XIII

The morning sun rose over Dreyamere, the weak rays illuminating the snow that coated every surface. The clouds had finally blown by, and for the first time in three days, no flakes fell. The beams of light crept up the bricks of an abandoned workshop, shining through the holes where windows used to be, and into what was left of roof. Inside, two siblings huddled together for warmth. Snow covered most of the inside of the shop, but they managed to find a small space where the planks overhead provided some protection. They had lit no fire, for fear of discovery, leading to punishingly cold nights. Lira slept soundlessly, her head resting on her brothers shoulder. Wren however, once again found himself beset with nightmares. Over and over he relived the night of the escape. Each time he tried to stop the charging horse, but each time he watched as his friend was trampled to death. The gruesome scene had been seared into his mind, and the nightmares provided examples of how it could have been worse. Sometimes Sam didn't get to Lira in time, and they both get ground to a pulp beneath the fiery hooves of some awful devil horse. Sometimes they try to run, but the horse chases them down, as if seeking out their blood. Once, Mason had been riding the steed, and laughed like a mad man as the beast trod upon Sam.

Finally, Wren awoke with a cry. His bloodshot eyes swept their meager shelter for threats that weren't there. Panting, he looked down at this sister. She still slept, her cheek pressed against his shoulder, her soft brown hair matted and dirty. Wren tipped his head back, resting it against the crate they leaned on. His stomach rumbled. He glanced at their packs, sitting in a shadowed corner nearby. If he continued to ration their food, they should have enough hard bread and old cheese to last another day or two, then he would have to come up with a plan for food. They had decided to wait out the snow, hiding in place rather than going out to forage.

Wren shifted slightly, thinking to sit up and wake his sister, when he realized a woolen blanket had been draped over them. Fear lanced through his mind. Someone had crept in and placed a blanket over them while they slept! His eyes darted around, his heart once again hammering in his chest. There were no signs anyone had been here, but obviously someone had. Trying to remain calm, he gently shook his sister. She woke quickly, her wide blue eyes meeting his questioningly.

"Look" he whispered to her, gently lifting the blanket. " Someone came here in the night."

Lira scanned to room, just as he had. But unlike him, she seemed to notice something. She stood quickly, letting the blanket fall. Wren watched curiously as she walked across the room, her eyes closed. Somehow, she managed to step perfectly between the debris of the fallen roof, her feet finding the right spots to step. She navigated to the other side of the small workshop, to the opposite wall which was made of wooden boards, rather than bricks like the rest of the building. She reached out, her fingers gently brushing the surface. Then, she found purchase between the planks, and effortlessly swung one aside. Wren came over to inspect her find, and saw in the snow just outside, one single boot print, leading inside. Wrens breath hitched in his chest.

"We need to move sis. Someone knows we're here. They helped us, we don't know why. We've been here too long anyway." Wren said, his eyes not leaving the print in the snow.

They broke their fast, then cleaned up their sad excuse for a shelter. Wren balled up their gifted blanket and stuffed it in his pack. Lira carried Sams old pack, which had his extra clothes and the pendant from his mother. Wren wanted to wear it, but he was afraid it would catch unwanted attention, so he buried it under the clothes.

They exited the workshop through the newly discovered slot in the wall. Wren hoped maybe there'd be more indications of who had helped them. They crunched through the couple inches of snow, walking along an alley way of abandoned buildings. Many had been burned out, and some were boarded up, with no way inside. On the other side of the buildings was a dirt road, but Wren hadn't seen any foot traffic, which is why they choose this spot. Despite the lack of people, they still crept from building to building. This part of the city seemed mostly desolate, but he was taking no chances. They could hear the occasional sound of habitation from beyond the second row of buildings across the street. The occasional shout of a neighbor greeting someone, or the creak of a wagon. For now, Wren just wanted to get his bearings of the city. They had spent the entire night of their escape creeping away from the wall, past some slums and into a more empty industrial like area. He could see buildings rising up deeper into the city, but had no plans to venture in that direction. For safety, he was assuming there were guards looking for them, and that the local populace might not be trustworthy.

While Wren was lost in thought, Lira had come to a halt beside him. She reached out and grabbed his arm as he kept walking.

