Two hours of broken sleep left David feeling groggy and weak. His eyes stung and his skin had become pale. He changed into some of Alius’ old clothes. They were long in the legs and arms, so he turned them up.
It was dark out. The village lanterns flickered, and the streets were still busy with chattering folks. David enjoyed watching them idly from the upstairs window of the manor.
The hallway was dark and all its doors were closed. Footsteps padded around downstairs which was a relief. It was nice to hear when someone was coming. David made to descend the creaky steps before he felt his shoulder clasped.
“David.”
“Ah!”
Elizabeth jumped.
“You scared me, Elizabeth. Must you move so quietly?”
“I am dainty.” She winked. “I have prepared supper. Join us.”
David held touched his stomach. He was famished and could hardly refuse a meal at this point. Elizabeth had promised him food earlier but he must have passed out again before she arrived. “Right.”
Jimethy and Terrence waited at the table.
“I thought Jimethy and Terry could join us.” Said Elizabeth, “They have been so helpful today.”
David nodded and sat at the end place. “Evening, boys.”
“Captain.” they both said in unison.
David caught the scent of something meaty. It smelt delicious.
Elizabeth came from the kitchen with a plate in each hand. She set the platters of food out one by one before the men. “Enjoy, boys.”
“Shan’t you join us?” Asked David.
“Me? No, I already ate. I wanted to treat you boys for all your hard work.”
David looked at Terry and Jim. “Thank you. What is it?”
Elizabeth laughed. “Liver and onions. I hope you like the gravy, it’s my own recipe.” She raised her eyebrows. “With chips.” She spun away and out of the room, humming happily as she tidied up.
“Shouldn’t we pray?” Asked David.
Elizabeth stopped and looked at him over her shoulder, “You should.” She returned to the table and struck the back of Terry’s head. “Where you about to eat without prayer?”
“Sorry, Elizabeth.” Terry bowed and led a simple prayer.
Elizabeth nodded satisfactorily before leaving the three men alone to enjoy their meal.
David poked at the slice of meat with his fork. “Where did this meat come from? The kitchen was bare.”
Jim looked up at Terry with a mouth full of meat.
Terrence smiled, “I picked it up from the butcher.”
“Picked what up?”
“The liver.”
“What kind of liver is it?”
Terry frowned. “What do you mean?”
“From what animal, Terry?”
Terrence dropped his utensils on the plate with a clatter and linked his fingers. “For crying out loud, David. It’s liver, from a cow or something.”
“You got this from the butcher?”
“Correct.”
“From Argyle the butcher?”
“Yes.”
“The big lad.”
“Yes, David, the big fat bastard who lives at the butcher.”
“Right.”
Terry shook his head and picked up his knife and fork to continue tucking in.
Jim nodded to David, “Are you going to eat?”
David looked down at the plate of meat and chips, took up his cutlery and cut a slice of the tendered meat. The fork squished into it and he lifted it before his face, flapping and dripping with the rich sauce. It smelt like heaven.
Jim nodded, “It’s good.”
David’s eyes bounced between the men. Terry was busy eating, a frustrated frown drawn on his brow. He pushed meat into his mouth and chewed slowly. It tasted as good as it smelt.
“Elizabeth mentioned she’d be having this house cleaned up for your captaincy.” Said Jim.
David swallowed a mouthful of liver. “I doubt I’ll remain as captain, Jim.”
“You shall.”
David chuckled, “Is that so, Terry?”
“It is. I just risked my neck out there for you.”
“How so?”
“I had to calm an angry mob, they wanted a vote.” Terry sniffed.
Jim nodded. “Good work, Terry.”
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“Thanks, Jim.”
“You wasted your time. That angry mob is proof enough that my time as captain shall come to a close soon.”
Terry shook his head, “They can’t be trusted to pick a new captain. No way. I threw my lot in with you, Potter. So did Samuel and Jim here. We need leadership not three weeks of meandering.” He put a full stop to his rant by filling his mouth with a slice of meat.
“So you two are best friends now?” David watched the men.
Terry looked at Jim. “We are in agreeance. Elizabeth shared with us what was set out for us when the village was staked.”
David smiled. “What was set out?”
Jim cleared his throat and stood to start collecting the plates.
“Are you well, David?” He narrowed his eyes. “You’ve been awfully out of sorts since the trial.”
“Just fine, Terry.” David rose and went for the door.
“Where are you going?”
“To the village, it’s market day.”
“Sarah organises all that. We have a body to find.”
“I shan’t waste my day looking for Alius’ corpse. If you and Jim want to go skulking through the woods be my guest.”
Terry chuckled. “Will you be attending market day as captain?”
“As cobbler.”
“Right, come on Jim, let’s go find Alius.”
“I’ll meet you in the village, Terry, I shall walk with David to see how the stalls are coming along.”
Terry nodded.
David and Jim left the manor. Jim struggled to keep up with David’s pace. “Slow down, David.”
The morning sun kissed the village in a complimentary way. Everything looked fresh and clean. The tufts of grass sparkled with dew and the busying villagers made it seem like a May fair. David was hit with a burst of fresh air. “Keep up.”
“Something is off, isn’t it?” Jim asked.
David slowed. “Off, how?”
“You know, with Terry and Elizabeth…”
“Perhaps.”
