In a future where sickness is not tolerated and money rules Calla Wren is Sold as a child into marriage.
She should not have escaped, and definitely shouldn't have survived.
Now on the run With a known tracker after her And a forest full of twis...
Chapter 6. G.A I watch the girl reach upwards, towards a crow. A filthy spying bird. Something stirs within me, a longing for something good to happen. The way her short stature stretches towards the bird reminds me of a child reaching towards a toy on a high shelf...oblivious to the fact that the toy is actually a gun. So I adjust my aim and fire an arrow at her, trapping her arm against the tree. I imagine the look my sister would give me if she knew who I was helping at this moment, a stranger, one that looks like she's been raised in the city at that. I wonder if being out in this forest for so long actually has turned me insane.
I look down at Sweet Pea and hold up my hand to tell her to stay where she is. All I get back is a slight wag of her tail. The girl struggles for a moment longer before stopping, I watch silently as her lips move, I assume she's trying to strike up some bargain with me. A bargain most days I would not accept. Watching my steps closely I load another arrow and step out from behind my tree. The girl looks relieved, as if she was half expecting that rabid wolf to jump out and swallow her whole. Even though my sight is a touch fuzzy even with glasses I can see clearly that she is beautiful. Everything about her is over exaggerated and brimming with life. The way her lips are full and defiant, or how she holds her wide hips in a stance of power, even how her hair is hanging rebelliously over her bruised cheek. I grin and set down my bow. There is too much life in her to be taken down with one arrow. Her eyes grow shiny with grateful tears. I press my finger against my lips to hush her, even though I can't hear her I can tell she's far too loud to be in the open. She motions to the arrow still lodged in the trunk. I unclip my knife which makes her whole body go rigid, I swiftly reach up and cut the material of her jacket that surround the arrow head, freeing her. She stumbles sideways and awkwardly falls onto the frosty vines of the forest floor. I sling my pack off my back and pull out a notepad and pencil to write with. It's been years since I've had to write what I want to say. She still seems wary of me, so I pull down the scarf that covers my mouth and nose and give her a soft smile hoping to ease tensions.
My name is George. sorry for shooting your jacket, it looks expensive. I'm deaf so we will have to write everything
I press the paper into her tiny hands and watch as she reads. Her face softens making her look visibly lighter. I hand her the pencil so she can write an answer.
I'm Calla,Thnx for your help with that wolf earlier.
I nod to Calla to show I accept her thanks.
You can stay with me until tomorrow. I have some clothes you can have.
Calla furrows her brow when she reads my reply and the starts rapidly shaking her head. She mouths the the name TOBY over and over. Even grasping at my arms. . I shake my head and press a finger to her temple. She needs to understand the danger.
You will be dead by tonight if you are out here alone. Last night you were by the edge of the forest but now the forest has tasted you. You are a moving target. If the human sickness creaturesdon't get you then the forest will find a way to kill you.
She scans my note over and over. With a pained look she nods and presses a hand to my cheek. A gesture of affection that I haven't felt since my mother was alive. I pull away quickly and click my tongue. Sweet Pea trots out unevenly on her three legs and her tongue lolling to the side. She gets to work investigating Calla, Calla runs a hand down Sweet peas hide, she seems to be taking pleasure in the comfort of an animals thick fur. Especially an animal thats not trying to rip out her throat.
Sweet Pea suddenly turns, her eyes becoming beady in concentration. She gives me the signal that something is coming by licking the back of my hand. That moist trail of saliva is our cue to go. I sling my bow over my shoulder and motion for Calla to follow. Choosing to head west towards the river and my home Sweet Pea leads us away from danger. Halfway there Sweet Pea changes course, heading in the direction of my sisters place. I start to follow her and then I halt in my tracks remembering something. I glance back at Calla with hooded eyes, she stands in the afternoon shadows, her chest heaving, no fear lingering on her features. Early this morning my sister said she had rescued a child the day before and not to be disturbed. I don't think Calla could handle my sisters antics at this point anyways.
I click my tongue and move ahead at a slower pace towards my home. Sweet Pea falls in behind us acting as a barrier between us and the path to my sisters. As we walk a nagging thought lingers between my lungs making it hard to breath properly. A thought that seems to possibly connect this strange young woman to the rescued child sitting just across the river.
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