IT WAS THE FIRST DAY INTO THE JOURNEY. π HAD WALKED FOR MOST OF IT, AND ONLY TOOK SHORT RESTS. HE WAS STILL FILLED WITH ANXIOUS JOY, AND HE DID NOT WANT TO MISS A SINGLE THING. CERTAINLY, THERE WERE MANY SIGHTS TO BEHOLD!
HE SAW TREES TALLER THAN THE TALLEST PINES IN THE MEADOW, BUT THEY WERE NOT SKINNY AS THOSE.
INSTEAD, THESE TREES WERE THICK, AND ANCIENT-LOOKING. THEIR BRANCHES TWISTED INTO EACH OTHER. CREATING A TIGHTLY-WOVEN CANOPY, SO THAT EVEN AT MID-DAY, NOT MUCH LIGHT REACHED THE GROUND.
THE TRAIL WAS THIN, AND SURROUNDED BY PLANTS ON ALL SIDES. THEY HAD LEAVES OF ALL SIZES, SHAPES, AND COLORS, AND ROOTS SO LARGE IT WAS SOMETIMES HARD FOR π TO GET AROUND THEM.
IT REMINDED HIM OF SQUEEZING THROUGH THE CAVERN PASSAGES BACK HOME. BUT HE DID NOT WANT TO THINK OF HOME, AND SO HE WALKED ON FOR A GREAT WHILE LONGER.
WHILE ON HIS WAY, π SAW MANY PONDS, AND PUDDLES, AND SMALL STREAMS OF RUNNING WATER; THEY SMELLED OLD, AND FETID. YET DESPITE THIS, π FOUND THEM BEAUTIFUL.
BUT HE COULD NOT SHAKE THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THE COLD STREAMS ORIGINATED FROM THE MELTING SNOW OF THE MOUNTAINS. SO, HE KEPT ON WALKING, HOPING TO LET HIS MIND CLEAR AT LAST.
JUST AS HE SAW MANY ANIMALS, AND PLANTS, AND CREEPING THINGS THAT HE HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE, SO TOO DID HE HEAR FRIGHTENING, UNFAMILIAR SOUNDS, ALL THROUGH THE DAY AND NIGHT.
THE FEAR ONLY MADE HIM MORE EXCITED, AND DESPITE IT ALL HE COULD NOT STOP SMILING TO HIMSELF. HE SPENT HIS FIRST FULL NIGHT IN THE FOREST COWERING UNDER A TREE ROOT, UNABLE TO CLOSE HIS EYES AS THE WOODS’ NOCTURNAL PANTHEON PLAYED AROUND HIM.
FOR A MOMENT, HE COULD THINK OF NOTHING BUT THE FOREST; THE SAME OLD GROWTH FOREST THAT HE HAD SEEN SO MANY TIMES FROM ABOVE. NOW HE WAS FINALLY ABLE TO EXPERIENCE IT FROM WITHIN.
HE COULD FEEL IT BREATHING AROUND HIM. π SYNCED UP HIS OWN BREATH WITH IT; EVEN THOUGH IT WAS FRIGHTENING, THIS FOREIGN PLACE FELT MORE LIKE HOME TO HIM THAN THE MOUNTAIN HE WAS BORN AND RAISED IN EVER HAD.
THIS WAS WHERE HE BELONGED, HE THOUGHT. HE WAS SURE OF IT.
BY LATE EVENING ON THE SECOND DAY, π HAD RUN INTO HIS FIRST TROUBLES.
HE HAD FAILED TO RATION WHAT FOOD HE HAD BEEN ABLE TO BRING EVENLY, AND HE HAD STILL A LONG WAYS TO GO. YET π ALREADY FELT WEAK FROM THE HUNGER, AND HE WAS CERTAIN HE WOULD NOT MAKE IT TO THE RIVER DELTA WITHOUT EATING SOMETHING.
π THOUGHT OVER HIS OPTIONS. GIVEN THAT HE WAS NOT CONFIDENT ABOUT IDENTIFYING EDIBLE FRUIT AND DID NOT WANT TO ACCIDENTALLY POISON HIMSELF, HE DECIDED IT WOULD BE BEST TO TRY HIS HAND AT HUNTING.
AND SO, HE CHOOSE TO HUNT FOR FISH IN THE PLENTIFUL PONDS NEARBY. HE WOULD USE HIS BOW AND ARROWS, THOUGH HE HAD NOT PRACTICED WITH THEM IN MANY YEARS.
BUT, π NOTICED QUICKLY THAT THE THIN THREAD OF BOWSTRING BETWEEN THE ARC WOULD NOT STAY IN PLACE, EVERY SMALL MOVEMENT CAUSING IT TO COME LOOSE. THIS BOW WAS OLD AND HAD NOT BEEN USED FOR MANY YEARS, AND IT SHOWED ITS AGE PLAINLY. SO HE ONLY TOOK A SINGLE ARROW, AND WADED INTO ONE OF THE PONDS.
AND ALTHOUGH THEY WERE TINY, THE POND WAS TEEMING WITH FISH; π SPENT THE EVENING USING THE ARROW AS A MAKESHIFT FISHING SPEAR.
THOUGH MANY TRIES WERE UNSUCCESSFUL, HE OCCASIONALLY GOT LUCKY; IT WAS ENOUGH TO GET HIMSELF THROUGH THE DAY, AND MAYBE EVEN TOMORROW. THOUGH π WAS EXHAUSTED AFTERWARDS, HE FELT HAPPY THAT HIS HARD WORK HAD PAID OFF.
π MADE A FIRE WITH OIL AND STONES THAT HE BROUGHT WITH HIM, AND USED SOME OF THE FISH TO COOK A SOUP. AFTER HE ATE, HE GATHERED THE LEFTOVERS IN A BAG, AND BOUND IT HIGH UP ON A BRANCH. HE HAD HEARD FROM A TRAVELER ONCE THAT IT WOULD PREVENT PREDATORS FROM FINDING IT EASILY.
FINALLY SATED, EXHAUSTION WASHED OVER HIM LIKE A WAVE. AND HE FELT HIS BONES BECOME WEARY FROM THE DAYS OF WALKING. IT SEEMED AS IF HE HAD OVERESTIMATED HIS STAMINA.
SO, HE TOOK SHELTER BEHIND A COUPLE OF OLD LOGS TO SETTLE IN FOR THE SECOND NIGHT; AS THE FOREST AIR GREW COLDER, NOT EVEN THE EERIE SOUNDS OF THE FOREST COULD KEEP HIM FROM SLEEP THIS TIME.
WHEN π AWOKE, IT WAS STILL DARK. HIS BODY DID NOT FEEL RESTED, YET SOMETHING CAUSED HIM TO RISE FROM HIS SLUMBER. AT FIRST, HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT IT WAS. BUT THEN HE HEARD IT AGAIN.
THERE WERE NOISES NEARBY.
THEY WERE LOUDER THAN ANY THAT HE HAD HEARD THE PERVIOUS NIGHTS; IT DID NOT SOUND LIKE THE PLANTS, NOR THE BUGS, NOR THE DISTANT BIRDS. NOT EVEN LIKE THE SMALL ANIMALS IN THE TREES. IT SEEMED AS THOUGH IT CAME FROM SOMETHING BIGGER.
NOW π WAS AFRAID. HE REALIZED THAT DURING THE NIGHTS BEFORE, HE HAD NOT TRULY FELT AFRAID; MERELY THE EFFECTS OF THE ADRENALINE-SATURATED BLOOD COURSING THROUGH HIM.
IN THAT MOMENT ALTHOUGH, HE FELT PARALYZING FEAR. A KIND OF MORTAL FEAR WHICH HE HAD NEVER KNOWN.
π COULD DO NOTHING MORE THAN LIE WIDE AWAKE, EVERY SENSE TUNED TO THE TERRIBLE SOUNDS NEARBY FOR WHAT FELT TO HIM LIKE AN ETERNITY. HE REMEMBERED THE FISH IN THE POND, HIDING FROM HIS ARROW IN THE WEEDS, WONDERING IF THEY FELT THE SAME.
EVENTUALLY, HE REGAINED ENOUGH CONTROL TO STOP AND THINK, AND IDENTIFY THE SOUNDS. IT WAS A WET NOISE, WITH HORRIBLE SLURPING AND CRUNCHING. IT WAS THEN THAT HE REALIZED THAT IT WAS THE SOUND OF SOMETHING CHEWING.
WITH THAT THOUGHT, π'S EYES MOVED TO THE BRANCH ABOVE HIM. AS HIS EYES ADJUSTED TO THE DARKNESS, HE SAW THAT WHERE HE HAD STRUNG UP HIS BAG OF FISH EARLIER THAT EVENING, NOW ONLY LOOSE ROPE HUNG.
HIS BRAIN BEGAN TO CREATE IMAGES; OF DANGEROUS MOUNTAIN LIONS, AND DIREWOLVES, AND HORRID IMAGINARY BEASTS WITH YELLOW TEETH AND CLAWS.
ALL THESE CREATURES JUST A REACH AWAY FROM WHERE HE LAID, FEASTING ON HIS FOOD. DIGGING THEIR SNOUTS IN. DEVOURING IT.
π'S MIND WAS RACING TO FIND A WAY OUT OF THE SITUATION. HE KNEW THAT HE COULD NO LONGER JUST LAY THERE; WHEN IT WAS FINISHED WITH THE FISH, THE CREATURE WOULD SURELY COME FOR HIM NEXT! SO, HE QUIETLY TOOK A DEEP BREATH, AND DID HIS BEST TO GATHER HIS THOUGHTS.
π SAT UP SLOWLY AND REACHED OVER TO HIS BAG, FROM WHICH HE TOOK HIS BOW AND ARROW.
AS HE TIGHTENED THE BOWSTRING, HE SPOKE A PRAYER TO HIMSELF: FOR IT TO HOLD FAST, AND WORK - JUST THIS ONCE.
HE SAT BEHIND THE PILE OF LOGS FOR WHAT FELT LIKE ANOTHER ETERNITY, MUSTERING THE STRENGTH TO DO WHAT HAD TO BE DONE. EVEN THEN, WHEN HE STOOD UP AND TURNED TO FACE THE BEAST, HIS KNEES WERE WEAK; HE ALMOST FELL RIGHT BACK DOWN AGAIN.
YET π PERSISTED, AND HE POINTED HIS NOCKED ARROW TOWARDS THE SOURCE OF THE NOISE.
AT FIRST, HE COULD MAKE OUT ONLY A CROUCHED SHADOW - ITS FRAME WAS SMALLER THAN HE HAD EXPECTED. HE WATCHED IT CONTINUE TO EAT, AS THOUGH IT HAD NOT EVEN NOTICED π. SO, HE GREW BOLDER, AND SPOKE.
“Hey!”
HIS VOICE CRACKED, CLEARLY GIVING AWAY HIS FEAR.
AT LAST, THE FIGURE TURNED TO FACE π, AND HE COULD DISCERN ITS TRUE SHAPE.
IT HAD HORNS, AND A LONG TWITCHING TAIL. ITS FUR APPEARED DARK IN THE SHADE OF THE TREE, AND ITS WET FINGERS GLISTENED IN THE DIM MOONLIGHT.
IT NEITHER A TERRIBLE BEAST NOR A DANGEROUS ANIMAL; IT WAS A MAN.
A DEMON!
THEY BOTH LOOKED AT EACH OTHER FOR A LONG TIME. AND THOUGH ALL THE FEAR DISAPPEARED FROM π'S BODY AT ONCE, IT WAS GRADUALLY BEING REPLACED WITH CONFUSION. JUDGING BY THE WAY THE PERSON WAS LOOKING BACK AT HIM, THE FEELING WAS MUTUAL.
THE MOMENT WAS BROKEN ONLY BY THE SOUND OF A SNAP, AS HE HAD KEPT THE BOW RISEN AND NOCKED TIGHT. EVENTUALLY, THE THREAD GAVE OUT, AND THE ARROW SLIPPED FROM π'S FINGERS, FLYING OFF INTO THE NIGHT.
AFTER THAT, ONLY SCREAMING FILLED THE AIR.
π HAD STARTED UP HIS FIRE AGAIN, ANOTHER BOILING SOUP FILLING THE POT HE HAD USED THE EVENING BEFORE AS IT SAT OVER THE FLAMES.
BUT HIS THOUGHTS WERE NOT WITH THE BROTH, NOR THE FIRE. INSTEAD, π COULD NOT AVERT HIS SIGHT FROM THE DEMON; THE ONE WHO WAS NOW LYING UNCONSCIOUS BESIDES HIM ON HIS BLANKETS.
