Wednesday, September 1, 2004

part 6
It had not occurred to Elizabeth just how dark it could be on the road leaving Kiecombe on a cloudy night. Synthia led the way holding Elizabeth’s hand while walking along the side of the road. The blanket from Synthia’s bed tied up in a makeshift rucksack bounced against Elizabeth’s back as she had to practically jog to keep pace with Synthia’s long quick strides. She felt tired and very cold, but could only wonder how Synthia kept going minute after minute, wearing less clothes the she was, and how she was able to stay next to the road without being able to see at all.
“I’m scared Synthia. I can’t see anything,” Elizabeth said.
Synthia stopped and said, “I’m scared to. But I’m excited. I feel so good right now, good to be away from that place, and I am never going back. I should have left a long time ago. I hope you aren’t mad at me for making you a part of this. You can go back if you want to, but I have a plan, something I’ve always dreamed about. Tonight has become the first night of the rest of my life, and I have you to thank for that. I couldn’t stand being treated like her property, but I always imagined I would find a way to leave it some day. Seeing her hurt you like that made me so mad. I think something changed inside of me when I hit her on the head. I don’t feel afraid of anything anymore, and I don’t feel like crying, or sleeping or any of the other things I would do to forget how much I wanted things to be different. Things are different, so different now. I feel different, and new and happy.”
“I’m cold,” was all Elizabeth could say.
“Me to, isn’t it great. I’ve never been this cold. Always warm, sometimes to warm. I hated it when I had to sleep with some of those big sweaty lummoxes from the Guard. How I hated that, she would tell me, ‘you can’t get out of the bed until he does. It will offend them,” Synthia mocked Camilla’s voice perfectly. “And they smelled so bad, but I’ll tell you a secret. I didn’t give myself to any of them, ever. They never had me willingly. I made them fight for it. Sure maybe they thought I was playing, and it got out of hand once or twice, but never willingly, NEVER.”
As Synthia was talking Elizabeth thought she saw a pale green fire glow in the backs of her eyes. Elizabeth had learned to be comfortable with Synthia’s eyes. Synthia was the first Eysturlun Elizabeth had ever met. The eyes had no white showing, much like an animals eyes, and they shined of gold and brown in the sun, but she had never seen them in the darkness. Synthia seemed hysterical. Elizabeth hugged Synthia tightly around the waist and said, “I know Syn. I overheard sometimes. It’s okay now. You never have to do that again. I’m not mad, but I can’t go back. I couldn’t do it. I would not be able to find my way in the dark.”
Synthia calmed downed and asked, “What do you mean? Just follow the road back to town if you want to.”
“How can I follow the road? I can’t even see the road. It’s to dark,” she said.
“The road is right there. I can see it just fine. Is there something wrong with your eyes?” Synthia asked.
“You can see in the dark?” Elizabeth asked peering into Synthia’s eyes.
“Well, of course, and I can tell you if you squint like that all the time you will ruin your own eyesight. Are you telling me you can’t see with out light?” Synthia asked.
“Well, of course,” Elizabeth mocked.
“That is so funny. I always thought you had normal eyes. I didn’t know you were handicapped. It must have been hard on you,” Synthia said, and Elizabeth began to notice a trembling in Synthia’s hands.
“I have normal eyes. Eshians don’t see in the dark. Anthandrans don’t either. I don’t know about elves or dwarves. I’ve never thought to ask. Did you think everyone could see in the dark? Did Camilla tell you we all see in the dark like you? I wonder what other lies she told you,” Elizabeth said.
“Oh my HELL!” Synthia shouted. “I sometimes wondered about that. I thought some people where just acting silly, playing games with me, or something like that. No Camilla never told me the truth, but she never lied about it I guess. She never mentioned it at all.”
“Maybe she didn’t know,” Elizabeth said. “Synthia are you okay? You seemed to be shaking pretty bad.”
“I thought it was you.” Synthia said. The two of them let go of the tight grip they had on each other and Elizabeth realized she to was shaking noticeably. The temperature was dropping, and she was sure she felt a snowflake against her cheek.
“I think it is starting to snow,” Elizabeth said.
“It is. I can see it coming from the north. We could be in serious trouble. I don’t think we should go back, and Meadow Bay is at least four miles further. I know of a place where we could be safe for the night, but you have to swear to me you won’t tell anyone I took you there.”
“Sure I wont tell anyone, I swear. How far is it?” Elizabeth asked, and Synthia took her hand and started running across the road to the north.
“It is less than a mile, I think. I should be able to see the spire if we get on some higher ground. It is a temple. An old Eysturlun temple dedicated to the rising sun. It is called Iekah Samarsa. It was abandoned years ago, but I remember my mother taking me there when I was little, before my father …well a long time ago. It is on the hill side east of Crystal Lake monastery,” Synthia said.
Elizabeth stopped and pulled back on Synthia’s arm. “Iekah Samarsa is cursed. We can’t go there,’ she said.
Synthia pulled back on Elizabeth’s arm and said laughing, “No it isn’t. We told people that to keep them away. We just don’t want anybody ruining the place,” and she started running again.
Elizabeth was struggling to keep up with Synthia. “I can’t run as fast as you Syn,” she called out in between breaths.
“I’m sorry Raven,” she said and slowed to a fast walk.
“Maybe if you carry the stuff?” Elizabeth held the blanket out to Synthia. “Then I could go faster. It’s hard to keep my balance with that on my shoulder.”
“Alright, but you will have to hold on to my slip. I need one hand free myself if we are going to run, and I think we better. I'm pretty sure I can see the spire there,” she said and pointed to the northwest, not realizing Elizabeth could not see her outstretched arm at all, “We can make it in just a few minutes I’m sure.”
The air was cold, and the snow was light, but falling steadily. Synthia adjusted the pack over her shoulder, and Elizabeth tried to get a grip on Synthia’s slip, but the material was to flimsy for her to hold tightly. Synthia could see her struggling with the light fabric, and dropped the pack. With a quick motion Synthia tore her slip just below the waist, exposing her legs. She spun the material between her out stretched hands making a short length of rope. She tied the remnant around her slender waist leaving one end longer than the other. Elizabeth was startled when Synthia grabbed her wrist and tied the lose end of the fabric around her hand. “Make a fist on the knot,” Synthia said.
“Good. That feels strong. Go ahead I will keep up I promise,” Elizabeth said.
Synthia began running, swinging both arms with abandon. There was no way Elizabeth could have known she had left the blanket lying on the ground.

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