The Vanishment, Chapter Four

Chapter Four:
         Alaina crouched within the trees on the outskirts of Boeme, hidden from the view of the town’s people. She sighed and set her knapsack on the ground. A nearby rock called to her, inviting her to perch on its warm surface for a well-deserved rest. She’d been so anxious to get away from Briarton she must have walked quicker than normal despite her ankle. It seemed like she’d only been walking for a few minutes. A nervous excitement had propelled her forward but now that she had reached her destination the energetic rush seeped from her like air escapes a hole in a balloon. It was replaced with a tingling, overpowering rush of dread that filled her insides like feathers being stuffed into a pillow.
         It was due to this tickling, nerve-racking dread that she forced herself to sit.
         From this perch, she stared thoughtfully at Boeme. A part of her had wondered if it really existed and if she’d still be able to see it. Now that she faced the town, she wasn’t exactly sure how she felt. The door behind her was closed forever. She recognized that. The only place to go was forward. Using this fact to quell her nervous energy, she rolled her shoulders back, picked up her knapsack, and stepped from the sanctuary of the trees.
         As she approached the town border more and more eyes were attracted to her presence. By the time she crossed the town line a small crowd had gathered to meet her. They jabbered excitedly, laughing and patting her back as they walked together in one clump down the main street.
         Alaina found their excitement contagious. It swept over her like a welcome disease, eating away at her doubts and fears. As they reached the center of town, she saw Jadyn step through the red door of a nearby house and into the street. She raised a cheerful hand in greeting only to feel the smile slide from her face when she saw his expression. He crossed his arms and glared down at her as she approached.
         “What are you doing here?” he asked, a frown darkening his features.
         Alaina shrugged. “I’m here to help.”
         Instead of grinning gratefully like she expected, Jadyn grimaced and grasped her arm, guiding her away from the crowd. He returned to the house with the bright red door and brown trim and pushed her in before him.
         “What are you doing?” Alaina demanded. But Jadyn quieted her with a finger to his lips. His eyes searched the room and fell on a bucket of water in the corner. Hefting it easily, he set it outside the front door before turning to speak with her.
         “Now,” he said, crossing his arms. “What are you doing here? What’s going on?”
         “I want to help,” Alaina said simply. “You need some help and I want to help.” What more was there to say, she wondered.
         Jadyn rubbed the bridge of his nose in agitation. “No. No, we’ve already been through this. You’re not helping.” Abruptly, he squinted at her as if he was seeing her for the first time. “Did you have all those bruises when you were here the other day?
         A blush crept into Alaina’s cheeks. “Don’t change the subject,” she said, brushing past his question. “Now, I know I said I couldn’t help before but I was wrong. Just tell me what to do and I’ll do it.”
         For a moment, he just stared down at her with his eyebrows raised and his toe tapping as if she was a child who he suspected of some comical prank. “No, this is ridiculous. You’re too young. You can’t do it.” He turned away and strode toward the door.
         “Stop saying that!” she demanded, jumping in front of him. “I am not too young. And besides,” she added. “Who said you make all the decisions?” She sighed and collected herself. “Look,” she continued calmly. “I’m helping whether you like it or not, so you’d better just get used to it.”
         With that, she swept past him and out the door. Surprised, Jadyn ran after her, chasing her down the street. “Hold on a second,” he called. “Where are you going?”
         Alaina didn’t bother turning to face him. “I’m going to see Sarah,” she declared. “I want to thank her for looking after me the other day.”
         “You can’t!” Jadyn cried. “Wait, Alaina.” Something in his voice forced her to stop. She spun and glared at him, expecting to face another battle. Instead, he sighed and dropped his hands in defeat. “You can’t go see her. Sh-She’s not there.” He dropped his eyes and plopped down on a bench settled on the side of the street.
