A Bewitching Time Volume 1: Nightfall

A Bewitching Time
Volume 1: Nightfall

Chapter 1: Winter Sun

         Today was one of those days. The feeling of the wind rustling my hair was nice and comforting. The momentous beauty of Canaan, Maine captivated me, and I took it in for a moment thinking harshly about my life. I wiped the tears from my face and forced a smile as I usually did. I gasped as my phone rang. I looked at it. Dad is calling for the seventh time in thirty minutes. Go away! I chucked the phone off the 17th story hotel building. At the very least I hope it didn't hit anyone down below. With the sunset, so beautiful I might as well just do it.

         "Really? Even you laugh at me too?" I said to it as it burned in my direction. God? Isn't that a funny notion. I still believe that you're there. Watching me, but nothing changes, it just gets worse and worse and here I am now staring you in the face. What will you say? You love me? I've heard that one before, you can't be much different than my real father. I touched the bruise on my cheek. Yeah, I can tell you are no different. Oddly, I enjoyed it the aroma of rain in the air as I gained momentum. People were screaming around me, and all I remember thinking was, Ah! Finally, now someone will remember me.

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         I felt increasingly sore. My ears were ringing, simultaneously I heard the muffling of a voice. A wave of sickness enveloped me, my eyes jolted open and I reflexively up-chucked to the side of me. When I was finished, I wiped my mouth with my bare hand and gagged a few times, holding my stomach.

         "Ah! She is conscious! Oh, and now of all times. Come. " A man around my age stood over me and raised out his hand to me. He looked worried. I heard noises that sounded like animals fighting.

         "Warrick! We can't keep this up for long. Hurry!" yelled out another man's voice. Warrick heaved me out of the shelled-out bottom of a huge tree. It was very dark, and my head ached. I shook my head to try and make my eyes focus on the darkness and the dim light from torches. I was cold, weak, and hungry. If I were out here by myself, I don't think I'd know what to do or where to go. I had been in dark places before but this time I don't think I could recognize my own hand.
         Where are we to begin with? Maine has forests but not like this. The trees here remind me of Germany or Russia. A screech from an unknown creature rang throughout the area. Every instinct in my body and my mind told me to run the other way, but this Warrick guy was nearly dragging me in its direction.

         "you have to be kidding. I'm not going to see what that thing is." I told him with desperation easily heard in my voice. I yanked on my wrist with my body weight. I don't care if I break my wrist I'm not going anywhere near that thing. Warrick looked down at me like a disobedient dog he was rescuing.

         "Miss, do you want to survive?" he said with his grip still firm on my wrist.

         "of course I want to live. That's why I'm trying my hardest to get away from you crazy bastard so that I can live." I retorted giving several more unsuccessful pulls.

         "hmm. Ah, there it is. I haven't seen that in a while in this place." He said with his face now very close to mine. He pulled my wrist closer to his body, touching his chest. He was so warm that it gave me a wave of goosebumps. He was staring into my soul with those dark brown eyes of his.

         I was getting embarrassed at the awkward silence.

         "Stop it," I said.

         "Stop what?"

         "Stop making me do something that I don't want to do. Let me figure this out by myself!" my voice was starting to crack. I gave one last good yank.

         "As you wish Miss." He said as I gave my most furious pull. He let go of me and used my momentum against me to send me flying back to the cold ground.

         "Miss, if you are so sure of yourself then tell me exactly where we are right now."

          As I stood, I grunted and rubbed my sore back. That would certainly leave a bruise later. I looked at him with disgust and anger. He brushed his long black hair back behind his ear and stuffed his hand behind his ear.

         "Hmm? Does my hearing fail me? I don't believe you answered me, Miss." He said. Alright, now he's taunting me.

         "Dammit, I don't know where I am. You're right I'm just some insignificant little woman who can't find her way. I couldn't give a rat's ass where we are, but I will walk the skin off the bottom of my feet if it means getting out of this damned forest and away from whatever the hell that thing is!"

