[GT] Little Dreams About Big Things - Short Story Collection

Season's Greetings 2: The Hunter [2 of 5]

2: Eila

I led us to a mossy patch among the rocks, close to the water, where we collapsed.

I was utterly exhausted, mentally and physically.

Everything ached, my arms, my back, my feet, and I just wanted to curl up around Emmi, close my eyes and sleep.

But I couldn't. I mustn't. Emmi needed to drink and wash and eat, and so did I. we could not afford to stay here long. Fullrem and his slavers would still be out there, after us. We were too valuable to lose. Andros, that rich, filthy pig, had been leering at me since I was twelve and had promised a good sum for me and Emmi when he heard our village had been raided. The thought made me shudder.
Disgusting brute.
Not just me but Emmi too!

I'd sooner die than see myself and my sister sold into his fat greasy hands, to spend the rest of our miserable lives as his property. Me forced to be his bed-slave until Emmi grew old enough, and then either taking us both or having me watch as he defiled her, most like.

It made me sick.

No, there was no time for sleep.

It had been two days since we managed to escape.

Mother was long dead, Father, Temus, Kylar and little Ren already auctioned off to god-knows-where. The guard that day had not paid attention, had been 'busy' with one of the girls. There had been an opening, and I had just grabbed Emmi and run.

I had not slept since then.

I had kept us moving, had carried Emmi for as long as I could when she grew too tired to walk and had pressed on.

Still, they had not given up the pursuit.

They moved at a steady pace, they rested, but they had dogs and boots and food. And while we were getting slower and slower by the hour, they kept on after us, drawing ever closer.

The river was our only hope. If I found a place where we might cross it, the dogs would surely lose our scent.

But even up here, the current was still too rapid, the river still too broad for me to swim across with Emmi. Yet, I could not wait much longer. If we did not find a suitable place soon, the exhaustion would have me too weak to swim at all, and then all would be lost.

Maybe... maybe if we slept and ate, I might be strong enough to cross here.

In the end, drowning would be preferable to the fate that awaited us, were we caught.

My biggest fear was not that I myself might die. No, the events of the past week had cured me of that. But, if I were to lose Emmi...

I could not bear the thought.

I would have given up long ago if it weren't for her. Emmi was what kept me going.

I gathered the last of my energy and saw to it that we both drank and washed. I had not seen anything edible on our way here, but then I had been too busy watching for our pursuers to look. Here by the river, I discovered several bushes, ripe with deep red berries. I simply ripped off a few branches and brought them back to our spot on the soft moss, where Emmi had curled up, already half asleep.

She did not protest as I roused her, but simply ate all she could. I went for berries twice more before we were both satisfied.

With the sun warm on our backs and the steady noise of the river all around us, Emmi curled up on my lap and was asleep in seconds.

I hugged her tightly. I decided I would let her rest for a bit. She was still so small, and after all we'd been through I just couldn't bring myself to deny her a few minutes of peace.
My full stomach, the warmth of the sun and that of her sleeping body against mine made me drowsy.
I would just rest my head, just close my eyes for a minute.
I was so tired.
The river murmured steadily, and I could hear birdsong and the rustling of a light breeze in the trees.

I fell asleep.