π JUMPED WHEN THE FIGURE BEGAN MOVING BENEATH THE LAYERS OF FABRIC. AS HE SHIFTED, HE MUMBLED WORDS TO HIMSELF IN A SLURRED LANGUAGE THAT π COULD NOT UNDERSTAND. AND BEFORE THE DEMON EVEN HAD TIME TO FULLY AWAKEN, π HAD ALREADY BEGUN TALKING:
“Oh, thank the gods you're alive. I’m so sorry, I really didn’t intend to hit you. I promise it was an accident! I thought you were some kind of animal! if I knew, I wouldn’t have threatened you with it at all. You see my bow isn't the best anymore and even if it was, I’m not confident in handling it, and, well-“
HE SAT UP AS π SPOKE; THEY WERE STARING AT EACH OTHER NOW.
THE MAN'S EYES WERE WIDE WITH FEAR. NOT A SINGLE MUSCLE MOVED IN THE DEMON'S BODY, AND FOR A MOMENT NEITHER OF THEM TOOK A BREATH.
THEN AS SUDDENLY AS HE HAD SAT UP, THE DEMON ATTEMPTED TO GET ON HIS FEET. WHEN HE TRIED TO, HOWEVER, AN INTENSE PAIN SURGED THROUGH HIS BONES, AND HE COULD ONLY FALL BACK ONTO THE BLANKETS.
π REACHED OUT TO AID HIM, BUT THE MAN REFUSED ANY TOUCH, SO π DID NOT TRY AGAIN.
HE LOOKED DOWN AT HIS TORSO, AND HE SAW THAT THE LOWER HALF OF HIS STOMACH HAD BEEN WRAPPED IN FRESH BANDAGES WHICH π HAD APPLIED HOURS BEFORE.
“It’s best that you stay down. It's not a puncture! Luckily it just grazed your side. But you lost a lot of blood...”
π WANTED TO SAY MORE, BUT THE DEMON WOULD NOT KEEP HIS EYES OFF HIM. BEING STARED AT LIKE THAT MADE π NERVOUS, BUT HE CONTINUED:
“I’m really sorry about what happened. Do you want some soup? I made it from the fish you tried to steal from me. I just thought you'd need something warm to strengthen up again.”
BUT STILL, HE DID NOT BREAK EYE CONTACT WITH HIM. NOR DID HE MOVE, EXCEPT FOR HIS TAIL, WHICH TWISTED LOW TO THE GROUND. π SIGHED TO HIMSELF:
“I'm sorry. You probably don’t even understand me...”
“I do.”
THE DEMON ANSWERED, AND π'S HEART SKIPPED A BEAT. HE HAD NOT EXPECTED TO HEAR A RESPONSE AT ALL, MUCH LESS ONE SPOKEN IN HIS OWN NATIVE LANGUAGE.
THE DEMON'S VOICE WAS ROUGH, AS THOUGH THIS WERE THE FIRST TIME HIS VOCAL CORDS HAD EVER BEEN USED. NONETHELESS, π WAS GLAD THAT HE HAD TALKED.
“So, do you want a bowl?”
π ASKED AS HE STIRRED THE SOUP.
“I’ll eat too. Then you can be certain that it’s not poisoned! Even though you shouldn't be worried in the first place. What reason would I even have to poison you? I just saved your life after all!
Unless I accidentally used some herbs that I shouldn’t have. But I only used the ones I brought from home and I know they’re all good. Unless the farmers made a mistake. But what are the odds that such a thing could happen! It wouldn't be my fault anyways in that case…
I’m sorry. Just forget what I said.”
HE FELT HIS FACE FLUSH RED WITH EMBARRASSMENT, YET THE DEMON DID NOT BREAK HIS GAZE. JUST AS π WAS ABOUT TO SPEAK AGAIN, HE REACHED OUT AND GRABBED THE BOWL OF SOUP FROM π'S HANDS.
FINALLY, HE BEGAN TO EAT. SLOWLY AT FIRST, BUT SOON HE HAD FINISHED HIS FIRST PORTION, AND WOULD TAKE MORE. AT LAST, HE ATE ALMOST THE ENTIRE POT OF BROTH.
WHILE THEY ATE TOGETHER, π BEGAN TO WATCH HIM IN RETURN. NOW, IN THE BRIGHT LIGHT OF THE FIRE HE COULD GET A BETTER LOOK AT THE MAN.
HIS FUR WAS A DULL RED COLOR, PULLED TAUT OVER HIS THIN FRAME; π COULD EASILY MAKE OUT EACH BONE WORKING BENEATH HIS SKIN AS HE MOVED. HE HAD ALREADY NOTICED HIS LONG SPADE TAIL, SO TOO HAD HE SEEN THE BLACK HORNS CROWNING HIS SKULL. THERE WAS NO DOUBT THAT HE BELONGED TO THE PEOPLE OF THE TREES.
π REMEMBERED THAT DEMONS LIKE HIM HAD SOMETIMES VISITED THE MOUNTAIN, MANY YEARS AGO; TRADING AT THE MARKETPLACE, AND THEN LEAVING AGAIN AS QUICKLY AS THEY HAD COME. DESPITE THAT, NONE HAVE BEEN SEEN IN RECENT TIMES THAT IS, EXCEPT FOR APPARENTLY NOW π. HE STARTED TO SPEAK:
“I’m really sorry-"
“Can you say something else too?”
THE DEMON CUT HIM OFF, AND π WAS TAKEN ABACK. FOR A MOMENT, HE COULD NOT FORM A SINGLE WORD IN HIS THROAT.
“Yeah, of course, I'm sorry-"
π HELD HIS MOUTH, FEELING LIKE A FOOL. YET THE DEMON RESPONDED WITH A QUIET LAUGHTER, EASING π’S NERVES A BIT. IT WAS SILENT BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM.
“What's your name? If you don’t mind me asking”
π SAID. THE DEMON PAUSED, AS THOUGH COMBING HIS MIND FOR THE ANSWER. FOR π, IT SEEMED ODD THAT SOMEONE WOULD TAKE SO LONG TO ANSWER SUCH A SIMPLE QUESTION. EVENTUALLY, THOUGH, HE REPLIED:
“Wormwood.”
“I like that name. Mine is π.“
“Pie?”
“No, it's π.“
“That’s weird. You're very weird.”
AND π DID NOT KNOW HOW TO RESPOND TO THAT. SO, YET AGAIN, IT WAS SILENT BETWEEN THE TWO.
“I didn't steal your food, by the way. It was your own fault for just leaving it around so carelessly.”
WORMWOOD SPOKE IN A TONE THAT SOUNDED ACCUSATORY TO π. HE COULD ONLY STUMBLE OVER HIS WORDS, SEARCHING FOR THE RIGHT THINGS TO SAY.
“Well, you did! And it wasn't careless. I hid it from predators-“
“You hid it in the trees. That only works for ground dwellers though.”
WORMWOOD EYED π FROM HEAD TO TOE, AND SPOKE FURTHER:
“You're one of those people from the mountains, aren’t you? I’ve seen your kind a lot here lately. But never in this particular part of the forest, and never alone. Are you lost?”
π LET OUT A GASP - HE FELT OFFENDED THAT SOMEONE WOULD EVEN IMPLY SUCH A THING.
“I’m on my way to meet them, actually - my people. At the river delta to the west.”
π POINTED DOWN THE PATH, AND WORMWOOD FOLLOWED WITH HIS GAZE.
“If it weren’t for the trouble you caused, I'd be on my way already.”
“The direction you're pointing in. That is not westwards.”
WORMWOOD ANSWERED, DISREGARDING π'S COMPLAINT.
“Sure it is!”
“No, you're walking to the east. There are no rivers. Not anymore. Can’t you see the sun rising?”
THEY BOTH LOOKED THROUGH THE THICK LEAVES ABOVE THEM. AND, SURELY ENOUGH, THE VERY FIRST RAYS OF SUNSHINE COULD BE SEEN COMING FROM THE DIRECTION π HAD BEEN WALKING IN.
“The sun always rises in the east.”
“I know that, of course!”
π'S VOICE WAS RAISED. HE REACHED INTO HIS BAG AND PULLED OUT HIS MAP - THE SAME ONE HE HAD TRACED ALL THOSE DAYS AGO.
“But... I’ve been following the paths!”
HE SHOWED WORMWOOD THE PAPER. THE DEMON LOOKED IT OVER, BUT NOT A SINGLE LINE SEEMED TO MAKE ANY KIND OF SENSE TO HIM.
“There are many more paths than the one drawn here. How do you know you're on the right one?”
“Well, I, uh, I did…”
BUT π COULD NOT ANSWER, AND HE HAD TO ADMIT TO HIMSELF THAT HE DID NOT KNOW WHERE HE WAS. EMBARRASSMENT OVERCAME HIM.
HE FELT LIKE AN EVEN GREATER FOOL THAN BEFORE, AND REGRETTED HAVING NOT TAKEN MORE TIME TO ACQUIRE A BETTER MAP. HE HUNG HIS HEAD IN SHAME, AND HID HIS FACE BEHIND HIS HANDS.
WORMWOOD BEGAN CHUCKLING; NOT JUST TO HIMSELF THIS TIME, BUT LOUD ENOUGH FOR π TO HEAR. FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THEY HAD MET, HE WAS SMILING.
“Oh, this is hilarious. I’ll leave you to it then. Have fun, and good luck on your travels. It looks like you'll need it, ha-ha!”
HE STOOD UP FROM THE BLANKETS, BUT HE COULD NOT WALK MORE THAN A COUPLE OF STEPS UNTIL THE PAIN CAUGHT UP WITH HIM; WORMWOOD FELL TO HIS KNEES AGAIN, WEEPING AS HE HELD HIS STOMACH. π WENT OVER TO WHERE HE SAT. HE DID NOT TOUCH HIM, BUT HE STILL TRIED TO OFFER HIS HELP HOWEVER HE COULD.
“I told you to stay down. You won’t be able to walk like that.”
“But I need to go home!”
THERE WAS A TONE OF DESPERATION IN WORMWOOD'S VOICE NOW, AND HE WAS CRYING - BUT NOT JUST FROM THE PAIN. π's MIND WAS RACING, TRYING DESPERATELY TO THINK OF WHAT TO DO NEXT. FINALLY, AN IDEA CAME TO HIM.
“You're familiar with the paths, right? You can bring me to the delta! I’m supposed to meet a group of my people there soon. There should be doctors among them, with better medicine than I have. They can help you and send you back to your village!”
“I live on my own.”
π WAS SURPRISED, YET HE CONTINUED:
“They’ll send you back to wherever you live then. But I promise you they can help! I just need you to get me there!”
WORMWOOD LOOKED AROUND, HIS EYES GRAVITATING TOWARDS HIS BANDAGES. A DARK SHADOW WAS ALREADY SEEPING THROUGH THE WHITE FABRIC, AND AS HE LET OUT A STRAINED GROAN.
“I don’t have any other choice, do I?”
π COULD NOT HIDE HIS GRIN AS HE ANSWERED:
“Thank you so much! I'll carry you of course since you can’t walk. But we have to hurry now. They'll only be at the river until the end of today.”
SO π SNUFFED OUT THE FIRE, AND GATHERED HIS BELONGINGS. RELUCTANTLY, WORMWOOD GOT ON π'S BACK, AND THEY DID NOT WASTE A MINUTE MORE IN LEAVING.
THEY WERE ON THEIR WAY BEFORE MORNING FULLY BROKE.
JUST AS π SAID, THEY WOULD HURRY FOR THE WHOLE DAY. THEY TOOK FEW BREAKS, AND THOSE THEY DID WERE KEPT AS SHORT AS THE PAIR COULD MANAGE.
π DID NOT STOP WALKING, ONLY LISTENING TO WORMWOOD GUIDING HIM ALONG THE NARROW FOREST TRAILS.
EVEN THOUGH π WAS THE ONE DOING ALL THE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, IT WAS WORMWOOD WHO HAD THE MOST TROUBLE. THE CONSTANT MOVEMENT CAUSED HIS WOUND TO HURT EVEN MORE, AND IT EVENTUALLY BECAME SIMPLY TOO MUCH TO BEAR. HE PLEADED WITH π:
“Please slow down. Why can’t we take a little longer? Surely they'll wait for you to arrive.”
BUT π DID NOT SLOW DOWN.
“No, they won’t.”
HE TOOK DEEP BREATHS BETWEEN HIS WORDS.
“To be honest, they don’t really know that I’m coming. But don’t worry, it’ll be ok.”
WORMWOOD FOUND THIS VERY STRANGE. BUT, IN HIS CURRENT STATE, HIS MIND WAS FAR TOO CLOUDED BY PAIN TO BE A VERY GOOD JUDGE OF ANYTHING. SO, HE JUST HELD ON AS TIGHTLY AS HE COULD, AND PRAYED THAT IT WOULD BE OVER QUICKLY.
