In the Valley of a Thousand Footprints

[vii] When Tomorrow Comes

The two of them walked through Mynwent, their feet thudding softly on the dirt paths. They continued along a few more byroads in the direction of a dense cluster of buildings, dodging under clotheslines and around chicken coops. Ellian led the way, slightly in front of Efa, his hands were limp and hung at his sides. Emotionally drained and hungry beyond belief the boy's stomach growled, prompting Efa to fetch an apple from her satchel and pass it on to the boy.

"Eh...? but don't you need it?"

"I had some bread yesterday, and... I'm used to not eating much, though I was saving that apple for my horse," she pondered aloud.

"Yeah about that, how exactly did you come by Mynwent? You did say you're a traveler; where are you travelling from?" he inquired as he turned left and vaulted a short fence into a garden.

Efa hesitated. The boy seemed to notice her hesitation as he immediately fired back, "I was honest with you, I think its only fair if you're honest too..." 

The girl looked at the boy who had slowed down to match her pace, he looked up at her, an eyebrow raised and a face full of curiosity. They reached the wall of the garden which Ellian indicated to climb, reaching the top of it, Efa said quietly, "I'm from Cayrnr."

The boy made no particular sign of recognition. Efa sighed. 

"Its a big town a little to the South of here. I came by horse after it b -after I got some time off from my job."

The boy stared at Efa a second longer before turning and saying, "oh okay."

Efa decided to let it go and thought of some more small talk.

"How many winters past are you?" Ellian asked, before Efa could think of anything.

"Fifteen. Though my nameday is in three months time." She replied, thinking about how fifteen years of her life had come and gone like winter snow. 

Ellian nodded, scratching his head before saying, "I myself am twelve winters past." He puffed out his chest as he said so, raising himself to his full (and very short) height.

Laughing slightly, Efa followed as the boy finally turned into an alley between two brick buildings and proceeded down its length, reaching a small, barely visible door embedded into the architecture. He bit his lower lip, his hands grabbing his shirt. 

He looks white thought Efa. She grabbed his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze, causing the boy to look away blushing. "What're you waiting for?" she asked, bumping into him slightly, "let's head in."

With a jittery hand the boy opened the door, Efa was immediately hit by the smell and the lack of light. The smell of rotting fruit, dead rats and wine. She scrunched up her nose in disgust as she looked at Ellian and saw the same look of disgust on his face.

"You haven't been home for a while huh..." she wondered aloud, a fireball in her hand from a whispered llosgi, lighting up the dark room to reveal a cracked table, broken chairs in a corner, toppled shelves and fallen books with ripped out pages and black covers and crimson linings. The light from the fireball reflecting faintly off the walls. She thought she heard rats scuttling. 

The boy took a few steps back, shaking his head. Efa noticed his eye twitch. 

"W-w-wh-what, what happened here!?" he shouted, his voice cracking, "It was n-never this b-b-bad." He ran forward into the decrepit room and began shouting, "Ma! Ma where are you!? Ma what happened here?" His voice steadily cracking. He ran deeper into the darkness, leaving the startled Efa to jog in behind him. She tripped over some piece of wood and crashed to the floor, causing the flame to go out. Plunged into darkness, the smells and sounds worsened tenfold, she was gripped by a sudden and subliminal fear.