         He started hysterically laughing at me. "Ah. Miss, I like you. You are quite the catch, truly one of a kind. Come let us survive together. To life!" he exclaimed. He heaved me up in his arms like some stupid princess in a fairy tale. I knew he wasn't going to let me down. I didn't fight anymore. Somehow I knew I was going to be safe. I could tell he was serious. Why would he go to such great lengths to help me? We'd just met minutes ago.

         No one I knew would ever do such a kind and frankly stupid thing. To be honest, neither would I. There is a certain amount of common sense in dealing with people, this Warrick obviously has none. Or maybe he is doing it intentionally? Either outcome could be equally true. He trudged up a rocky hill with me in tow, and I couldn't believe my eyes. Was I dreaming or on a really good acid trip?

         Warrick had two other companions with him. A woman and a man. They were in some way fighting this creature. It was shaped like a human but out from the back came large bat-like wings and sprouted a ferocious looking tail similar to a scorpion. Its eyes looked like flames a bright almost blindingly orange. It was terrifying to look at and mesmerizing at the same time.

         "Oh. A fresh pick from the forest tonight of all nights?" it said to the small group of armored warriors. Fresh pick? Does it intend that I'm some kind of fruit? Warrick's grip on me tightened. One of the knights lunged in on the offensive. His spear slicing into the monsters' flesh. The monster retorted with a pained gasp and engulfed itself in its large wings.

         "You should take a thing or two from the mystics. Not all they spout are lies. So dutiful you knights are. Never stopping to look over your shoulder. Just who do you trust and who trusts you?" it said.

         "Silence Scorpio. We won't kneel to your tricks. We won't allow you to harm the citizens of Albion. Know your place in the thicket!" Her tongue was sharp and strong. The female knight gave a good whack with her formidable ax. The ax made successful contact with a wing and left a nasty gash. It screamed this time; the other male knight took that opportunity to stab the other wing. It pierced through the other side pinning the front and back together. It was plain to see the agony that was on the creature's face.

         This was an odd experience for me since the "creature" looked human but had these extraneous features of a killing machine. It messed with my brain and what I thought was the right and wrong thing. My gut told me to stay away, but my brain is telling me to analyze and figure out why he got this way. His expression changed as Warrick readied his weapon and headed in for the kill.

         "Please, just a few bites. Look at her; she smells so divine! I want to feel her flesh drip down my throat. I'll savior it, I will! She's nothing to you. Dispensable, like Tuesday's trash. Another will come along soon enough." He pleaded.

         "That's no way to speak to a lady, Scorpio. Watch your tongue. Or do I have to cut it out for you?" Warrick retorted, with a lunge, he stabbed at the Scorpio's abdomen. This creature wasn't giving up without a fight. With one last ounce of power, the Scorpio lunged its stinger toward me. I was scared, but I was ready. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, waiting for the pain to start. I was too scared to open my eyes. I grabbed a fistful of dirt. I opened my eyes to see my fate.

         I was unscathed, saved just in the Knick of time. Warrick's blade had struck the creature through. The Scorpio's final words were, "Go to Hell." Warrick retorted with an. "I'm already there."

         The Scorpio flew away to ash with the wind. In some odd way, it's death was peaceful and beautiful.

         "Miss? Do you remember where you're from?" Asked Warrick.

         "I think I have an idea, She must be from Scondon because she is quite the beauty!" interjected the other male knight.

         "Thank you for the compliment, um-"

         "The name's Milton. Milton Burch." He seemed very welcoming. Perhaps he'd be a little less intimidating if he'd let go of his spear. Milton saw me staring and realized his error.

         "Oh. My apologies, Miss um. What did you say your name was?" said Milton, dropping his spear nonchalantly. He held out his hand for a friendly shake. I took it respectively and racked my brain for the answer.

         "Um. Well, Milton, that's a good question." I was highly embarrassed. Who was so stupid that they couldn't remember their own name? Do I have some cliche amnesia?

