Imperfect (Disappeared #1)

Chapter Thirty-One

The guards surrounded the man on all sides and began questioning him. Ahuil and Theodosia followed and his two older brothers soon appeared as well.

Leaning against one of the twins, the man chokingly let out his story, which Ahuil promptly translated. He lived in a far settlement at the edge of the woods. His family had refused to join the others, as they were private folk and preferred their own company. The night before, a growing fog had encroached on their community. It was like no other — thick beyond belief and choking.

Toward dawn, they decided they couldn't stay and set out for the main settlement. As they walked, the fog began to make people weak and sick. Even worse, they were beginning to disappear. The man had started to fade too but managed to pull ahead and step out of the mist.

His family had not done the same. Not finding them, he hadn't known what else to do, so he had stumbled on as fast as he could.

To Theodosia, he still looked deeply unwell. His complexion was gray and he seemed confused and was almost incoherent in his speech. Someone took him up into the great tree to eat and rest, while the rest of them began discussing what to do.

"We need to send a search party," Yaretzi said immediately. "We can't let these people suffer if somehow we can get to them."

A stouter man with great masses of brown wavy hair sounded like he was protesting. "He says it's too dangerous, that we cannot send our leaders into the fog," Ahuil said in an undertone.

Cualli put his arm around Yaretzi. "I agree with my brother. We have no status, no special privilege here. If anything, we should be the first at the front lines."

Yaretzi nodded. "My brother speaks wisely. You all have charged us to lead you as we see fit. We shall go in search of the missing."

The gathered crowd looked anxiously around them. Their worried faces clearly showed how uncomfortable they were with the idea. Then people began to look at Theodosia. She frowned and glanced at Ahuil, wondering at the meaning of it.

Finally, the stout man spoke and pointed at Theodosia. Ahuil quickly put an arm around her and drew her close. "He says we have to take you with us," he murmured. "He thinks you'll be able to fight back the fog."

He turned to face the crowd. "You can't make her go. We have no proof she can ward off the half-beings. You're asking too much."

Of course she shouldn't go, she knew that, and she was terrified besides. Yet Ahuil wanted to know for sure that she would stay before he committed himself to her. That meant she had to prove to him, and to his people, that she was serious about staying. She took a deep breath, trying to shore up some measure of confidence.

"I'll do it," she said quickly. "It's the least I can do. If you'll come with me, Ahuil."

He went to say something but after Cualli translated, there was a great roar of happiness from the crowd. People patted her back and smiled at her. She found herself setting off into the woods with the guards, Ahuil and his brothers not long after. Ahuil's eyes were troubled but he said nothing, though she noticed he stayed close by her side.

Theodosia looked about at the forest. Now that it was daylight, she could see how different it was. Massive branches lay over the path where trees had been severed. The sunlight was gone and thick clumps of mist sat heavily in the low places. The forest was deathly quiet, except for the occasional cawing of a crow and the flurry of their feathers as they moved overhead.

Then there were the buildings, brick ones of various stories that looked half-built, either missing a level, windows, doors, or roofs. They were scattered throughout the forest, but some of them seemed to be in a line as if forming along invisible streets. They didn't seem so different from the ones in England, though occasionally Theodosia saw strange things like a sign in an unfamiliar language or what looked to be the rusted shell of a carriage with large wheels and no hitch for horses.

Ahuil held tightly to Theodosia's hand as they crept around these structures. Her mind was racing. As they moved away from the safety of the settlement, doubts set in. The lost people hadn't been able to defend themselves against the fog. How could their group do any different? The whole enterprise was starting to feel foolhardy.

Theodosia realized then how desperate these people must be. So eager to protect each other. So certain that they could continue to live as they always had and yet without any real hope of doing so. The set of Ahuil's face and the grimness in his eyes reflected the same sentiment.

"How far must we go?" she whispered to him, drawing closer.

He put his arm around her and kissed her temple. "A couple of hours, at least. How do you feel? Is the way too rough?"

"I'm fine. All my long walks in Helenshire are finally paying off. My legs are sturdy, it's only my heart that's weak. Ahuil, I'm terrified."

He let out a long breath. "I didn't want to involve you in all this. That's why I said not to come back, Theo. It's too dangerous here. Do you love this place so much that you want to give your life to it?"

Theodosia flinched. Where was this coming from? She wanted to shout at him that it wasn't just this magical, enthralling place she had wanted to come back to. It was <i>him</i>. He knew that. Doubt filled her mind. Why was he pushing her away?

"Why do you say that?" she said.

He stopped abruptly and took her by the shoulders, looking deeply into her eyes. "It's never too late. I can take you to the baobab. Maybe it's not too late to go back through."

She wrenched away from him, stung. "That's my decision, not yours. I choose to help you, whether you want me to or not. I doubt my presence will do an inch of good, but I must try." She crossed her arms. "Let's not speak of this. I'm anxious enough as it is. You're only making it worse."

Ahuil went on without taking her hand. Her heart felt heavy but she was too hurt to try to get it back. If he didn't care whether she stayed or went, she would have to accept that and try to put aside her feelings for him. At least until she was properly safe and had time to think.

It was a long couple of hours trudging through the woods. Despite Theodosia's practice, the rolling hills and gentle woods of Helenshire were no match for the thorny denseness of this world. She felt herself sticky and out of breath, her calves throbbing with the exertion. At least exhaustion was replacing fear. All she could think about was taking one more step. Ahuil, who was coping quite nicely, had noticed her struggle early on, and silently took her arm. She flushed, grateful for his assistance despite their quarrel.

The search party finally reached an area where the haze was thick. Theodosia felt fine but the men and women around her started coughing, rubbing their temples, and looking generally unwell.

"We can't go farther," Yaretzi said, clutching his chest. Cualli protested but a stern word from his brother silenced him. They retreated until the air was clearer. Before them, the woods faded into nothing but a gray wall of fog.

"The edges of our world have advanced more than I thought," Yaretzi said.

"This is strange," Ahuil put in. "It used to be that the edges wouldn't let you through. They didn't hurt you."

One woman began to speak loudly. "Our world is shrinking," Ahuil translated. "We see it now. We are disappearing and shrinking all together."

Yaretzi looked grave. "Let's at least explore the perimeter. Maybe we'll see someone."

They surveyed the edges but it seemed even being in proximity to the fog made the party sick. Their skin became pale and they walked slowly, hunched over. Theodosia was unaffected but she felt their pain purely by looking at them. Ahuil held strong, but his eyes were tense, as if he were resisting an onslaught of agony.

After an hour, Yaretzi called off the search. There were no signs of the settlers, the party was growing weaker by the minute, and they had a long way back to walk. The light was fading fast too, even though it wasn't evening yet. Owls hooted urgently from the treetops. Little shivers ran along Theodosia's body as if unseen fingers were skimming over her skin.

A wind began to pick up, so subtle that it barely rustled the leaves. The air was heavy and smelled of dust. Theodosia and the others began to choke. They all looked at each other, suspicion beginning to enter their minds. And then the mist came.

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