[Terquem]

Chapter 3, part 1

The walk to the village of Reem was quiet. A heavy sense of purpose hung over them. Lisa tried to engage them in conversation, asking the others questions about their lives at home, but avoided Alan.

For much of the way Alan walked behind, at a distance, from the others. Lisa walked in the lead with Lydia. After a few hours they stopped where there were several stones suitable for a short rest of the legs and ate some dried fruit and bread.

Alan approached where Lisa and Lydia were sitting and said, “Lisa, can I speak with you, in private?”

Lisa rose and followed him to stand apart from the group.

“Is something wrong?” She asked.

“I don’t belong here, with these people. I wanted time to talk with you,” Alan said, “about, my past, about certain things. I don’t understand what we are doing now.”

“I promise we will talk, Alan, this is only a minor delay.”

“You don’t understand. They think I am a monster.”

“No one thinks you’re a monster, Alan. I just met you. I don’t know anything about you but I know you are not a monster. What makes you say this?”

“I died. At that battle, I was dead, or supposed to be dead. Something happened I don’t understand or even remember, and since then I have been running from people who say I am a monster.”

“I will help you understand, if it is within my power. For a couple of days we will just have to put it aside. I promise. I see how this bothers you, but you need to see that these people and I, none of us, think you are a monster.”

She smiled at Alan, and then said loudly, “We should get moving again if we want to reach Reen before nightfall.”

The countryside had a long, gently downhill grade as they left the highland moor and came to the Reen River. They followed the river west, toward the small village. The sun was getting low in the west and the sky was filled with colors thrown eastward by the clouds in the distance. They began to see the tall, peaked roofs of the village barns in the distance and just ahead of them there was a herd of small shaggy, highland cows. A girl, probably no more than ten years old, was standing among the cows with a long switch, a thin willow branch stripped of leaves. The cows moved about languidly, but the girl was motionless with her back to them.

Alan ran forward from the back of the group and took Lisa by the arm. His grip was hard.

“Something’s not right,” he said.

The others stopped. Fairlyn moved closer to the naga princess and the halflings moved behind them both.

Lisa was stunned by Alan’s intensity. She couldn’t find the right words. Lydia pulled Alan’s hand off of Lisa’s arm.

“What’s wrong with you?” Lydia said. “They’re just dairy cows.”

“No, the girl,” Alan said. “Something isn’t right, look.”

“Young lady,” Lydia called, “Are we near Reen?”

The girl did not respond. She didn’t move at all.

“Stay here,” Alan said, “Fairlyn, can you be ready? Cooper, come with me, but stay back.”

Alan walked slowly toward the girl. He pushed a cow to his right when it moved in his path. The animal let out a low mooing sound, and jumped a step causing the bell on its neck to clang loudly.

The girl kept still looking away from them.

Lisa did not stay where she was. She followed Alan.

Moving even slower now, Alan circled around the girl until he was in front of her, and Lisa came up behind him.

With a stifled scream, Lisa stumbled back covering her mouth.

The girl was dead. She was pale, her eyes vacant and covered in a milky film. Her mouth sat slack jawed. Her skin was pallid and pale. She stood somehow, like a statue. Her feet were overgrown with grass that seemed to bind her in place.

Alan turned and then saw that Lisa had followed him. He leapt to her and pulled her close to his side, and then his head spun from side to side searching in every direction for any threat.

“What, what is it?” Lydia called.

Cooper came around and saw what Lisa and Alan had seen. He stumbled back, tripping over his feet and falling on his back. Gwenna and Lydia ran toward him, while Fairlyn drew an arrow.

“This girl is dead,” Lisa called. “It’s impossible. She is dead on her feet. Something evil has happened here.”

Lydia ran toward the girl while Gwenna ran to Cooper's side.

“Stop!” Lisa cried. “Don’t go near her.”

Lydia froze in her tracks.

Alan pushed Lisa toward Lydia, saying, “Wait, let me get closer.”

He moved toward the girl, staying directly in front of her lifeless stare. He waved his hands, and looked all around. “Margerory, Eloise, are you here?” He asked.

“Who are you talking to?” Lydia asked.

“Alan, be careful,” Lisa said.

He came close to the girl. He knelt on the ground. He reached up and put his hand against the girl’s cheek. She was warm.

“She isn’t dead,” Alan said. “She’s still warm.”

Lisa ran to them. She put her hand next to Alan’s. The girl’s skin was warm, just like Alan had said. She felt the girl’s neck. Her pulse was faint. She gently pushed Alan to one side and then leaned over, putting her own face right in front of the girl’s lips.

“She’s breathing,” Lisa said. “We have to get her someplace out of the weather. Alan, help me —”

Lisa went to take the girls arm and then the girl moved.

She twisted, violently, away from Lisa and a sinister hiss passed her thin lips.

The girl’s head snapped to the side and fixed her lifeless eyes on Lisa. Slowly she raised the switch in her hand.