The Childsnatcher

Leaving Home

A few days later, the kids were back in the grove. Elana and Trevin were redistributing and repacking the groups supplies while Tad and Gustav spoke quietly. “You’re sure that you heard the message right?” Tad asked the younger boy.

“Hey, I may not be as good a eavesdropping as Bartok, but I’ve got my methods. I’m pretty sure I heard Mom say that the men of Devonshire are posting sentries near the south road.”

“That’s not good. It means we’re going to have to be more careful when we get there.”

“Well, it’s not like we planned on travelling through the towns and villages anyway. We’d get stopped for sure that way.”

“No, that’s true. But let’s face it. Sentries are going to watch more than just the road. They’re going to be patrolling the surrounding areas too. That means that we need to cut a wider berth around Devonshire than we had originally planned.” Tad paused, not wanting to explain further.

Gustav stiffened, as if he caught Tad’s meaning. “So we’re going to have to go through part of the deep woods. Which means possibly facing wild animals. Maybe wolves?”

Tad nodded grimly. “Which means that if we have to camp, we’ll have to set a real watch. How many of us can actually use a weapon well enough to fight off a pack of wolves?”

“Elana can, I’m sure.”

“She can’t keep watch alone. And she certainly can’t keep watch the entire time. She needs sleep too.”

“Well, we figured the rest of us would have to learn, right?”

“Yeah, I was just hoping it wouldn’t need to be so soon. We’ll be in the deep woods in about two and a half days. That’s not a lot of time to learn.”

Tad jumped as Elana touched his shoulder. “Well, bear in mind that wild animals will be afraid of any fire we make. And if we’re in the deep woods, I imagine we can risk that. So there’s some protection there, too.”

Tad nodded. “Good point. I hadn’t considered that.”

“All the same, you’re right. I better start teaching at least a couple of you some basic self defense. Both throwing and sword work.”

“How fast do you think we can learn?” Gusav asked.

Elana shrugged. “Throwing stones is easy enough to do. Learning how to throw accurately and where to aim for is another matter. That’s going to depend on each of you.”

“We should probably find out who shows the most promise there and have you focus on teaching them.”

“Agreed. But the sword play is another issue. I can teach you the basics easy enough. That’ll let you slash and hack at whatever attacks you effectively. But if you come up against a skilled swordsman.”

Gustav gulped. “Got it. We’re toast.”

“If it makes you feel any better, I’d be toast too. I’ve still got a lot to learn myself.”

“It doesn’t. But thanks for trying.”

Tad smirked. “So, is everything packed?”

Elana nodded. “Yeah. Most everything is evenly distributed. Kayla’s pack is lighter, of course. She only has her own clothes to carry.”

“How well equipped do we look?” Tad asked.

“Not as well as I’d like,” Trevin said, joining them. “We have three days’ change of clothing for each of us, which will probably be fine. And we have tent space enough for each of us. But I’m worried about the food. I’d say we might have enough for a week, assuming Bartok and Gus both curb their appetite. But no more. And even then, I’m not sure how nutritious some of it is going to be.”

“Not all of us are good in the kitchen,” Elana shrugged. “I had no idea what to bring.”

“I know. I figure we’ll have to make do. Maybe if we can chance sneaking someplace to buy more food on the way?”

“Not likely,” Tad said. “The villages around here would recognize any of us. We set foot in any market and it’s going to raise questions. I figure we need to be a day past Devonshire before anyone knows we’re gone. Otherwise, they’ll just come and find us.”

“Well, it was worth a suggestion.”

Elana nodded. “That it was. And let’s not forget that hunting and foraging are an option.”

Gustav looked at her quizzically. “You’d know about that?”

Elana laughed. “Actually, no. But surprisingly, it’s one of the few useful skills I’ve found Bartok to have.”

Tad laughed at that. “So that’s why you eventually agreed to include him!”

“One of my reasons, yes.”

Bartok walked over at that moment. “I don’t mean to rush you guys, but I’m starting to run out of ideas to keep Kayla entertained. So if we could get moving soon, I’d take it as a great personal favor.”

Tad sighed, “Yes, I suppose we should get moving. I think we’ve all been procrastinating a bit. But waiting isn’t going to make setting out any easier.”

“Time to just grit our teeth and get on with it then?” Elana offered.

“Exactly so. Everyone, shoulder your packs.” Each kid walked to the pile of backpacks and picked theirs up. Kayla fumbled with hers, and Bartok helped her swing it up onto her back and adjusted the straps for her. Tad watched and decided that Elana was wrong. Bartok had another very useful skill. He was quite good at dealing with younger children. Since they had to take Kayla with them, Tad was thankful for his assistance in that area. Being an only child, he found smaller kids quite annoying. It’s a quality his father, the mayor of Bethany Village, often criticized him for. “Then maybe you should’ve seen to giving me a sibling, Dad,” he muttered as stepped out of the grove, heading south. The others followed him.

