Scars of the Earth (3 page)

“Amanda, come back to us. Don’t linger in the darkness a moment longer.” She could just make out Madgie’s muffled words reaching out to her. Her voice sounding as if she was at the far end of a tunnel.

“Amanda Sarah Cates!” Madgie’s voice was becoming clearer. “Wherever you are get your skinny ass back here now! S-B my dear, don’t leave me.”

That really is Madgie! Amanda thought.

Madgie had called her S-B since she was a kid. She thought it an odd nick name, since S-B wasn’t even close to her initials. Six months after the nick name was established she finally felt comfortable enough around Madgie to ask her about it.

“Madgie is there a reason you decided to call me S-B, or was your senile old brain just on the fritz that day?” Madgie laughed at her with her whole body.

“I thought, since you hadn’t ever asked, you must not have cared. But no, you’re just the kind that likes to let something stew until you have driven yourself absolutely crazy. Right?” Madgie asked. Amanda evaluated herself and nodded her head.

“Yeah I guess that’s a fair depiction, but I’m done stewing. So tell me, why S-B?” Amanda asked. Madgie threw a thin arm around her before replying.

“Stands for sugar beet.” She said smiling.

“Sugar beet huh? I’m not sure that you’ve given me the right nickname.” Amanda said.

“Sure I have, sugar beets are something sweet that God decided to hide in a layer of dirt. And that’s you to a tee.” Madgie said.

Amanda snapped out of her revere when she heard Nell’s voice. When Nell spoke it was nearly too soft to hear.

“Amanda?” Nell whispered.

Her eyes shot open, making Nell shriek out in fear. Amanda’s large eyes, once a bright blue, now bore an eerie crimson red all the way down to the pupil.

“Oh dear lord!” Madgie shouted clutching her chest.

“Madgie! I have to go back!” She was surprised to find her voice actually hanging in the air.

I can speak. She thought, but as she attempted to sit up, she realized her limbs where still of no use to her.

“Has it moved yet Madgie?” She asked.

Her mentor was speechless staring wide eyed at her. Still as a statue, Madgie looked as if she were bracing for a rattle snake to strike.

“Has the damned Scar moved yet?” Amanda shouted. Madgie’s shoulders loosened two notches at her impatience. She had always been dreadfully impatient and Madgie seemed satisfied that Amanda was in fact herself, and not some creature set upon their destruction.

“You watch your mouth Amanda Sarah, Nell is here.” She said shortly. Amanda’s eyes stretched wide in anger, which usually amused Madgie. But in their current state just gave her a cold shiver.

“Yes the Scar has moved. Are you alright S-B? Is your head hurt, are you thinking clearly?” Madgie asked.

It has moved. She thought. Her blood felt like lead in her veins, weighing her down. And she didn’t know if she would ever get up.

Kaedin will fade. She thought. Scarlet tears began to fall freely from her swollen eyes. Amanda gave herself over to the screams of pain that had been waiting to come forth, only stifled by her will to save Kaedin. Madgie’s thin eyebrows shot up in surprise.

Madgie had seen Amanda fail other spirits; she came out of Scars broken hearted but not weeping. She was there the day a young Amanda was brought to the Hovel in the Dredging; almost all of the other children cried for their Mothers, but not her. Madgie was even the one to tell her not to hope for a family, Healers couldn’t have children because they were always being pulled into Scars and only they can exist on that plain. So a pregnant Healer would lose her child unless it too was a Healer. Which was a million to one shot. Madgie had been there through all of these things and she had never seen Amanda shed a tear. She turned to Nell quickly.

“Go find out what is taking those nurses so damned long!” Madgie shouted. Nell was out of the double doors before the request was complete. She wanted to put some distance between herself and Amanda’s frozen body, the marks, those red eyes, and her relentless shrieks of pain.

Amanda forced back the screams and tears, a thought occurred to her.

Find her! Can I find her? I’ve never heard of it being done, but that doesn’t mean anything. She thought.

She just needed to get her head back on straight. This was difficult considering the amount of pain that she was in. She looked over at Madgie. Her face was unusually readable, worry creasing every line on her face. Amanda cleared her throat and spoke.

