I will hold you and protect you

I feel a warmth wrapping around me. It grows stronger and stronger. It’s hot. The air is thick. I sweat. A cold light. A crackling. The smell of burning wood fills my nostrils, I open my eyes — flames all around me, I spring up, pull on my galoshes and my belt, fling the door open and am hit by smoke, my eyes sting and tear; I soak my shirt with the black water and press it to my face. I crawl out of the room crouched down, see the girls’ door shut, knock — no answer, I touch the handle; it’s burning, I jerk my hand back and start shoulder-checking the door, a beam at the far end of the corridor collapses; I strike harder, The door bursts inward and I fall; the floor buckles beneath me, I roll into the center of the room — there’s a hole where I’d been, I only find Nadia in the bed; the other bed is empty, the window shatters. Flames roar up around us. I shake her, «Nadia!» but she doesn’t respond. “The only exit is the window. I could knot the blankets together to make a rope — but how do I get down with her in my arms? If I jump out of the window I might hurt myself like the first time. I might not be so lucky this time and die. I have to come up with something — fast.”

I grab the blankets from both beds and tie them together, fasten one end to the bed leg closest to the window, and lower the rope, I start to descend; the ceiling beams creak. I look at Nadia, “Where’s Laila?” I glance outside, “She must be coming… any moment now…” «Fuck!» I run back, scoop Nadia up, return to the window, the inn collapses behind us, I lower myself out the window; the sheets catch fire, I hit the ground on my back, pain familiar and sharp.

Gasping, I scramble up, the whole town is burning, I don’t have time to take more than a few steps dragging Nadia by the armpits before an armed soldier with a spear spots me, I hoist her onto my shoulders and start running, I can’t shake him, I stop and set her down. “I can’t keep running forever — not after what Thyra and Håkon did… Damn them, why did they have to fight? Now I feel like I have to do the same.”

I spot a pitchfork, grab it, step back from her a few paces, and take a fighting stance. The soldier lunges; I dodge left and shove him, making him stagger, I punch him, driving him into the wall, then follow with a cut that strikes him square in the chest, he tries to hit me; I parry and punch him in the ribs, then attempt a thrust…

Something pierces my right shoulder, knocking me off balance.

Turning, I see another spear-armed soldier has joined, ready to attack again, I create distance; he tries a downward strike — I dodge and kick him, unbalancing him. The first one approaches with the spear point aimed at me, I step back, then dash right and land a punch on his helm.

«Ugh!» The second soldier hits me again, this time in the back. I start to lose breath. “I can’t afford to fall back…”

As he pulls his weapon, I spin and try to strike, but he drives his spear into my right shoulder again, I retaliate, impaling him with the pitchfork. Something whistles past my ear, I drop the pitchfork, yank the spear from my shoulder with a scream, and stab the soldier behind me; I turn, pull the weapon free and thrust it into his neck until his head pops off with a punch.

A searing pain rips through my back, “Ow!” when the three points are removed I stagger, I try an overhand strike at the second soldier, but he blocks. Something tears open my back, “Cowards!” I spin — a new soldier with a sword swings; I close the distance, shove his hands back with one hand to make him stagger, and kick him away.

I barely have time to turn before I feel the thrust, I parry, bracing the pitchfork’s shaft between the tines and my teeth. I hold that parry a moment to catch my breath.

A blade bites my left arm, I shove the second soldier away, plant my feet, and drive into the third soldier, pushing him back, then follow with another thrust — I shoulder him to draw his weapon and then drive it back in, kicking him over.

A metallic taste floods my mouth; my breathing grows heavier and every fiber in my body screams, but I feel like I might still make it.

I see the first soldier closing from the left, I sprint to meet him — then feel something rip my back again. “Fuck!” I spin, land a punch on the third soldier followed by a strike; he reels back. I hear running footsteps; I turn and see the second soldier charging again, I dodge his lunge, try to strike but instead parry his attack with the fork, my vision begins to flutter, I punch him in the stomach, sending him crashing into the first soldier who had been passing behind him, and with the spear I impale them both…

Suddenly I’m on the ground, a heavy boot grinding into my head. «Well, would you look at that — seems our favorite coward decided this time it was better to die at the hands of three zombies.» “I… I can’t feel my arms anymore…”

The soldiers pull back and resume besieging the town, but the loutky with rabbit ears stands in their place, staring at me with its huge, hollow eyes while my hands still clutch the spear shaft.

The captain presses harder, forcing my head into the dirt and resting his greatsword against my back. «I’d love to tell you ‘obdormis sine dolore’ like my general would, but you will feel pain — oh, you will.» he says amused. I close my eyes, bracing for what’s coming. «Ouch!» I open my eyes; the captain is kneeling, partly pinned to the loutky. In front of me stands Nadia, breath ragged, arms outstretched with palms facing me, accompanied by a sovatygr.

«Tell me, you saw her coming, didn’t you?! Why didn’t you stop her?» the captain demands of the loutky, but it doesn’t answer; it keeps staring at me. «Talking to you stupid puppets is useless,» he says as he rises. «Go on, make that stupid girl regret touching me.»