Mehk and Itna

Memories

        Mehk walked up to her, “You’ve seen it? How?"

        She shook her head, “I’m not sure, it just seems... Familiar..." Mehk looked at her."Let’s check it out," Itna stepped towards the house, a slight unease starting to build inside her. Mehk followed, lighting a candle as they stepped across the door into the dark, dusty interior of the building. Itna took a deep breath and trekked deeper into the house, “I swear I know this house. I’ve seen it, I know I have! But how?"

        “Weird," Mehk replied. A strange silence fell between them as if both were holding their breathes in the darkness.

        Breaking the silence, Itna turned, “Let’s check out the kitchen. It’s over here." She walked through the house as if she belonged there. Mehk looked at her, curious as to how she knew where to go, but he stayed silent. Itna shuffled through the cabinets, seeing if anything was useful, only to shut them in disappointment. Feeling a strange bit of worry rise in her throat, she walked back across the main part of the house and into a bedroom. She stopped instantly at the door.

        “Itna? What’s wrong?” Mehk said, walking to her side. Itna’s eyes were fixed on a bloodstained bed in the center of the room. She stumbled back, her mind filling with horrid memories. She saw the bodies of two people lying on the bed, a small child curled up to their cold bodies, weeping.

        Tears began to fall from Itna’s eyes, dampening her fur, “M-Mom... Dad...” She turned to Mehk, sobbing into his arms. He held her close, staying silent. Itna’s legs began to grow weak beneath her and she slid towards the ground. Mehk picked her up, looking outside to see the sun beginning to set. He walked out of the building, carrying Itna across the desert and back to the oasis. Itna clung to him, crying herself to sleep as she did on that dreadful night... Mehk carried her into the tent, lying her down and pulling a blanket over her sleeping form.

        As he went to get up, he felt a weak grip on his shirt. Seeing Itna’s small paw holding him there, he knew he couldn’t let her be alone. He laid down next to her, feeling her warm tears on his fur as he held her close. Soon, her breathing steadied out and he shut his eyes. Listening to the sounds of the desert night, he drifted off to sleep.