IT WAS ONLY IN THE LATE EVENING, AFTER HOURS OF WALKING, THAT π SAW LIGHT SPILLING THROUGH THE DARKNESS OF THE BUSH; THERE WAS A CLEARING AHEAD.
SO π BEGAN WALKING FASTER, WHICH TURNED INTO A JOG, AND THEN A SPRINT. IT SEEMED AS IF THEY HAD FINALLY ARRIVED!
π COULD ALREADY IMAGINE ALL THE PEOPLE SITTING AROUND THEIR CAMPFIRES; EATING, RESTING AND TELLING STORIES TO EACH OTHER.
AND HE IMAGINED HOW THEY WOULD REACT TO SEEING THE TWO OF THEM COMING OUT OF THE UNDERBRUSH, DIRTY AND BRUISED FROM THIS LONG DAY.
SOME WOULD SCOLD HIM OF COURSE - TELLING HIM WHAT A FOOL HE WAS FOR DOING THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE. BUT THERE WOULD BE OTHERS, WHO WOULD COMPLIMENT HIM FOR HIS BRAVERY.
AFTER ALL, WHO HAS NOT DONE MISGUIDED THINGS IN THEIR YOUTH? IN HIS MIND, IT WAS ONLY NATURAL.
AND WORMWOOD WOULD GET THE HELP HE NEEDED, AND THEY WOULD BE ON THEIR WAY. AND WHEN HE RETURNED, π WOULD HAVE ONE GREAT STORY TO TELL EULER AND CANTO.
BUT AS THEY BROKE THROUGH THE TREE LINE, π CAME TO A SUDDEN HALT.
THERE WAS NO ONE.
THEY REACHED THE RIVER DELTA, CERTAINLY; BUT IT WAS AS QUIET AND EMPTY AS THE REST OF THE FOREST. ONLY THE DISTANT CROAKING OF TOADS COULD BE HEARD AS THE SUNLIGHT BEGAN TO FADE INTO NIGHT.
“I don’t understand, did we miss them? But... we got here in time! They should still be here!”
HOWEVER, WHEN π LOOKED CLOSER, HE COULD TELL THAT NOT A SINGLE PERSON SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN HERE AT ALL. THERE WERE NO FOOTPRINTS ALONG THE RIVERBANK, NO USED FIRE PITS WITH WET COAL. IT LOOKED AS UNTOUCHED AS MOST OF THE PLACES HE HAD PASSED THE DAYS BEFORE.
“Wormwood!? You said you knew the way to the river delta?”
“I mean... it is a delta? There are many of them here. How should I have known which one you meant?”
“Wait, there’s more than one?!”
π FELL TO HIS KNEES. AGAIN, HE HID HIS FACE BEHIND HIS HANDS IN SHAME.
THERE WAS NOTHING FOR HIM TO DO NOW. EVEN IF HE RAN, HE COULD NOT MAKE IT TO THE ACTUAL DELTA IN TIME. AND EVEN IF HE COULD, HE HAD NO IDEA WHERE HE WAS ANYMORE. THE PLAN, WHICH HAD SEEMED SO PERFECT BEFORE, HAD TURNED INTO YET ANOTHER FAILURE.
IN HIS MIND, THE ONLY OPTION LEFT FOR HIM NOW WAS TO TREK ALL THE WAY BACK HOME, YET THE MERE THOUGHT OF THAT MADE HIS BLOOD RUN COLD. THE LAST PLACE HE WANTED TO BE WAS IN THE MOUNTAIN AGAIN; HE COULD NOT BEAR THE THOUGHT OF SPENDING ANOTHER DAY THERE.
AND ALEPHS REACTION…! π DID NOT EVEN DARE IMAGINE IT.
“So… Since there are no doctors for me here, will you bring me home now?”
WORMWOODS WORDS BROKE THE SILENCE.
“I will-"
π SPOKE. WITHOUT THINKING, HE ADDED:
“If I can stay with you.”
“What? Why?!”
WORMWOODS VOICE WAS FULL OF ANGER AND FRUSTRATION, REMEMBERING EVERY HARDSHIP THAT HE HAD TO GO THROUGH THAT DAY, ALL FOR THIS STRANGER WHO HAD CAUSED HIS INJURY TO BEGIN WITH.
“First you try to kill me, then you drag me through half the forest and now you won’t leave me alone?”
“I have nowhere else to go. And you won't be able to feed yourself like this. I can get you food, and tend to your wound. At least until you get better.”
“You are crazy!”
THEY BOTH LOOKED AT EACH OTHER FOR A LONG TIME, NEITHER SAYING ANYTHING. INSTEAD, THEY LISTENED TO THE FLOWING RIVER.
WORMWOOD WAS THINKING HARD, HIS OPEN SIDE THROBBING WITH EVERY HEARTBEAT. HE WAS THE FIRST TO SPEAK AGAIN.
“Fine.”
AT LAST.
“You can come. But you have to leave when I’m better. Let’s go now.”
SO π GOT UP AGAIN. AND JUST AS SOON AS THEY HAD ARRIVED, THEY WERE GONE FROM THE DELTA.
IT TOOK MANY MORE HOURS BEFORE THEY REACHED THE PLACE WHERE WORMWOOD LIVED, FAR UPSTREAM FROM A RIVER BRANCH THAT HE SAID TO FOLLOW. IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A GRASSY CLEARING.
THERE STOOD A SMALL TREE, LEAFLESS AND DEAD FOR MANY DECADES. BUT ON THE INSIDE IT WAS HOLLOW, AND NOW IT SERVED AS WORMWOOD'S HOME. HE HAD LIVED IN THERE SINCE HE WAS A CHILD.
DESPITE THAT, π HAD NO TIME TO ADMIRE IT JUST YET. AT THE VERY MOMENT HE ENTERED THE TREE, HE COLLAPSED FROM THE EXHAUSTION OF NOT ONLY TODAY’S TREK, BUT THE TWO NIGHTS OF POOR SLEEP BEFORE. HIS BODY COULD WAIT NO LONGER.
SO TOO WAS WORMWOOD EXHAUSTED FROM BLOOD LOSS AND PAIN. THEY BOTH FELL ASLEEP ON THE CUSHIONED FLOOR OF THE TREE, AND NEITHER WOULD WAKE AGAIN FOR AN ENTIRE DAY.
BACK UNDER THE MOUNTAIN, IT DID NOT TAKE LONG FOR ALEPH TO NOTICE π'S ABSENCE.
AT FIRST, HE WAS NOT WORRIED; π WOULD OFTEN STAY WITH CANTO WHEN HE DID NOT WANT TO BE AROUND ALEPH, AND ALEPH RESPECTED THAT.
THOUGH NOW, IT HAD BEEN MANY DAYS - MORE THAN π WOULD USUALLY BE GONE.
SO, ALEPH WENT TO VISIT CANTO. NOT TO TALK WITH π, BUT JUST TO MAKE SURE HE WAS OK. BUT CANTO HAD NOT SEEN π EITHER, NOR HAD HER FAMILY. AND ALEPH'S WORRY ONLY GREW.
HE WOULD SPEND THE ENTIRE REST OF THE DAY SEARCHING THE MOUNTAIN, ASKING EVERYONE HE MET. BUT NO ONE KNEW.
AND ALEPH WOULD VISIT THE GATES, BUT π WAS NOT THERE EITHER. NOR WAS HE IN ANY OF HIS HIDING PLACES THAT HE WOULD USE WHEN HE NEEDED TIME ALONE.
THAT NIGHT, WHEN ALEPH GOT BACK TO HIS CAVE, HIS ENTIRE BODY SHOOK IN PANIC. IT WAS THEN THAT EULER CAME TO HIM, AND CONFESSED WHAT SHE KNEW - TELLING HIM WHERE π HAD GONE.
"Don’t worry! He'll come back soon!"
EULER SPOKE. BUT ALEPH COULD DO NOTHING BUT WORRY. A TERRIBLE FEAR HAD ALREADY GRIPPED HIM, AND IT WOULD NOT LET GO. HIS WORST NIGHTMARE SEEMED TO HAVE COME TO LIFE.
THE VERY NEXT DAY, ALEPH WOULD SEND MESSENGER PIGEONS OUT TO THE NEAREST GROUPS ON THE WATER PATH. BUT NONE CAME BACK WITH NEWS OF π'S PRESENCE.
SO, HE WOULD ORDER SEARCH TROOPS TO BE FORMED, AND THEY WOULD COMB THE SURROUNDING FOREST. BUT NOT A SINGLE TRACE OF π COULD BE FOUND.
ALAS, ALEPH WOULD NOT GIVE UP. HIS DESIRE TO FIND π AGAIN WAS HIS ONLY WAKING THOUGHT. HE WOULD JOIN THE TROOPS, AND FOR MANY WEEKS THEY WOULD SEARCH EVERY DAY, FROM MORNING TO EVENING.
UNTIL AN ACCIDENT HAPPENED.
ONE OF THE PEOPLE SEARCHING WAS GREATLY INJURED. THOUGH THEY RECOVERED, ALEPH WAS ADVISED TO STOP THE MANHUNT; IT HAD BEEN FRUITLESS SINCE THE FIRST DAY, AND IT WAS BEGINNING TO PUT A STRAIN ON THE PEOPLE.
BUT HE PROTESTED. FOR HIM, STOPPING WAS NOT AN OPTION UNTIL π WAS FOUND AGAIN, AND NOTHING HIS ADVISORS SAID COULD CONVINCE HIM OTHERWISE HOWEVER, THEY FORBADE HIM FROM ORGANIZING ANY MORE TROOPS.
IF HE WANTED TO CONTINUE THE SEARCH FOR HIS LOST BROTHER, HE WOULD HAVE TO DO SO ON HIS OWN.
IT BROKE ALEPH'S HEART INTO PIECES.
HE UNDERSTOOD THEIR REASONING; SOMEWHERE IN HIS MIND, HE KNEW THAT IT WAS BEST. YET ALEPH COULD NOT BEAR THE REALITY THAT EVERYONE ELSE HAD ALREADY ACCEPTED. THAT π WAS NO LONGER ALIVE, AND THAT HE WOULD NEVER RETURN.
ALEPH SPENT HIS DAYS ALONE, WEEPING IN THEIR SNUG. HE COULD NOT WORK ANYMORE, NOR REALLY DO MUCH OF ANYTHING ELSE.
FOR MANY WEEKS AFTER, HE WAS CONSUMED BY THE GRIEF OF LOSING π. AND HE WOULD THINK OF EVERY ARGUMENT, EVERY PETTY INSULT HE HAD TRADED WITH HIS BROTHER. ALEPH WOULD GROW TO HATE HIMSELF MORE FOR EACH UNJUST WORD.
HE KNEW THAT IT WAS ONLY HIS OWN VICIOUS ACTIONS THAT HAD DRIVEN π TO HIS DOOM.
SOON, HIS ENTOURAGE WOULD GROW IMPATIENT. THEY HAD TROUBLE KEEPING UP WITH THE ADDED WORKLOAD, AND ALEPH KNEW THEY WOULD THREATEN TO ELECT A NEW GATHERER IF HE COULD NOT COME TO HIS SENSES AND CONTINUE HIS WORK.
EVEN THOUGH ALEPH WAS PROUD OF HIS OCCUPATION, AND WOULD NEVER HAVE GIVEN UP HIS POSITION UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, HE COULD NOT BRING HIMSELF TO CARE ABOUT THEIR WORDS. EVEN STILL, HE COULD DO NOTHING BUT WALLOW IN GRIEF AND REGRET.
BUT SO TOO COULD EULER NO LONGER STAND ALEPH'S BEHAVIOR. ONE DAY, SHE SPOKE TO HIM AGAIN.
"I don't even get why you're crying."
HER BLUNTNESS SURPRISED ALEPH. NEVER ONCE HAD HE HEARD HIS SIBLING TALK LIKE THAT.
"Why wouldn’t I? π is dead, and it's my fault! I wanted to keep this family together, but instead, I've ripped us apart even more. It's true - I'm just as horrible as Mama."
"I don’t think he is, though."
ALEPH WAS SO TAKEN ABACK THAT HE STOPPED CRYING FOR A MOMENT. HE DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT EULER MEANT, SO SHE CONTINUED:
"You may not know it, but I have this special gift. I can sense dead things. But I don’t sense that π is dead, so I’m pretty sure he’s still alive! I don’t know where he could be though. He'll probably come back sometime. He promised me he would bring me more snail shells after all!"
ALEPH LAUGHED; HE HAD NOT FELT JOY IN A LONG TIME. HER WORDS MADE HIM FEEL BETTER.