The touch brought him out of his thoughts, and he looked back to see her head tipped to the side. Wren focused, listening intently. The snow seemed to hush everything around them, bringing with it an eerie silence. Wren was about to keep moving when they heard the crunch of snow, and the huff of a horse. He met his sisters fearful gaze. The building they were next to was boarded up, with no viable hiding spots. Instead they dashed to the next building, some sort of small two story house perhaps. Oddly, the glass windows were fully intact. The backdoor had boards across it, but when Wren tried the handle it swung open. Muttering his thanks to the gods, he squeezed under the lowest board. He turned back to see Lira staring with wide eyes at the house.

"Sis come on!" He whispered harshly, waving her over. Lira opened her mouth slightly and gently shook her head, as if trying to warn him of something. From frighteningly close by came the bark of a dog, and mens excited voices.

They brought hounds! Thought Wren in a panic. Lira seemed to share this mindset, as she glanced once in the direction of the commotion, then dived under the board and into the house.

They stood in an old kitchen. The stench of rot was strong, and everything was covered in a thick layer of dust. They crept through and into what appeared to be the main room. A rotten carpet covered the warped floor. Moldy furniture was scattered around the room. A bookshelf lay on it's face, and decrepit books were strewn about. Strangely, this placed seemed in good condition. It was as though it's occupants simply left, and looters hadn't realized it was abandoned. They slinked through the darkness, finding a closed door on one side, and stairs leading up. Wren placed a foot on the first step, but felt Liras' hand on his shoulder. She was looking at him with her big blue eyes, a look of concern etched into her face. She shook her head slightly, glancing up at the ceiling. Whatever she was trying to tell him, he decided it must be important.

Voices could be heard from outside the windows of the main room, and several dogs yipped.

"Ah not this place again!" Said a gruff mans voice.

"Every time were in this area the dogs go nuts for this house." Agreed another.

A pounding sounded on the front door.

"This is the city watch, if anyone's in there, come on out!"

Wren looked around wildly for a place to hide, and focused on the room with the closed door.

"Come on!" He whispered to his sister, then quietly scampered to the door. He tried the handle and it turned, but the door seemed stuck in its frame.

The banging sounded on the front door again, so Wren shouldered the door hard, bashing it open. He stumbled through, and into an old bedroom.

"I think I heard somthin' in there, should we check it out?" A voice from outside asked.

Lira followed him into the room, then swung the door closed.

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"Ha! not a chance in hell I'm goin' in there! Probly just scared a racoon." replied another voice. "Lets move on. Get those hounds under control."

The siblings hunkered down behind an old wardrobe that had fallen, listening as the men outside moved past, the dogs still barking. Wren let out a long sigh, not realizing he was holding his breath.

The room stank badly. A small bed sat in the middle, horrible moldy and decayed. Disgusting curtains covered the windows, preventing much light from getting in. Wren was just getting his heart rate down when a small voice made him freeze.

"Who are you?"

The siblings spun around, and a small child of four or five stood by the door, which was still closed. They stared at the child in shock.

"Can you help me?" the child asked.

Wren glanced at his sister. She was frowning at the child, her blue eyes glowing faintly.

"Who... what are you doing here?" Asked Wren.

The child turned his eyes to him. The boy was very pale, with skin that seemed too smooth, almost waxy. Its eyes seemed black in the low light, but its clothes seemed remarkably clean. A small stuffed bear was clutched in its hands. Wren couldn't tell if it was a boy or girl.

"I live here. But I need help. Mamma and poppa, they won't wake up." The child's voice was feeble, and Wrens chest tightened, an overwhelming sense of pity filling him.

Looking back at the bed, Wren said, "Where are they?"

The child raised it's eyes to the ceiling. "Upstairs."

Wren frowned and looked at Lira. She was still staring at the child, not moving at all.

"Sis, we should help, right?" She said nothing, of course. But she didn't move either. In fact, she gave no indication she had heard him at all.

"Please, can you help me?" Begged the child again.

Wrens heart ached. Hearing this poor child, living in this awful house, they had to do something.

"Take me to them, I'll see what I can do." He finally said. He turned back to his sister, who still seemed entirely focused on the child. "Just uh, wait here I guess sis, I'm going to see what's going on." Still no acknowledgment.

He turned back around and the door was open and the child was gone. He stepped into the main room and noticed he could see his breath. It had gotten a lot colder since they had been inside. Something in his mind was trying to tell him that this was wrong, he should get out, but the thought of leaving the child alone here without helping was too much to bear. Once again he placed his boot on the first step, and glanced back into the room. Lira still stood motionless, her blue eyes glowing faintly in the dark.

