I am on Belock Hill again although I should be down in the kitchens helping cook the Christmas feast. It is in less than a week but we still have to prepare the meat in advance. I hate to be in there, it disgusts me. That’s why I’m up here where nobody can see me. However, I can see the whole village. The smell from newly baked bread has attracted small children who wait in line for the baker to give them their portion. Old women are tending their garden; the blossoms look beautiful from up here: a wonderful mix of varieties and colours. It’s really the same where I am although a bit more arid. Here there are no trees, only bushes and barely flowers. But it’s peaceful as the noise from the village doesn’t reach here and only the birds sing their hearts out.
Also the view is stunning. I can see the church, centre of our village, whose tower and bells stretches to the Heavens. Fields of wheat and vegetables, merely nothing at this time of year, extend for miles around as well as the common for cattle. During gathering season I usually help my mother in the meadows or at any other farm job such as herding the sheep. To the north lies the Sper Mountains, imposing structures that prevent you from seing beyond their peaks. It hasn’t snowed yet but I’m sure it will sooner or later because the sky is slightly grey and the mountaintops are white. Sometimes I glimpse strange dragon-like birds over there but Mum keeps telling me that my imagination is playing me tricks. To the south, a road leading to the nearest port, Belanwo, and to the sea from which my father comes back every month. Being a merchant, he sells what we grow and buys other goods not available here such as fish. Chilenee Lake cannot provide us with fish, as they are really small and scarce. To the northwest lies Darlock Forest, the dark forest that possesses many secrets. Old women recount tales of Faeries and Elves that live in it but as hard as I’ve looked and as deep as I’ve gone, I have never found them. Mother dislikes those stories and whenever one is told she worries and always has something for me to do. I do not know why she doesn’t want me to hear them; they are so interesting and real…
I love it up here although Mum hates to know I am up on the Hill. She always thinks that a wolf’ll eat me but I have never seen any, only squirrels and birds! The village gives the impression of having calmed down. Today’s work is over. My mother doesn’t seem to be looking for me. I think I’ll just take a nap. Dinner will wake me up!
********
It feels so warm as if we were in summer. Oh those sunny days, the sea and the waves on the sand, how I miss them. But we are near Christmas and snow will be falling in a day or two, so why is it so hot? And the smell, too, is strong…like wood burning. Yes, now I recognise it! It’s a fire! A fire in my dream, how weird…and a fire that feels good, how weird, too. Wait till I tell mother!
“Help!” Help? Someone needs help! But who? I hear more yelling, people in pain; they are dying. This isn’t a dream; it’s a nightmare! I must wake up!
“Alienor, where are you?” That’s my Mum calling for me. How come I cannot see her? Unless… of course! This is no dream! The fire is real!
I wake up and to my horror I see my whole village in flames. The people are running everywhere, trying to extinguish the flames. Children are crying for their mothers, mothers for their children. I run down the Hill to the burning houses. How did this happen? How could a fire possibly have started? And how come the flames don’t seem to touch me? In fact, why do people have difficulty breathing when I am all right? What is going on?I head towards our house. I must find my parents. It’s my entire fault. I should’ve been helping in the kitchens and this would never have happened. The kitchen boy must’ve fallen asleep and let the flames rise. “Mother! Where are you?” I cry desperately. I pass in front of the Church whose bell rings over the fire calling for help, past the butcher who is trying to free his cows. I stop in front of the blacksmith where the flames are the highest. That must be where the fire started; so it isn’t my fault after all. This fire seems suspicious. Our blacksmith was always very careful. Someone else must’ve started this inferno, someone from the outside.“Alienor!” Mum. I run as fast as I can towards the voice until I reach our house, completely in flames. “Alienor!” cries my Mum yet again.“Mother, where are you?-I’m inside the house. Don’t try to come; the house can collapse at any moment.-But I can’t leave you! Where’s Dad?” I start to panic, as I haven’t heard him. I look everywhere but all I see is smoke.“Don’t ask any questions, Alienor. Just listen to me.” Her voice is rough from inhaling the soot and she wheezes a bit. “Alienor, weird things are happening… run away, don’t look back, don’t think of the fire… the world is changing, history is happening again… do not fear, you are not alone… run away, cry if you must but I tell you this…” it is becoming harder and harder for her to talk, her voice is barely audible. “Alienor, you will be sixteen before you know it and…” her voice trails off.-Mother! Father!” I cry. I know it’s over, that I should run away like Mum told me. But I can’t, I can’t leave my parents alone. The fire doesn’t seem to do me harm so why not stay? Why not help the villagers? As I get up and look around I know that my help will be in vain. It’s too late; no one could save the village and the people…I cry as I head back towards Belock Hill. Children are dying at my feet; old men are reaching for my hands. I can’t bear it. I feel so cruel leaving those poor souls behind. My vision blurs from my tears. I run, and run, and run, all the while wishing for rain. I don’t look back and try to forget the disastrous event. I pass on the other side of Belock Hill and take the road to Menila, some five miles west. I pass our fields that used to provide us with food throughout the year, never stopping. As I cross the limit of Shenemay Village, my village, it starts to snow.“So we would’ve had a white Christmas after all…” I ponder silently to myself. ******** I don’t know for how long I’ve been walking but the air is purer here. There isn’t any trace of smoke and I can’t hear the Church bells anymore. A thin layer of snow covers the ground and the storm is calming down. I slow my pace so as not to tire quickly. I am not sure if I will be able to rest before arriving at the city, which gives me time to think on my mother’s last words.I do not know what weird things are happening or if the fire was part of this scheme, because it did not seem like an accident to me but more like an attack. Apparently the past is repeating itself though I can’t see how. Maybe mother knew. She was always aware of so many things. Perhaps why she didn’t want me to appreciate the Faerie stories was part of it. But I shall never know unless I find out by myself. In fact what am I going to do now? I’m all alone and only fourteen! That’s another point I don’t understand. Why would my being sixteen be so important? She didn’t have time to finish her sentence but I’m sure she was revealing a very important secret, a secret about me. Did she know how I felt about fire? Is this why she told me to run away? I feel she knew a lot more about me then what she’s told me. She always said that I was special and I guess she was right. Who knows what other mystery time will uncover…In the meanwhile all I have left to do is find shelter in Menila and, if possible, work so that I can survive. How long I’ll stay will be up to Time. I think it would be better if I forgot all about this misfortune and the Faeries. Maybe that’s what Mum would have wanted me to do… I am so tired. My eyes are swollen from crying and my arms and legs deadly white from the cold and snow. I don’t have a coat, just a woollen dress. My legs feel so stiff and my feet want to stop… I continue on walking in a half sleep. All of a sudden I see the city’s Church. I’ve arrived in Menila! God protect the travellers!
Earindle
Copyright ©2007 Earindle
Epic
Created on 6-18-07
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Story Rating G
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