Persephone's Ring
CHAPTER 10

“FINALLY!” Robert shouting as he fell to his knees. “A town, meat!”

They had come to a tiny town. There didn’t seem to be much there and the people kept their distance.

“They aren’t very welcoming huh?” Grace put a hand on her hip.

“Last time they were friendly they tried to kill us, so maybe this is best,” Keiran looked around.

“We should replace the inn and get warmed up. We can set out after that.” Rayen told them.

“Look at you, you seem more confident and in charge, good,” Susan wrapped an arm around Rayen’s neck winking. “Fearless leader slowly becoming fearless.”

“I’m far from fearless, and being afraid keeps me cautious and caution keeps me alive,” she corrected her friend.

“Well still you seem more relaxed and at ease in it now.”

“It’s all in your head,” she chuckled poking Susan’s forehead. “I’m the same as ever.”

“Over here!” Henry called out waving deeper into the town. “There’s a small Inn right here we’ll have to double up!”

Inside there was a fire lit keeping the small building warm.

“Welcome,” the Innkeeper greeted. “There are more of you than we may be able to accommodate,” she gasped. “We only have four rooms and you are a large group.”

“We’ll take it,” Rayen placed some drachma on the counter which Cole corrected to the appropriate amount. “We’ll only be here a short time rest in a soft bed and some relaxation, I’ll be looking around town anyway.”

“Of course Miss,” the Innkeeper nodded then led them to their rooms. “Here we are, 103, 105, 107, 112.” she handed over the keys then excused herself.

Walking into the room closest to her, room 107, she set down her bag. “Okay Mazin, sleep comfortably in bed.” She transferred the molting dragon from her bag to a pillow on one of the smaller of the two beds. She covered him up, “then I’ll be leaving whoever rooms here can share the queen bed.”

Rayen left after making sure Mazin was okay before she did. The town really wasn’t too friendly, no gossip, or laughing, just whispers and stares in curiosity and fear.

“They could at least stop staring…” she mumbled a bit irritated. She was wondering if anything helpful would be found in the town but when you’ve ignored it is not the easiest thing to do.

“Hey!” Keiran jogged over to catch up. “It’s smarter to not go alone and safer with people who seem a little hostile.”

“You and I always end up alone together, maybe this is why people think there’s something here,” she opined glancing up at him. “But I guess it’s normal,” she shrugged. “You were so closed off before but when you spoke it was usually with me, though now you’re more open to the others, you look like weights are slowly being lifted, I think it’s a good look.”

Keiran smiled hands in his pocket as they walked. “I’ve just decided that I should look forward and do what I can in memory of those I can no longer be with,” he confided. “As we have been getting deeper and deeper and hearing all these people talk with their interpretations and parts of a story it’s made me think maybe I didn’t know all I knew about my wife, I should try seeing things how she did and try moving forward just a little rather than dwelling on her loss and chasing a ghost.”

“I think that is a good thing, we should all try and reevaluate things,” Rayen locked her hands behind her back. “I have been running for a while, from the past from those who were supposed to protect me but did the opposite, from the white padded walls and probing and needles, a plane ride would just increase the distance but it’d still be there,” she looked down. “I am doing my best to get back and start over, I want to stand up and fight back, I can’t just let them all be what rules my small world I need to expand it like today with the snow.”

“And you should, you’ve been through enough.” Keiran tousled her hair unconsciously then quickly stopped. “Ah! Sorry.”

“No it’s fine,” she touched her head. “No one had done that since I was a kid.” She rubbed her head as if there was something strange there. It was a feeling she’d forgotten and it felt nice. “You’re a bit awkward, aren’t you?” she glanced up at him fixing her hair a bit. “You don’t interact much huh?”

“I haven’t really interacted with people outside of work, this is the most nonwork contact I’ve had in a very long time.”

“You are doing fine.”

Things went quiet for a moment as they looked for anyone who seemed the least bit helpful failing in their endeavor. Keiran was becoming increasingly irritated he leaned on a tree hand on his hip sighing.

“Would it really kill them to just talk to us for a minute!” he fumed brows furrowing.

“Pfft.” Rayen put a hand over her mouth trying to hold back her laugh. She turned her back to him her body trembling at the held in joy.

“You’re laughing at me?” he pushed off the tree then stepped around to see her face but Rayen quickly turned away.

“I-I’m not…” she protested weakly. “I’m ju-just trembling from the c-cold is all.”

“Right,” he rolled his eyes. “Get it out of your system, go on let it out.”

Rayen doubled over laughing aloud gasping for air. “You have never acted like that before,” she wiped tears of laughter forming in her eyes. “O-okay,” she took a deep breath. “I’m all better now.”

“I’ve never been this irritated despite certain people we travel with.” He let out a breath.

“Well that is true,” she tilted her head from side one side to the other in agreement. “But don’t let them bother you, your face is what helps you in work,” she poked the wrinkle in his brow. “You should frown less.”

