Sky Child (16 page)

28

Once we reach the Crag, I follow closely behind Helm. He is not as careful about protecting me as Ebb is. I think because he is so strong, people stay away from him out of fear of what he might do to them. Instead of looking down side-tunnels he simply walks straight ahead, confident that he will handle whatever may come.

We arrive at Ebb's room. She is asleep. I peek inside without making any noise, but she suddenly wakes up. I watch as Ebb pulls a knife out from under her blanket and turns around to aim it at me.

"Ebb! It's just me!" I say.

Thankfully, Ebb is able to stop her hand from throwing the knife. Although my armor would probably deflect a knife, I would rather not take the chance.

"Sam? You startled me!" says Ebb.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."

"It's okay. I'm just glad I didn't stab you."

"Me too," I agree.

I turn to tell Helm that he can leave, but he has already disappeared.

"Do I need to get out of bed already?" asks Ebb.

"Yes, and I am sorry that you do. If I could, I would let you sleep longer. Unfortunately, the feast should nearly be ready now. I will need your protection."

"Alright. It should only take me a... "

Ebb finally looks at me, and notices my new armor.

"It's beautiful," she says, pointing at my chest.

"Thank you. Anchor, Jib and Stanchion made it for me," I say.

"I don't think I've seen anything so amazing before," says Ebb. "How do you throw rocks with your arms covered?"

"They designed it so that my arm can move freely," I say. "It took some getting used to, but I've fixed my aim with it."

"I very much like the symbol of the Crag they put on it. How did they make it that color?"

"Stanchion told me he mixed silver and gold. It is my favorite part of the armor," I say.

"I can see why," says Ebb. "And did they give you knives?"

Ebb points to the blades on my stomach.

"Yes, they made these as well," I say.

I pull one of the knives out and twist it around in my hand, so that the blade is aimed at me. I pass her the blade, which she grabs by the handle. She lays it out flat in her palm and moves it up and down, trying to feel how heavy it is.

"They are not very heavy, and they have good balance," says Ebb.

"I was able to split a wolf's skull at distance with one," I say.

"I don't doubt it. Make sure you take care of them, because they would be almost impossible to replace."

"I will," I say.

"Did you get to pick the color yourself?" asks Ebb.

I nod.

"I like it. Reminds me a little of clover."

"I wanted something that would look good, and help protect me. I figure I can lie down in the grass, or in the clover, and hide from a dragon. I think wolves will still smell me, though. It might help me hide from people too, if I am on the ground," I say.

"The good thing is, when you're standing up and leading us, you will be easy to see with the sky to your back," says Ebb.

"I hope so. But I will use a strong voice to make sure I am heard."

"I bet you will also be hard to see in the dark tunnels. Except for the symbol. That will give you away."

"Probably. So will you be ready to go to the feast soon?" I ask.

"I would like to wash first," says Ebb.

"That sounds like a good idea. Can we stop by my room so I can grab my soap?" I ask.

"Yes, of course, Sam. Just let me put on fresh clothes."

I decide to turn around, so that I can't watch Ebb put on her clothes. I don't know why I am shy around her now. Everyone changes their clothes in front of everyone else, and it has always been that way.

"Okay, I am ready," says Ebb.

She looks at me with a curious look on her face. I can tell she is wondering why I turned around. Her look of curiosity grows into a smile.

"Are you ready?" she asks.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know, why wouldn't you be?"

"Right. So, let's go then," I say.

Ebb has to catch up to me, because I am walking a little faster than I normally do. I'm not sure why I am, though. I also find it weird that I don't understand why I am acting this way. I normally know exactly why I am thinking, or feeling, or doing something.

When we reach the room that I share with my brothers, neither of them are there.

"They must have already headed to the feast," I say.

I take off my armor and pick up a set of clean clothes, grab my soap, then follow Ebb to the loud waters.

It is fairly busy when we arrive, because people are trying to get cleaned up before the feast. If we had come much earlier though, it would have been worse. Many others have already bathed and left for the feast.

I wash up. Every so often I look over at Ebb, but then quickly look away. I don't want her noticing me looking at her. One time, though, she sees me looking and smiles. I try even harder not to look at her now. Ebb goes back to her washing and so do I. Once I am ready, I look over and see that Ebb is already getting out of the water.

We both hurry to the Great Fire to dry off. It doesn't take very long to get dry, and the clothes we brought are already clean, which makes things easier.

I am still a little wet when I put my clothes on. Ebb notices that I have already dressed, and after ringing her hair out, she puts her clothes on too. I think she is still more wet than me, because her clothes cling to her, and mine do not.

We make our way to the feast chamber. Half the food is already gone, but what is left looks delicious. I don't know that anyone has come up with a name for them yet, but Cleave created a new food not long ago. She takes a few pieces of bread and puts meat between them. She's tried adding different vegetables to see what works best. It seems that the vegetables people like to use are lettuce, tomato and cucumber. I tried one with squash and broccoli once, and it wasn't very good.

I grab a pair of the bread and meat things and take them to the head table. Helm and Mast are already there, waiting for me. I try to ignore everything else and focus on my food.