“Healers for the Healer, don’t you think that’s a bit redundant?” She was trying to take away the line of worry Madgie wore between her eyebrows. Her shot at humor had no effect. Madgie spoke in a whisper.

“There is no reason to be frightened. The Ancients have been called; they will know how to fix you up.” The tone of her voice made it clear that Madgie wanted to believe that the Ancients could solve any problem. But her words didn’t comfort Amanda.

‘It’s just best to go through life never having to meet the Ancients.’ That’s what she told me the one time I questioned her about them. And now she is hoping that they can help me? I must look pretty awful…the screaming probably didn’t help. She thought, kicking herself for worrying her friend. She looked up and saw Madgie’s unfocused eyes and distant expression. The pain made her thoughts jumbled and broken. It would be hard to question Madgie with any kind of success, but she had to try.

“Madgie since you haven’t drilled me with questions since I came to, I assume you know what happened to me in that Scar.” She said plainly. Madgie snapped out of her far away thoughts and looked over at her.

“I know where these marks came from. But I don’t know exactly what happened to you in there.” Madgie replied.

These marks? They said something about marks earlier. She recalled. Amanda was still in a semi frozen state, but she attempted to look down at her stiff body. Which, she now realized, had been stripped completely naked. Her first instinct was to cover up but her dead limbs where of no use. Unable to move even slightly her eyes could just make out the indistinct curves of her body, but that was more than enough. The ominous marks were covering every inch of her once beautiful body. Her eyes strained to focus and make a clear picture but without the ability to lift her head it was impossible to really see herself.

“Madgie could you get me a mirror?” Amanda asked. Madgie knitted her thin eyebrows together.

She’s worried I might be too weak to handle the sight of myself. That’s not an encouraging sign. She thought and spoke a bit louder.

“Madgie get me a mirror, please.” She said. Madgie left for a moment and came back with a petite wall mirror clutched in her unsure hands.

Madgie is never unsure about anything. She thought. She wanted to know what she was dealing with. She cared little about what she looked like, but she didn’t want her appearance to hinder her. It would be much harder to travel the world looking for Kaedin, if she didn’t look like a normal person. Madgie stepped tentatively forward and after a few tries she had the mirror angled so Amanda could see herself.

After she came to grips with the fact that her eyes looked like the devil’s own, she studied her body. Her whole left side was a dark bruise. Though it looked like no other bruise she had ever seen. It was too dark and the colors within it swirled and danced like an oil slick on the surface of a puddle. The living bruise stretched across her belly in thin waving fingers until it tucked back under her right side. The bruise made sense to her she remembered the demon sinking its teeth into her side and tossing her back and forth like a rag doll. She didn’t understand the rest of the marks covering her body, black marks running in every direction tracing her veins.

It looks like my heart is circulating tar. She thought.

“Madgie? What are these?” Amanda asked her voice full of panic.

Madgie responded quickly fearful of showing any more reluctance today. She wanted Amanda to be at ease; which was a hard thing to ask of her seeing as how she, herself, was nearly turned to stone by fear.

“They are markings called Ronbi.” Madgie said. Amanda searched through her education in a few short seconds. She had no definition for the word.

“I don’t know what ‘Ronbi’ means Madgie. Why don’t I know?” She asked.

“We don’t often discuss them. They are very rare and a topic of great fear.” Madgie explained.

“What are they Madgie?” She pressed. Madgie looked down at the mirror now lying in her lap.

“They are evil marks. It is what we see when a demon has corrupted a soul…” She paused and tucked a bit of graying hair behind her ear. “And taken it to where we can not tread.” Madgie finished.

Corrupted? She thought.

“What, like I’m something evil and unclean now? Do you think that Madgie?” She asked. From the way that Madgie averted her eyes she already knew the answer, though Madgie didn’t give it.

“No, no. I don’t believe that, and I can’t tell you what I do believe. I haven’t a clue as to what is going on. If a Healer has been corrupted, it isn’t something that they can live through. The demon’s essence poisons their very blood, taking all that is human and all that is spirit. Consuming them like a ravenous dog.” Madgie was trying to reassure both Amanda and herself that whatever she had gone through, she was still whole. Uncorrupted.

