CHAPTER 29

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[Sigurd]

Opening the door revealed a tear streaked woman, and a stoic, pale faced man. Grief etching his features. My heart sank. Something terrible had happened, I just knew it. I felt a shadow loom over me, its dark tendrils creeping over my heart. I blinked and banished it to the recesses of my mind.

“Oh, Sigurd!” she sobbed, sniffling, and spluttering as the tears fell.

“What’s happened Darlene” I asked quietly. “Wesley?”

“Its our son, Sigurd, he’s gone.” He responded, as his wife cried into his chest. Wesley wrapped an arm around her and rubbed her shoulder. Trying his best to comfort her. The shadow crept back a fraction. Oh no.

“What do you mean gone?” I asked, fearful of the response to come.

“So, you haven’t seen him?” He asked, hope falling from his face like the rain from the sky. Robbing from his face what little colour he had left.

“No, we just got back from the dungeon. What do you mean gone?” I replied, hesitantly

“Oh,” he replied, his voice trembling slightly. “we were hoping you had seen him on your way back. Mik’s just disappeared! He stayed up late last night with the boys, but this morning he wasn’t in his room. He knows he has to be back. He’s gone Sigurd!” The shadow crept back a bit further, clawing its way out of my mind.

“Well it’s possible I missed him; we were sprinting back to get Jenna healed. We were lucky I had a potion here really. I could have missed him on the way back.”

Darlene started sobbing even harder. And Wesley hugged her tight. My heart sank.

“Kael!” I called out, as quietly as I thought he would hear. Kael had far keener eyes than me, he might have spotted something.

“Yeah”

“Can you come here please!”

“Sure, one sec…”

“Kael’s far more observant than me” I said in explanation.

Kael turned up a few seconds, his customary smile falling off his face as he saw them.

“What’s up Sigurd?” he asked under his breath as he ghosted up on silent feet.

“Darlene and Wesley can’t find their son, Mik, we wondered if you saw him or anything on the way back. I didn’t notice anything, but you’ve far better eyesight than me.”

He thought for a second. “I don’t think so, I wasn’t really focused on anything other than dodging the roots and trees. We were in quite a rush after all. Let me think for a few moments…” he replied, closing his eyes.

The tense few seconds passed slowly as he thought. With each passing moment I felt the shadow looming higher over me, towering now.

“Nope, sorry.” He replied, sombre. “I didn’t see anything different on our way back, but I’m not familiar with the area so it’s likely I missed it if there was something odd.”

“Was there anything odd about his behaviour last night…” I asked thinking. Trying not to let all hope go.

“I don’t think so” Darlene replied, her shoulders rising and falling in grief.

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“He seemed… normal. Maybe a bit nervous and uncomfortable at dinner. I thought he was just excited to hang out with his friends, as usual. But… perhaps it was something else.” Wesley added, his face sullen.

“Who was he going to hang out with?” I asked, thinking hard.

“John, but his mother says John’s fast asleep. I don’t wasn’t to disturb anyone else.” Darlene replied.

“Darlene, you know everyone would gladly help, come on, lets go ask around.” I responded “Kael, let the others know if you would” He nodded “see if they saw anything as well.” I muttered, slipping into my boots and stepping outside.

“Sure, I got you” he said, closing the door gently as we walked away.

***30 minutes later ***

We had searched the town and knocked on all the doors below the stream that gave Littlebrook its name. No-one was missing and no-one had seen anything. It was starting to look as if he had just disappeared.

Well, until we came upon the twins’ house.

Rounding the side of the building, we walked into the pale spot of light cast from the waning moon, and saw a huddled figure curled up on the doorstep. I recognised him at once. Indry. He was more slender than his brother and the short hair made him very distinguishable in the small town. I felt the hairs on my neck rise. Gloomy thoughts lurked in my mind.

“Indry!” I hissed. No response save for that of a small breathy moan. I walked closer.

I crouched down in front of him, “What’s wrong buddy?”

He looked up, fear in his eyes. I knew the look; something had just gotten very real for him, very quickly. Like a wounded animal confronted with the hunter. I reached out and patted his knee, turning around and sitting beside him, trying my best to comfort the traumatised child.

He leant into me and I rubbed his back.

“It’s my… fault… Sig its all my fault…” he wept, getting the words out between sobbing hiccups. Tears and snot mingling and falling with wet plops to the gravel below.

Oh god… I thought to myself, guiltily. Something dreadful had happened and all I wanted was to go to bed. I sighed, thinking.

“It’s ok Indry, I’m sure it’s nothing”

What he said next sent shivers down my back, I was glad that Darlene and Wesley were a few metres back as they didn’t hear the chilling words.

“He’s dead because of me, Sigurd, dead…”

Shit! I thought to myself. What the fuck has happened since I’ve been gone. The shadow was now gripping my heart. I realised it was a foreshadow that had been creeping over me. It felt like this day was cursed.

“They’re all dead!” he wailed. Fuck! Why did he have to say it so loud.

“Dead!” Darlene choked out. “What does he mean? Sigurd?”

“I don’t know Darlene!” I replied loudly. “Give me a moment with him.”

“Sorry” I added a moment later realising how I sounded.

What was I supposed to do now, what was the right step? Jenna would know, I thought to myself. She was the compassionate sort. I wasn’t, I don’t think anyone would have called me compassionate. How did I end up here?

I sighed sadly.

“Wesley, go wake everyone up. Something’s terrible has happened. Get everyone and take Darlene with you.” I commanded in a no-nonsense tone.

“No!!! I want to know what he meant. Indry???” Darlene shrieked.

“Wesley!!!” I shouted, he looked at me. “Go”

Footsteps sounded out from behind me. Shit! What a fucking night.

Thankfully, Wesley listened, and he guided his wife away shortly before whoever was coming down the stairs opened the door.

I gave Indry a quick hug before standing. The door opened, revealing a big man, nearly twice as tall as myself. Jason, the twins father stepped out. I knew of course that he wasn’t that tall, nor that big. Especially as compared to Jackson, but with the situation I was currently dealing with, he seemed to tower over me. Perhaps the shadow was looming with him.

Shit. What the fuck am I supposed to say now.

“Indry? What the fuck are you doing on the floor? Get up! … Sigurd.” He said, his gruff voice harsher than I was sure he meant. Jason was a hard man, years in the army had made him that way and retiring to Littlebrook hadn’t softened him up any, but he was a good man.

“Jason” I replied, nodding my head.

“What’s going on?”

“That’s what I’m trying to find out. Darlene and Wesley knocked on my door in tears. Mik’s disappeared. We’ve been going around the doors asking if anyone’s seen him.”

“Well, I’ve not, I’ve been asleep. If that’s all? … Indry, get up.” He interrupted.

“That’s not all, I’m afraid, I discovered Indry here sitting on your doorstep in tears. I managed to coax a little out of him. But, well. Something bad has happened. I’ve my suspicions, but I hope I’m wrong. Oh god I hope I’m wrong Jason. Wesley’s gone to wake the town; I fear none of us will be sleeping anytime soon.”

He sighed, tipping his head back and staring into the night sky, I assumed in frustration.

“What’s wrong honey?” Jane, his wife called down.

“I’m not sure yet, go wake Ardoi love.”

I closed my eyes, hoping I was wrong.

I wasn’t and I cringed as Jane called out, distraught.

“He’s not there.”

She began to descend the stairs.

“Fuck!” I swore to myself.

“Indry…” Jason asked, concern broaching his normally stony face.

“I’m sorry dad…” he said between moans, tears now streaming down his face. Raining upon the floor.

“Indry, where’s Ardoi?”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“Dead”