Stella Nova's Journey

Chapter 2- Fishing

I drift awake to the sunlight streaming into my face, through a hole in the roof above. I stare at the ceiling for a few seconds, then bolt to my feet. "Oh, shit! what time is it?"

I dash out of the curtained off sleeping area and to the dresser I share with mom. I rip off my nightshirt and slip on my shirt. I quickly pull on my breeches and hop out the door whilst tugging on my boots.

Looking at the sky, I see that it's already mid-morning. i sprint to my boat as fast as possible, slipping on the sand as i try to stop next to the small wooden dingy. A brunette head pops up over the edge of the boat. "You're late.

"I know."

I push the boat across the white sand and into the teal waters of the lagoon. Then I hop over the lip of the hull. I grab the oars off the floor and pass one to Cygnus as I sit on the bench next to him. "What do you expect me to do with this?"

I look up to see his expression of mock shock. "You know exactly what to do with it."

"How could that possibly be true? Everyone knows that I'm just a humble apothecary's apprentice trying to get out of doing any real work."

"If you want to get out of doing work then you should be with Madam Mycota in her apothecary, not in my boat with me."

"Ha. I'd much rather do work with you than the hag."

"Hey! Don't call her a hag."

"Sorry, Sorry I know it's rude, but it is true."

"You still shouldn't say it. And besides we need to start rowing." Together Cygnus and I row out towards the middle pf the lagoon. The small dingy glides across the tranquil waters. As we reach the center I grab the net from the bottom of the hull and throw it out into the water. After a few minutes Cygnus and I haul up the meager haul.

Together, we fished until the sun started to sink beneath the waves. As the sun sank and the sky turned orange, we start rowing back towards home.

"What's that?"

I look towards where Cygnus is pointing and see what at first appears to be a dark cloud rising into the sky from our village. As the cloud drifts towards us an acrid stench soon hits my nostrils. "It's smoke!"

We pick up our pace from a slow glide to a rapid stroke. We rowed towards home as fast as we could.

As we row deeper and deeper into the smoke I can see less and less until soon I'm blind even to Cygnus beside me. Soon the boat lurches to a stop and I know we've hit the shore.

I clamber out of the boat. My foot gets caught in the weighted net, causing me to fall face first into the water. Whilst I extricate my foot from the webbing I hear Cygnus splash down into the water beside me.

After struggling with it for a few seconds I simply pull out my belt knife and cut my foot free. I stand and sprint towards where the scent of burning is strongest.

I run as fast as I can, tripping over rocks and debris no multiple occasions. Soon I arrive to the worst scene imaginable.

My hut. My home. Is nothing more than a blazing pile sticks. "Mother!"

A feeble voice calls out to me and coughs. "Over here!"

I run towards the voice. I soon trip over something soft and hear a faint groaning. "Mother is that you?"

'Y-yes"

I quickly find her shoulders and start to drag her up wind. As I drag her across the smooth sand and slick grass I hear her groaning and feel the skin around her shoulders sloughing off onto my hands.

When I pull her free of the smoke I see that her once pale skin is now charred black. Her hair, once long and blonde, is now mostly gone with what remains being burnt beyond recognition. A smear of blood, skin, and flesh shows the path I took.

I lay my other down with her head resting on a moss covered rock and kneel before her. "Mother! Y-you're going to be alright."

"Oh, Sweety. You know as well as I that I'm not going to live." She paused and coughed between each word as though it hurt her to even speak.

"D-don't talk. Y-you should t-try to save your energy"

"I'm dead either way. If the fire doesn't take me, the illness will."

"Y-You don't know that! You have to stay, the village needs you. I need you."

"i know, my child, and for that I'm sorry." The light faded from her emerald eyes.

Slowly, I stand up and walk back into the smoking village.