Keiran grabbed the hand pulling it down to stare at. The two were quiet for another moment. “And this leads to the thing Charmayne said…” Rayen mumbled distracting herself from the moment.

Looking around she noticed their straight line had taken them through town and it’s fringes. “So want to go a little further?” she asked pulling her hand back. “We’re at the edges so we could just go a little further ahead and scout it out.” she took a step forward.

Keiran glanced at the trees putting his hand back into his pocket. “Maybe we-,” he was cut off by a stone hitting him. “Ow… what?”

Another came at them passing overhead. The group turned around to see a group of about four or five people glaring at them.

“The inn may welcome you all but we want you all gone, you carry death with you,” an older woman accused as she stepped forward. “You’ll have us killed if you stay.”

“We’re not trying to hurt anyone, we’re just passing through,” Rayen frowned. “We’ll be gone after we rest up.”

“You leave soon, it’s your fault nothing grows, your fault we must rely on merchants and what we can scavenge!” the man shouted pointing his finger.

“Our children go hungry, they suffer,” a woman blubbered into her hands.

“That isn’t our fault we’ve never been here.” Rayen retorted. “Don’t go blaming people for things when you don’t know them!” she took a step toward the group.

The sobbing woman picked up a rock then threw it toward Rayen as she screamed. “STAY BACK!”

Keiran clocked her from the rock then stepped back pulling her along. “Let’s go this way for now else we’ll be stoned and beaten with tools,” he whispered. “Come.” he headed toward the thick cluster of trees.

The villagers with weapons step closer. One whistled calling forth from hiding beasts who seemed like they’d seen better days with how emaciated they were similar to some of the townspeople and encroached upon them.

“We should probably run.”

“Good idea,” in agreement Rayen turned running away with Keiran. They passed the trees and kept going as the dogs gave chase.

Hand in hand so they weren’t separated they ran through the snow. The barking grew louder as they weaved through the trees breathless. As they ran a sign came into view for a split second.

“Wait!” Rayen tried to stop but was pulled along. “There was a sign,” she glanced back. She barely caught sight of it when it was gone.

“What?” Keiran glanced back at her once. “A sign?” he tilted his head then turned back forward.

Without warning the ground soon gave way under them it all happened so fast and snow began to fall covering their tracks.

Back in town the others had taken to resting and enjoying the soft beds after unsuccessful attempts to replace help. There was even a message delivered to Cole from his sister on some rumors. As Susan and Henry were flirting in the tavern Susan had taken to listening to Henry talk about his daughter she found the smile and animated side to him quite cute.

Charmayne was out back practicing with the bow as she felt a little rusty.

They were unaware of what happened to the others as they were relaxing. Andrew was taking care of DeAnne who was fatigued from all the excitement and needed a bit more time to recover.

“This place is pretty quiet outside,” Grace glanced out the window of where she sat. She was also in the tavern-like Henry and Susan but seated at another table as not to disturb the couple and she was accompanied by Padma and Robert.

“Well isn’t it a good thing for it to be quiet?” Padma asked.

“This is the part in movies when monsters pop out to kill,” Robert joked.

“I unfortunately have to agree with the man child,” Grace sighed. “These people don’t seem right, something just makes you feel on edge with how they are.” She glanced at some people walking past with backhoes and frowns. “They’re very different from the wolfmen but they are also more obviously hostile even if they haven’t said a thing to us.”

“I guess it’s true,” Padma sipped her drink.

Robert felt a little proud at his words not being ignored as he ate some dried meat.

“On a lighter note, it seems those two are hitting it off, how nice despite everything,” Padma chuckled glancing at Susan and Henry.

“Yes, there are lots of things like that going on,” Grace agreed. “Rayen seems to be making a bond with the most eligible bachelor, and even the young one seems to have something going on,” she said referring to Andrew.

“Really?” Robert asked. “How come he gets the hot chick and even the kid’s got someone?” he pouted.

“Well you’re an acquired taste I’d assume, or at least what a girl would go for in the dumb young years,” Grace explained. “You’re more into getting into her pants rather than who she is.”

“I care,” Robert argued.

“Yet you’ve done nothing but flirt,” Padma pointed out. “Have you ever looked at a woman non sexually?” she asked eating some of the meat.

“Well there’s….” he went quiet in thought. “I men when…”

“Exactly,” Grace chuckled.

Andrew took a breath pulling the cover over his grandmother as she slept. He reached for the door as it opened only to be barely missed by the swinging motion.

“Oh!” Cole glanced up. His gaze drifted to DeAnne then he closed the door sitting on the other bed. “Sorry,” he whispered to not wake her. “Did I hit you?”

Andrew shook his head then walked over sitting beside Cole. He watched the older man then pointed to the paper in his hand.

“This?” he looked at the paper holding it up. “My sister sent information. “We need to be careful, people have gone missing here and so far none have been found, though on the thought of gemstones… Loki was seen in Brazil, far far from here, we won’t be getting any help from him.”

Andrew stood looking around. He looked in the nightstand for some paper and a pencil. Finding one he wrote something down then passed the paper to Cole.

