the Forest of Emmitaenu

Talking Box

[Cover art by Illiyana Omareva]

Lara felt immediately guilty for showing her anxiety and stereotyping against demons. It seemed such a strange thing to even think about. Stereotyping against demons, had anyone ever even considered the potential of that one? Probably not, but then again, Zeftx didn't appear to be a stereotypical demon with horns, wings, and a wicked face.  Maybe that word meant something different here. She shrugged off that thought and followed a more appealing one. She still couldn't believe  how handsome he was. But still, he claimed to be a demon and that gave her conflicting ideas.  

Weren't demons supposed to be evil? Why would he help her, or show her any kindness at all if he was evil?  There was kindness in his eyes, and sadness... definitely sadness.  Maybe he didn't mean what she thought he meant when he said demon.  Maybe in his or Jades universe that word meant something else? A rose by any other name and all of that? She speculated.

Lara tried to picture him in her mind with his soft and smooth, moon-lit skin, strong and lean youthful figure, and hypnotizing eyes. He didn't seem ancient or ageless like demons were supposed to.  She wasn't sure what his age actually was, but thought he could pass for twenty, maybe twenty-one if he wanted too. That wiped the smile right off her face. What was she thinking? She was fifteen years and seven months old exactly, what would an attractive older guy like him think of a silly underclassman like her who still had to wait another five months before she could even drive?

Lara sat there chiding herself and taking gulps of water until the next person entered the room. It was Jade who came in the same door that Zeftx had entered and exited through. Nothing about her looked any different except for the addition of a small tray which she carried in both hands.

On the tray was an assortment of snack foods. Flat bread looking more like pie shells than your typical store bought loaf, seemed to Lara like it was covered in a thin spread of yellow jam. She was inclined to think it was honey, but not really willing to try tasting it to find out. Her mother would simply die if she ever found out that Lara had accepted sweets from strangers.

Jade sat the tray down in front of Lara in the center of the circular rug. Then, she took a seat opposite of her house guest and broke off a piece of the thin bread to eat. Lara smiled politely but ignored the tray. There was another question burning in her brain that needed answered.

"Sorry, but I don't get it. What is the difference that separates me as a mortal from you as a nomad?  Aren't nomads mortal too?"

"Oh," Jade smiled at her as if she were a toddler who just said her first words. "Well it is true enough we both will grow old and die, but where nomads have incomparably stronger senses...sight, smell, taste, touch, sound and including our sixth sense" she added with a wiggle of her eyebrows. Sixth sense? Lara wondered curiously before Jade continued.

"Mortals are fragile, duller senses, weaker skills but in their delicate bodies they have a truly exquisite gift. As legend tells us, mortals can create incredible things using just their minds!" Jade exclaimed with a flourish fitting for nomad campfire stories, but Lara wasn't impressed. What was all of that supposed to mean? That they all lived to be one-hundred and she could die before sixty?

"For example," Jade pressed on, wanting to prove her point to Lara and also to hear her confirmation. "I heard that although you cannot speak the witch's language, you created a box that you can carry and it does it for you." Lara stared at her perplexed.  Witches language? talking box? If by talking box she meant a phone, then boy was she going to be surprised when she learned about the internet.

Zeftx walked in again from the same door. In one hand he carried a small collection of mismatched candles burnt to different lengths, and in the other he held the handles of three mugs gripped tightly together.

Jade took the candles from him to light and place around the room while he distributed mugs to each of them where they sat. Lara glanced curiously inside her mug at the mystery drink. Again she was given water and drank it placidly as they continued to talk.

"You want to go home to Barley Bale, don't you dear?" Jade asked Lara as she looked pointedly at Zeftx. Shifting her gaze excitedly to Lara, she couldn't resist adding, "can I come too?"

"Um, It's Darby Dale," Lara corrected with a slight frown. She looked at Zeftx, wanting to add him to the conversation. "I know you're not a ghost," she began. Jade for once looked curiously at Lara as if questioning her sanity. "Even still, Zeftx do you think you can help me?" Lara asked. He didn't answer her question, he just sat there dreamily while his rainbow eyes were swirling their wild colors around, setting her mind to a kaleidoscope. "Zeftx," she repeated, "can you help me?"

"What?" He asked, snapping out of his trance. Lara signed and Jade repeated the question once more to him, but instead of asking if he could, it came out rather if he would. After a long puzzled stare, he shrugged his shoulders. "I suppose so, but right now it's getting dark. Jade will you handle the door?  I'll lock the windows and close the shutters." Confused, Lara sat in place and watched as Jade and Zeftx locked and secured the hut. They rejoined her on the rug and Zeftx blew out the candles. The room fell into complete darkness and Jade grabbed Lara's hand tightly.

"Hey!" Lara exclaimed, but was immediately shushed. "What's going on?" She lowered her voice to a whisper. Jade and Zeftx both retreated into silence. A sense of foreboding crept down her spine that had nothing to do with her companions in the room.

They sat in expectant silence for a while and fear continued to rise in Lara's mind. What were they doing, hiding? What were they hiding from and what was going to happen? Lara didn't have to wait much longer for answers. A deafening roar was growing in the distance and coming closer. Jade squeezed Lara's hand tighter and leaned over in the darkness to whisper to her, "I told you, when the gargoyles come to do their kidnapping..." her words trail off as the sound of the gargoyles approach overcame all other noises.

It was overpowering to listen to, Lara felt like her ears would start bleeding and she knew they were surrounded but not in the logical way. When the noise had started from a distance she feared an army of gargoyles running through the forest like an unstoppable force, but now that they were here she realized her one misinterpretation. They weren't running, they were flying! Overhead the frightening voices of hundreds of gargoyles bellowed in haughty tones.

A heart-sinking thud sounded on the roof of the old hut as one of the beasts landed. Lara sucked in a lung full of air to scream but Zeftx's hand covered her mouth and restrained her. Eyes wide in the dark; Lara could feel her own frantic pulse and in the back corner of her mind it reminded her very much of what Zeftx's pulse felt like. She tried to focus on that stray thought instead of their impending demise.

The seconds ticked by in slow motion until eventually the gargoyles seemed convinced that the old hut was abandoned and moved on. Jade relit the candles and silently ushered everyone to bed. All of the time Lara had spent indoors she'd stayed in the entrance room with the vintage rug, so as she was led through the hut Lara discovered the door Zeftx and Jade kept entering from led to a small kitchen.

In the kitchen herbs were hanging from a central beam along the ceiling rafters. Running parallel beneath the beam was a rectangular center island countertop. Pushed back against the far wall under the singular window was a small square table with two place settings of simple wooden dishes and mugs accompanied by matching chairs. In the very corner of the room was a sink and spout. Attached to the spout was a lever to pump water from the well bellow.

Branching off each side of the cozy little kitchen was a small and simple bedroom. Jade nodded to Zeftx and he took his candle and walked to the bedroom on the right. Jade led Lara to the one on the left. Inside the bedroom door Lara could see an inviting canopy bed carved with roses. At the end of the bed was a small waist high dresser with three drawers on the left and right. In the corner of the little bedroom was a small arched doorway leading to another room barely large enough for the claw foot bathtub and toilet that it housed.

Jade placed the candle on top of the dresser and pulled back the home made quilt that lay on the bed. She motioned for Lara to get in. Being extremely tired from her strange long day Lara happily obeyed. Jade blew out the candle, walked around to the other side of the bed, climbed in next to Lara and they both were asleep within minutes.