Chapter 3: How the end came again

After leaving the blacksmith I begin to make my way to make my way to the center of the village, to decide what I should do next. I see the great tree this village was built around. Near its base is the well that holds the seed that begins this whole story. 

As I pass by it, I take note of its simplicity, a stone well with a wooden cover above. A bucket is tied to one of the hoods support beams. That should be how I climb down, Sarah tells me to climb down, and she’ll follow right after, but instead the last thing she does is cut the rope, so I won’t be followed down.

I shake off the feeling of dread looking at the well gives me, and decide on my next step. I’ll go talk to the hunters. If I can convince them to that I saw something dangerous nearby maybe they’ll be more on guard when the goblins come through. 

I head to the edge of the forest where the hunters begin to make their preparations. I see them with their bows and arrows, forest gear, knives and axes, they all look pretty tough. Rugged outdoors types all look the same, I guess. They never really made an appearance in the book, other than a couple scenes during the fight. 

“Hey there! Off to… get some good game?” I manage to stammer at one hunter, who’s currently sitting and shaving a thin piece of wood down into a fine point.

He replies with little more than a grunt.

“Uhhh… so you guys usually bring back a lot?” I continue to try to keep the conversation light.

He ignores me, and continues his preparations, stocking his arrows, cleaning his blade, and other things he deems more important than conversing with me.

“So… it looks like a good day for hunting, am I right?” The hunter seemingly done with my small talk stands up, and glares at me.

He finally opens his mouth and manages to growl, “Is there something you need, boy?” 

“Oh, uhh… nothing. I was just curious, about things going on around here.”

“Well you had your look, now you can go and leave me to my work.”

“What is your work? It looks like your morning is already over, is there more hunting to do?”

The hunter returns to ignoring me, and I see him walk way toward some game that they already brought back. I guess they still have to skin and preserve the animals they brought back. It’s slightly grotesque to look at, but my objective here remains the same.

“So, hey listen. Ummm while I was walking around near the forest, I thought I saw a large figure near the village…”

The hunter barely turns his head in my direction, “Ain’t been any signs of anything big near the village. Any creature big enough to worry about would leave a sign they were there.”

“Yeah, but maybe you missed something?”

I hardly finished that sentence before I was interrupted. “You sayin’ you know more about the forest than I do, farm boy?” He gets up in my face and I take a step back. “I’ve been hunting these woods long before you were even born boy! And you’re going to come here and insult me to my face?”

“No, no! I didn’t mean to… I just thought… I mean it wouldn’t be a bad idea to be… prepared… I guess.”

“I don’t tell you how to farm, you don’t tell me how to do what I do.”

“Right, sorry. Yup you look prepared enough.” I make a quick exit and hope that this will put them on alert at least a little bit.

Well that was a probably a bust, but maybe some good will come of it. Whatever, this is about all the time I can stay away from working at the farm. I need to get back. I’ll get yelled at some more and then finish what work is left to do. Then tonight I’m going into that well. 

I head back to the farm, and my talking to. 

When I finish my chores I look up and see the stars. Damn, I just want to drop into my bed, and fall asleep. But I need to get into that well and find that seed. I head to the village center, easy to find by following the shadow in the stars cast by the big tree. I should have brought a candle or something, I can’t see anything in this darkness. After stumbling over the roots of the trees, I eventually bump into a stone structure, feeling around I recognize the shape and know that I found what I was looking for. 

Feeling around for the bucket, I find it’s rope, and unwrap it, slowly lowering it until I hear it slosh into the water below. Carefully I climb over it’s stone wall, and, holding tightly to the rope, I slowly begin my descent. “Ah, cold, cold, cold!” Even though I knew I would end up in the water, not knowing when I would hit it still came with its own surprise. 

Alright, the seed has to be behind one of these stones. I run my hands along the cold stone, trying to find a loose stone somewhere. Where is it, it’s supposed to be obvious with a glowing light that’s bright enough to blind me. What’s the deal here?

Calling upon my recollection, I think back. Wait. Did this happen in the story. I think the seed didn’t appear right away there either. Maybe I just need to wait. Something about being in the water maybe?  I wait around, the water isn’t too deep so I can just stand in this water however long it takes.

I lean against the stone, the gentle motion of the water rocking me. God, today was such a long day. I wasn’t able to convince those hunters, but I did end up getting this cool knife. All that work afterwards was a bit much. I woke up early too… once I get this seed, I can rest… Tomorrow I’ll work more on learning how the powers work… yeah… tomorrow….

My eyes open to a shimmering glowing light, for a moment I forget why I was here, soaking in the bottom of this well. My excitement swells as I look for the source of the light, it’s not as bright as I thought it would be. I turn around examining my surroundings, but instead of a stone, the light is coming from the water below me. A reflection?