They are the best meat and bread things cleave has ever made. This time she used leftover wolf meat that she'd cut into very thin slices. She also added onion, lettuce and a fried egg.

I bite into one of them, and I can feel the yellow egg center creeping into the bread. It makes the bread a little softer, and makes the food easier to swallow. The flavor is also amazing. The lettuce is crisp and the onion makes it spicy. I can taste the rosemary that Cleave added to the wolf meat. It is one of the best things I have ever eaten.

I finish the other one just as quickly as the first. I finally decide to look over at Chaff, and this time he is looking straight at me. We lock eyes. He stares at me, and I stare right back. I wait to see if he will look away first. My eyes start to burn, but I will not give in. I eventually realize that we are both acting like new ones, and that I should be better than that. I break eye contact and shake my head in disappointment for playing his game.

I realize that while I was eating, both Helm and Mast had been talking with the other advisors. Mast finally turns to me.

"Sam, Chaff would like to meet with you privately tomorrow when the sun rises. He says that he has things he would like to discuss with you personally, and that advisors can stand guard outside the meeting, but are unnecessary for what he has to say."

I think about it for a moment. It seems like there is more good than bad in meeting him that way, because then I wouldn't have to deal with Sickle and Scythe. And even though Chaff may be dangerous, if we are alone together, I am not afraid of Chaff attacking me. He is so slow that I believe it would be very easy for me to kill him if it became necessary. He is dangerous only because he can control people, because he controls something that people need.

"Yes, I will meet with him. Tomorrow at sunrise," I say.

"I will let his advisors know," says Mast.

I am sure that Chaff just wants to meet with me to show me who is really in control of things. He will try and scare me into doing what he wants. But I can't be afraid anymore, not with so many people depending on me.

29

I
wake up the next morning still tired. I went to sleep early so that I could be up for the sunrise. I get out of bed and put my clothes on as fast as I can. I have no idea if I've missed the sunrise, or if it's still dark out. When you sleep in a room, deep in the Crag, you have a hard time seeing the sun.

I tell Ebb to go back to her room and get some sleep. I thank her for watching over us again. I head out toward the front of the cave, and see that the sun came up a while ago. Great, if Chaff didn't want to kill me before, he definitely wants to kill me now. I follow several twisting tunnels until I reach Chaff's room. Outside, both Mast and Helm are waiting for me.

"He's ready," says Helm. "If you need us, just yell."

"I'm pretty sure I can kill him if necessary. Let us hope it comes to that," I say, smiling.

Mast pulls the curtain to Chaff's room back and I walk inside.

The first thing I notice is that Chaff is sitting behind his table, and he looks angry. Not really a surprise. I also notice that he is busy sharpening one of the tools they use for the harvest. He runs a stone along the blade a few times then looks up at me.

"Sam, please sit," says Chaff.

I sit down on one of the rocks he uses as chairs. It seems strange that the words he says to me are polite, but I can tell from his voice that he has murder in his heart. Of course, to be the kind of leader that Chaff is, you have to be able to say one thing and think, or feel, or do another.

"So you think that you are the Sky Child?" says Chaff.

I am surprised by the question. I know the answer, but I didn't expect him to ask me about it.

"No. I'm not the Sky Child," I say.

"That is what people believe right now. That you have been brought here to save us."

"I really don't know why they would think that."

"Oh, come now. You saved the hunters, and you slayed a dragon with a stick. You also survived the trials. Who else but the Sky Child could do such things?"

"You and I both know I'm not the Sky Child. It's just a legend," I say.

"Yes, you and I both know, but unfortunately that doesn't matter. People in the Crag aren't like us. They are slow of mind, and believe anything they hear. There have been whispers of you being the Sky Child ever since you were found outside the Crag. Their belief that you are the Sky Child poses a problem. I know you are smart enough to understand that the people of the Crag will try to protect you from harm, which is why I think that you were so defiant last night. Why you decided to provoke me, instead of trying to form an alliance with me," says Chaff.

"I provoked you because I despise you. You and your sons. And I wanted you to know that you don't control me," I say.

"That is my worry, yes. So I needed to do something to make sure you understand who is really in control here. Who really runs The Crag. If you are unsure of who that is, let me explain it to you. I control the harvest. I control the food that comes in and out of the Crag, even the meat that you hunters bring back. Because anyone that defies me knows they will starve. You are young, and it wasn't that long ago that you were a new one. So I understand that you might still act like a new one, trying to stand up to me the way a brat would stand up to their parents. Let me explain it to you plainly. I am your new father. You will do as I say, without question, from now on," says Chaff.

"Or else what?" I ask.

"Since you obviously won't listen, I think it will be easier for me to show you. I asked Sickle and Scythe to leave a gift in your room. When you get there, I think you will understand who really has control of the Crag."

I look at Chaff's eyes, and for the first time he seems happy. It makes my stomach sick. Something isn't right. I hadn't even realized that Sickle and Scythe weren't around. I need to get back to my room, now.