***

The group travelled through lightly wooded areas for the whole day. A few times they had to stop, as they heard other voices. They would find a nice hiding place and wait for whatever other group passed by them. One time, it was another small group playing hide and seek in the woods. On that occasion, Bartok had to quickly grab Kayla, who first thought to join the game. “You wanted to come help your brother, remember? You can’t run off to play if you still want to do that,” he whispered to her as she struggled against him.

After a moment, she looked up and nodded at him and he took his hand off her mouth. “Sorry,” she said, a small tear crawling down her cheek.

Bartok sighed, “It’s okay. Believe me, I’d rather go play, too. But we have to keep going if we’re going to help the other kids.” Once more, Bartok secretly wondered why he was bothering. He doubted any of the other kids in Bethany Village would care if he disappeared. So why should he risk himself for them, he wondered.

But his father had taught him better than that. They may be a poor family with few skills to offer the others, but his father was proud of the odd jobs he had learned to do. “Decent labor is something to cherish, no matter how trivial or unimportant it may seem to others,” the older man would tell his son. “So let them think they’re better than us. We know the truth. And we’ll act accordingly. In that way, we’ll show that we’re not just as good as them, but that in some ways, we’re better than them.” Bartok saw the logic in his father’s argument. But it didn’t assuage his feelings of loneliness or alienation.

Twenty minutes before the sun began to set, they came to a small clearing in the middle of the woods. Tad stopped and everyone else followed suit. He looked around before glancing at Elana. She studied the area for a few moments before returning his look and nodding slightly. “I think we should make camp here. This is as good a spot as we’re likely to find before dark,” Tad said.

“I’ll gather some wood and start working on a fire,” Trevin offered.

Tad nodded. “Good idea. Maybe Kayla could help you with that.”

Bartok spoke up. “Actually, Tad, if you don’t mind, I was hoping Kayla could help me.”

“Oh? Doing what?”

“Well, I noticed a small patch of berries a little ways back. I thought she and I might pick some to supplement our dinner. You know, so we don’t have to eat as much of our supplies.” Bartok watched as Elana and Tad exchanged smiles briefly. He wondered what secret thoughts were passing between them. Had they been talking about him behind his back?

“That’s smart thinking,” Tad said. “Okay, Trevin, if you need help, take Gus. Kayla’s already been claimed for berry patrol.”

Trevin smiled. “Well, I don’t need the help. But if Gus is looking for something to do…”
Gustav stood, “I’m fine with that. Just don’t expect me to follow you to any streams. I ain’t letting you drown – erm, baptize – me.”

Trevin stuck out his tongue at the other boy. “Baptize you! More like bathe you! You need one!”

“You must have me cofused with Bartok,” Gustav quipped back!

Bartok protested, “I bathed! Please! I’m tired of all the jokes about my cleanliness!”

Tad spoke up. “Easy guys. Let’s not get riled up at each other. We know you bathe, Bartok. The guys were just joking around. Right guys?” Bartok noticed the glare that he gave each boy before they murmured their agreement. He wondered how sincere they were being.

“Come on, Kayla. Let’s go get those berries.”

He turned and walked, with her close behind him. After they had walked for a few minutes, she spoke up. “Bartok? Can I ask you a question?”

“I guess.”

“Why don’t you like the others very much?”

“What makes you think I don’t like them?”

“Well, you’re usually quiet around them. And I’ve noticed you tend to give them dirty looks.”

“Oh.” He walked in silence for a few seconds. “It’s complicated.”

“That’s what my parents say when they don’t want to answer my question.”

Bartok sighed. “It’s not that. It just really is complicated. I’m different from the others. The rest of them come from fairly well-to-do families. They have at least one parent who works a trade.”

“So?”

“Well, I come from a family that barely scrapes by. My father can’t even go out and get a work as a logger, like some of the others do. Because of his poor health, he has to do odds and ends around the village. Stuff that doesn’t pay well. Stuff that others look down upon.”

“And you think the others look down on you too? Because of that?”

“Well, yes.”

Bartok thought the matter was over when Kayla finally spoke again. “I don’t think they feel that way at all. I think they like you. They just don’t know how to treat you. And you don’t make it easy.”

Bartok turned and looked at her. “What do you mean?”

“Well, you assume they don’t like you, so you don’t act very nice around them. How are they supposed to feel?”

“Well, I just don’t want to get hurt.”

“Does not being nice keep you from getting hurt?”

“Well, no. I guess it doesn’t.”

“Then maybe you should try being nice anyway.”

“Maybe.” He turned his attention towards the bushes they had just come upon. He picked a couple berries and studied them for a moment. Then he popped a couple into his mouth. He nodded. “Okay, there are both red berries and black ones here. Both are safe. Pick both, but pick mostly the red ones. The black ones will be tart. But they’ll taste good when mixed with the red ones. Okay?”