"Don’t laugh! I'm telling the truth!"
"Of course, I believe you. Do you like shells?"
"Duh! I have a whole collection!"
ALEPH'S STOMACH DROPPED. IN THAT MOMENT, HE REALIZED HOW LITTLE HE KNEW ABOUT HIS SIBLING. NOT ONLY HAD HE DRIVEN HIS BROTHER TO AN EARLY DEATH, NOW HE WAS NEGLECTING THE ONLY FAMILY MEMBER HE HAD LEFT.
"Oh, Euler.”
HE SPOKE, AS THE REALITY OF THE SITUATION CAME OVER HIM.
“What have I done! Please forgive me. I will change, I will."
WITH THAT, HE TOOK HER IN HIS ARMS, HUGGING HER SO VERY TIGHTLY.
THOUGH EULER DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT, BUT SHE APPRECIATED THE GESTURE.
FROM THAT DAY ON, ALEPH WOULD CHANGE, JUST AS HE PROMISED. NO LONGER WOULD HE SPEND HIS DAYS CRYING ALONE.
HE WOULD START HIS USUAL WORK AGAIN, BUT HE WOULD NOT SACRIFICE HIS SPARE TIME FOR ADDITIONAL STUDIES ANYMORE. INSTEAD, ALEPH WOULD SPEND EVERY FREE MOMENT HE HAD WITH EULER.
THEY WOULD COOK THEIR MEALS AND CLEAN THEIR CAVE TOGETHER. HE WOULD TEACH HER GAMES THAT THEIR MOTHER HAD ONCE PLAYED WITH HIM. SOMETIMES THEY EVEN WALKED THE MEADOW TOGETHER, LOOKING FOR SNAIL SHELLS WITH CANTO. AND WHEN EULER WANTED TO DO THINGS ALONE, HE WOULD LET HER.
AND BOTH OF THEIR LIVES IMPROVED GREATLY, OVER TIME.
DESPITE THAT, ALEPH NEVER OVERCAME HIS GRIEF COMPLETELY. IN TRUTH, HE DID NOT BELIEVE EULER WHEN SHE SAID THAT π WAS STILL ALIVE.
HE NEVER WOULD NOT CHECK EACH RETURNING GROUP FROM THE WATER PATH, HOPING THAT π WOULD BE AMONG THEM.
HE NEVER STOPPED WAKING UP AT NIGHT AND WALKING TO THE EDGE OF THE FOREST, WAITING FOR π TO STEP OUT OF THE DARKNESS. BACK INTO HIS ARMS.
EVEN THOUGH ALEPH KNEW HE WOULD NEVER COME.
MEANWHILE, IN THE FOREST, π WOULD BEGIN LIVING WITH WORMWOOD. FOR THE FIRST FEW DAYS WORMWOOD, WAS UNABLE TO LEAVE HIS HAMMOCK; THE PAIN WAS TOO GREAT FOR HIM TO EVEN SIT UP.
SO, EACH DAY, π WOULD FISH IN THE RIVER, AND EACH NIGHT, HE WOULD CLEAN WORMWOOD'S BANDAGES. AT FIRST, THEY DID NOT TALK MUCH.
WORMWOOD SPENT MOST HOURS RESTING, AND SOON HE WOULD BE WELL ENOUGH TO GET UP AGAIN, THOUGH HE STILL COULD NOT WALK FOR LONG DISTANCES.
WORMWOOD WOULD OFTEN SIT UP IN THE LOOKOUT OF HIS TREE, AND WOULD WATCH EVERY STEP π TOOK AS HE WENT ABOUT HIS DAYS.
HE DID NOT ONLY FISH. IN TRUTH, π SPENT MOST OF HIS TIME DOING NOTHING BUT WALKING AROUND, LOOKING AT THE MANY VARIED TRINKETS WORMWOOD KEPT SCATTERED AROUND THE CLEARING.
π WAS MOST FASCINATED WITH THE BARK WHICH COATED WORMWOOD’S TREE BOTH INSIDE AND OUT. EVERY AVAILABLE SPACE WAS COVERED IN INTRICATE PAINTINGS AND HAND-WROUGHT PATTERNS; PLANTS, ANIMALS, AND PEOPLE OF EVERY SIZE AND SHAPE RENDERED TOGETHER IN DUSTY PIGMENT.
AND WHILE HE WALKED THROUGH THE NEARBY FOREST, π WOULD FIND MORE TREES THAT WERE PAINTED THE SAME WAY. EVEN IN THE RIVER, THERE WERE STONES COVERED IN DRAWINGS.
SO ONE DAY, WHEN WORMWOOD SAT IN HIS LOOKOUT, π ASKED HIM:
"Did you paint all these things?"
"Yes."
"Who taught you to paint this well?"
"No one."
IT DID NOT SEEM AS THOUGH WORMWOOD WANTED TO TALK, SO π WALKED OFF AGAIN AND CONTINUED ON WITH HIS BUSINESS.
TIME PASSED, AND WITH EVERY PASSING DAY WORMWOOD'S CONDITION GRADUALLY IMPROVED. THOUGH HIS RECOVERY REMAINED SLOW, π WAS GRATEFUL FOR EACH DAY HE COULD STAY LONGER.
AND JUST AS HE HAD DONE NOW MANY TIMES BEFORE, π WADED IN THE RIVER, HUNTING THE MEAT FOR THE BROTH THAT THEY WOULD EAT THIS EVENING. AS ALWAYS, WORMWOOD WATCHED ON FROM HIS TREE. BUT THIS TIME, HE CALLED OUT:
"I’m sick of fish!"
"Well!"
π SPOKE BACK TO HIM.
"What else do you want, then?"
AND WORMWOOD TOLD HIM TO GET FRUITS; HE HAD NOT EATEN ANY SINCE THEY MET, THAT FATEFUL NIGHT. BUT π COULD NOT FULFILL HIS REQUEST.
"I don’t know any of the fruits here. Surely I'll just end up picking something poisonous."
WORMWOOD GROANED IN RESPONSE. HE WAS OBVIOUSLY ANNOYED, BUT TO π’S EARS, HE ALSO SOUNDED ALMOST EXCITED.
"What kind of traveler are you? You fool, how did you expect to survive on your own? Come over and help me out of here! I'll show you which ones to get."
π AIDED WORMWOOD IN WALKING, AND TOGETHER THEY WOULD SLOWLY MAKE THEIR WAY OUT OF THE CLEARING AND DEEPER INTO THE FOREST.
NOT FAR BEYOND THE RIVER THERE STOOD MANY SMALL TREES, AND EVEN FROM A DISTANCE π COULD MAKE OUT THE ORANGE ORBS HANGING FROM THEIR BRANCHES.
WORMWOOD TOLD HIM THAT THESE WERE HIS FAVORITES. HE WOULD PICK THEM THROUGHOUT THEIR SEASON, AND WOULD GATHER AND PRESERVE THE LEFTOVERS FOR WHEN THEY WOULD NOT GROW.
THEY SPENDT THE REMAINING HOURS OF THE DAY THERE, EATING THE FRUITS TOGETHER.
AND WORMWOOD WOULD TELL HIM OF OTHER THINGS THAT GREW AROUND THIS PLACE; WHEN EACH WAS IN SEASON, AND HOW TO IDENTIFY THEM. AND π LISTENED.
SINCE THEN, HE WOULD NOT ONLY COOK WITH THE MEAT, BUT ALSO THE FRUITS AND EDIBLE PLANTS WITH WHICH HE WAS NOW FAMILIAR.
WITH TIME, WORMWOOD WAS ABLE TO MOVE AGAIN. AND WAS NO LONGER RELEGATED TO SITTING IN HIS TREE INSTEAD, HE DESCEND TO THE GROUND, TO WATCH π CLOSER.
HE WOULD FOLLOW HIM, AND SIT NEXT TO HIM WHEREVER HE WENT, THOUGH π DID NOT MIND IT AT ALL. AS THEY GREW MORE COMFORTABLE WITH EACH OTHER'S PRESENCE, SO TOO DID THEY GROW MORE COMFORTABLE TALKING.
"How did you get all those things?"
π WAS REFERRING TO THE POTS, BOWLS, BLANKETS, PILLOWS, AND VARIOUS OTHER LITTLE THINGS THAT FILLED WORMWOODS TREE.
"Did you make them all by yourself too?"
"No."
WORMWOOD CONTINUED:
"I found them in the woods."
"Huh."
"Yeah. To the east. There are a lot of abandoned things, if you know where to look."
"Is that where you're from?"
π DID NOT MEAN TO ASK THAT, BUT THE WORDS JUST SLIPPED OUT OF HIS THROAT. HE HAD BEEN CURIOUS ABOUT THAT FOR A WHILE NOW, BUT HAD THOUGHT IT BEST NOT TO ASK. WORMWOOD DID NOT ANSWER.
"Sorry if you don’t want to talk about that. I just heard that this was where most Demons used to live. Well, until-"
"Until the rivers became sour, and our trees died, and we all had to leave."
WORMWOOD CUT HIM OFF. HIS VOICE WAS QUIET.
"Find someplace new. But nobody else made it. When you shot me that night, you almost killed the last one of my kind."
"Oh…"
π FELT ASHAMED, YET WORMWOOD STARTED LAUGHING.
THEY WOULD TALK MORE ABOUT THEIR LIVES. π WOULD TELL WORMWOOD ABOUT HIS MOTHER, AND HOW HE HAD NEVER MET HIS FATHER. SO TOO WOULD WORMWOOD SPEAK ABOUT HIS OWN PARENTS.
"My mama died too! I don’t really remember her anyways. My papa… Well, to be honest, I’m glad he’s not around anymore."
AND π WOULD ALSO TALK ABOUT HIS SIBLINGS; HIS BROTHER ALEPH, WHY HE DECIDED TO GO, AND WHY HE WAS HERE NOW. WORMWOOD SEEMED TAKEN ABACK BY THIS INFORMATION.
"So, you just… left? You left your own village to be in the forest?"
"Yes. And I don't regret it."
"You are weird, π. You really are."
WORMWOOD SPOKE, GRINNING AS THEY BOTH LAID IN THE GRASS, THE SKY ABOVE THEM CHANGING TO A DEEP SHADE OF RED.
"I should tell you to go back to your home. But honestly, I don’t mind you being here too much."
THEY SMILED AT EACH OTHER, WHILE THE SUN SET AND THE MOON ROSE IN THE SKY ABOVE THEM.
AND SO, THEY CONTINUED ON WITH THEIR DAYS. WORMWOOD WOULD RECOVER, HIS WOUND HEALING GREATLY WITH TIME. THE TWO WOULD SPEND MOST OF THEIR HOURS TOGETHER.
WORMWOOD BEGAN TO TEACH π ABOUT THE WAYS HE HAD LIVED IN THE FOREST FOR SO LONG, AND π WAS EAGER TO LEARN. SO, WORMWOOD WOULD SHOW HIM HOW TO CLIMB THE BRANCHES — A QUICKER METHOD THAN TRAVERSING THE THICK FOLIAGE ON THE GROUND.
AND THOUGH IT TOOK MANY TRIES, π EVENTUALLY FOUND HIMSELF ABLE TO AT LEAST KEEP UP WITH WORMWOOD, WHO WAS STILL FAR SUPERIOR AT MOVING THROUGH THE CANOPY. π HAD TROUBLE WITH HEIGHTS, AND WITH KEEPING HIS BALANCE.
WORMWOOD WOULD TELL HIM WHERE TO FIND TASTY MAGGOTS, AND EASY WAYS TO COAX WORMS FROM THE EARTH; BOTH WERE MORE RELIABLE PROTEIN SOURCES THAN HUNTING.
AND SO TOO WOULD WORMWOOD SHOW π HIS FAVORITE PLACES; WATERFALLS AND SPRINGS WHERE THEY WOULD BATHE TOGETHER, AND BRANCHES UP HIGH ON WHICH THEY WOULD SIT AND LOOK OUT OVER THE FOREST EXPANSE.
ONE NIGHT, WHILE THEY SAT ON JUST SUCH A BRANCH, A BRIGHT LIGHT LIT UP THE DISTANT SKY.
"A Flare!"
π SAID AS IT FLICKERED IN THE DARK SKY.
"Is that what your people call those?"
"Yeah. Do they go by any other name?"
WORMWOOD WOULD THINK BEFORE HE WOULD ANSWER.
"I don't know. I just call them burning tendrils."
π CHUCKLED IN RESPONSE.
"What makes you think those are Tendrils? I always assumed it’s just some play of the light."
"I mean, it’s hard to see now. But at during the day you can clearly make out that it’s a Tendril. No idea what makes the ones over there burn and others not, though."
