aren’t slurring their words, but they’re both tipsy. Laughing, grinning, nonthreatening, more amused than angry. We might still be lucky. They may not have bad intentions.

  “No, we don’t,” Ciara cries. “The storm ravaged our homes and destroyed our lives. We want to put as much distance between the water and our futures.” Ciara sags her head and looks at her hands, face bleak. “I can still hear the storm, the winds howling, people screaming as they were sucked into the ocean, never seen again. I never found my parents. I didn’t get to say goo
dbye.” Tears roll down her freckled checks, forming a steady stream down her face.

  Seconds later, she sobs. She’s not acting. We are lost, somewhere not on Earth, and we are never going to see our families or homes again. Sarah refills our cups with wine as we sit in silence, crying over everything we lost.

  Accepted into her first choice law school in New York, Sarah couldn’t be prouder. She was beyond excited, she worked hard to get there. She’s been busy packing, looking for an apartment, checking out different neighborhoods near her new school, in search of a new place she planned to call home. So many hours worked toward her dream career, taken away by something no one can explain.

  Dana’s house flipping business was booming. She and her brothers were making fantastic money, all of their time invested paying off. What are Tony and Kyle going to do without her managing the books and clients? As much as I trusted them with my bathroom, they don’t understand the business aspect. They know how to destroy and rebuild. Tony and Kyle need someone to keep them organized and follow a schedule. I can’t imagine how lost they will be without their boss little sister.

  Ciara takes care of her parents. Both have been diagnosed with emphysema, and her father is also battling lung cancer. They were waiting on the test results for her mother, if she too has lung cancer. Both of her parents depend on her solely to take them to appointments, cook, and do everything for them. She’s a single child and her parents don’t speak to the rest of their family. Who will take care of them now? If they skip a couple doses of medicine, it will kill them. Hopefully, they will report her missing—along with the three of us—before they need any medical assistance. No one expects her parents to last more than a year, but without Ciara home, they will have nothing to live for.

  The thing I cherish the most is my condo. I don’t care about my job at the pub and my only goal was to travel, but I should have been more specific. As far as my family goes, I will always miss them, but in all honesty, my heart misses what life was like before our family fell apart. When Dad was alive, Chelsea happy, when Mom wasn’t drunk twenty-four-seven and was still talking to my Aunt Karen. Before my Aunt Karen and cousin Emily moved away to Florida to forget the painful memories of where she raised her missing son, and where she and my Uncle Cy went on dates before he left.