         Warrick stood beside Milton, and they exchanged the same worried kind of look.

         "As I asked you before Miss, do you remember you're from?" asked Warrick.

         "No. I-I know the place I can see it, almost taste it but-. Damnit!" I slapped my palm on my forehead as if that'd help anything.

         "Don't worry about it too much. It'll come soon enough. You'll only harm yourself if you think too hard." Said the female knight.

         "Ah. Don't mind Valencia she tends to be more brazen than us." Said Warrick a grin forming on his face.

         "I think the word you're looking for is honest. I'm honest Warrick." Retorted Valencia.

         "Well, Miss, If you don't mind me calling you that for now, I believe it's time for us to depart. There are other Grendel's out there that we wouldn't want to meet right now." Informed Milton.

         It was a good walk to our horses. Even then we weren't out of the woods yet, literally. Warrick graciously helped me up onto his steed. It was awkward, but I still trusted him. I was so blindly tired that the simple fact that I was on some horse in some forest with some man didn't faze me.

         I struggled to keep my eyes open until I let sleep take over my head slumped into Warrick's strong shoulder. His scent is overwhelming my senses as I drifted into dreamland.

         Usually, I would go weeks without having a memorable dream. That's normal. I remember learning you dream every night if you sleep, even though you do not remember the dream when you wake.

         This time I had a dream that just felt so unbelievably real. I remember going to school and taking my sister home from Muleberry High. Going for a walk on the town until I was on the local hotel rooftop enjoying the scenery. But the rest was blank. My sister, my life, hiding behind smiles, and then just nothing.

         The town I lived in, I can smell it, feel it, I can walk in it's streets once again. Warrick's question reverberated in my head, Miss? Do you remember where you're from?

         One word stood out clear as day, Canaan.

         "Miss. Miss. Miss!" a deep voice sounded, I recognized it to be Warrick's.

         "Uwaahh!" I was startled awake. We were still on horseback. We must've road all through the night.

         "I'm terribly sorry for frightening you. But I assure you I do look better than what you give me credit for Miss." Said Warrick comically.

         "Canaan."

         "What?" asked Valencia.

         "Canaan, that's the name of where I'm from," I responded.

         "Ah, a fitting name then.Canaan," said Warrick.

         "What?"

         "Since you cannot remember your name, and we do not know it, you will be named after where you are from. Therefore, your new name is Canaan."

         "I guess that'll work until I remember my real name," I said.

         "But something's missing, she needs a last name." mentioned Valencia.

         "How about, Clarent. Canaan Clarent. Yeah, that has a nice ring to it." Said Milton.

         " Thank you, Milton, for naming me."

         "Why you're welcome Miss Canaan Clarent. I'm honored. I don't think I've ever named something, let alone someone." Milton stared and then turned his head away.

         Was he somehow offended?

         "Haha, come on Milton. Don't be bashful. Maybe someday you'll get to name a child of your own. Think of this as a practice run." Warrick reassured him.

         "Shh. It's rising." Demanded Valencia.

         Warrick quieted down and looked to the horizon. Everything around us was still. The sun greeted us in bright glory. It's beauty waking the birds and taking my breath.

         "Wow, now that's one hell of a winter sun." gawked Milton.

         "Well, breakfast isn't going to cook itself. I'm famished. I bet all of you twenty Sheckles that I can get to Castle Albion faster. Deal?" Challenged Warrick.

         "Sounds good to me." Milton tightened his grip on the reigns. Warrick looked to Valencia. She sighed in protest but nodded and slapped her horse for a cheating head start.

         "Hey! That's not fair!" yelled out Warrick and clicked his heals. Milton followed with a grunt. It was a little scary, but it only made me tighten my grip on Warrick. My eyes just couldn't part from the sight of that warm winter sun welcoming me to this new world. Little did I know at the time that I had plummeted onto a path of bloody choices and regrets.