City of IF

UndeadCowboy · Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 4:17 am Post subject:

It took me a moment to realise that Maddie was talking to me. I stumbled to a stop and looked around, suddenly aware of my surroundings. Almost as soon as my legs had stopped moving, they filled with fire, forcing me to the ground. A gasp of pain escaped my throat as I quickly untied Maddie.

"Go check if anyone is home," I said, rubbing my spasming calves, "I'll just... stay here a while."

Midnight · Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 4:32 am Post subject:

I looked at Nate with a worried look and went to check to see if he was okay, but he pushed me away and told me to check the hut again.

Taking his instruction I went to where I had seen the hut. Arriving near the hut I noticed that it looked old and abandoned, as if no one had lived there for years. Nevertheless I didn't take it to stride and looked around cautiously.

Crouching behind a shrub I looked the area over, looking for some human signs like bags or fire pits, but couldn't find anything. Satisfied that the outside was clear, I slowly made my way closer to the hut.

Cautiously looking through the small gap of the door, I tried to see if I there was anyone inside but saw no one. Swinging the door open, I noticed a small fire pit in the middle of the area. Taking further assessment I found that the fire pit had not been used for a long time, the stone around it was strewn everywhere and the sticks and hay were wet and dead.

I took a breath in and decided that the hut had been long deserted. I returned to Nate and slung the backpacks over my shoulder.

“The hut is clear. If anyone was living there, they left months, if not years ago.” I told him as I helped him to his feet.

UndeadCowboy · Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 4:45 am Post subject:

"Okay, I suppose we should stay there tonight," I said as I attempted putting weight on my legs, "It is getting dark."

I found I could hobble along unassisted, but I couldn't take my pack, so I thanked Maddie for carrying it as we walked into the hut. I couldn't help but feel like this place was familiar. It wasn't until I'd massaged my muscles into relative calm that it hit me.

"Maddie, I don't think I can stay here," I said tentatively, recognising the faded portrait on the wall.

Five people. Two were long dead, buried away in the south. A man built like a barrel and a woman lanky as a post. The third was a blonde man with a mischievous smile on his face. The last two were obviously a couple. Both seemed so happy, the man's hand wrapped around the woman's waist. The woman had sandy blonde hair, while the man's was dark-brown.

Midnight · Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 4:51 am Post subject:

"Whats the matter Nate?" I asked seeing the distress on his face.

He didn't respond so I walked over to him and grabbed his shoulders. Turning him to face me, my gripped tightened as I saw his expression. He looked as if he had seen a ghost, his face pale and filled with horror.

"Nate? Whats wrong?" I asked again concerned.

UndeadCowboy · Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 4:55 am Post subject:

"I don't think I want to stay here, Maddie," I said as I stood up, ignoring the protest of my legs, "I'm sleeping outside."

I slung my pack over my shoulder, which was too much. I cried out in pain, my legs giving out beneath me. I crawled carefully towards the door, ignoring the new injuries I'd just given myself. As I finally got to the door, all strength left me. I rolled onto my back, forcing tears back as I looked at Maddie.

"Please, can you help me?"

Midnight · Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 5:05 am Post subject:

I ignored asking Nate what the matter was as I knew that he was not going to answer in his current state. Instead, I walked over to him and lifted him up onto my shoulder. I knew he didn’t want to stay here, but he couldn’t sleep outside. I led him back towards the fire pit and placed him beside it.

“Nate, I know you don’t want to be here. But you can’t go outside. We’ll leave first thing tomorrow, I promise.” I assured him, stroking his hair.

I grabbed his backpack and took out his remaining trail mix and handed it over to him. “Here, eat this while I get a fire started."

I rearranged the stones that were strewn around the pit then went outside to collect some fresh sticks and logs for the fire. After a short while I returned to the hut and started to make the fire, taking a look over at Nate now and again to make sure he was okay.

UndeadCowboy · Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 5:18 am Post subject:

I wasn't sure I could handle Maddie's response, but I was certain I couldn't stand on my legs with the way they felt. I laid back in the dirt, ignoring the trail mix. I knew that if I wanted to escape this place, I'd have to stay far away in my mind. I closed my eyes and drifted to my times without Ilsa. The times when I felt a semblance of happiness after her departure. I began to hum softly to myself, a nonsense tune I'd picked up from somewhere along the way.

I continued to hum the tune as I heard Maddie return. I avoided talking to her, as I knew that any conversation could drag me back to that place, back to my sorrow. So my humming turned into singing. Soft, a little out of tune, but a song formed on my lips. I hadn't sung for years, not since Ilsa had left me. Sure, I'd shouted along to drinking songs when Maddie and I went to a bar, but that couldn't be considered singing. The tune morphed to an old lullaby, one my mother had sung to me when I was being difficult.

The song was carthartic to me, and I continued to sing softly, well into the night.

Midnight · Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 5:24 am Post subject:

I heard Nate singing as I lay our sleeping bags on the ground. Unlike the mountains the weather here was warm so we didn't need to go inside them. I didn't want to interrupt Nate, but the best thing for him was to get to sleep and I didn't want him wondering off when his legs felt better.

"Nate, come over here. You have to get some sleep. You can use me as a pillow." I said softly.

UndeadCowboy · Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 5:32 am Post subject:

Initially I tried to ignore Maddie, but she seemed insistant. I felt my way over to her, intent on avoiding the memories that would come back to me of this hovel. I laid down beside her, singing the song a little softer. Despite my efforts, my thoughts turned to the last thing that had happened in the dwelling. Hot tears spilled onto my cheeks as I hugged Maddie tightly. My voice came in sobs as I tried to continue the song, but it was lost. I lapsed into silence, the occaisional sob wracking my body as I held her close.

Midnight · Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 5:41 am Post subject:

I continued to stroke Nate's hair as he clung tighter and tighter onto me. Despite the situation, I could feel my face heat up. Ignoring my feelings I bought my attention to Nate and the tears he shed. I wanted to make them stop but I didn't know how and I didn't know what was wrong with him either.

After a short while the lullaby that I had hummed the night before came to me. As I stroked his hair I started to sing the lullaby, hoping that it would help him. It was only a small thing, but Nates sobbing began to stop and I felt him relax.