I look up, and to my horror I see the wooden hood of the well burning. What’s going on? I hear screams and the sound of battle above me. No. No, no, no! It’s happening already? I thought I had more time. I begin my climb out of this well. Getting down was so easy, but now I’m working against gravity while I’m cold and sopping wet. My eyes begin to burn as I climb higher and higher. The heat and ash drying out my eyes, but I push through these tears and keep climbing.

The seed wasn’t down here like it was supposed to be. Is this not like the story? Why is this happening? I can’t waste any more time here. I have to find Sarah! I can at least save her! I’m almost out. I can feel the intense heat of the crimson light as I approach its source. The helpless screams of the villagers become clear as I reach my arms over the well walls and climb over.

The village is on fire, goblins are dragging people out of their homes. The great tree at the center of the village burns like a great beacon. The goblins will be in the center of town, wreaking havoc and killing indiscriminately. The riders and their wolves are circling the village, picking off anyone who tries to flee the village. The hobgoblin will be hidden, using his bow and arrow to pick off anyone who might get passed the riders.

Sarah might still be safe. I clutch my knife, my only weapon, and charge through the village to the familiar hut. Please let me make it in time. I actually have the chance to do something. As I sprint through burning homes, I stumble over something and lose my footing.

 I hit the floor and look to see what caused my fall, and come face to face with the reality of the situation I’m in. As I look into the eyes of the corpse of the body belonging to a villager. I’m confronted with something I refused to look at, even in my past life. So… this is what death looks like. 

It’s not glorious, not romantic, not even peaceful. It’s pale. It’s empty. I look into this dead man’s eyes and I see reflected in it the nothingness I’m all too familiar with. I remember that void. I remember what it was like. It wasn’t scary while I was in it. It wasn’t anything. And that scares me the most.

The building next to me crumbles and snaps me back to the moment. My breathing is out of control. I’m still looking in the direction of the body, but I’m not looking at it. My eyes are unfocused, they dart around for anything to anchor themselves on, as my breath continues to run rampant. The screaming, the heat of the fire, the sound of my own heartbeat. Everything is in chaos and I can’t remember what I was doing.

Then I catch sight of it, in the light of the fire, there’s a pitchfork. I remember, Sarah. I remember where I am, and I can begin calming my breathing. The pitchfork. It’s the first weapon Dawn used. Maybe it’s fate in this world. I put the moment I just had out of my mind, and focus on what I need to do right now.

I pick up the pitchfork and run. I run until I see it, the hut I woke up in, ablaze. Damn it! Can’t I at least do this! I kick down the door and call out, praying it will reach. “Sarah!” I look around the inside of the burning home, There’s nobody in here.

I turn to the farm. “Sarah!” Maybe she’s here, this is the only other place she could be. “Sarah please!” I look around, my eye-line low, expecting the worst. As I scan the floor I see a shape on the ground, but I can’t make it out from the light of the fire. I hurry over to it, and see Sarah on the floor. I roll her onto her back, and see blood pouring from her head. 

“Sarah!?” I pat her face, and try to wake her up. “Sarah, I need you to wake up!” I wipe the blood from her face with my wet sleeve, I can feel her breathing. She’s not dead. I wring out the end of my sleeve trying to splash some water on her face, hoping it will be enough to try and shock her awake.

She sputters and coughs against the water landing on her face. “What in the name of… Dawn! Dawn is that you?” She blinks. “Where in the the Allfarmer’s grace were ya!?”

“I’m sorry, Sarah… err uhh… I mean mom.” I notice the look on her face, but it’s still weird for me to call her that. “There’s no time right now. We have to get out of here!”

The only question was where. I guess there’s only one place I know is safe, if we go back to the well. I’ll let Sarah down first so she won’t be able to trick me this time and cut the rope to sacrifice herself. “We have to get to the well! We can hide in there and hope that this whole mess passes. Then we can get out and hopefully reach the kingdom or somebody.”

“Are ya sure Dawn, maybe we should head for the forest. Get out of the danger as soon as we can.”

“No, I’ve seen what they do to the ones who run, we wouldn’t stand a chance. Now hurry, before…” As I grab her arm and start to run with her, I stop cold. There’s a goblin right in my path, a bloody club dragging behind it. I stare it down, letting go of Sarah and clutching my pitchfork with both hands. “Get to the well. I’ll be right behind you.”

“No Dawn! Let’s just make a run for it.” It’s her turn to grab me, but I pull away. I can’t run now. I know it’s pointless. If I run for the woods, I’m as good as dead, and if I let this thing follow us to the well it’ll know where we are.

“To the well! Go!” I desperately order her. “I promise you. I’m not going to die here.” 

Not again.

As Sarah begins to run to the well, the goblin darts in her direction, and I charge forward to intercept.

I won’t let her die, I can change my own story!