As he stood there, he could feel something compelling him to climb the stairs, a strong urgency to help. Without another thought, Wren climbed the stairs. The second floor was in even worse condition. There were holes in the walls, and debris cover the floor. A putrid smell lingered in the air, causing Wren to gag. The childs voice called out from the open door of a room to his right.

"Please, they're in here!"

Wren forced himself through the heavy air, holding his hand over his mouth and nose. He stuck his head around the door frame, and saw the child standing next to a massive bed. Wren could see shapes laying under the rotten covers. A voice was nagging in Wrens mind, trying to cut through the daze that had settled. He forced the distraction away, and stepped towards the bed.

"Please, I can't wake them up. I've been trying for so, so long." The child begged.

When Wren looked down, his vision shifted and his mind bent as he met the decaying face of a long dead woman. Her skin was rotting away, and brown dried blood stained the pillows and sheets. her mouth was open in a silent scream, and he could see cobwebs within. Her skeletal hand grasped the handle of a knife that was deeply embedded in the side of her throat. The shape laying next to her was male, but the face was gone. Something had pulverized the head, reducing it to a lumpy mess. Wren let out a scream of horror and stumbled away. He backpedaled, tripping over something and falling on his back. He turned his head from his place on the floor, and was face to face with the empty sockets of a skull. He screamed again and shot to his feet, realizing the floor was covered in bodies. Many of them were nothing more than skeletons, but several still had rotting flesh clinging to the bones.

"A lot of people have come to help, but no one actually has." The child says, stepping closer to Wren. "They come inside, but then try and leave. But I can't let them leave, they said they would help me! You're not going to leave me, are you mister?"

The room darkened around the child, as though it was sucking in the light. The temperature dropped even more, piercing into Wrens bones. He saw dark spots forming at the edges of his vision. He turned, trying to find the door, but he couldn't.

I have to get out! I have to find Lira! we must escape... His thoughts started to float away from him. He felt himself getting tired, like he'd been awake for days. He sank to his knees, heavy fatigue weighing him down. He closed his eyes, and felt his consciousness begin to drift away, when suddenly a voice tore through his mind.

"WREN! GET UP AND RUN!" It was like a windstorm whipping through a forest, the haze in his mind blown away like dead leaves blasted from their branches. It was his sisters voice!

He snapped his eyes open and saw the child floating above him, mere inches from his face, as he now lay on the floor. Its eyes too big for its face and pitch black, not even the whites visible. It's mouth was an open black void with no teeth, black ichor dripping from the hole. Wren cried out and flung himself to his side, scattering bones. The child-thing shrieked, rattling the windows and causing Wren to clamp his hands over his ears. He rose to his feet and stumbled out of the room, trying not to trip over the bodies that now littered the floor and hallway. He felt the cold presence of evil behind him, and heard several overlapping voices cry out from the putrid corpse room.

"YOU CANNOT LEAVE! WE NEED YOU!"

Wren flung himself down the creaky stairs recklessly. Lira was still in the small bedroom, but she was on her knees now, her hands on her head and eyes closed. Ethereal shapes blinked in and out of sight around her, looking like the ghosts of men and women reaching out. Wren scooped her up, throwing her over his shoulder and charged into the kitchen. The door was closed, and no matter how hard Wren struggled it wouldn't open. Panic filled his mind as he heard the entity moving down the stairs, the maddening cacophony of voices filling the house. A cold wave of despair washed into the ground floor, bringing with it the nearly overwhelming impulse to simply give in, to throw himself to the ground at the creatures feet.

Wren looked around, hoping to find something, anything to help, when he heard glass shatter from the front room. He hurried back through the kitchen and saw, to his delight, the front window had been smashed. Glass crunched underfoot as he ran towards safety. Behind him, the monstrosity disguised as a child approached. It was now floating several feet off the floor, its hair sticking out in all directions. Its limbs bending in an otherworldly way, the fingers on it's hands grotesquely long. Wren let out a long shout and hurled himself through the open window, landing hard in the snow outside.

His heart was hammering in his ears and he was breathing heavily, but he heard nothing else. He lifted his head, looking around cautiously. The street was empty, no guards with dogs or evil beings to be seen. Behind him, the broken window of the house showed only darkness within. He clambered to his feet, sore from the impact, his hands shaking uncontrollably. Compared to the house, it was pleasantly warm outside. Taking several deep breaths to try and calm himself, Wren looked down at Lira who was sitting with her legs tucked to one side. Thankfully, she seemed ok. She looked up at him, and for the first time in too long, she smiled.