"At least it looks pretty."
"It does."
WORMWOOD BECAME LOST IN HIS MIND. HE WONDERED WHY THE TENDRILS WOULD NOT BURN ALL THOSE YEARS AGO, WHEN THEY CAME DOWN TOWARDS HIS OLD VILLAGE.
HOWEVER, HE DID NOT SPEAK HIS THOUGHTS. NEITHER OF THEM WOULD SAY ANYTHING AT ALL AS THEY WATCHED THE SPECTACLE.
THE WEEKS WOULD PASS, AND TURN INTO MONTHS. AND WITH EACH DAY THAT THEY SPENT TOGETHER, WORMWOOD WOULD OPEN UP MORE. WITH TIME HE CAME TO NOT ONLY TOLERATE π'S COMPANY, BUT TO ENJOY IT FULLY.
AND EVEN THOUGH WORMWOOD SAW π EVERY DAY, HE COULD NOT STOP THINKING ABOUT HIM. EVEN AT NIGHT, AND IN THE FEW TIMES THAT THEY WERE ALONE.
WORMWOOD BEGAN TO ALLOW π TO TOUCH HIM; NOT ONLY TO CLEAN HIS STILL-HEALING WOUND, BUT FOR ANY REASON HE COULD COME UP WITH. THEY COULD NOT KEEP THEIR HANDS OFF EACH OTHER.
π NO LONGER SLEPT AT THE BASE OF THE TREE BENEATH WORMWOOD. NOW, THEY SHARED THE HAMMOCK WHENEVER THEY RESTED. AND, ON ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS, THEY WOULD LAY WITH EACH OTHER.
FOR WORMWOOD, IT WAS THE FIRST TIME HE HAD LAID LIKE THIS WITH ANYONE. AFTER ALL, THERE HAD NO ONE BEEN WITH HIM BEFORE HE MET π. SO, HE LET HIMSELF BECOME VULNERABLE IN A WAY THAT HE NEVER HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY, AND IT FELT GOOD TO HIM.
FOR π, IT WAS THE VERY FIRST TIME HE HAD LAID WITH ANOTHER MAN. CANTO WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO HAD EVER TOUCHED HIM IN THIS WAY BEFORE, AND IT FELT GOOD TOO.
THEY DID NOT SLEEP MUCH THAT NIGHT, AND AWOKE LATE THE FOLLOWING DAY. THIS WOULD NOT BE THE LAST NIGHT THAT THEY WOULD SPEND TOGETHER LIKE THIS.
ON THE DAYS WHEN THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE TO DO, WORMWOOD WOULD PAINT FOR π.
MEANWHILE, π WOULD PLAY A LYRE THAT WORMWOOD ONCE FOUND, BUT NEVER UNDERSTOOD THE PURPOSE OF. AND EVEN THOUGH HE WAS NOT GOOD AT IT, WORMWOOD FELL IN LOVE WITH EVERY MELODY HE PLAYED. IN REALITY, THOUGH, IT WAS NOT THE MUSIC THAT HE FELL FOR.
AND SO, THEIR LIVES WENT ON LIKE THIS. SIMPLE, AND WITHOUT A CARE.
IT SEEMED THAT π HAD FOUND HIS MOST PERFECT PLACE TO BE, AND SO TOO WAS WORMWOOD NO LONGER ALONE.
YET, IT WAS NOT DESTINED TO LAST, AND THEIR SHORT TIME WITH EACH OTHER WOULD SOON NEAR ITS TRAGIC END.
IT WAS ANOTHER CALM EVENING. AS THE DAYS BECAME LONGER, SO TOO DID THE AIR IN THE FOREST GROW WARMER. BECAUSE OF THAT, π AND WORMWOOD WERE COOLING OFF IN THE STREAM. AND AS THEY SAT IN THE WATER, WORMWOOD WATCHED THE CLOUDS PASS OVERHEAD.
BUT π WAS LOST IN HIS OWN THOUGHTS. FOR A WHILE, HE HAD BEEN ACTING STRANGE. WORMWOOD HAD BEGUN TO NOTICE THAT π DID NOT TALK AS MUCH AS HE USED TO, NOR WOULD HE LEAVE THE CLEARING ANYMORE ON HIS OWN.
THESE CHANGES WORRIED WORMWOOD. NEVER BEFORE HAD HE SEEN π SO RESERVED.
"Everything alright?"
HE ASKED QUIETLY.
"Yeah."
π SPOKE HIS ANSWER WITHOUT EVEN LOOKING OVER TO WORMWOOD.
"I don't think so. Say, what's bothering you?"
BUT π DID NOT REPLY.
"Is it the heat? I can imagine you're not used to it. There are a bunch of caves down by the waterfall. They stay cool all year round, if you'd rather hang out there."
"Thank you, but it’s not that."
WORMWOOD WOULD THINK LONG AND HARD.
"Did something happen?"
π SIGHED. HE WAS NOT SURE WHAT TO SAY NEXT. YET HE CONTINUED:
"I-... I don’t think you'd believe me if I told you."
WORMWOOD GRINNED IN RESPONSE.
"Try me! I've seen many things in my years here... a lot of unbelievable stuff. But they’re all true. I think I can believe one more."
π WAS STILL RELUCTANT TO ANSWER. BUT, EVENTUALLY, HE WOULD TELL WORMWOOD OF HIS RECENT EXPERIENCES.
IT HAD BEEN HAPPENING FOR THE PAST FEW NIGHTS. EACH TIME, π WOULD BE AWOKEN BY A BRIGHT LIGHT, SHINING BETWEEN THE TREES.
"It’s not the moon, or a reflection, or a flare. I'm very certain of that."
HE SAID.
"It's as if someone is walking around out there with a torch, But the light is cold, and blue. Nothing like the glow of a fire."
WORMWOOD COULD OFFER NO ANSWER, BUT NOT BECAUSE HE THOUGHT π WAS LYING. WORMWOOD HAD SIMPLY NEVER WITNESSED SUCH A PHENOMENON BEFORE, AND HE HAD NO EXPLANATION FOR IT.
"I think it's coming closer."
π SAID AT LAST. BUT HE DID NOT TELL WORMWOOD EVERYTHING. NOT ONLY DID THE LIGHT FRIGHTEN HIM, BUT EVERY TIME HE LAID EYES UPON ITS UNEARTHLY SHINE, IT WAS AS THOUGH HE WERE DRAWN TO IT.
THAT NIGHT, NEITHER OF THEM SLEPT. INSTEAD THEY WOULD STAY OUTSIDE, ARMED WITH π'S ARROWS, TO WAIT FOR THE LIGHT'S RETURN.
WORMWOOD DECIDED THAT IT WOULD BE BEST TO BANISH IT OFF, TO FACE IT AND TELL IT TO NEVER RETURN. IF IT WAS A LONESOME SPIRIT, SURELY IT WOULD NOT ENJOY THE COMPANY OF LIVING PEOPLE.
WORMWOOD WAS EXCITED TO SEE IT FOR HIMSELF, BUT π DID NOT SHARE HIS INTRIGUE — HE WAS ANXIOUS.
WITH EACH PASSING HOUR, THEIR SURROUNDINGS BECAME DARKER, AND SOON THE FOREST AROUND THEM GREW PITCH BLACK. FOR A LONG TIME, NOTHING UNUSUAL OCCURRED.
THEIR QUIET CHATTER WOULD SLOWLY STOP; WORMWOOD COULD NO LONGER KEEP HIS EYES OPEN. HE FELL ASLEEP BY π'S SIDE.
π WAS UNABLE TO BREAK HIS GAZE AWAY FROM THE DARKNESS OF THE FOREST AROUND THEM, MUCH LESS CLOSE HIS EYES. EVEN THOUGH HIS BODY GREW TIRED, EVERY NERVE IN HIS BODY WAS ON HIGH ALERT; HIS MIND WOULD NOT REST.
AND THEN IT HAPPENED. THE LIGHT SEEMED BLINDINGLY BRIGHT IN CONTRAST TO THE BLACKNESS AROUND. IT APPEARED BETWEEN THE TREES, AS BEFORE, BUT NOW IT LOOKED AS THOUGH IT HOVERED JUST BEYOND THE TREE LINE - AND IT WAS GETTING CLOSER.
YET π WAS ALREADY ON HIS FEET. AGAINST HIS BETTER JUDGMENT, HE RAN TOWARDS THE LIGHT. HE DREW CLOSER, AS THOUGH BEING PULLED ALONG BY AN INVISIBLE ROPE - ONE WHICH HE COULD NO LONGER FIND THE URGE WITHIN HIMSELF TO STRUGGLE AGAINST.
THE CLOSER HE GOT TO THE EDGE OF THE CLEARING, THE MORE UNBEARABLY BRIGHT THE LIGHT BECAME; LIKE A GLEAMING WHITE HOT-SILVER SHIMMER.
AND AT THE VERY MOMENT HE THOUGHT HIS EYES WOULD BURN IN THEIR SOCKETS, IT BEGAN TO DIM. THE LIGHT WAS STILL THERE, BUT NOW IT WAS LITTLE MORE THAN A FAINT GLOW.
IT TOOK A WHILE FOR π'S SIGHT TO RECOVER. AS HE BLINKED HIS EYES IN THE NEW DIMNESS, HE HEARD AN UNFAMILIAR VOICE.
"At last, our paths cross!"
HE COULD MAKE OUT A FIGURE STANDING IN FRONT OF HIM. IT WAS A WOMAN!
THOUGH NOT A GHOSTLY ONE, AS WORMWOOD HAD GUESSED; SHE SEEMED TO BE ALIVE, AT LEAST. BUT HER SHAPE WAS VERY ODD TO π, ONE WHICH HE HAD NEVER BEFORE SEEN.
SHE WAS TALL, AND SLENDER. HER WHOLE BODY WAS NAKED OF FUR SAVE FOR HER HEAD, FROM WHICH SPROUTED LONG, GOLDEN HAIR.
HER FORM REMINDED π OF OLD SKELETONS, ANCIENT ONES THAT HIS PEOPLE WOULD OCCASIONALLY FIND DEEP WITHIN THE EARTH. THEY HAD NO HORNS OR TAILS, NOR BONY FACE PLATES.
SCHOLARS SAID THAT THESE ANCIENT PEOPLE HAD NOT WALKED THE GROUND FOR MANY MILLIONS OF YEARS, YET THIS WOMAN BEFORE HIM LOOKED AS THOUGH THOSE BONES HAD BEEN GIVEN FLESH ONCE AGAIN.
THE ONLY DIFFERENCE WAS THE GIANT FEATHERED WINGS WHICH GREW FROM HER BACK.
"Fear not! I have searched for you far and wide, earthling! And it seems I have finally been successful!"
HER VOICE SOUNDED BEAUTIFUL TO π, YET IT ALSO MADE HIS HEAD SPIN. HE STRUGGLED TO COMPOSE HIMSELF, THOUGH IT WAS AS IF THE WORDS WERE TAKEN OUT OF HIS THROAT.
"Who are you?"
"I am known to many as Rachiel! The Angel of the outer limbic system! I have come to you to be your guide, as I will need your aid in our coming endeavors! What are you known as?"
"π?-"
"π! A great number! Truly a worthy name for a person like you! π!"
AS SHE SPOKE, HER VOICE DISAPPEARED BETWEEN THE BRANCHES.
NOW IT WAS QUIET. π COULD HEAR NOTHING, SAVE FOR THE ANXIOUS BEATING OF HIS OWN HEART.
THOUGH HIS BODY REACTED THAT WAY, π DID NOT FEEL AFRAID. TO HIM, THERE WAS NO THREAT IN RACHIEL'S PRESENCE. IT FELT AS THOUGH SHE WAS AN OLD FRIEND, AND THAT THEY WERE MEETING EACH OTHER AGAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MANY YEARS.
THEN, A HAND WRAPPED ITSELF AROUND π'S ARM, SUDDENLY PULLING HIM BACKWARDS, BEHIND A THICK TREE.
THERE ABOVE HIM STOOD WORMWOOD. HIS EYES WERE WIDE, AND IN HIS HANDS, HE CARRIED ONE OF THE ARROWS.
AT ONCE, WORMWOOD POUNCED FORWARD, UP TO RACHIEL. WHEN HE WAS AS CLOSE AS HE COULD GET, HE RAISED THE ARROW. WITH ALL THE FORCE HE COULD MUSTER, HE RAMMED THE SHARP END INTO RACHIEL'S STOMACH.
BUT SHE DID NOT BUDGE. LOOKING DOWN, HE SAW THAT THE ARROWHEAD HAD NOT EVEN PUNCTURED HER SKIN. INSTEAD, IT CRUMBLED TO THE GROUND BEFORE HIM.