         The blood drained from her face and slid down to her very toes. “You mean–”
         Jadyn nodded. “We couldn’t come up with the payment in time,” he said softly. “We tried, but we just couldn’t do it.” He dropped his head into his hands.
         Shocked, Alaina stumbled over to sit next to him. She squeezed her eyes shut and remembered the kindly lady who’d been so nervous the last time she’d seen her. “How did it happen?” she asked in a faint whisper.
         “Helecia’s men came and got her,” he said. “We tried to fight them off but there were too many.”
         For another moment, Alaina kept her eyes shut. She leaned forward and sighed, glanced at him sideways. “I want to help,” she said passionately. “You have to let me help.”
         He sighed. “Listen, I don’t think you know what you’re getting yourself into. Either way, you can’t do a whole lot until that ankle’s healed up. So you might as well hang around. I won’t bind you to anything. Just give me time to really explain everything to you and then you can make your decision.”
         Alaina nodded. “Deal.” She fell into step beside him as they made their way back to his home.
         After a moment, Jadyn asked the question that had been lurking on his face. “So, about the bruises -”
         “Would you drop it already?” exclaimed Alaina, cutting him off. “When I fell the other day I got really beat up. It just took a while for them to show, okay?”
         “Okay, okay. Sorry,” he said. When they reached his home, he held open the red door for her and gestured for her to sit down at the kitchen table. After she had gotten comfortably settled, he scooted his chair beside hers and bent to gently pull her injured foot into his lap. Very carefully, he unwrapped the old, filthy bandage and examined her injury.
         “Geez, girl,” he said. “Haven’t you ever twisted an ankle before? You’re supposed to stay off of it; give it time to heal. This is at least as swollen as it was two days ago, maybe more so.” He stood up and set her foot back on the chair. “I’ll grab a cool cloth. That will help bring the swelling down. Then we’ll rewrap it. How’d you hurt it, anyway?” he asked, as he shifted around his kitchen.
         Alaina shrugged and smiled meekly. “I fell down the side of a mountain and hit a tree. That’s how I did all of this.” She gestured to her arm and face.
         “Wow,” Jadyn said, squeezing the excess water out of the towel. “That must have been some fall.” Once again he settled in his chair and captured her foot between his hands. “So I guess I can explain a few things now.” He nodded toward the door. “You’re probably wondering why I put the water outside earlier. One of the most important things you’ll have to remember is to be careful around water. A lot of Helecia’s magic is done through it. She can communicate through it, see, listen, and even travel through it if she wants.”
         “So, the splash of water I saw in the barn?”
         Jadyn nodded. “That was one of her ways of communicating with us.” He cleared his throat. “She doesn’t visit us in person very often – not for basic communication, at least. At any rate, it’s very important that you become aware of the water around you. Any time we talk about something important all water must be out of the room. Otherwise there’s a chance Helecia could hear us.”
         “So how often does she make appearances like that?”
         He shook his head. “Actually, not as often as you might think. Usually, we only see or hear her about three or four times a year. It’s just during those times that things turn really awful. But at least we know there’s some relief coming. Since she appeared the other day we probably won’t see her for a few months.”
         Alaina leaned back deep in her chair and crossed her hands over her stomach. “Maybe you better just start at the beginning. How did all this happen?”
         Suddenly she jumped at Jadyn’s ticklish touch on her foot. “Oh, sorry,” she said.
         He chuckled in response. “It’s okay,” he said. “I just want to get this re-wrapped, that’s all.”
         She offered him a grateful grin, then laid her head back and closed her eyes, letting his words flow over her.
         “Helecia came to Boeme almost three years ago. Everything about her arrival was a disaster. One day a harsh rain started to fall, but it was unlike any rain we had ever experienced. It burned through our skin and cut down the animals that were outside. We were all forced indoors to avoid injury.” Jadyn shook his head. “I had never felt so helpless before. The rain continued on for three days. It started to burn through our homes and fires erupted in the fields and the forest.” He gestured toward the forest that held the castle. “Then, after the third day, the rain just stopped. When we came out of our homes those towers were reaching through the trees and the forest looked as if it had been destroyed.”
