Bloodstained Masks

Chapter 7

The cool wind of dusk had rolled in as Kay made his way through the town to the family bakery from the Forrest. He had been sure to avoid the area of the Forrest where the incident had happened.

Spring was beginning to spring as the white, powdery snow had begun to melt.

Kay walked through the lifeless town, frozen with sleep.

Rubbing the sleep from his violet eyes, he continue down the street.

Kay's father had insisted on him going hunting for the meat filled bread. His father had been so eager for him to go hunting infact, he basically had kicked Kay out of the house in the middle of the night. His father swore, that by going early, he'd have an advantage over the tired animals, as if Kay himself hadn't had trouble keeping eyes open. And his sleeping arrangements hadn't been ideal.

All night, Kay shivered in his coat with no flame to warm him. It had been raining sleet, wetting his flint and steel, as if that wasn't the worst of his worries.

Kay's clothes had been soaked through as he tramped on the stone street, his moccasins soaked through.

If anything had beeen worth the trip, it would be the ungodly amount of game he'd been able to snatch.

Struggling with his heavy pack, Kay heaved it over his shoulders. Shivering, Kay prayed to the Moon Goddess herself that this rain had been the last of the wrath if winter.

And his injured arm had done nothing to help the situation. When Kay got home, he'd had have to squeeze out the water from his soaked one and get a new dry one.

Feeling a presence behind him, Kay turned to find the "Stalker" walking past him. Smiling, he turned back.

Coming to the door of his home, slowly opened the door, hoping if he was quiet enough, he'd be able to go to sleep. But at the back of his mind, he knew he couldn't. He still had to smoke and salt the meats.

Dropping his sack onto the  deer fur rug that laid before the fire, Kay hurried outside to retrieve a few chopped logs of wood.

Groaning in dismay, came to find out that the newly delivered wood hadn't been put away, Kay found the wood wet and slippery in a small puddle of rainwater.

Going inside, Kay openned the door to bakery. There had to be a few logs there. Taking an oil lantern, from the rack on the Kay lit it. The lantern meekly elminated the area around him. An ammonious silence played through the room as Kay began fumble through the kitchen for the closet.

The darkness was blinding as Kay finally found the closet. Opening the door, Kay felt around the dark space. Finding what he was looking for, he gathered the logs in his hands and closed the door.

Suddenly, Kay could hear the clattering of bowls fall to the floor before hearing the hurried pacing of running. "Hello?" Kay call out. No one answered.

Hurrying out if the kitchen, Kay closed the door behind him and leaning a door before returning to the heath. He wasn't stupid, he wasn't ready to die from chasing after the person.

Lighting the fire, Kay began to smoke the meat after skinning the animals.

Hours passed as Kay toiled to smoke the wild meat. Kay lazily stretched his arms as he finally finished smoking the last of the meat. He could finally fall into a deep slumber.

A bright stream of light shine through the curtains. Kay groaned. There'd be no hope of getting any sleep after finish for he knew his father would be eager for him to work with him. Today, they'd bake the first meat filled breads.

Going into the cold cellar that hung underneath the small house with the smoked meat in hand, Kay attached them to the cool metalic hooks on the walls. Going up the steps, Kay crepted the narrow hall of the house to room. He might just get that sleep just yet.