Iorrjaer

Chapter 2

Allen and Alan sat facing each other in a small self-made camp that was little more than a crudely made campfire. They sat on stumps that they had placed the wrong way up so that they balanced imperfectly on uneven ground. They were both spreading their legs wide to compensate for the imbalance and were refusing to give in to their discomfort lest the other claim superiority.

They were identical twins down to the color of their eyes. They did dress differently to help their father and aging grandmother, their father's mother, tell them apart. They had been sent out into the woods for recon by their father, who was the mayor of the town of Ockburg and was becoming increasingly impatient. To them, it seemed that their father's strange behaviour was because of their grandmam's failing health. However, if they stopped to think about it, which they rarely did, even the captain of Ockburg and his militia were also starting to act strangely.

They were supposed to be keeping an eye out for the incoming wagon and party escorting it so that they could report its coming before it reached the town gates. Granna, their grandmam, had plans for the travelers. It was not in their nature to ask about their grandmam's plans nor her strange obsession with the blood of various creatures, especially beetles.

"What do you think is going on? Pa's been weird lately." Allen stated.

Alan raised an eyebrow at him. "It's just the coming feast. That's all. Pa's always stressed before the feast."

"Seems different this time." Allen pondered.

Alan sat up, trying to balance himself. "Pay it no mind, hear. Pa's got this. 'Sides Grandmam's always the one that gets things done. She'll have it sorted out in time."

"Have you noticed that Grandmam..." Allen started but stopped. He had the thought but was nervous to share it.

Alan sighed and stood, letting his stump fall over. He stretched out his legs and groin. "Out with it."

Emboldened, Allen finished his thought: "She hasn't aged since we were tykes."

"Now that you mention it... you're right." Alan finished his awkward stretching and then noticed that his stump had fallen over. He looked at Allen expectantly.

Allen looked at his brother curiously. Then he noticed that he was standing, which brought him to look at the fallen stump. "Oh! Ha!" He exclaimed. "I win! Ha! Ha! I win!" He stood and felt immediately numb in his groin, which made him stand awkwardly.

The brothers laughed at each other as the numbness passed.

"Say," Alan started. "You don't suppose that..."

It was Allen's turn to be the stronger brother. "Out with it."

"Been thinking lately... have you noticed anything... different... about that old ziggurat?"

Allen paused and his eyes went wide in realization and then narrowed in confusion. "No... I don't think so..."

"Okay. Maybe it's nothing..."

"What have you noticed?"

"Can't say for sure, but I think there's been things flying to and from. Pa has been eager to get us out and away..."

"We're supposed to be keeping an eye out for that wagon and that party. Bne says that they should be here today. I suppose pa just wants us to..."

They both had the same thoughts at the same time. They said it together: "He wants us out of the way."

Allen asked: "What do you suppose that means?"

Alan asked: "Why would he not want us around?"

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