         “What had happened?” Alaina asked
         Jadyn shrugged as if the answer were simple. “The sorceress had come. When we went into the forest, we found this great castle with a giant wall built all around it. There’s no gate to the wall; no way to get in that we’ve been able to find. It seemed impossible for us to confront whoever had built it. After a few days, things pretty much went back to normal. A week after the storm, however, we all awoke to find notices nailed to our doors. They proclaimed a simple deal. If we didn’t bother Helecia she wouldn’t bother us.”
         Alaina grinned wryly at him. “I’m guessing that didn’t last very long.”
         He shook his head. “Boeme became divided. People were angry – they felt like Helecia was taking advantage of us. Who was she to take over the forest that way? A large group rallied together and headed toward the forest with torches and shovels, intent on breaking down the wall. As they made their way down the street clouds suddenly covered the sky and lightning flashed all around the town. Without warning, Helecia and her soldiers were here, breaking down doors to houses and shops. On her command, they abducted the men and women she designated. Anyone who tried to stop them was beaten near to death or killed.”
         “I don’t understand,” Alaina said. “Why take only certain people? What did she want them for?”
         Jadyn shook his head and gulped down his tea. “No one knows for sure. All we know is those same people came back to their homes that night and returned to the castle each morning afterward. It was like some kind of spell had been put on them. They wouldn’t talk about the time they spent there. They seemed to just forget everything as soon as they got home. Needless to say we left Helecia alone after that. We were afraid if we did anything else she would hurt those people who stayed in the castle during the day. Of course no one could have guessed that later on she would inflict her spell upon us – trapping us to the borders and making Boeme invisible to outsiders.”
         “So,” Alaina said, crossing her arms. “When did she start demanding payment from the town?”
         Jadyn sat back in his chair his fist clutching his cup with frustrated ferocity. “Ah, that was about eight or nine months after she trapped us all here. That storm you remember – before the drought came – that’s the one that trapped us here. We all remembered the rain that had come the day she arrived. When this second rain began everyone instantly ran indoors. When the rain finally cleared we realized we were restricted to the town’s borders.” He shook his head bitterly. “She must have realized how helpless we were. One day, out of nowhere, she returned to town and made another proclamation. She would demand payment four times a year. If we didn’t have it ready on time, well, you know the rest.”
         Alaina leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. “What kind of payment does she ask for?”
         Jadyn shrugged. “Gardening things. You see, our town specializes in producing good soil and fertilizer. She usually requires some combination of the two. The problem is we have to have enough of both to produce our own food and since we’re restricted to the borders we can’t get more supplies to keep production up the way it used to be.”
         “So how do we stop her?” Alaina asked. “What do I need to do?”
         Jadyn eyed her thoughtfully. Then he stood with decisiveness. “That’s enough for today, I think. I don’t want to throw too much at you at once. Are you hungry?”
         Startled by his abruptness, she tilted her head at him. “Sure. Well, I guess.”
         He nodded curtly. “Alright then. You sit tight and I’ll be back in a little while. If you can, keep that ankle elevated. It’ll help the swelling go down quicker.” Before she could respond, he had dashed out the door, slamming it behind him.

         The clattering of the door left a reverberating silence behind that was so contrasting, Alaina felt in an instant that an hour had passed. To fill the time, she surveyed her surroundings.
         Jadyn kept his kitchen well-organized. Most of the brown dishes were stacked away in the cabinets and half-a-dozen mugs hung from a rack near the fireplace. From there, her eyes drew upward.
         She gasped in delight. Above the fireplace, hung on a single nail, was a star knot. She pushed herself away from the table and stumbled toward it. Standing on tip-toes, she fingered the bottom of the knot and smiled.
