Fear The Fire

Chapter 6: Fearing The Tix

Nevane had taken Erika to a very small, hut-like accommodation at the very edge of the village. During their walk, Erika caught dozens of glimpses thrown her way; looks of curiosity, fear, even disgust, but they seemed not to be directed at her. They reached the secluded little straw-and-wood construction and Nevane presented it as her home. It was just about 10 feet diameter, large enough to enclose a two-person dining table and bed; the mattress of which was made of, Erika judged by a few poking out here and there, straw enveloped in a soft sheet of white cloth.

"Take a seat," Nevane gestured welcomingly towards one of the two chairs placed around the square shaped wooden table, "Make yourself at home."

Erika accepted her offer and seated herself. She began gazing around the practically-empty space and commented, "So, you live here, huh? I suppose you're into minimalism and all that?"

Nevane furrowed her eyebrows and shook her head with a puzzled expression, "No, I just don't have a lot of stuff."

Silence.

Erika felt uneasy whenever residing in a conversational pause for too long, and she decided she was done with small talk. She pushed her shoulders off the back of her seat, proceeding to lean against the table, resting her elbows on the cold surface, and looked her companion square in her yellow eyes, "Why are they afraid of you Nevane?"

Nevane stared back at her.

"Why? Why does everyone look at you like they don't want you here? Have you done something? Are you going to do something? Should I be afraid?"

Erika noticed a spark of emotion flash in her big yellow eyes, just for a second, then it disappeared; sadness.

"Life tends to be quite lonely when you know everything."

Erika puzzled. A few moments passed by and then she chuckled, "Oh, so you're one of those know-it-alls."

Nevane continued piercing her with her entrancing gaze, "No, I am, in fact, an all knowing being."

Erika retreated once more to the back of her seat. Her lips parted as she waited for Nevane to laugh and say she was kidding, but no such solution was presented.

Silence. Deep, disturbing silence.

At this point, Erika was about certain she was dreaming. She had decided to just play along.

"If you really know everything, what's-"

"Your least favorite vegetable? Tomato, though it's technically a fruit."

"How did you-"

"Also your brother's name is Tommy, your birthday is June 22nd and your favorite book is Gone Girl."

Erika blinked stupidly.

"Okay. . ." she stuttered, "I'll give you that. . ."

Questions upon questions were seething in Erika's mind. She felt detatched from her body and, ultimately, her situation. Aside from the unrealistic possibility that this strange woman was telling the truth, and she somehow knew everything, there was the subsequent danger signal in the back of her brain, screaming at Erika that Nevane might be a stalker and a potentially deleterious threat. However, the most acute prospect, sharpening amongst the blur of thoughts was the most comforting idea that this was, in fact, all a dream.

"I also know that this is a lot to take in," Nevane smiled, attempting to make the situation more digestable for her companion. She extended out her arms and enclosed her palms around Erika's hands. The latter shifted reproachfully, but accepted the gesture. "But I can explain everything, including while you are here. . . All in due time."

"Why? Why 'in due time'?" Erika retorted impatiently, "Why can't you just explain everything now? It might make my life easier."

"Exactly."

Erika stared at Nevane. The woman had said this as if it were all an inside joke for her and this was very irritating. Taking note of how easily Erika's patience was wearing off, she continued, "You're a human. And humans have this obnoxious craving for knowing the answer to everything. Even if that means satisfying themselves with a lie just to avoid admitting they do not know. I'm personally quite fascinated with that particular tendancy."

"I am not human. I am what's reffered to as a Tix; a creature blessed (and cursed) with all the knowledge in the world, born over and over again, each time with a different task, embodying a different form, destined to live until the completion of my purpose; only to be reborn yet again and serve another. In this life, Erika, I serve you and your destiny."

Erika instantly drew her hands back, "This is insane. Is that why everyone's scared of you? Because you're crazy?"

"No, they fear me for the truth that I hold in my words," Erika was about to scramble out of the house and run as far away as she could, but Nevane begged her to hear her out, "When I first entered this town, decades ago, in the shape that I embody to this day, the humans were infatuated with my omnipotent insight of what has, is and shall be. But they got too curious, asked too many questions. And I knew was I needed to teach them all a lesson, to stay away from me. My existence is one of solitude, loneliness, and there is a reason it must be so. No one understands why the truth often stays hidden. So I told one of them; an arrogant young man, who kept asking me how he was going to die. Eventually, I answered. Just weeks later, his own insanity killed him."

Time stopped. Erika felt like her mind was working in slow motion as she found her eyes glued to the woman facing her, the woman who had just presented her with an overwhelmingly unbelievable story. And a possible murder confession on top. The entire situation had a surreal undertone; this was not reality, this was not Erika's reality. She wanted to pinch herself just to ascert her theory of it all being a product of her imagination and subcoscious as she lay somewhere peacefully with her eyes sealed shut, but was too afraid of discovering the opposite was true.

"Prove it," she croaked finally.

Nevane's eyes widened in a surreptitious display of suprise. She rose from her seat and Erika watched her silhouette mold into a standing position, all her movements were so graceful and purposeful.

"As you wish," she said solemnly, "But I suggest we firsty adhere to escape."

"Escape?" Erika blinked, "From what?"

Nevane extended her right arm, the sleeve of her dress flowing loosely as her limb reached forward, coming to an abrupt halt just at level with her shoulder. The long black cloth receeded down her arm, exposing her right hand and her index finger, fixated on the enterance of her home. Erika felt the blood drain from her cheeks and a freezing cold shiver creep up her spine as she turned her head to look. But, before her eyes could look beyond the door, she heard it. Loud, clear and menacing.

A wolf howl.