Faery Island

Nightmares of the Past

Chapter V - Nightmares of the Past

"Hush Hush" Avril Lavigne

Anthony

"I think you've earned this," young, fourteen year old Anthony Fleece said, laid out in his hands is a seal skin. "I'm sorry I hadn't given it to you sooner."

The roar of the ocean near by is a reminder of just how close she is to home. The palm leafs dip down towards them sitting on a log, Gyrin's laughter is distant in the forest.

Anthony looked up in the ocean blue eyes of Leenah, the silkie girl that had be assigned by the Captain to come with him, though a year older than Anthony in looks, she was much older, wiser, and way to beautiful with black, wavy hair swarming around her to her waist.

"Anthony," she said quietly, her eyes studying him and then to the skin. The ache for the ocean, the water surrounding her makes her hurt. She touches the skin softly, not sure about it. "I-I, we still haven't finished our quest. . . I don't understand?"

"Gyrin and I can handle it. You've already done your part, we're here and safe. I don't want you to get hurt."

She was at lost for words, and Anthony, though he was letting her go based on a lie. They both would die, surely they would and he cared to much to let her go down with the same fate.

Gently, with carefulness she took the skin in her hands and turned it over.

"Anthony, there's something I need to tell you. Trapping Zelroth will not be as easy as you think, at least go back to the Captain for help. I-I-" Tears sprung from her eyes, rolling down her cheeks. Her body shook with need to go to the water but it was conflicting she too wanted to stay.

She couldn't finish, he didn't even let her cry before he kissed her.

It was quick, shy and sudden. "Go home, Leenah. Please."

She starred at him without knowing what to do. What to say. She liked the human boy, but how could he like her? How could she tell him?

But his face had became a mask, and he got up and started walking back to the forest.

"Wait!" She called but he kept walking. "Anthony, you know I care about you right?"

He balled up his first, his head down and face flush. He was stupid to kiss her but wanted to so badly to be his last thing. He had to hurt her, make her leave.

"I know." He kept walking.

"I-Is that all? Do you-?" She was stumbling all over the place with her speech, she was nervous. He wanted to turn back and hug her, ensure her there was nothing to be nervous about.

But there is. He's leaving.

He disappeared in to the forest, she didn't follow though. Just stood there between forest and beach. The skin hanging heavy in her arms.

"Gyrin, we need to go," Anthony commands, the twelve year old Gyrin hangs from the tree by his knees, his smile looking odd hanging upside down, like a twisted kind of frown.

"Where's Leenah?"

"She's not coming, come on." Anthony reached for the small boy, but he was to slow. Gyrin scrambled up and on top of the limb that was to high for Anthony to reach. He had to look up at him, also seeing the bottom of his dirty, bareless feet. "Come on! Stop fooling around!"

"Not in till Leenah comes with us too!" Gyrin said stubbornly.

"She's not coming!"

"Is this about your feelings towards her? Did she say no?" Gyrin's eyes narrowed, knowing very well of Anthony's feelings for beautiful Leenah. It was normal for humans to fall in love with faeries. They were beautiful and enchanting, but dangerous.

Anthony's face turned crimson, his jaw pressed tightly closed, teeth gritting. "She. Is. Not.Coming." He jumped for Gyrin's leg, wrapping his fingers around his ankle.

Screaming rung through the forest.

"You sound like a girl Gyrin! Get down!" Anthony tugged on his ankle again, standing on his tip toes. Gyrin's eyes were wide and he kicked at Anthony afraid.

"That wasn't me!" He was scared, his voice higher pitch than usual. Anthony scowled, of course it was him, but he stopped himself when another scream came and Gyrin's mouth didn't open. With realization, Gyrin jumped down and started running back where Anthony had came. "Its Leenah! Leenah? We're coming!"

The stupid faery boy, wild and free, he wasn't very brave had gone charging in, Anthony ran after him, the sword he had borrowed from the Captain in his hands.

The night was dark and it seemed even darker standing on the beach. The waves crashing against the rocks and sand.

"No!" Gyrin screamed and started to fall back, tears streaming down his cheeks. Anthony looked ahead of him but couldn't see a thing. Then suddenly a patch about fifteen feet away became darker and darker. It moved like mist but with a mind of its own, in the shape of a human.

At Zelroth's feet laid Leenah, something dark oozed around her and the smell of iron mixed with the salty air, it was blood and she wasn't moving. The seal skin laid out a few feet away, part of neck was missing.

Anthony's tortured scream joined in Gyrin's, and turned to anger. He thought he was saving the girl he loved.

But she was there now laying dead on the beach in front of him.

___

Anthony shivered in the sleeping bag, remembering what it was like to lose her. He only heard vividly what Gyrin had told Dian about his past, but he trusted him enough to not give her to much details. He didn't want her scared, though she should be.

Daylight came through the thin tent walls, he scrambled out of his sleeping bag. Dian groaned from the apposite side. She had came inside this time at least.

The Kelpie bite was now purple and red, a big bruise on her ankle. He could have lost her just then but he didn't. She lasted longer than most people would have.

"Come on, its time to go." Anthony shook her awake. It took a bit for her to remember where she was.

"Okay, okay, I'm up," she protested. But she laid there and just looked at him, something in her eyes. "Are you okay?"

It was worry.

Anthony nodded. "Yes. It was a long time ago." Though he still hurt at night, her death haunting his dreams.

"Do you miss her?"

His jaw tightened. "Yes."

She bit her lip. "I miss Owen too."

Anthony laughed a little bit. Leenah was dead but Owen was just miles away. "You'll be able to talk to him as soon as we get back."

"What if we don't?"

Anthony didn't say anything for a while. "We will. But," he signed knowing that most likely wasn't true. "If we don't, you'll see him soon. In another time." He squeezed her leg comforting and left the tent before she could ask anymore questions.

"Oh! There's another one!" A throaty voice like a frog talking English comes from bellow. The fire was smothered, Gyrin laid on the ground, eyes big, gagged and tied up. His body slowly inching away.

Something like a two foot tall toads surrounds the camp, red hats and cloths wrapped around their heads and metal and glass for teeth, and even longer, sharper tools for weapons.

Dian screamed behind Anthony at the ugly Red Cap Goblins in front of them.

The leader, Dahlar raised his jagged knife in the air. "Get them!"