Devils on Starfall Isle

12

Verity was woken by shouts. The sun was up, and its gentle light was shining through the slats. She was cold and uncomfortable from her few hours of sleep on the ground, but at least she'd slept, and the bronze of the dawn felt like it contained some hope.

She stood, unsteady from numbness in her left leg, and pushed open the door of her uncomfortable sanctuary.

The people of Hod were coming down to the shore, filing out of the grey forest, burdened with their belongings. They looked defeated and grim, clinging onto bags and baskets. Father Hooper was at their head, and he was doing his best to encourage them onwards.

They were shouting because, instead of a great ship coming into the harbour, these was a little boat. It was loaded with things the people of the island might want to buy. Two sailors were rowing it, and a third was sitting at the prow. He was shouting replies to the people on the shore.

Verity walked around the shed, and sat down, leaning her back against the wood; and she watched to see what would happen next, still tired from her long night.

'The captain won't come any closer,' called the sailor, as the boat came in. 'The stars are still falling. He won't risk the ship.'

And, indeed, harder to see against the sunlit sky, the starfall had not stopped. It had lessened, but there were bright streaks across the dark blue every minute or so.

There were cries of despair from the people on the shore. The priest walked down the pebbly beach, and stood where the waves lapped the land.

'Good men! We're in terrible need. You must help us off this accursed isle. Many of us are dead, more will die if you don't.'

The sailors stopped rowing.

'What? Do you have the pox?'

'No!' shouted the priest, desperate. 'No, we don't. Something foul stalks this place, devils that take delight in murder. We must leave. We must leave!'

The sailor wavered, still some way out in the bay. He conferred with the other two, too far away for Verity to hear.

'You swear on the Twins that there's no pox?' he shouted.

'Yes,' shouted the priest immediately. 'I swear on my immortal soul that we have no pox here.'

The sailor shrugged, and spat into the waves; and then they resumed rowing towards the shore. The boat ground against the pebbles as the sailors pulled it up the beech.

The villagers rushed forward, hands out, imploring. The sailors, already unnerved by talk of the pox, suddenly pulled their swords out and backed away. The crowd halted; there was a lot of shouting and screaming, and from where she was sitting Verity couldn't tell what was going on. A man made a lunge, and one of the sailors swiped with his sword. It would soon be a massacre.

Then Father Hooper pushed his way through the people to stand between the sailors and the townsfolk. He shouted as loud as he could.

'Please! Everyone, stay calm.'

Then he spoke, and Verity couldn't hear what he was saying; but it ended with children, and some of the women, being put onto the boat. The cargo that it had been carrying was unloaded, and left on the shore, unheeded. Then the sailors pushed the boat into the sea, jumped in, and started rowing out of the bay.

She thought that that was that; but no. A man, made mad by terror and fury suddenly waded out into the water. She had no idea what his intent was, but the sailor at the prow pulled out his sword and slashed at the man as he rushed through the surf; and he went down, blood flying through the air, falling into the sea with a splash. He didn't get back up.

Verity stood, as quietly as she could, and she walked to the forest edge, where a little stream flowed from under the grey trees. She had no wish to be with the people of Hod.