Dragomir - The Swamp of Maledictus | Wattys2024

The Swamp

Under the rising sun, unsettled soldiers were walking, standing, and sitting around the vehicles and the one house where the two Lieutenants, the field doctor, and the elder of the village had entered and had stayed ever since the happening of the nightly hours—certainly discussing what had happened and what was to be done.

Most of the villagers were working on their farms, doing their morning chores, because even though something had happened, animals and crops needed their help and had no time to stall.

But between the men of the troops, whispers clawed their way through the soldiers, catching hold wherever the biggest fear had its place. Avery noticed soon that many of the men were utterly terrified by what they had seen. The whispers all had the same words in them—speaking the name of Walpurgis, while others were telling old tales of their childhood surrounding witch sightings, while others fell right into the darkest of the darkest thoughts—the possibility of a curse.

It did astonish her how they'd come to such a conclusion, and she felt that someone must've been the reason for these nonsense whispers.

To Avery, it wasn't something unnatural but frightening on its own. Something had happened to the one called Ethel—something truly sad for the dead woman to have reacted in such a heartbreaking way. Who was this woman to the lost person? The most logical conclusion was that she was the mother of Ethel. Yet Avery shook her head. She didn't want to make up stories. There were enough tales around.

But Avery couldn't forget the words spoken by the dying woman. In the delirium, she had mistaken Avery for Ethel. Maybe it wasn't all too bad. At least she died somewhat peacefully, Avery thought, even though she was truly bitter.

She inhaled the smoke of her felfet, laying her head on the Jeep against which she was leaning. The sky above was blue. The morning sun shone, and the birds sang. Something truly tragic had happened in the night, yet the world went on as if nothing had. The sun would shine, Avery thought, even when all those who are together here today would be gone.

She heard steps walking close by, and she knew they were coming to her. She looked over to the rim of the car. Edwin, hands in his pockets and eyes on the floor, walked slowly towards her. At last, he came to stand next to Avery, waiting, watching the larks sing and fly above the meadows. He looked over to her and gave a nod for a greeting. She did the same, waiting. Clearing his throat, he said, »What a story, isn't it? «. Avery nodded again. He spoke again. »It's truly weird. Well, I wondered—since you were there—what the woman had said before she passed. She must've said something for sure? «

»Actually, nothing too much. «, Avery replied.

Edwin pressed his lips together, nodding his head up and down, waiting for her to speak more. Yet Avery said nothing. What does he want? He sighed and said, »Don't be like this. I'd really like to know more about what happened to her. Who was this Ethel, and what happened to her? «

»What makes you think I know something? «, Avery giggled.

Edwin kicked a small pile of dirt. »Because you were the last one to talk to her. «

»She simply mistook me for this girl, Ethel. «, Avery said at last, flinging the stud of her cigarette towards the ground and stepping on it. »She didn't say anything else but that. She simply died. «

Edwin scratched his chin. »Well, that's curious. She must've been in a lot of shock. What do you think, had happened to her and this person, Ethel? «

Avery shrugged, »I cannot say. The closest and most logical thing would be that Ethel had gone lost in the swamp. The one on the horizon. «

»There's a swamp close by? «, Edwin murmured.

»Yes. If you look to the south, you'll see a dark line of trees. That's the swamp. «, Avery nodded.