Tales of Dark Times

October 5th, 3002

Dear Oscar,

I live hoping to see you in the near future, yet I don't let that feeling consume me. In the forest of Sogreeias, I live happily alone, but many people pass. Why just last month a man by the name of Howard came trekking past my little cottage. I offered him shelter for the night. He accepted almost immediately. He had been carrying many loaves of bread and in a small pouch were a variety of vegetables including my favorite, mushrooms. Howard offered to make me a stew. Knowing neither he nor I had meat, I turned it down.

But guess what happened after that, Oscar?
Inside his backpack was a small bow, and he pulled out a few arrows! He told me he would go get some meat. Hours later, this man returned holding a fat coney! As the stew was cooking, he told me all about how he got here. It is a tale I will tell you once you return, Oscar, but the main point was that he was wandering for years. Night crept near and we enjoyed the soup. When night had arrived, I gave him my bed. But right before bedtime a knock sounded throughout the house. Howard quickly told me to hide. I did so in the bathroom, and waited, listening to what was happening. After a few minutes, he yelled for me that it was okay to come out. It turned out that it was one of his buddies from up north. We gave him soup, and I offered him the guest bedroom.

In the morning they packed up, left me some bread and mushrooms, then headed out. It was amazing, Oscar, that afternoon another visitor showed up. She informed me that Howard sent her. I invited her in and gave her some seed cake. As she ate, she told me how Howard needed my help desperately. The girl, Jodi, told me how he was stuck in an elven village. He was imprisoned because they thought him to be a ranger.

As you know Oscar, I am no adventurer. I could barely wield a common knife. But something bubbled inside me. Minutes later I was frantically packing things I would need for the journey. Jodi loaded my things onto a pony. It happened so fast. Too fast, I had realized when I was on Marla, a sweet pinto horse. We stopped only few to eat what seemed like two bites. That night we found a shady area and we slept. Well... Jodi slept, I was too anxious and couldn't stop staring at the tree branches above. Night noises were frightening. I would hear distant howls that sounded too close for comfort. The horses and ponies would always neigh randomly which woke me from my thin sleep several times that night.

That next day when we were traveling was amazing. We passed many valleys and rivers which rounded and wound far past the eye could see. Jodi kept the pace up though; she didn't want to waste one minute. I had the feeling at the time that she might actually care deeply for Howard. We stopped for a quick lunch and I asked what Howard was to her. For a fraction of a second her eyes lit up, but as soon as it happened it had ended. So I just thought nothing of it. She told me how they had met several years ago at a hunting competition and became best friends. They hunted everyday, and for a portion of the day they just sat and talked. Then Jodi talked about how they started doing everything together. She had so much joy until suddenly her eyes turned downcast. Jodi liked him a lot and started housing feelings for him. One day though she showed up to their spot in the woods and he wasn't there. He was actually going to a pub with a girl named Amilia. Jodi told me how depressed she became. She began to space herself from Howard, and soon they just didn't hang out at all. I felt bad for her, she should've told Howard she liked him sooner.

But then she perked up. Over the last year they began to see each other a lot more. Jodi ended the story with how they hung out almost everyday. She told me how he stopped seeing Amilia. Jodi was over the moon, and that's why she is helping him now. She had a dreamy look in her eye. I knew what that look was. Whenever I thought of you, Oscar, I would get that same twinkle in my eyes. I told her I would do my best to help get him back. She thanked me and we started to journey ahead. I thought back to the night I spent with Howard, and I began to realize why she liked him. He was a kind soul.

We stayed on one path for days, and then finally we hit a tiny village by the name of Wiltertown. People stared at us as we passed. Jodi had many blades and swords everywhere on her and she looked extremely, at this moment, like a bounty hunter. Her head held high, she didn't look at the people. Then there was me, Oscar, a commoner who looked out of place with Jodi. People backed up slowly as we came closer. At the edge of the village was The Drummer, a local pub. Jodi finally looked at the people and asked where the stables were. A boy of about thirteen stepped forward and told us he was the stableboy. We gave him our horses and ponies then we headed into the pub. As we sat down, a man walked to our table and offered us the menu. He also put down two glasses of ale.

"Those are from the gentleman in the corner."

I followed Jodi's eyes and saw a middle-aged guy grimacing at us. Jodi looked away; her face was turning ashen. She quickly ordered one of everything off the menu. The waiter's eyes widened.

"I must see how much money you carry. The restaurant must make sure they will not be wasting food," The waiter ordered.

Oscar, she pulled out a bag of cash that made both the waiter and I gasp. Jodi was rich beyond belief. I couldn't keep my mouth shut as she gave him a handful of various coins.

"Keep the change," She had whispered.

Her eyes darted back to the man in the corner. Something about this exchange seemed fishy. I asked her who the man was. She refused to answer though. She never touched her ale, and didn't even look at the food. We threw the remaining food in our packs and slowly headed out. For the first time since seeing the man it seemed as if Jodi took her first breath. I was curious, but didn't pursue the subject further. The stableboy was still tending to our horses when we got there, and he informed us that he got rooms for us at the Leisure Inn across the street. Jodi was a little hesitant at first, but I wanted to feel a bed again. I said goodnight to Jodi and headed towards the hotel. Inside was the man from the pub. I said hello then went to the front desk to get my room key. When I passed him again, I smiled weakly.

As soon as I opened the door to my room, I flopped on to the bed. My eyes shut immediately and I was out.

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