The Rise of the Sea Ghosts (from The Gelid Times Trilogy)

Chapter 21

The River Teme: To the West 

Forest stared at the sea of faces as she perched at edge of the cave. The Children of the Mountain who guided her though the heart of the mountain stood to her right and left – three on either side. Raising their arms in the air, they waved to the army that now crowded in front of them. Forest did the same as she peered into the eyes of the hopeful, grateful and ready. This was the first step in fulfilling her destiny – her destiny as the true leader of the Kingdom.

The brightness of the early morning spread with the rising sun, but the sun was powerless in breaking the deep-freeze. The gelid landscape glistened as far as Forest could see. Beyond where the Children of the Mountain stood, the icy snow-covered ground changed in nature. Forest squinted. The land sloped downwards slightly and then levelled out in a large flat plain where the snow appeared to have a different sheen and was untrodden. Forest stared at the plain and followed it far into the horizon. She ignored the excited hubub of the Children of the Mountain and slowly began to comprehend why the land dipped slightly and then levelled out so perfectly for as far as her eye could see.

To her horror, the way North was across the flat plain in front of her, but the flat plain was not land – it was a frozen lake – a lake that she would have to lead the army of the Children of the Mountain across. A lake that was so wide and so far, that she could not see the other side. A lake that, with the wrong balance and pressure, could crack and swallow them all leaving no trace.

Forest clenched her teeth. It was a test. If she could lead thousands upon thousands of children across an endless frozen lake, she could surely do anything. It was time to join the Children of the Mountain on the ground. Forest followed her guides over the edge and lowered herself to the ground landing with a thump in the snow. She marched, raising her knees high to step in and out of the snow to keep up with the Children of the Mountain.

She followed them through the crowd to the edge of the frozen lake where there were scores of tents were pitched.

"Come," they said and guided her towards one of the largest tents.

Inside, the smell of a root vegetable soup permeated the space. It bubbled ferociously on the campfire in the middle of the tent. Forest's stomach rumbled and she moved closer to the pot. The Children of the Mountain removed the cherry pit warmers from under their coats and Forest followed suit handing it to a small boy who opened them up and began to heat them in a large skillet on the second fire. He then took seven wooden bowls and ladled the soup handing one to Forest. She sat crossed legged on the brown woollen blanket, took the bowl and scooped the steaming soup with the wooden spoon. They ate in silence. The soup revived and warmed her giving her a sense of clarity. She knew that the journey across the lake, the vast and endless lake, would be perilous and she could not demand that the Children of the Mountain followed her. She could only but ask. Forest finished the soup and broke off a large chunk of rye bread that was being passed around; it was seasoned with honey and dates. She used it to mop up the remains of the soup and the contrast of the salty soup and sweet bread was delicious. Forest contemplated a safe way across the lake – a safe way that would allow all of the children to cross without putting too much pressure on the ice and causing pressure waves.

Forest had only heard about pressure waves – a chain reaction causing an ice tsunami. The vast lake would not offer any escape – there would only be one way in this instance –down into the freezing water and ultimately to the inevitable deaths. Forest finished eating and smiled at the boy handing him back her bowl.

Forest followed the smoke of the fire out the top of the tent through a hole in its peak. She tried to retrieve the information her father had taught her a long time ago about frozen lakes: the ice must be thicker than the length of your hand, observe differences in colour – clear blue or black is safe, avoid weak spots, walk gently and listen to the sound of the lake – temperature changes will create expansion and contraction and hence creaking and possibly cracking. Listen to the ice, Forest thought, listen to the ice. While the temperature outside was freezing, there was a marked difference in the freezing temperature of the day and the freezing temperature of the night and this would cause expansions and contractions. Listen to the ice, Forest let the words circle her mind.

A wave of panic flowed through Forest and suddenly she was not so sure that she was ready to be the leader of the Kingdom. The decisions she would make would directly impact the lives of all and no more than her first mission to lead the Children of the Mountain across the lake. But her father did send the Children of the Mountain to her – and Forest knew that this was a sign.

"I'm going to assess the lake," Forest said suddenly as she stood up. "No need to come. I want to think. Thank you for the soup."

Forest exited the tent and buttoned her duffel coat and pulled her scarf more securely around her neck still wishing that she had not forgotten her hat back at home. She walked to the edge of the lake as the thousands of the Children of the Mountain watched. She ventured closer to the surface and used her boot to push the snow aside so she could see the ice. She pulled her knife from its sheath and chipped away at the ice until a piece broke off. It was thick – as thick as the length of her hand and looking through the ice – it was black. But this was the edge of the lake, and the lake was a living, breathing entity – always changing, shapeshifting, metamorphosizing.

Forest observed the mountains behind and searched for any sign of the men on horseback. She did not see any movement, disturbance of rock or a flicker that would indicate that they had made their way across the mountain range. There was only one way to go, her father would have said, and that was forward. And forward was across the lake with the army of the Children of the Mountain.