I may not be gone, but I am corrupted. I can feel it. She thought closing her eyes to explore her body, mind, and spirit. She could sense the internal struggle and feel the heaviness of the demons essence. It thrashed in her veins and spread a dark, unearthly smell into her skin.

No, I am not clean, but my spirit is fighting. And it is strong. I will be fine, but why? Why am I alive? Amanda stopped thinking and voiced her question.

“So why am I alive Madgie?”

“I don’t know you must have just slipped out in time. I don’t understand how you are still breathing. Just look at you! You should be dead Amanda, and you aren’t.” Madgie said. Her fear and confusion were apparent on her face.

“Listen Madgie, I don’t really care about what these stupid marks are or why I’m not dead just help me, please. I don’t know what that demon’s venom has done to me, but as you have noticed I can’t move.” She said. Madgie’s head turned swiftly away from her gaze, and the aversion had nothing to do with her haunting red stare. Amanda spoke franticly, trying to get Madgie to understand the importance of haste.

“Madgie I need to move I have to find that Scar and free her, this little spirit. She was stronger than any spirit I have ever encountered, but she won’t last long. Madgie after you figure out a way to get me up and moving again you have to tell me how to find her.” She said. Madgie slowly turned her head back towards her and spoke slowly making sure that Amanda understood every word.

“The demon’s venom is still attacking your spirit, not you body.” Madgie articulated.

She has no idea what she’s talking about. She thought.

“That’s not true Madgie I can’t even tell you how much pain I’m in, and I can’t move a muscle.” She said. Madgie shook her head slowly.

“You are in pain because your spirit is fighting the Hell fire within you child. Your body is tainted, but working.” Madgie said.

“So why can’t I move?” Amanda asked. Madgie opened her mouth to speak, but she seemed unable to answer-at least not to her face. Fixing her gaze on something just outside of Amanda’s line of sight she spoke.

“You are unable because the Ancients have made it so.” Madgie said.

‘The Ancients have made it so?’ What does that mean? Amanda thought curiously. She strained her eyes to see what Madgie was gazing at and in her peripheral vision she could just make out the shape of a syringe. Her mind raced as she struggled against the manufactured concoction flowing through her veins.

They drugged me! She realized.

“Madgie, how could you do this to me? I trusted you!” Amanda shouted at her. Madgie’s kind face streamed with tears.

“It was for your own good Amanda. We didn’t know if you would be yourself when you came to, or if what awoke would be a terrible creature of nightmares. We were scared to even use magic to keep you immobile, for fear of what it might do to you or us. This is unheard of! I don’t even think that the Ancients know what to do. Don’t worry; the drug will wear off by the time the Ancients are ready to hold council.” Madgie said. Amanda tried to let her anger at them go; the venom in her seemed to bubble and grow in it.

“What about the Scar? Is there a way to find it?” She asked.

“No, I can’t tell you how to find your Scar. I don’t know if it is even possible. Seeking isn’t our way. Scars find us, not the other way around. It’s how it has always been done.” Madgie told her grimly. Amanda’s last hope for Kaedin receded like the tides as she gave herself back over to the scorching pain that was now a part of her.

When Amanda surfaced, she scanned the small sterile room for daylight. Having no windows she couldn’t tell how much time had elapsed. She sat up in a swift motion and immediately crashed back down clutching her chest.

This is going to take some getting use to. She thought. Her muscles screamed in protest, but she forced herself into a sitting position. She didn’t think it was even possible, but the pain was even greater when she moved. Taking deep breaths she moved her arms around attempting to get use to the hurt. Bright stars filled her vision, blinding her to the world around her. So she couldn’t see who had walked through the double doors, but she could hear the hesitant footfall and sensed the person’s unease. Knowing that both Madgie and the Ancients weren’t people that made a shy approach, she guessed that it was Nell. She went to cover herself but found she was thankfully wearing a robe.

“Hello Nell. Are you doing better today?” Amanda asked. Nell stepped back and glanced at the doors seriously contemplating a hasty retreat.

“Don’t be such a mouse Nell, I won’t bite. If it will make you feel better, I’ll even keep my creepy eyes closed okay?” She said shutting her eyes. Nell’s tension eased a bit.

“Are you you Amanda, or something else?” Nell bit her lip unsure if she was supposed to ask that question or not.