Chapter 43

Kim

We kept walking, but the man holding his chest kept playing out in front of my eyes. I tried to close them, but even then, I could see him in the darkness. What had I done? I knew Cat was right and that he would have done something even worse to us, but even so. I’d… killed him.

Sara halted ahead of us and announced that we would rest. I looked around. I had barely paid any attention to where we were going, but we were still out on the plain, I saw. Silvi left my side and walked over to Cat. I guess I should help set up the camp, but I couldn’t move, so I only sat down on the ground.

I still sat there when Sara came over to me. I was so surprised I almost scrambled up, but she only shook her head, so I sat down again, glancing at her.

She cleared her throat.

“You did the right thing, my child”

I nodded weakly. She had already said that, and I knew she was right, but I had still killed him.

“Evil men walk upon this earth, and their fates are decided by those who follow the righteous path. Do not mourn his demise.”

I only nodded again, staring at the ground. I wondered how others had done it. Cat must have killed loads of people, and maybe Sara too, but they didn’t seem to care about it.

“Rejoice, my child”

She left and walked to the other side of the camp. I took a handful of dirt and let it sift through my fingers. Maybe they had just gotten used to it, but I didn’t want to get used to killing people. I heard Cat calling me and I got up and walked over to her.

“Can you help Silvi prepare food?”

I nodded and walked over to the horse where Silvi was unloading the supplies. She had stopped crying, but I could see her eyes were still red. I didn’t know what to say. She hadn’t killed him, but it must have been awful watching as well. I helped her unload and then quietly asked,

“How are you feeling?”

She only nodded, and it seemed like she would cry again, but then she wiped her eyes and whispered,

“It’s horrible”

I nodded, and we carried the supplies in silence to the camp. We didn’t speak much after that, only prepared the food, and then ate in silence. Sara wasn’t eating with us, as usual, and even Cat was more quiet than she used to. That night, as I lay in bed, watching the dark sky above me, I could still see the man clutching his chest. He didn’t need to die, but he shouldn’t have tried to rob us. It wasn’t fair.