The Maze - Tor's Quest Book 2

Chapter 10

As Ellen had predicted, Cirren awoke the next morning, though he was too weak to speak. She managed to get him to drink a lot of water and eat a little food before he fell asleep again, so when everyone was ready and all water containers had been refilled from the fountain, he was strapped into the makeshift litter.

He woke up again briefly when they stopped for a midday meal and Ellen ascertained that he appeared to be recovering well, though it would probably be a few days before he would be fit enough to walk. A kind of depression had overcome the group and it lifted slightly at this news. While only three of them actually knew any of those who had died, it had brought home to them all the reality that everyone may die in the maze.

Patrick had only known a few of Cirren's companions and Tor was too preoccupied with worry over his brother for any other emotions to take hold, but Brin had gotten to know them all well and was greatly affected by their deaths. A deep melancholy enveloped him and he became morose, only speaking when directly spoken to and often remaining silent even then.

Sam, sensing the problem went deeper than the grief of losing his companions, stayed by his side. She did not ask what he was thinking; he would tell her when he was ready. Later, when food was being distributed, he spoke to her.

"I spent months with those people," he said quietly. "Getting to know them, becoming friends with them. Now, except for Cirren, they are all dead." His anguished eyes met hers. "Am I going to lose everyone here as well?"

She lovingly squeezed his hand. "Nobody can predict the future. We may all die tomorrow, we may get out alive. All we can do is try our best to survive."

"You are not being very reassuring," he accused.

"I'm a realist. I can't tell you everything is going to be okay, because it might not be. But I can tell you that if we spend all our energy worrying about the terrible things that may happen, we will not have our minds focused enough on the problems we need to solve to get through this. So have something to eat, try to get a good night's sleep and we can worry about tomorrow when it arrives."

"Yes my lady," he replied and attempted to bow while sitting down.

"Stop being silly," she said, her voice filled with laughter, and threw a friendly punch in his direction. He leaned back just in time to make her topple over into his lap.

"Thank you," he whispered into her ear as he placed his arms lovingly around her and gently kissed her forehead.

"If you two have quite finished," Ellen said, holding out two pieces of bread with slices of cheese on top. They both sat up and gratefully took the food from her outstretched hands. Before they could take their first bite, they were distracted by sound coming from the litter. Cirren was awake once more and attempting to sit up. Ellen rushed over to him and, loosening the blankets that were holding him in place, helped him to rise.

Sam regarded him closely, unable to see the resemblance between the brothers. Cirren's long blonde hair was hanging lifelessly around his face, obscuring his features. When he brushed it back with his hand, he revealed a pleasant, though unhealthily thin and pale, face. His blue eyes had the potential to be bright and sparkling, but were currently dull and surrounded by deep shadows. His ordeal had physically affected him, but he would recover; Tor would make sure of that.

He had not been awake long enough for anyone to assess how he was emotionally, which Ellen was more concerned about than his physical well being. Tor had agreed to be the one to tell him about his friends, but not until he needed to. Cirren had known some of his companions for many years and had been very close to them. Tor knew his brother would take the news of their deaths very badly, probably blaming himself for placing them in danger in the first place.