         Then she sighed and plopped back down at the table. Almost immediately, she thought of Arick and how he’d react when he found out she had truly left.
         A horrible image of her father beating her brother burst through her mind.
         Alaina leapt from her chair, pushing the thought from her mind. As much as she hated to admit it, her father’s surprise visit on the mountain probably meant Arick had told him she was leaving. There was no other way he could have known. Despite that, she could never wish her brother harm. She busied herself studying the rest of Jadyn’s house.
         The entire space had a sort of awkward feel to it, like even though Jadyn owned the house he didn’t know what to do with it. Everything was very clean. His utensils and pans were stacked and put neatly away. The floor was swept and the fireplace scrubbed out. The walls were painfully bare and plain. There were some faded spots along one wall that made her think something had once sat there, but whatever it was had been removed. No flowers decorated the table and the fireplace mantle was as empty as the rest of the room.
Alaina sat back in her chair and blew out a heavy breath. Who cared how the place looked? Anything was better than the situation she’d just left behind Things were going to be a lot better now. She could feel it.
         Beside her, a single window provided a wide view of the town outside. That same window showered the inside room with cheerfully bright sunlight. It whipped around her like a lasso and dragged her toward its frame. From there, she somehow made it to the door without realizing she had moved. While the sunlight had drawn her forward, the home’s silence was intent on pushing her out of doors.
         From just outside, she took in the entire village, really seeing it for the first time. The town itself was fairly small. There was one main street that held all the houses and shops mixed in together. Tall metal posts lined both sides of the street with approximately ten feet between each one. Hanging from the poles were cloth balls in lantern-like shapes. Small spirals of smoke floated away from each ball, emitting a soothing, pleasant perfume that disguised the smell of the fertilizer.
         Alaina closed her eyes and breathed in the sweet, tantalizing scents. When she opened them, she saw a short girl with long, brown hair struggling to carry a large basket of corn, tomatoes, and other crops. Alaina limped across the street and caught one side of the basket just before it fell. “Here, let me help you with that,” she said, moving with the girl to set the basket on a nearby stool.
         “Wow, thank you,” the girl said. “I thought I was going to lose it for sure.” When she glanced up, her eyes widened and she took an involuntary step back until she was standing next to one of the short posts that emitted the sweet incense that filled the town. “Y-You’re the girl; the one who can see us! I thought you left!”
         Alaina cracked a smile and smoothed a tendril of black hair behind her ear. “Well, I did but then I came back.”
         The girl’s face brightened immediately. “So you’re going to help? That’s great! I’m so happy to hear that.” She held a hand out over her basket. “I’m Daphne Perrin.”
         Alaina smiled wider into the girl’s heart-shaped face. “Alaina Berak. It’s nice to meet you.”
         “Listen,” Daphne said. She pulled Alaina closer to the building and out of the street, tugging her waist-length hair over one shoulder. “Do you know how long you’re going to be here before you head out?”
         Bewildered, Alaina shook her head slowly. “Er, no, I don’t.”
         “Oh,” Daphne said. “Well, just in case I don’t get to talk to you before you leave, could I give you a message to give to my brother?” She misread the confusion in Alaina’s face and rushed to continue. “Oh, don’t worry, it won’t be long and he’s just in the next town over.”
         “Oh, sure,” Alaina said, unsure what the girl was referring to. “I guess it’s not a problem.”
         Daphne’s face brightened. “Great!” she said. “Thank you so much. I’ll write it out and give it to you before you leave.”
         An elderly-looking man stopped beside them, leaning on a walking cane. He had thinning white hair and a wrinkled, weathered face. He raised a bushy white eyebrow at Alaina. “What’s your name?”
         Alaina grinned and answered him. The man grasped her hand between his. “Alaina, bless you for coming back to us. All of our thoughts will go with you on your journey. Bless you.”
         Alaina blushed and ducked her head. “Thank you. What’s your name?”
         “John Strap.”