RACHIEL HELD WORMWOOD'S HAND NOW, GENTLY BUT VERY FIRMLY, AND LOOKED STRAIGHT INTO HIS EYES. IT WAS AS THOUGH SHE COULD SEE DIRECTLY INTO HIS MIND.
"Would you stop that?"
SHE SPOKE WITH THE KINDEST SMILE ON HER FACE. UNLIKE π, WORMWOOD FELT GREAT TERROR AT THE APPARITION IN FRONT OF HIM. IN A PANIC, HE SHOOK HIS ARMS FROM HER GRIP, FALLING TO THE GROUND. THERE HE HUDDLED, PARALYZED WITH FEAR.
π CALLED OUT. WHEN HE GOT TO WHERE HE LAIED, WORMWOOD WOULD CLING TO π MORE TIGHTLY THAN HE EVER HAD BEFORE, BURYING HIS FACE INTO π'S CHEST. YET NEITHER COULD KEEP THEIR EYES OFF OF RACHIEL.
"Be not afraid! I mean no harm! and I would appreciate it if no harm would be done to me in return!"
"What brings you here?"
π MANAGED TO SPEAK.
"You π! You do!"
"Yeah, uh, I mean what do you want from me?"
RACHIEL’S SMILE SEEMED TO GROW EVEN WIDER AS SHE EXPLAINED:
"π, I am here to tell you of your angelic heritage! For not only are you of earthly descent - like me, you are of the Flesh! Belonging partly to the Body Hidden Above The Heavens!"
"I-"
π COULD NOT FOLLOW HER WORDS. HE WAS, HOWEVER, AUDIBLY INTRIGUED; HE STILL FELT ODDLY DRAWN TO RACHIEL, IN A WAY THAT HE COULD NOT EXPLAIN.
"Shut your mouth!"
WORMWOOD INTERJECTED. HE WAS YELLING AT RACHIEL NOW.
"Leave! Go away from here!"
AND AS HE SPOKE, WORMWOOD WOULD PICK UP ROCKS AND STICKS, THROWING THEM AT HER.
YET RACHIEL DID NOT EVEN FLINCH. SHE MERELY CONTINUED TO STAND STILL, SMILING BRIGHTLY.
"You do not have to be convinced by my words alone! I will show you physical proof!"
RACHIEL WALKED OVER TO WHERE π AND WORMWOOD WERE STANDING, TAKING π BY THE SHOULDERS AND TURNING HIM AROUND. WITH A FLICK OF HER WRIST, RACHIELS FINGER TRAVELED DOWN πS SPINE.
IN THE WAKE OF HER TOUCH, HIS BACK OPENED UP. YET NO BLOOD FLOWED FROM THE WOUND.
INSTEAD, THERE EMERGED A PAIR OF LONG, FEATHERED WINGS, MUCH LIKE THE ONES ON RACHIEL'S BACK. HIS OWN WERE ALSO WHITE, SHIMMERING IN THE ANGEL’S BLUE GLOW.
"Do you believe in your divine lineage now?"
BUT π COULD NOT SAY A WORD IN RESPONSE; HE COULD NOT EVEN TAKE A BREATH. AS HE TURNED AROUND, HE MOVED HIS WINGS SLOWLY, STRETCHING THEM OUT TO THEIR FULL LENGTH.
AND THEN HE WOULD FALL TO THE GROUND, AS HE SUDDENLY LOST CONSCIOUSNESS.
"π!"
WORMWOOD CRIED OUT IN WORRY, HOLDING HIM IN HIS ARMS.
"What have you done to him?!"
"Be not alarmed! The sprouting can be a demanding process on the body! Let him rest! The shock will settle soon!"
BUT WORMWOOD COULD NOT COMPREHEND A SINGLE WORD, AND THE FEAR FILLING HIM BEGAN TO GROW RED WITH ANGER.
"Go away! Leave, and never come back! If I see you here again, I'll kill you!"
RACHIEL DID NOT SEEM TO NOTICE WORMWOOD'S YELLING AS SHE SPOKE.
"Sleep well π, and recover! I will wait for your return!"
HER VOICE BEGAN TO FADE INTO THE DISTANCE, AND ALL AT ONCE THE FOREST WAS DARK AGAIN.
WITH GREAT EFFORT, WORMWOOD CARRIED π BACK TO HIS TREE, TUCKING HIM INTO THE BLANKETS.
ALL THE WHILE, WORMWOOD WAS CAREFUL TO AVOID π'S NEW BODY PARTS. HE COULD NOT BEAR TO LOOK AT THEM, MUCH LESS TO TOUCH THEM. THE HORROR THAT HE JUST WITNESSED MADE HIS STOMACH TURN.
AND AS HE SAT NEXT TO π, HE STARED AT HIS SLEEPING FORM. HE HAD NO IDEA HOW HE WAS GOING TO DEAL WITH THE THINGS HE HAD JUST EXPERIENCED.
SURELY, WORMWOOD HAD SEEN MANY UNUSUAL OCCURRENCES IN ALL HIS YEARS OF LIVING IN THE FOREST. BUT NOTHING CLOSE TO THIS HAD EVER HAPPENED TO HIM BEFORE. FOR THE REST OF THE NIGHT, HE COULD DO LITTLE BUT WEEP.
THE NEXT DAY, π WOULD AWAKEN EARLY. AND FROM THAT FIRST WAKING MOMENT, HIS THOUGHTS WERE CONSUMED BY NOTHING BUT HIS NEW WINGS.
HE WOULD ADMIRE THEM IN HIS REFLECTION, TOUCHING THE SOFT INNER PARTS OF THEM. SO TOO WOULD HE ALSO FLAP, AND MOVE THEM ABOUT MANY TIMES.
YET WORMWOOD STILL DID NOT LIKE HIS WINGS, AND HE SEEMED TO BE MAD THAT π ENJOYED THEM SO MUCH. HE COULD NOT COMPREHEND HOW π FORGOT ABOUT LAST NIGHT SO QUICKLY. OR DID HE JUST NOT CARE?
WORMWOOD WOULD STAY IN HIS TREE FOR MOST OF THE DAY, QUIETLY JUDGING π FROM WITHIN. WHEN THEY FINALLY MET AGAIN, WORMWOOD SNAPPED.
“I don’t understand. How can you act like this!?”
“What do you mean?”
“What do I mean!? π! Have you lost your mind! How can you be so happy after last night! After what she did to you!”
AND π COULD ONLY CONTINUE TO SMILE AS HE ANSWERED.
“Nothing bad happened. It didn’t even hurt to be honest.”
“You cannot be serious.”
WORMWOOD'S VOICE WAS STRAINED, AND HE WAS BECOMING EVER MORE FRUSTRATED WITH π'S BEHAVIOR.
“I don’t like this at all. That lady is scary. She gives me a bad feeling.”
“Why? you don’t even know her.”
“You don’t either!”
WORMWOOD GROANED. HE REALIZED THAT IT WOULD BE NO USE TO ARGUE WITH HIM; IT DID NOT SEEM LIKE π WAS GOING TO CHANGE HIS MIND ANY TIME SOON.
SO, WORMWOOD COULD ONLY CONTINUE TO SHOW HIS DISAPPROVAL. HE WOULD FORBADE π FROM SLEEPING IN THE HAMMOCK; HE COULD NOT STAND BEING SO CLOSE TO THOSE AWFUL NEW WINGS OF HIS.
BUT π DID NOT CARE. MOST OF HIS MIND WAS OCCUPIED WITH THOUGHTS OF RACHIEL. ALL DAY, HE COULD NOT STOP THINKING ABOUT HER, AND HE EAGERLY AWAITED THEIR NEXT MEETING. LUCKILY FOR HIM, IT WAS TO COME SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
THAT EVENING, π COULD NOT SLEEP. HE TOSSED AND TURNED, BUT NO POSITION GAVE HIM REST WITH HIS NEWLY GROWN WINGS.
SO, HE WAITED FOR WORMWOOD TO FALL ASLEEP, AND THEN HE WENT OUTSIDE INTO THE SURROUNDING BUSH.
THERE, NOT FAR AWAY, RACHIEL WAS STANDING. SHE KNEW VERY WELL THAT HE WOULD COME.
TOGETHER, THEY WALKED THROUGH THE UNDERBRUSH. THE SKY WAS DARK, AND DOTTED WITH FLICKERING STARS. π COULD HEAR ANIMALS AND INSECTS ALL AROUND HIM, BUT HE DID NOT WORRY. HIS BLOOD WAS STILL RICH WITH ADRENALINE FROM THE PRIOR NIGHT, AND IT FELT AS THOUGH NOTHING IN THE WORLD COULD HARM HIM.
HE MOVED HIS WINGS, CREATING A STRONG WIND. WHICH RUSTLED THE LEAVES. HE RAN ON FALLEN LOGS, JUMPING OFF THEM AND GLIDING THE SHORT DISTANCE TO THE GROUND. DESPITE THIS, HE STILL FAILED TO ACHIEVE ACTUAL FLIGHT.
"What even is their purpose, if I can’t fly like the birds?"
HE LAUGHED.
"Well, I had to convince you somehow."
RACHIEL ANSWERED.
"…But, they will be a good aid in the weaker gravity of low earth orbit."
π SMILED IN RESPONSE, BUT IT SEEMED AS IF RACHIEL HAD BEEN COMPLETELY SERIOUS. IT STAYED QUIET FOR A WHILE BETWEEN THEM, UNTIL RACHIEL SPOKE AGAIN:
"π, have you noticed any big tragedies happening lately? Any new phenomena?"
π BEGAN THINKING, HIS JOY FADING QUICKLY.
"Uh, like in general-"
"Worldwide tragedies. Worldwide phenomena."
RACHIEL REPLIED IMMEDIATELY. THEY LOCKED EYES FOR A MOMENT, AND π DID NOT FEEL LIKE SHE WAS ASKING A QUESTION. TO HIM, IT SEEMED AS THOUGH SHE ALREADY KNEW THE ANSWER QUITE WELL.
"Yes."
HIS MIND FILLED WITH IMAGES OF THE GREAT DISTANT PILLARS, TENDRILS AND FLARES IN THE EVENING FAR OVER THE FOREST. AND HE THOUGHT OF THE DROUGHT IN THE SUN KINGDOM, THE WATER PATH, THE SOUR RIVERS. AND OF WORMWOOD, WHO WAS THE VERY LAST ONE OF HIS ONCE-PLENTIFUL PEOPLE.
"…A lot of natural disasters-"
"π, there is nothing natural about those happenings!"
RACHIEL'S VOICE SEEMED TO REVERBERATE THROUGH THE TREES AS SHE SPOKE. SHE ALMOST SOUNDED CONCERNED, THOUGH HER BEAUTIFUL SMILE NEVER WANED.
"I tell you π, there is a common source for all of your people's misfortune, and it is not of earthly descent. π, your planet has been caught in the fangs of a beast. And it is devouring your world as we speak. All of these tragedies are caused by the one Body Hidden Above The Heavens."
π KEPT HIS EYES FIXED ON HER FACE, BUT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO READ HER EXPRESSION. HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO SAY, BUT HE RESPONDED ANYWAYS.
"…How do you know that?"
AND THEN SHE STARTED SPEAKING, TELLING HIM WHAT SHE DID NOT GET TO SAY THE NIGHT BEFORE. SHE TOLD OF HER PEOPLE.
ANCIENT PEOPLE. ANCIENT EVEN TO THE VERY FIRST HUMANS WHO WALKED UPRIGHT. THEY LIVED AN UNIMAGINABLY LONG DISTANCE AWAY, ON THEIR OWN LITTLE PLANET, THAT WAS MUCH LIKE EARTH.
AT FIRST, THEY WERE PEOPLE, JUST LIKE THE TERRESTROIDS ARE, OR THE DEMONS ONCE WERE. BUT THEY WERE INTELLIGENT PEOPLE, AND FASCINATED WITH ONE THING IN PARTICULAR.
THE FLESH.
THEY KNEW EVERYTHING ABOUT THEIR FLESH, AND THE FLESH OF EVERY OTHER ORGANISM ON THEIR PLANET. THEY LEARNED HOW IT OPERATED, HOW IT GREW AND HEALED. HOW IT DIED AND DECAYED.
AND WHEN THERE WAS NOTHING MORE TO LEARN, THEY BEGAN TO SHAPE THE FLESH INTO NEW FORMS. AT FIRST, ONLY THE FLESH OF OTHER THINGS. BUT WITH TIME, THEY WOULD SHAPE THEIR OWN FLESH TOO.
