Scout Stories: Bruised Beginnings

Mist

"Wait," said Miach. She ran into the bedroom and grabbed the foxglove.

Tegid made a noise of complaint at her. He caught hold of the front of the stretcher and was ready to go.

Miach emerged from the bedroom with the flower and they made their way out. The moment they got outside they heard another yell.

They couldn't run with the stretcher, but they did walk very fast.

Miach examined the foxglove on the way. She had never been close enough to notice it was fake before. The petals weren't petals at all. There were made of some kind of fabric. Miach touched one lightly, and then touched the stem, which was painted wood.

"Can I get a bit of help?" asked Tegid.

Brianna scoffed and turned her back on him. Miach was too busy staring at the fake flower to pay attention.

That wasn't right. The journal had said the Grandmother kept the payment for the Aed under the foxglove. Miach wondered if it had fallen off the counter, but there was nothing underneath it. She knew that the flower hadn't been moved. There was meant to be something there. She was supposed to find something that would stop the Aed.

Why would Grandmother keep a fake plant? Why not just grow one? Grandmother had liked growing things. She had used their little patch of land for a herb garden.

Miach grabbed the flower and lifted it up. When she did, the top of the pot came with it. A false bottom, under which was hidden a small pouch. Miach reached in and pulled it out.

As they walked, Miach started to notice a smell. It took her sometime before she recognised it. Miach knew the smell of blood from helping her Grandmother.

"Oh, it's fine," said Tegid. He turned to look at the old woman's body and, for the first time, Miach saw something close to sadness on his face. "I've been carrying your ass for years now anyway."

The Hall loomed up before them as a shadow with no fixed outline. It seemed to move towards them instead of them approaching it. Brianna ran up and ponded on the door.

"Let us in!" she cried.

The door opened and Mac Tíre looked out at them.

"Who?" asked Brianna but he ignored her.

His eyes went straight to the old woman, who was the only thing clear of the fog. He sighed and moved out of the way for them to come in. Miach ran into the room and headed straight for Brianna's father.

"Rí," she said, with the quickest of bows before turning and scanning the crowds.

"Miach?" he asked, concerned.

"Something happened. We have to get out of here. You have to tell everyone to leave."

"I know," said the Rí. "The Scout has been telling us."

"Scout?" Miach asked, turning to stare at Mac Tíre.

His clothing was torn and bloody. One of his arms had a bit of bone sticking out.Miach hadn't seen that when he opened the door.

"It's too late," he said.

Mac Tíre turned to face the doorway. The mist was swirling in hundreds of small, swift circles.

"It's here," said Mac Tíre.

The Aed looked different to when Miach had first seen it. It was still quite pale, but now longer bone white. The hair had a touch of colour now, and the lips of it were a bright, bloody red. It wore sleek black pants, cut short with a top of flowing black fabric over a silver-flecked corset and a red cloak, lined with rabbit fur. The red of the cloak was nothing to the lips, which were set in a soft smile.

"Greetings" it said, and although the voice was soft it carried through the hall like a shout,

The Rí pulled Miach behind him as Tegid stepped forward.

"Who are you?" he asked. The Aed just shrugged, and looked passed him to lock eyes with the Rí.

"I don't appreciate you barging in here without an invitation, stranger," said Tegid.

She smiled and licked her lips. "Stranger? I am no stranger to you, little thing. Who do you think has been keeping your people safe all this time?"

Tegid narrowed his eyes at her.

"The person who kept us safe?" he asked. Then he pointed at Grandmother's body. "She's there."

She snapped her fingers and Tegid's spine snapped with them. She looked at the Rí while she did it.

Brianna screamed.

Everyone except the Rí ran back to the end of the hall. People were trying the back doors but they were locked. The Aed smiled again, this time exposing her teeth. The blood smudged across them was the same colour as her lips.

"One of your people promised me something," she told the Rí. "They didn't pay."

"What do you want?" he asked, his voice like stone.

She walked in a circle around him. Then she looked at Mac Tíre, who glared at her. She took off her coat and laid it over his shoulders. Mac Tíre growled as she kissed him softly on the forehead.

"Sending a dog against me wasn't the best idea," she said. "I'm good with dogs."

The Rí's dogs didn't seem to think so. There lined up against the walls, yelping and howling. They scrambled over each other in an attempt to get away.

The monster turned back to the Rí.

"You should thank me," said the Aed. "I saved one of your people some time ago. I didn't even ask for much for doing it. I was kind enough to take the blood and bones of an already dying woman in payment. I was kind enough to give this entire place my protection. Then you and your people threw that kindness in my face."

Miach remembered the journals. She ran out from behind the Rí and dashed forward, standing between the Aed and everyone else.

"That was me, right?" she asked. "You saved my life when my mother lay dying?"

Miach could hear the gasps behind her, could hear people talking. The Aed regarded her. It tilted it's head slightly in a way that was almost human.

"I suppose it was. I knew you smelled familiar."

Miach nodded. This could work.

"So take it back," she said. "Take me and leave them alone."

"No," said Mac Tíre. "The monster will take no one."

The Aed walked to her, ignoring him. Every instinct Miach had was screaming at her to get away as fast as she could. She couldn't. She was rooted to the spot. Miach flinched when the Aed bent so their faces were close. When it gently cupped her chin, Miach stayed very still. From behind it, Mac Tíre began to walk forward.

"Fine. I will take you, dearest," it said, and Miach realised the shape of it's eyes belonged to Grandmother. That the sideways smile was like the pictures of her Grandfather. It was wearing a twisted version of her mother's face.

"But first," she said, "I'm going to kill them all."