“Just to let you know, Captain, I’ll keep an eye on them for you. I know I let you down at the trial.” Jim slapped The captain on the shoulder and rushed to meet Terry outside the manor house.
David wandered around the village square aimlessly as the villagers laid out their wares for the coming traders.
Sarah caught his eyes and approached. She was a middle-aged woman with a round, pretty face. She was the mother of four, usually surrounded by a small army of sprogs. “Captain.” she cocked her head. “Do you have wares to sell?”
David paused and cleared his throat. “I have wares, but I’ll hand them out to the villagers.”
“Who will take over your cobbler business?” She enquired.
“I have not decided to remain as captain.”
“Oh, but you must make a decision.”
David frowned and looked away.
“Sorry to be pushy, but boots aren’t cheap and we need a cobbler.”
“Agreed.”
Sarah bowed her head and wandered off to question another trader.
David caught sight of Terrence and Jim disappearing into the woods. He was half tempted to follow the pair but decided against it. He’d had enough of stumbling through the sticks for now.
***
The traders arrived, all dressed in red tunics. David thought it was always odd how they colour-coordinated in such a way. They meandered through the stalls and went about their trading. The village relied on the raw materials and specialist goods they brought.
David had a plan. He waited for one of the traders to be free and approached. “Excuse me.”
The trader looked at him. “Trading has finished for me today.”
“Fine, fine, but I’d like to come with you.”
The trader smirked. “You don’t come with us, you stay here.”
“I know, but I’d like to travel with you. To the next town.”
“There is no next town.”
David looked up at the manor house. The upstairs window once more flickered brightly then went black once he had noticed. “Where are you going next?”
“Somewhere you cannot go.”
David rubbed the bridge of his nose. “What place is that? The moon?”
The trader looked over to the group and whistled. They finished up their deals and gathered around him. “Goodbye, Captain.”
“How do you know I’m the captain?”
The trader bowed. They ignored David after that. Villagers watched David try to communicate with them in earnest. Puzzled looks and sideways glances didn’t deter him.
“I’ll follow you.”
The lead trader looked at him.
David waited for the traders to leave and followed closely behind. They moved silently and took no notice of him. “How far is it until your next stop?” After no response, he pushed one in the back. “Why are you ignoring me?”
The trader shrugged off the push and didn’t so much as glance behind.
The forest suddenly revitalised. Birds chirped, tree boughs creaked and twigs bristled. The mist returned, this time creamier and dense. The wind picked it up and swirled it around them.
David couldn’t see his hands before his face. “Oi!” He stumbled forward and reached out to grab one of the traders. All that he found was air. “Where are you?”
The mist whisked away and settled back around the path. David could see clearly and there was no sign of the traders. He placed his hands on his hips and laughed. “Perfect. Another little forest trick?” A consideration of running away again crossed his mind, though he thought better of it. Defeated he returned to the village.
He gave any villager who offered him a scrutinising look a hard stare in return. His dander was down and he was in no mood for judgemental gazes. He nodded to Argyle as he passed his stall, “Lovely liver, by the way.”
“Liver?”
“Yes, you sold Terry some Liver yesterday.”
Argyle blinked, “Not me.”
“Well, there is no other bloody butcher is there?”
Argyle was taken aback by the captain’s snappy tone.
David smiled at himself. “Liver just appears from nowhere now,” he muttered to himself. With a swagger, he hopped up beside the grand willow tree in the village centre and waved. “A great market day by the looks of it.”
They stopped packing away to listen to, David speak.
“Since I am stuck here, in this village. With you people.” He sneered. “I shall be your captain.” He looked back to the manor house. “I’ll be in charge, and you’ll follow my lead.”
“There shall be no vote?” Called a man.
“No. There shall be no vore.”
“Then perhaps we should consider another place to make stead.”
David’s nose wrinkled. “Where would you go?”
“Well..”
“Nowhere.” David waved his arms. “I’m in charge.” He hopped back down and went for home.
His front door had been left ajar and so his home had been exposed to the elements since he had made to flee the first time. He walked through the house in a state of confusion. “I’m going mad. Just like Alius.” He pressed his head to the wall and closed his eyes. “Mad, mad, mad. I can’t leave here. I can’t go there. I can’t even be captain. Just me. Captain David Potter, here forever.” He kicked the kitchen table and sent it flipping over. “Where did that bastard liver come from!” he roared. “Not Argyle. That ginger bastard, Terry said Argyle. More liars. Liars everywhere.”
David ran to his window and peered out. “All of them are out to get me. I see them now. They won’t get me.” He stormed into his bedroom and went for the dresser. The standing mirror stopped him. He looked at himself. “That’s me…” he pointed at the mirror. “Always has been.”
The walls in the bedroom rippled and cracked. David stepped back and looked around. What appeared to be a handle bulged from underneath the wallpaper, as if the walls were made of silk. A face, mouth agape pressed out from above the dresser.
“Walls, they are in the walls!” David rushed to fetch a hammer from his workshop. He began striking the walls where the bulges occurred. He tore at the wallpaper and pulled the splintered wood away. From within the walls poured alabaster sticks and stones.
In a frantic panic, he thrashed around the bedroom, making holes from which bones poured. “Bones…skulls.” David dropped the hammer and backpedalled. He stumbled over the corner of the bed and landed on his backside. The walls released aching moans and wails. He covered his ears and fell onto his side. “No more, no more!”