Awake - Book One of the Spinner's Curse

Chapter Fifteen: Into the Darkness

                                                      Chapter Fifteen:

                                                    Into the Darkness

　

         My eyes drifted in and out of focus. My body swayed in time with the horse's footsteps. Spark's body was thrown haphazardly beside me. Ropes bound him to the horse. I was bound too. My head hurt and I moaned. The horse stopped and Jack's face swam into view. I wanted to spit on him, but I was too weak. He held a flask to my mouth but I was lucid enough to refuse it; clamping my lips together against the metal. He sighed and mumbled a few words under his breath. Automatically my lips opened and he poured the contents in. I swallowed before I had the chance to think about spitting it out. Immediately the black fog rolled in, sending me into another bout of endless night.

*        I opened my eyes. It was night. The light from the dying fire illuminated a dim circle around me. A blanket was tied firmly around me. My arms were ridged at my sides. I struggled and wiggled within my binds. I was careful to be quiet. I didn't want Jack to hear me.

  Across the fire, I could see Spark’s unmoving form. "Spark, Spark," I hissed, my eyes darting around furtively. Spark stirred, unlike me, he wasn't bound. "Spark, wake up!" I struggled harder, but the ropes seemed to squeeze me tighter. A pile of wood clattered around me. I froze. Jack. I felt him walk around me. My blood ran cold with hatred. I can't believe I trusted him. He walked into my field of vision and knelt down. My body was tilted so I was looking up into his wicked eyes.

         "You're awake!" He seemed genuinely happy. I scowled at him and he frowned. "I'm sorry, Rory." He reached out a hand and brushed the hair from my eyes. I jerked my head back from his cool fingers. "Rory," he pleaded.

          "No!" My voice rang out in the night. "Don't touch me. You betrayed me." He looked at me, sat back on his heels, and ran his hand through his hair.

          "I had too...You would have...I was only…” He grabbed a chunk of his hair and pulled, frustrated. Behind him, the fire flared with sudden energy. I tried to wiggle further from him. He let out a strangled growl. "I couldn't let you run off, Rory!" He practically shouted. The fire roared behind him, although the wood still lay untouched beside him. I looked beyond him, at Spark, who had risen from his pallet.

          He walked over, his eyes never leaving mine. He came up behind Jack and rested his hand on his shoulder. "Let me talk to her." His simple words shattered my heart. He'd been bewitched. He knelt beside me just as Jack rose. With sure hands, he began to untie me. When I was loosened I jumped to my feet, he did nothing to stop me.

          "How could you, Spark!" I could hear the tears in my voice, waiting to break free. "How could you side with him? Join him?" I looked behind him, where Jack was adding the wood to the fire.

          Spark sighed and reached out his arm, rolling up his sleeve. I watched him blankly. He flexed his hand. He flexed his hand. His arm, it was healed. The revelation made my stomach turn with both joy and disgust. He extended it to me, since the light was brighter now I could see his arm better. "There isn't even a scar, Rory. It's completely gone." His words were filled with wonderment.

        "He drugged me, Spark. He kept me tied!" I took a step away, prepared to flee.

        "He did it for your own good, Rory. He said he told you about the riots and you went crazy, running as fast as you could back to town. He couldn't let you run to your own death, Rory. I'm glad he stopped you."