“Yes sir,” Kayla responded and immediately started picking berries off the bush. Both children worked in silence for several minutes before Kayla started singing a song. Bartok chuckled and joined in. He hoped no one would hear them. The other kids might make fun of him. And if adults heard them, they could get busted. But he didn’t feel like ruining Kayla’s fun. Besides, he was having fun, too.

***

The group sat around their small campfire eating venison, potato chunks, and onions that Gustav had carefully wrapped in foil and cooked in the fire. Tad was practically smacking his lips with each bite he took. “This is amazing, Gus!”
Gustav shrugged, “It’s one of the easiest meals to make when cooking. And you can use any meat you have available. However, a handful of the venison steaks Elana packed were perfect for it.”

“You have to understand that I don’t get food like this very often. My father tends to prefer foods that seem exotic and rich. He has a mind to impressing visiting dignitaries. Not to mention the occasional local person.”

“Yeah, my parents have treated me to a few meals like that, too. Fortunately, they still like something more simple from time to time. Especially since dad does gather some of his supplies from the wild,” Gustav noted.

Elana nodded. “This is the kind of food my parents prefer. Though I have to admit they don’t seem quite as adept with seasonings as you are, Gus.”

“Again, one of the advantages of being the son of an apothecary. They tend to like to experiment in the kitchen as well as in their workroom,” he grinned. “I’m glad everyone seems so pleased, though.”

“Of course, fresh berries on the side was a nice addition,” Trevin noted, scooping a handful of the tiny fruits into his mouth. “I’m glad you thought of that, Bartok.”

“Hey, scrounging for good food is one of the skills I can proudly claim to have mastered,” Bartok quipped, though he was smiling. Tad winced and wondered if the other boy had overheard Elana’s comments to that effect, he looked at the girl, but she didn’t seem to be paying attention.

“I think we best talk a bit about our plans for tomorrow before turning in,” Tad suggested. “We’re making good time. Maybe even better time than I expected. I figure that about an hour after noon, we’re going to have to start cutting into the deep woods so as to avoid the sentries in Devonshire. Does that seem right to everyone else.”

Elana nodded. “We might want to do so even sooner. By perhaps a couple hours. Finding a path through the deep woods can be difficult, and we might have to travel a bit along its edge before we find a way in.”

“I know,” Tad nodded grimly. “But I’m concerned about Drakus. He’s supposed to meet up with us tomorrow. Isn’t that right, Gus?”

Gus nodded emphatically. “That was what we had agreed in our messages the day before our group left, yes. But if you’re worried about him finding us, I wouldn’t worry about it.”

“Why’s that?”

Gus pulled a small bronze disk from a pocket and handed it to Kayla, who was sitting next to him. She in turn passed it on to Bartok on her other side. The medallion made its way around the fire like that. Gus explained, “He gave that to me during our last visit. He says that it’s charmed so that he can track it wherever it goes. It’s what he’ll be using to find us tomorrow.” He paused before adding, “Besides, he won’t be reaching us until an hour or so before sunset, according to his reckoning. So no matter how soon we enter the deep woods, that’s where he’s going to have to look for us by the time he catches up.”

Trevin shuddered. “I’m not sure if it’s bravery or lunacy that he’d be willing to travel into the deep woods alone to follow us.”

Gustav smirked at Trevin, “Knowing Drakus like I do, I’d say it’s a bit of both. But it’s the only option he has if he’s going to join us. Besides, I’m sure he’ll be fine. It’s not like he’ll be defenseless. And he’ll be with us before darkness falls. That’s when things get really dangerous. Right?”

Elana nodded in agreement. “Yeah. Though I hope he keeps his wits about him, all the same.”

Tad smirked, “I’m sure he will. From what I remember of my meeting with Drakus, he has wits to spare. And he has no misgivings about using them. In fact, he might give Bartok a run for his money, when it comes to quips.”

Bartok laughed, “Indeed! Then perhaps I missed my true calling! Maybe I was cut out to be a mage.”

Trevin groaned, “May heaven spare us that calamity!” All the kids laughed at that, even Bartok.

Tad cleared his throat. “Okay, we should think about getting to bed. I figure one of us should keep watch at all times. Elana, would you be willing to do so for the next three hours or so? Then you can wake me.”

Elana nodded. “That’ll work for me.” She pulled out a knife and found a fallen limb nearby. She sat with her back against a tree and began to whittle as the others unrolled their sleeping gear around the fire and began to settle in.
Bartok spoke to Kayla, “Don’t get too close to the fire. You don’t want an ember to set your blankets on fire in the middle of the night.” The girl’s eyes grew big and she pulled her bedding another foot from the fire. “That’s better.”