Creatrix

Chapter 13 - Lost Innocence

The afternoon saw a panic in the village. The conch was blown, shrill and urgent from the hill, crying for attention. Aitkin ran between benders and yurts. 

‘Emergency meeting!’  He bellowed  ‘on the hill, right now!’ His words traveled from person to person faster than he could. These meetings were rarely called, only when there was some immediate threat to the village. Everyone who could, would attend, and there might even be a heroic quest for some brave adventurer.

‘Aitkin, What’s happened?’ Jobe called out,  ‘what’s this all about?’ 

‘Eve’s gone missing,’ he cried.  ‘Hours ago! We’ve got to find her!’ 

‘Little Eve? But I saw her, just before I went for lunch, she was over there.’  Jobe nodded towards the empty swing.

‘Yeah, that’s where she was seen last, but she’s not been there for a while and she’s not at home, no-one knows where she is!’  

The urgency had sped on ahead of Aitkin and he rushed off trying in vain to catch it up. Other children joined him, gossiping and building their fear. In the time they took to circle the bounds of the village, everyone was moving. 

Men and women downed their tools, set aside their tasks, and made their way up the hill to the central gathering place. There must have been over sixty people heading that way. Aitkin couldn’t contain his panic and had decided that there was no time to waste on talk, and once it was confirmed by Leorig that there was cause for alarm, he tore back down the hill followed by a large group of children. They split into three directions, all shouting for Eve, searching under food stores, and looking in carts. They extended their search beyond the boundaries of the village whilst, on the hill, the adults argued.

Anika had missed the commotion. When she arrived, she found the village still and empty. She could see everyone standing on the hill, so she followed the sandy path up to the communal dome. Lydia stepped forward and hushed the crowd as she approached.

‘We have to stop this arguing and decide what to do!’  She commanded.  ‘This child . . . Eve, is missing. We have to find her.’  She was eyeing Anika.

‘And what if we don’t?’ A red haired portly woman said ‘ What if a demon, or something worse, has got to her?’  

‘Shut up, Gertrude!’ her neighbour hissed at her through gritted teeth. Eve’s mother broke from the circle and walked down the hill.

‘Now you’ve gone and done it!’ Leorig’s voice raised a pitch in his anger.  ‘Why can’t you just keep your big mouth shut?’  He turned to follow the distraught mother. Anika had heard enough, but she didn’t expect that she would step forward saying what she said next.

‘You mustn’t argue; there are entities around, and this fighting will only serve to draw them closer.’ She said. She hated being the centre of attention, but this seemed important; her voice seemed to talk through her rather than from her own knowing. 

‘Conflict is what they love; it breeds resentment. And these things - these thought based entities thrive on negative thinking,’ she spoke with a voice outside of her, and she didn’t know she had this wisdom.  ‘Every thought you have is an intention sent out to the vital web. It draws in a reflection of itself; for good or ill - this bitterness will draw more of the same.’ 

‘She’s right.’  A voice from outside the circle broke the spell. Tyr had arrived and he’d been listening to Anika’s speech. She stopped as soon as she saw him; her heart was racing again. Lydia stood dumbstruck as he went on to explain.  

‘I heard about these, I was told that entities can attack people, really hurt them, and they are dangerous.’  He fascinated the crowd, some of them mumbled, a couple sniggered, but Lydia put her hands on her hips and glared at him.