We will be alright

As Cole read then looked up Andrew signed.

“Yeah I guess,” he agreed. “Why don’t we go over some signs to pass the time?” he suggested.

Andrew nodded the repeated the same motions he’d done moments earlier with Cole repeated.

Some hours later they were all in the tavern below the Inn enjoying a meal together at a large table.

“So no ones mentioning how those two aren’t here?” Charmayne asked.

“Oh leave it they’re probably just huddled up somewhere together being all cute,” Susan shook her head.

“So it’s fine if he dies it but not me?” Robert raised a brow.

“No comment,” Charmayne replied.

They all laughed.

“Oh to be young,” DeAnne let out a breath. “Let them enjoy themselves it’s something we all could use these days.” She smiled. “My husband and I were also the same way. We were passionate and concerned with one another and expressing that love wherever we were.”

Cole shrugged, “they’ll be back soon so let’s not worry.”

“I’m learning so much about those I’m traveling with,” Susan joked. “You’re all becoming more interesting with what I learn.”

“Oh really?” Cole leaned forward. “And what have you learned?”

“Well we’ve learned what you are, Grace is actually a proud, boasting, caring mother under that mean work is my life face, Charmayne isn’t a stereotype, she has skills and is very observant, the eldest seems to have been a little wild once upon a time and the youngest seems to be the bravest,” Susan counted on her fingers. “That’s just so far.”

“You’re keeping a real close eye on everyone,” Henry stated.

“Well my little pleasure is imagining what everyone might do back in their normal lives or weird situations.”

In the middle of the night Cole woke up to an uneasy feeling which made his thoughts wander. He walked out of the room and down the stairs. He wanted to take a walk to clear his head.

“Perhaps we should take one at least, there shouldn’t be a problem, we need to survive somehow.”

Cole stopped moving as he quietly listened to the voices he heard reach his ears.

“They’ll have us killed,” another said.

“The hell,” Cole looked confused as he tiptoed forward quietly to listen in more. He saw a light from the kitchen sneaking back there to see. As he peeked in there was a group of people standing over a charred corpse. He watched as they cut off a piece and laid in on a plate. He held back the urge to gag as he realized that earlier what they’d eaten was precisely this.

“We’ll take the large woman and the small boy and the rest we’ll kill to please the gods, maybe then they’ll rid us of this hellish cold.” the first said.

“I heard the villagers dealt with the other two already,” the second said.

“I heard the dogs lost them in the trees,” said a third.

Cole quickly made his way back up as sounds were heard against the building. The villagers outside couldn’t take it much more fearing for their lives.

“Leave you cursed demons!” a voice yelled.

Cole opened the door walking Andrew. “Get up we need to leave now!” he yelled. He went to the other three rooms yelling at them.

Confused they all packed up their things as fast as they could as the villagers became louder.

“Wha-” Grace was interrupted.

“Shh, we’ll talk later.” Cole said. He looked around quietly stepping as he watched for the tavern workers.

He stopped as the workers headed for the door. They stepped out trying to calm and reassure them that everything was alright.

The group took this moment to sneak out the back door. As Cole opened it a man was standing there. Before he could open his mouth Henry grabbed him in a chokehold.

“Just sleep for a while,” he whispered. Once the man stopped moving he laid him down. “Okay we should get moving now else, there’ll be others looking back here.”

“You’re really handy,” Robert joked then followed the others quietly closing the door behind them.

“So what is happening?” Susan asked.

Cole glanced back when they were far enough away he leaned against a tree sticking his finger down his throat.

“Woah!” Grace stepped back. “What is that about?”

Everyone watched a little disgusted.

Wiping his mouth he stood up looking at them. “My sister sent me a letter saying to be careful travelers sometimes disappeared around here, I was gonna go for a walk when I overheard them talking on my way out.” He sighed. “That meat we all ate…”

“Oh god,” Robert doubled over retching. “People go missing and you talk about the meat we ate…”

“They’re cannibals?” Padma put a shaking hand over her mouth in horror.

“They were going to kill everyone to please the gods and take Andrew and Susan to make their next meals out of.” Cole glanced at them. “You’re the easiest targets in their heads.”

“Well that’s nice,” Susan frowned.

Andrew stuck his finger down his throat as Cole had done. The thought of eating a person was not pleasing in any way. This started the rest to doing the same and so they all began their stomach purges.

“Okay, so we need to get going.” Cole said. “I heard one of them say they lost Ray and Keiran in the woods, so they must’ve chased them to the edge of town.”

“Then we should start that way before they realize we’re gone,” Charmayne adjusted her bag.

Andrew knelt down looking in one of the two bags he was carrying. He checked on Mazin who was sleeping in it then secured it on his back.

“Okay,” he signed then started walking ready to replace their companions.

“Then we should all get moving too,” Susan picked up her bag following.

Cole took the two bags he had then walked off at the back of the group to keep an eye on the group and watching for enemies behind.