AND RACHIEL EXPLAINED FURTHER. BUT SHE USED WORDS π WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH, AND AT TIMES IT SEEMED AS THOUGH SHE SLIPPED INTO A LANGUAGE HE COULD NOT UNDERSTAND AT ALL.
HOWEVER, HE LISTENED ALL THE SAME. AND EVEN THOUGH HE COULD NOT KNOW WHAT RACHIEL SAID, HER WORDS MADE HIM FEEL SICK, AND LIGHTHEADED. HE DID NOT COMPREHEND ALL THE DETAILS, YET SOMEHOW HIS MIND COULD PIECE TOGETHER THE GIST.
SOMETHING HAPPENED TO HER PEOPLE AND THEIR FLESH. A MISTAKE BORN OUT OF THEIR OWN HUBRIS, CHALLENGING SOMETHING THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE. THEY COULD NOT FIX IT IN TIME, AND NOW THEY ARE OF ONE FLESH.
A SINGLE ORGANISM, THE SIZE OF A CIVILISATION. ONE CONSCIOUS MIND, BOUND TO TRAVERSE SPACE, WHERE ITS OWN WEIGHT WOULD NOT CRUSH ITS BONES.
AND IT LIVED LIKE THAT FOR A LONG TIME. DURING WHICH IT GREW BORED, SAD, ANGRY AND BITTER. LONGING FOR WHAT IT ONCE WAS, AND DESPISING WHAT IT HAD BECOME.
BUT MOSTLY, IT GREW HUNGRY. AND SO, IT BEGAN TO HUNT.
SOON, IT WOULD LOCATE ITS FIRST TARGET. IT CAME ACROSS A PLANET THAT BORE LIFE, MUCH LIKE THE ONE IT ONCE LIVED ON.
IT FEASTED ON ITS BIOMASS, SUCKING UP EVERY LAST ORGANIC MOLECULE FROM THE SURFACE UNTIL IT WAS ONLY A COLD, DEAD ROCK, LIKE ANY OF THE BILLIONS OF OTHERS IN SPACE. AND IT WAS SATED.
BUT ONE WOULD NOT BE ENOUGH. AND SO, IT CONTINUED. OVER AN UNIMAGINABLE AMOUNT OF TIME, AN EQUALLY UNIMAGINABLE AMOUNT OF WORLDS WERE DESTROYED.
RACHIEL WAS ONE OF THE LAST INDIVIDUALS LEFT. NOT YET PART OF ITS BODY, SHE WAS A LIMBIC DRONE. ONE OF SEVERAL ORBITING ITS GREAT MASS.
HER ROLE WAS TO SCAN NEARBY SOLAR SYSTEMS FOR PLANETS WITH COMPATIBLE BIOSIGNATURES. BUT NO LONGER COULD SHE BEAR THE DEATH AND SLAUGHTER. SHE HAD FALLEN IN LOVE WITH OUR EARTH, AND COULD NOT BEAR TO SEE IT SUCCUMB TO THIS BEAST.
SO, SHE USED THE PRIVILEGE OF HAVING A SINGLE MIND TO NOT TAKE PART IN THE FEAST ANY MORE. SHE SWORE TO KILL IT.
AS IT WAS HER PEOPLE, IN THEIR PRIDE AND EGO, WHOSE NEVER-ENDING NEED FOR NEW KNOWLEDGE HAD CAUSED THIS HELLISH CYCLE. THEY HAD THOUGHT THEMSELVES INTELLIGENT. BUT IN REALITY, THEY WERE FOOLISH. FOOLISH PEOPLE WHO THOUGHT THEY WERE AS GODS.
SHE WOULD END THIS MURDEROUS SPREE ONCE AND FOR ALL.
"I am of their Flesh, still. If I enter the body too deeply, I too will become part of its mass."
RACHIEL SAID.
"But you, π! You are of both Earth and Flesh! The reason you were born was to test the body's biocompatibility with Earth's life. The fact that you are alive has doomed your world. But it will also be its last hope.
You see π, you will be able to enter the body without immediately dying as an earthling would, yet you will not be consumed into it as I would. It might be old and of realms unknown to simple minds, but alas, it is mortal. We can kill it, π.
We can save your people, and all things on this planet, and all other planets who are out there. I just need your help, π. That is the reason why I searched for you and came to you. There’s still time, but it is fleeting fast. Will you help me?"
BUT π SAID NOTHING. THOUGH HE WAS UNABLE TO MAKE SENSE OF ALL THE THINGS HE NOW KNEW, HE BELIEVED HER NONETHELESS. HOW COULD HE NOT?
WAS IT NOT HER WHO, JUST THE DAY BEFORE, CUT OPEN HIS SPINE AND LET A PAIR OF FEATHERED WINGS EMERGE WITHOUT DRAWING A DROP OF BLOOD? FOR HIM THERE WAS NO DOUBT LEFT IN HIS MIND. WAS ALL TRUE. BUT STILL, HIS BRAIN THROBBED.
HE WALKED OFF, BACK TO WORMWOODS TREE. HE DID NOT SAY ANYTHING AND NEITHER DID RACHIEL AS SHE STAYED BEHIND.
HE QUIETLY WENT BACK TO BED, BUT SLEEP WOULD NOT COME FOR HIM. ALL OF RACHIEL'S WORDS STILL PLAGUED HIS THOUGHTS.
HE FELT FEAR, YES, BUT SO TOO DID A SLIGHT SENSE OF EXCITEMENT RUSH THROUGH HIS VEINS. HE COULD NOT ADMIT TO HIMSELF WHY HE FELT THAT WAY. BUT, DEEP DOWN, HE KNEW THE REASON.
π FOCUSED ON WORMWOOD'S RHYTHMIC BREATHING. AS HE WAS STILL FAST ASLEEP IN THE HAMMOCK ABOVE HIM. IT EASED HIS NERVES, THOUGH SLEEP WOULD STILL NOT TAKE HIM UNTIL MORNING'S LIGHT BROKE THROUGH THE TREES.
AND SO THE DAYS WOULD PASS. π WOULD CONTINUE TO MEET RACHIEL IN SECRECY, WANDERING THE FOREST EACH NIGHT.
AND EACH TIME, RACHIEL WOULD URGE HIM TO COME WITH HER. TO LEAVE EARTH, AND GO TO THE FLESH AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
BUT π COULD NOT BRING HIMSELF TO GO. NOT YET. HE HAD TO FIND A WAY TO TELL WORMWOOD FIRST. SO, EVERY TIME, π TOLD RACHIEL THE SAME THING:
“I will soon. Please just give me a little bit more time here.”
AT FIRST, RACHIEL WOULD COMPLY. SHE WAITED IN THE FOREST AT NIGHT, HIDDEN BEHIND THE BRUSH.
BUT EVENTUALLY, HER PATIENCE RAN OUT. HER MOOD WAS DIFFICULT TO DISCERN AT THE BEST OF TIMES, AS THE BEATIFIC SMILE NEVER SEEMED TO LEAVE HER FACE.
SHE WOULD BEGIN TO SHOW HERSELF IN THE DAYTIME, TOO; NO LONGER DID SHE HIDE FROM WORMWOOD. HE WAS NOT SURPRISED WHEN HE SAW HER STANDING IN THE RIVER ONE MORNING. WORMWOOD WAS NOT SMART, BUT NEITHER WAS HE STUPID.
HE HAD NOTICED π'S ABSENCES, AND HE HAD GUESSED THAT IT HAD TO HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THAT WINGED WOMAN.
YET HE KEPT HIS MOUTH SHUT. NOW, THOUGH IT HAD TURNED OUT THAT HIS SUSPICIONS WERE CORRECT, HE WAS UPSET NONETHELESS.
“I told you to not come back here!”
WORMWOOD JUMPED OUT OF HIS TREE AND CONFRONTED HER. BUT AS ALWAYS, RACHIEL DID NOT SEEM TO PAY ANY MIND TO HIM.
SHE JUST STOOD IN THE STREAM. THE COLD WATER WAS RUSHING AROUND HER ANKLES. MEANWHILE THE SUN WAS WARMING HER SKIN.
AND SHE BREATHED IN THE RICH MUSTY FOREST AIR. EVEN THOUGH HER BODY HAD NO NEED FOR THAT FUNCTION. SHE NONETHELESS ENJOYED THE FEELING IN HER CHEST. AND AS SHE BREATHED OUT, SHE SPOKE.
“It is true π! It is the most beautiful place!”
“Shut up! Shut up!”
π EMERGED FROM THE TREE LINE. AS HE WAS GATHERING FRUITS HE HEARD THE COMMOTION. HE WENT OVER TO WHERE THEY STOOD. AND AS SOON AS HE GOT THERE WORMWOOD WOULD GRAB HIM BY THE SHOULDERS.
HE LOOKED AT π. WORMWOOD WAS ANGRY FOR SURE. BUT THERE WAS ALSO GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT IN HIS EXPRESSION. BEFORE HE COULD SPEAK, RACHIEL CONTINUED.
“I have fallen in love! π there is no time to waste anymore! We need to be on our way! Now π!”
“Why don’t we just all stay here!”
π RESPONDED.
“Rachiel! if you like it so much, we could just all live here forever! How about that?
π WAS FORCING A GRIN ON HIS FACE. HE KNEW THAT HIS WORDS WERE HOLLOW. YET HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY.
“π!”
WORMWOOD YELLED. AND AT THE SAME TIME RACHIEL REPLIED.
“But π! That is the very reason why we have to leave. As with every passing day more of this beauty will fade and die!”
SUDDENLY WORMWOODS HANDS TIGHTENED THEIR GRIP. ALL OF HIS ANGER WAS REPLACED WITH COLD TERROR. RACHIELS WORDS WERE PIERCING HIS MIND. AND IT TOOK HIM A LOT OF EFFORT TO FIND HIS VOICE.
“What is she talking about?”
“It’s… complicated.“
π SIGHED.
“But I have not decided yet if I want to leave-”
“Decide against it!”
IT LOOKED LIKE AS IF WORMWOOD WAS BEGINNING TO CRY. YET RACHIEL ONLY CHUCKLED IN RESPONSE.
SHE DID NOT SAY ANYTHING. INSTEAD, HER AND π LOOKED AT EACH OTHER. AND THEY BOTH KNEW THAT THERE WAS NO DECISION TO BE HAD.
DESPITE THAT π STILL TOOK WORMWOOD IN HIS ARM. HE WHISPERED TO HIM THAT HE WOULD NEVER GO FROM THIS PLACE. AND WITH EACH WORD π LIED THROUGH HIS TEETH.
IT MADE HIM FEEL HORRIBLE. BUT HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT ELSE HE COULD HAVE SAID TO COMFORT HIM.
HOWEVER, WORMWOOD BELIEVED EVERYTHING. NOT BECAUSE HE WAS GULLIBLE. DEEP INSIDE HIS BRAIN, HE KNEW THAT NOTHING π SAID WAS TRUE.
IN THAT MOMENT, HE WAS NOT ABLE TO IMAGINE THE REALITY OF THE SITUATION. BUT SOON ENOUGH IT WOULD COME CRASHING DOWN AROUND HIM.
SO, THEIR TIME WOULD MOVE ON. NOW RACHIEL WAS A PART OF THEIR DAILY ROUTINE. AS SHE WOULD STAY WITH THEM.
YET WORMWOOD NEVER BECAME AS COMFORTABLE AROUND HER AS HE DID WITH π. HE STILL REFUSED TO TRUST HER. AND HE WOULD AVOID HER PRESENCE AT ALL COSTS.
π HOWEVER KEPT CLOSE WITH RACHIEL. EVERY TIME THEY HAD A MOMENT ALONE, RACHIEL WOULD CONTINUE HER URGING.
“I can not force you to leave.”
RACHIEL WOULD SAY.
“But you do not have a choice π. You will only make it harder on yourself the longer you wait.”
IT WAS AS IF π WAS BEING PULLED APART. AND HE SPENT MANY LONG NIGHTS THINKING ABOUT WHAT TO DO. WAYS TO TELL WORMWOOD.
BUT THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD SAY. AS HE WAS SURE WORMWOOD COULD NOT UNDERSTAND. EVEN IF HE HAD TRIED.
IT WAS IN THIS TROUBLED TIME. THAT ONE NIGHT, WORMWOOD WOULD COME DOWN FROM HIS HAMMOCK. AND HE WOULD LAY NEXT TO π.
DESPITE HIS DISGUST WITH HIS WINGS, WORMWOOD WOULD CARESS THEM. AS π OFTEN DID TO HIMSELF. AND HE WOULD GET AS CLOSE TO HIM AS HE COULD.
