Hero scrambled up the ladder to the deck.
The first thing she noticed was the air. There was a sickly sour odor with a hard tinge. She put the back of her hand over her mouth, and squinted through the darkness.
She heard the soft, steady clomping of the pony hooves, and the turning of the band wagon wheels pulling the barge. But she could not see well. The moon and sky were covered by thick clouds leaving the boat deck eerily obscured.
She listened again, and heard a knocking coming from the rear of the barge. Her eyes gradually adjusted to the dim, black-pewter outline of the deck, as she made her way towards the sound.
"Aggie! Is that you? Where are you?!" She called out softly.
She passed the now open crate where the ogiri was kept and found Aggie hunched down, her back to Hero.
She was smacking an object against the broad anvil that Pa-nush used for hewing his peat bog and boat tools.
"Aggie, stop! What are you doing? We need to get back below deck!"
Aggie ignored her.
Hero looked around. She could see now across the fen, at the low mist that hung thickly. She coughed, and covered her mouth and nose from the foul odor that engulfed them.
She approached her friend tentatively and could see better once the clouds cleared the moon.
Aggie's dark red hair fell in wild tresses over her pale, white face. She seemed not to notice the cold and continued to smack the object- the globe, Hero saw with alarm- insistently against the anvil, as though she were trying to crack open a large stubborn egg.
"Don't do that! Give it back!" Hero cried, grabbing Aggie's arm.
"SSSSSS!" Aggie recoiled sharply and hissed, snake-like.
"Aggie! What's the matter with you?!" Hero jumped back.
Aggie's face contorted wickedly as she stood up and her eyes flared like burning coals.
'Not this again,' Hero thought stepping back, more frightened now.
She wouldn't have time to run below and wake the others. She watched as Aggie crouched down again and lay the globe on top of the anvil.
This time she picked up a heavy mallet.
Hero was too afraid to try to stop her, and watched as Aggie brought the mallet down atop the globe forcefully, with uncommon strength.
The globe simply wobbled, and rolled to one side a little. It remained intact, as if to say, 'ho-hum, do what you want, I'm not going anywhere with you!'
Frustrated, Aggie started whacking at it impatiently, hissing and grunting all the while.
"Maybe I can help?" Hero offered, unsure of her plan, but desperate to stop her and get them both below deck again.
Aggie glared up at Hero. Her eyes simmered hotly and she bared her teeth. They gleamed like silver fangs in the night, thought Hero, shivering once more and catching her breath.
"If-if we go back down below deck, I can, uh...maybe I can show you how to open it."
Hero offered her trembling, open hand.
The creature who was not Aggie studied Hero's hand, and then stood up slowly. She held the globe tightly at her chest and rocked back and forth with it.
Hero wondered at the evil the globe inspired in Aggie. She was like some kind of feral animal she thought, like something that needed to be tamed. . .
YOU ARE READING
Larkspur Mittel: The Lark & Owl Trilogy
Adventure**A WATTPAD FEATURED STORY!** The last thing on Hero's mind are the Peat Wars. They happened ages ago, long before she was born. For now, she is just trying to stay out of trouble and to avoid Croo Mickel and his moll boys. They taunt and bully He...