I run through the door to Chaff's room, nearly pulling down the curtain as I pass through. Helm and Mast realize something must be wrong if I am running through the tunnels, and follow behind me.

I can hear their footsteps as I take several turns, but I can tell they are having a hard time keeping up. The footsteps get quieter, until I almost can't hear them. As I run, I say a silent prayer to the Sky Gods that all is still well in my room.

I turn the corner to go into our room and see blood on the ground. Not the normal red of dried animal blood, but the dark, shining blood of a person. I look down at the body and start to cry. I scream for help as I slide my arms under Jet's lifeless body. I shake him and shake him, trying to get him to wake up. I put my ear over his heart, but I can't hear it beating. I panic, because I don't know what to do. I realize that it's too late. Jet is gone.

"No, no please. No. No. No, he can't, he can't, he can't..."

I lose myself to the sadness, and cry and scream and gasp for air. I grip Jet with all my strength as Helm and Mast appear. I see the horror in their faces as they realize what has happened, and what I am holding in my arms.

Mast and Helm pry me away from Jet's body while I kick and scream, then they drag me down the hall. Mast pins my arms to the ground, and Helm goes back into my room to get a bucket of water. He comes back and throws the water at me, washing some of Jet's blood away. It shocks me, and I stop trying to fight, but I can't stop crying. I don't think I will ever stop crying.

"Which one is it?" asks Helm.

"J-jet. It was Jet," I say.

"Where is Flot?"

"I... I don't know."

"I'm here," comes Flot's voice from down the hall.

It is hard to hear him. Helm walks off in the direction of Flot's voice. I hear a groaning noise. I twist my head to look down the tunnel, and watch as Helm returns with Flot in his arms.

Mast releases his grip on me and I stand up and run to Flot. He looks injured, but he is still alive. He has a cut lip, his neck is red, and he is holding his stomach.

"What happened young hunter?" asks Helm.

"It was Sickle and Scythe," says Flot with a rough voice, tears running down his cheeks. "They came looking for me. Jet was off getting water. They didn't say anything, they just smiled and stared at me. Then Sickle punched me in the mouth. I fell to the ground, and then they kicked my stomach as hard as they could. Scythe picked me up by my throat and pushed me against the wall. He held me there, and I couldn't breathe. That's when Jet came back. He was so angry at them, I thought he might kill one of them."

"What happened next?" asks Helm, setting Flot carefully on the ground.

"Jet jumped on Sickle and knocked him to the ground. He punched Sickle so hard that I think he broke his eye. Scythe got ahold of Jet though, and pulled him off of Sickle. He threw Jet to the ground then stomped on his head. He just kept kicking Jet, over and over. Sickle got up and started kicking Jet too. They kept kicking him until he stopped moving. Jet died trying to protect me."

I lean back against a wall and slide down it, covering my eyes. I cry harder than I have ever cried before. This is all my fault. If I hadn't tried to make Chaff angry, Jet would still be alive. Sickle and Scythe never would have come to hurt Flot. I should be the one that died, not Jet. Jet never did anything wrong. Jet was true of heart and strong and loyal, and he didn't deserve to die.

"Sam, Jet died because of me, because I'm not as strong, and I don't stand up for myself. It's all my fault," says Flot, as he starts to cry harder.

I move on my hands and knees to where Flot is on the ground, and I wrap my arms round him.

"No, Flot, it isn't your fault. You didn't do anything wrong, and neither did Jet. It was my fault that Sickle and Scythe came and attacked you. I am so, so sorry," I say.

Only, is it really my fault? Chaff is truly evil, and would have sent Sickle and Scythe anyway. Chaff is the real cause of this, and he must be stopped. Tears turn to anger. I set Flot down on the cold stone floor.

"Mast, Helm, take Flot back to our room and put him in bed," I say.

I stand up, and start moving in the direction of Chaff's room, but a hand reaches out and grabs my arm. I pull away from it, but I can't free myself from the grip.

"Don't do this, Sam. I know you want to kill Chaff right now, but the Sky Child would never kill anyone, unless they had to," says Mast.

I pull with all my strength and weight away from Mast's hand and break free, but I fall to the ground. I get back up, still filled with anger.

"I am not the Sky Child! The Sky Child isn't real, it's just some stupid legend, made up by people that aren't even alive anymore. Don't you think that if I was the Sky Child I would have seen this coming, and I would have stopped it? The Sky Child is supposed to bring hope and happiness to the people of the Crag. I have only brought death," I say.

"No, that was Chaff. He did this, not you. Jet's death isn't your fault," says Mast.

I stand there, staring at Mast. I am quiet for a moment.

"I'm going to kill Chaff for what he did," I say.

"If you do, you have doomed the Crag. You won't just be killing Chaff, you will be killing all of us, because we need the harvest to survive. Otherwise, there just isn't enough food for everyone. Chaff knows that, which is why he is such a monster. He can get away with it, because he knows that he controls everything," says Mast.

"I have to end Chaff's evil."

"Then find another way."

I look at Mast for a moment longer then turn and head down one of the tunnels that will lead me outside.