WORMWOOD WOULD SWALLOW HIS PRIDE. AND THOUGH HE STILL MISTRUSTED THE SITUATION, HE COULD NO LONGER RESIST πS TOUCH. SO TOO HAD π MISSED WORMWOODS. AND THEY WOULD LAY WITH EACH OTHER FOR FIRST TIME SINCE RACHIEL HAD ARRIVED.
BUT IT WAS HER WHO WORMWOOD COULD NOT GET OUT OF HIS MIND. HE WANTED TO THINK ONLY OF π. AND AS THEIR LEGS AND ARMS WERE TIGHTLY INTERTWINED WORMWOOD WOULD SPEAK.
"I'm still scared of what she said."
π KNEW WHAT WORMWOOD MEANT BY THAT. AND HE WOULD LIFT HIS HEAD FROM WORMWOODS NECK. THOUGH HE STAYED SILENT. INSTEAD WORMWOOD SPOKE FURTHER.
"It is fine."
HE WOULD GASP BETWEEN HIS WORDS.
"She can stay. I don't care. As long as it makes you happy."
THERE WAS A PAUSE.
"And as long as you stay too."
STILL π WOULD NOT ANSWER. HE WOULD PRESS HIS FACE AGAINST WORMWOODS. MAKING THE CURVES OF THEIR CHEEKS FIT PERFECTLY. WORMWOOD COULD FEEL A KNOT BEGIN TO FORM IN HIS STOMACH. BUT IT CAME NOT FROM HIS BUILDING PLEASURE.
"I mean it."
HE WOULD SIGH AGAINST πS FACIAL DISC.
"I don't even mind that she is listening to us right now."
πS SIGHT WOULD WANDER TO THE LOOKOUT. AND EVEN THOUGH HE COULD NOT SEE RACHIEL HE KNEW THAT SHE WAS NOT FAR OFF.
LONG FINGERS WOULD HOLD THE SIDES OF HIS HEAD. MAKING π TURN BACK TO LOOK AT WORMWOOD. THEIR GAZE MET.
"I love you."
WORMWOOD SAID. AND THIS TIME π RESPONDED.
"I love you too."
THERE WAS A SLIGHT GRIN ON WORMWOODS LIPS. SO TOO DID π SMILE. AS THEY WOULD HOLD EACH OTHER CLOSE AGAIN.
AND EVEN THOUGH WORMWOOD STILL COULD NOT BELIEVE THE TRUTH. HE WOULD SAVOR πS SENT. TAKING DEEP BREATHS AGAINST THE FUR ON HIS CHEST. AS IF THIS WAS THE LAST TIME THAT HE WERE ABLE TO.
AFTER THEY HAD FINISHED, THEY WOULD NOT LET GO. FALLING INTO DEEP SLEEP IN EACH OTHERS ARMS.
IT WAS THE VERY SAME NIGHT THAT π ROSE AGAIN. SLIPPING GENTLY FROM THEIR EMBRACE AS TO NOT WAKE WORMWOOD. IN A COWARDLY MOVE HE WOULD LEAVE HIM SLEEPING.
AS π WOULD STEP OUTSIDE INTO THE NIGHT. IGNORING THE SHAME HIS DECISION BROUGHT. THERE STOOD RACHIEL, WAITING IN THE DARKNESS LIKE SHE DID ALL THOSE TIMES BEFORE.
“At last, you are ready!”
HER VOICE SEEMED TO ECHO BETWEEN THE TREES. π HUSHED HER. HE TOLD HER TO BE QUIETER. BUT IT WAS ALREADY TOO LATE.
WORMWOODS FACE APPEARED IN THE LOOKOUT OF HIS TREE. AND HE KNEW IMMEDIATELY WHAT WAS TAKING PLACE. THERE WAS NO SURPRISE IN HIS EXPRESSION.
YET HE LOOKED TERRIFIED. HE RAN OUT TO WHERE π STOOD. AND HIS VOICE WAS SHAKING AS HE PLEADED.
“Don’t do this π. Please.”
“I have to, wormwood. I promise you I am not doing this for selfish reasons.”
“For what reason are you doing this then!? Just talk to me for once instead of her!”
WITH THAT THERE WAS NO WAY AROUND IT ANYMORE. π FINALLY TOLD WORMWOOD EVERYTHING THAT HE KNEW. AS RACHIEL HAD SAID TO HIM. THE REASON WHY HE STARTED TO BEHAVE IN THOSE STRANGE WAYS.
HE SPOKE ABOUT THE FLESH AND ITS DEADLY NATURE. ITS CONNECTION TO THE TENDRILS. AND THE DEATH OF WORMWOODS PEOPLE. HE EXPLAINED HOW EARTH WAS ITS NEXT VICTIM AND HOW HE WAS THE ONLY ONE ABLE TO STOP IT.
π TRIED TO KEEP IT BRIEF. YET HE TALKED FOR A LONG TIME.
BUT JUST AS HE HAD PREDICTED WORMWOODS FACE TURNED GRIM. AND EACH WORD FROM πS THROAT SEEMED TO MAKE HIM MORE AGITATED.
“And you believe her!?”
“I do! Look what has been happening here. The drought, the flares, the pillars, my wings! None of this is normal. How can you not believe!?”
“What if she is just using you?”
π ROLLED HIS EYES. HE WAS BECOMING FRUSTRATED WITH WORMWOODS REASONINGS.
“See, you don’t understand anything! But I didn’t expect you to anyway.”
RACHIEL FLICKED HER WRIST. AS SOON AS SHE DID THAT THE AIR LIT ABLAZE. THERE IN FRONT OF THEM A TUNNEL OF FIRE FORMED IN MID SPACE. SPARKS WERE FLYING OFF IT AND SINGED THE GRASS AROUND THEM.
THIS SIGHT FRIGHTENED WORMWOOD. AND THE TERROR GREW IN HIS BODY.
“π! Let's hurry!”
RACHIEL SPOKE. WORMWOOD WAS BECOMING DESPERATE NOW. HE FELL TO HIS KNEES AND GRABBED πS LEGS. THE TEARS WERE BLURRING HIS VISION AS HE STARTED TO TALK.
“Who cares if the world will end? Let's just run away together! We can stay wherever it is still green. And when there is nothing left, we can spend our last hours together until the very end. Wouldn’t that be nice?”
WORMWOOD WAS SOBBING NOW. π COULD ONLY SIGH IN RESPONSE.
“This is not just about you! I’m doing this for everyone’s sake.”
THEN SUDDEN ANGER BOILED UP IN WORMWOODS INSIDES. AS HE HEARD THOSE WORDS FROM π. AND THROUGH THE TEARS, HE STARTED TO RAISE HIS VOICE.
“Says the man who left his family behind! How can it be for everyone's sake? What about my sake!? You are a coward π! A coward and a liar!”
“Why do you even care?”
π SNAPPED BACK AT HIM.
“Just go on living like you did before you met me. What is the big deal? Was it not you who wanted me gone from the beginning?”
WORMWOOD COULD SAY NOTHING IN RESPONSE. THOSE WORDS MADE HIS BLOOD RUN COLD. HIS MIND WAS BURSTING YET HE WAS UNABLE TO FORM A SINGLE COHESIVE THOUGHT.
“Get off me.”
π SPOKE. BUT WORMWOOD COULD ONLY DIG HIS NAILS DEEPER INTO πS SKIN. AS HE HELD ON EVEN TIGHTER. AND BETWEEN THE SOBBING HE COULD BARELY SPEAK.
“Don’t do this to me π. Please. Please don’t leave me. I’m begging you. I don’t want to live like this again. I can’t!”
“Goodbye Wormwood.”
THESE WERE THE ONLY WORDS π COULD MANAGE TO SAY. WITH THAT HE FREED HIMSELF FROM WORMWOODS GRIP AND WALKED TOWARDS THE LIGHT.
WORMWOOD COULD NO LONGER THINK STRAIGHT. THE EMOTIONS IN HIS CHEST MIXED INTO A VILE STEW. HIS ENTIRE BODY WAS SHAKING. AND EVEN THOUGH HE HAD A HARD TIME BREATHING, HE WAS ABLE TO SCREAM AFTER π.
“You bastard! How can you do this!? Why does everyone have to make me suffer? You should have just killed me that night. Let me bleed to death. Finally put me out of my misery!
I hope you die there! Die and never come back!”
IN ONE STEP, π DISAPPEARED INSIDE THE BLUE FLAMES.
WITHOUT HAVING LOOKED BACK AT WORMWOOD EVEN ONCE.
NOW ONLY RACHIEL STOOD NEXT TO THE TUNNEL.
“Fear not!”
SHE SPOKE. AND AS ALWAYS, SHE WAS SMILING BRIGHTLY.
“For I will bring back π to you, at the end of our endeavor. Be he alive or dead!”
THOSE WERE THE LAST WORDS SHE SPOKE BEFORE ENTERING THE FIRE HERSELF. AND AFTER SHE DISAPPEARED TOO, THE TUNNEL CLOSED IN AN EXPLOSION OF SPARKS.
NOW THERE WAS NO ONE LEFT BUT WORMWOOD. AS HE SAT IN THE GRASS. SOBBING INTO HIS OWN HANDS. HE CRIED FOR A LONG TIME.
IT WAS ONLY WHEN A STRANGE SMELL ENTERED HIS NOSE THAT HE BOTHERED TO OPEN HIS EYES AGAIN. THERE WAS LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS OF THE NIGHT AROUND HIM.
BUT INSTEAD OF THE PREVIOUS COLD BLUE HUE, THIS LIGHT WAS YELLOW AND HOT. AND AS HE TURNED AROUND, HE SAW ITS HORRIBLE SOURCE.
IT SEEMED AS IF THE SPARKS FROM RACHIELS TUNNEL NOT ONLY SCORCHED THE GRASS. BUT ALSO LIT IT ON FIRE.
AS THE FLAMES SPREAD, IT REACHED WORMWOODS TREE. SINCE IT WAS DEAD AND DRIED OUT, THE FLAMES WITHIN HAD NO TROUBLE GROWING. AND WHEN WORMWOOD HAD NOTICED, IT WAS ALREADY TOO LATE.
DESPITE THAT, HE RAN TO THE STREAM. IN A PANIC HE USED ANY BOWL OR POT THAT HE COULD FIND TO FILL WITH WATER. BUT HIS ATTEMPTS TO DROWN IT WERE FUTILE. AS HE COULD NOT CARRY ENOUGH TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
SO, HE WOULD TRY TO ENTER HIS BURING HOME. WANTING TO SAVE WHATEVER HE COULD OF HIS BELONGINGS.
THOUGH HE WAS NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT FURTHER THAN A FEW STEPS. THE HEAT AROUND HIM QUICKLY BECAME UNBEARABLE. AS THE FLAMES LICKED HIS FUR, THREATENING TO LIGHT IT UP. HE COULD NOT BREATH BECAUSE OF THE SMOKE THAT WAS FILLING HIS LUNGS.
WHEN WORMWOOD STUMBLED OUT, HE FELL INTO THE GRASS. HE COULD ONLY COUGH AND WATCH. AS THE FIRE CONSUMED HIS OLD TREE.
HIS ONLY HOME HE EVER HAD. THE INFERNO WOULD RAGE THROUGH THE NIGHT. AND IT WOULD NOT SUBSITE UNTIL MORNING BROKE.
THERE HE SAT COVERED IN THE ASHES OF HIS HOME. AND IT WAS DEATHLY QUIET AROUND HIM.
NO BIRD CHIRPED NOR DID AN INSECT BUZZ. AS IF THEY WERE INTENTLY WATCHING THE SCENE. ALL WAITING FOR HIS RESPONSE.
BUT INSTEAD, WORMWOOD JOINED INTO THE SILENCE. NOT EVEN A SINGLE SOB ESCAPED HIS SORE THROAT. AS THE TEARS ROLLED DOWN HIS FACE.
WORMWOOD SAT THERE WHEN NIGHT FELL. AND HE STILL SAT WHEN THE NEXT MORNING CAME.
IT WAS LATE IN THE EVENING WHEN HE GOT ONTO HIS FEET AGAIN. WITH EACH MOVEMENT HIS BONES ACHED. HIS FUR WAS COVERED IN BLACK SOOT. AND HE HAD NOTHING MORE BUT THE TATTERED CLOTHES AROUND HIS BODY.
HE STARTED WALKING. IN THE VAGUE DIRECTION OF THE FAMILIAR FLARES FOR NO PARTICULAR REASON. HIS MIND WAS EMPTY.
THIS WAS THE ONLY THING THAT HE COULD DO. WALK AS FAR AWAY AS POSSIBLE FROM THIS CURSED GROUND. AFTER ALL, THERE WAS NOTHING KEEPING HIM HERE ANYMORE.
HE VANISHED INTO THE TREE LINE. NEVER TO RETURN TO THIS PLACE AGAIN.
