Ven: Part 1

Ch. 16: The Waiting Week

Day 1

I fall on the floor heavily.

In a blind panic I shoot a bolt of lightning under the bed.

The force sends me sliding back into a wall.

With a thunderous bang part of the wall past the bed explodes.

I pant heavily and wipe sweat from my brow.

I can hear panicked screaming in the room.

Someone bursts through the door.

My breathing steadies.

I look up.

Jacob is standing over me, he looks worried.

His mouth is moving.

I wonder what he's saying.

"Ven!" the world hits me full force and I snap back to reality. "What's going on?!"

"Oh, hey guys," I say blearily.

"What happened?! Are we under attack?!" Marney is up on the bed, wand out.

"Huh? Attack? Nah guys, there was a monster under the bed," I look past Jacob to stare under the bed.

There's nothing there.

Marney sighs exasperatedly and hops off the bed.

"There aren't any monsters under the bed, Ven," Jacob places a warm hand on my shoulder.

"Must have been a dream," I shrug. I drag myself up into a seated position and lean back against the wall. My eyes drift closed.

The fear had wrapped its fingers around me, I don't want to be back there.

"So," I hear Jacob start, "you and Ven spent the night in here together this time?"

"Yeah," Marney's voice seems distant, "I didn't want to be alone last night. I felt better with Ven in here."

"I get that," he sounds flustered, "cool. Cool cool. Very cool."

Hurried footsteps outside the room.

"What has happened here?!" a high nasally voice pierces the room.

My eyes fly open.

The man from behind the bar last night stands in the doorway.

I sigh.

"That was me, sorry..."

Call him chief.

No don't, that's awkward.

Do it, it'll be good.

"... Chief." A lump of anxiety sits in my throat.

"Oh, it's you," his face changes completely. "Don't worry about that," he beams at me. "I'll have you moved to a new room and I'll get it fixed in no time. The window in the adjacent room has already been fixed!"

"You don't have to go out of your way," I say hurriedly. "it's my fault, I'll fix it."

"No, no, don't be silly, it's the least I could do for our hero!" He beams even harder and scampers out of the room.

"That was odd," Marney says.

"You're telling me," I stare at them both in bewilderment. "Did he call me a hero?"

"Yeah, and you didn't even yell at him," Jacob sounds impressed.

"Huh?" Marney looks back and forth between us.

"I yelled at a whole town about heroes and not to call me one, it's a weird story," I explain.

"Sounds it," she raises her eyebrows at me.