         Daphne nudged the older man. “John, Miss Berak here’s going to bring a message to Edan for me. Isn’t that great?”
         John grinned warmly at Alaina. “I think it’s wonderful. This girl’s been pining after her family something terrible.”
         Alaina laughed. “Well, I’m glad I can help, then.”
         Soon, more and more people stopped by and Alaina once again found herself wrapped up in the town’s excitement. Daphne took up the role of introducing Alaina to each newcomer, all of whom thanked Alaina for her presence and wished her luck on her journey.
         “What’s going on here?” Jadyn’s voice suddenly broke through the crowd, scattering the group with its very tone. “What are you all thinking?” he demanded. “There’s water all over this place. Helecia could be hearing everything you say.”
         Everyone dropped their eyes and scuttled away, muttering apologies.
         “Take it easy, Jadyn,” Daphne said, remaining by Alaina’s side. “Everybody’s anxious and excited about her arrival. Can you really blame them?”
         Jadyn sighed. “I understand, really I do. But her success relies heavily on her presence remaining a secret. Listen,” he said, leaning close to Daphne. “Could you just do me a favor? Spread the word that we need to go about business as usual. We have to keep her concealed.”
         When Daphne nodded, Jadyn took Alaina’s arm and led her back to his home. “I thought I told you to stay in the house and keep your foot elevated.”
         “Actually,” Alaina said. “You just told me to keep my foot elevated. But I got restless. I needed to get up and move around.”
         “Geez, girl,” he said, shaking his head. “I only left you alone for ten minutes.” He shook his head and led her back through his door.
         “Sorry,” said Alaina. She sat back in her designated chair. “I didn’t think it would be that big of a deal.” When Jadyn didn’t respond, Alaina bit her lip and watched his back as he strode about the kitchen. “Jadyn?” she said finally. “What’s this journey everyone’s talking about?”
         Jadyn’s shoulders dropped immediately. He glanced around at her with a guilty expression. “They, uh, they told you about that did they?”
         Alaina nodded, pursing her lips. “You weren’t going to mention it right away, were you?”
         Jadyn sighed and watched her quietly for a moment. Finally he sat back in his chair to face her squarely. “No,” he said. “But not because I was trying to trick you or anything. I’m still not sure about sending you.” He raised a hand to stop her protest. “I know you want to help, but I feel responsible for you and I just don’t think I can send you out there to face dangers I’m not even aware of.” He crossed his arms and stared down at her. “Tell the truth. You didn’t come here planning to go on a trip, did you?”
         Alaina thought of the overwhelming greeting she’d just received. How ironic that she’d have to give that up so quickly. “Honestly? No, I didn’t,” she admitted. “But it’s fine. I’m okay with it. I mean, I’ve always liked the idea of traveling so why not do it and help some people at the same time?”
         Alaina,” Jadyn said, scrunching his eyebrows at her. “This isn’t going to be a pleasure excursion. You could really be in danger if you go on this trip. Not to mention all of our hope is going with you. That’s a lot of burden for one person to carry.”
         Alaina heard him speak but she was already worlds away. She imagined village after village welcoming her on her travels. She felt whole populations clapping her on the back and shaking her hands. That image could only come true if she actually got out there and got moving. Saige was right. Good things came with risks.
         She caught Jadyn’s eye and gestured out the window. “Did you see how those people reacted to me? I’ve never been treated so kindly in my entire life. I can’t go back to Briarton. That ship has sailed. So what’s left for me to do but everything I can to help all of you? I want to do this. I’m sure of it.”
         Jadyn sighed. “Okay, if you’re sure. But listen, if you ever feel like you can’t continue I want you to say the word. Got it?”
         Alaina nodded. “I understand. Thank you.”
         He pushed his chair back and stood. “Listen, it’s getting late and you look tired. Why don’t you get some rest? We’ll eat in a little while and pick everything back up tomorrow.”