And The Heavens Fell Silent by Maria Louise (beach read TXT) 📖

     I shuddered. “I’d rather have catus.”

     “Open yo damn chops an eat da grub or I’lls make ya eat it myself!” Whiskey threatened.

     I began scooting away from the fire as Whiskey came at me with a determined look that scared me.

     Next thing I knew Whiskey was ontop of me, pinning my arms and smearing a handful of grub against my lips.

     “Dis is fo yo own good!” she yelled while wrestling me.

     I bit her hand and as I did she took the opportunity to shove it down my throat. I gagged but it was far too late. The sticky mess slithered down my throat like a hot, wet serpent.

     “Der, der, child. Ya’ll tank meh later.” Whiskey said as she jumped off of me before I could do her harm.

     I got up grumbling to myself and noticed Phoenix smirking at me.

     “You’ve got a little-” he said motioning to the bug parts, no doubt, all over my face.

     I wiped the grime off me and rubbed my hand all over his face.

     He looked at me stunned.

     “You’ve got a little-” I shot back, motioning to the slimy bug guts now on him.

     After a long silence, Phoenix began to laugh. And I mean a belly rolling, on the ground, in hysterics, laugh.

     I had never heard Phoenix laugh before. His laughing was so outlandish it got me all giggling then pretty soon Whiskey was snorting along with us, and once we started, it was like we couldn't stop.

     It was such a relief to laugh! It felt like all my worries were fading away. It was just us on the ground, hiccuping and giggling like fools. Just us and nothing else could stand in the way of that.  

     Friendship.

     I was really starting to like these odd people, which was strange considering they forced me to eat bugs.

     After I was done relieving myself in the shabby treese, and frankly just happy that this time I had leafs to help with the process, I came upon the small camp once again and noticed Phoenix staring at me with a distressed look on his face. I instantly saw why.

     A pretty little leaf skirt was swinging around him with the breeze.

     “I would prefer to be unclothed.” Phoenix stated, his face drawn.

     Whiskey spanked his butt, startling him. “Yeah, meh to Lover boy, but Mrs. Prude over here was getin’ distracted, er.. I mean, uncomfortable.”

     Phoenix looked at me desperately, his eyes communicating, you did this to me?

     Well atleast now I understood why Whiskey was so enthusiastic about helping me make Phoenix cloths. He looked ridiculous!

Depend on the rabbit’s foot if you will, but remember it didn't work very well for the rabbit-R.E. Shay

The red mooned sky was the color of wolf crap. Well, wolf crap after being on a steady diet of rotting meat of course.

     How delightful.

     I looked to the pups spooned in front me, Lover boy behind and Yram in the front. Yram was in a type of intense daze, her head bobbing back and forth with the horses movements as her eyes stared at something unseen. Lover boy had his head tilted up, gazing at the sky in an expression that could only be interpreted as awe and wonder.

     “It is beautiful.” Lover boy whispered.

     What could he see that I could not? Or maybe we saw the exact same thing, only I saw the clear cold facts of life, where he was looking at the world through a obscured bottle of alcohol. Yup, I decided. That would definitely make things appear a lot more warm and fuzzy.

     Oh Lucifer, I needed a drink!

     We had been riding almost all day and the weather was windy, hot and dry, with spastic burst of coldness. There was a black storm rumbling behind us, yet no rain or lightning. The weather had turned into a chaotic frenzy.

     The flat plane had given way to mountains, canyons, hills, tall brush and dry grass with some sporadic dead trees.

     The only thing that kept me from drooling with boredom was watching how Lover boy and Yram interacted...or didn't interact. Yram was still blushing with embarrassment while Lover boy just gazed at her like she was the sun that lit the world, or the moon that guided us at night. After Lover boy’s run in with her bathing, or whatever deed they did in the bushes at night, he couldn't keep his eyes from roaming her body.

     I noticed, suppressing a wicked smile, that Lover boy’s hand began to slowly creep around Yram’s waist then wrap around her stomach as if he was merely holding on so that he would not slid off the horse. I knew he had other motives than just holding on. The flat of his palm started to do circles around her exposed navel.

     Yram bared her teeth at his touch in a grimace that was both feral and pained. With a disgusted look she plucked his hands off of her as if they were poisonous snakes.

     A few more minutes into the ride and Lover boy was at it again. He slowly, as if afraid, began so scoot closer to Yram so that his body was pressed against hers. Lover boy then lifted his hand and hesitantly stroked down Yram’s crimson hair. I started to laugh but quickly hid it with a cough.

     “PHOENIX, stop touching me!” growled Yram who was now so far up on her white horse that she was practically riding his neck. She spun her head around and stared Lover boy dead in the eyes. A warning look that would make an Alpha wolf tuck his tail and run, or even curdle breast milk.

     Lover boy gave Yram a look that reminded me of a kicked wolf pup.

     “I-I am not sorry.” proclaim Mr. Say-what-he-thinks. Sometime, I’m going to teach that kid how to lie.

     They just looked at each other. Lover boy with a mix of apologetic and fierceness. Yram with pain and anger.

     To my utter shock Phoenix came at Yram as if he was going to give her a big wet one!

     Yram pushed his face away roughly. Her hands began to shake and her eyes flashed the color of blood and whiskey. I could almost see the snap in her brain. As if the inner battle that she had been fighting for long, had come to an end.

     The insanity radiating off of her reminded me..no, I mustn't think of that! But it was too late. The flashback took me up into its dark depths.

   All was silent. I could no longer hear the whimpers and cries of my tribe people. From my thighs down were dripping in the blood of my friends and family, the people I was supposed to protect. My people. The army had left, leaving nothing but blood and the scent of death.

       I was crouched behind a bush when I saw him. The monster, the leader, the death of the people I loved. I saw him laugh and look gleeful at the slaughter he led.

     If only I wouldn't have gone on a hunting trip, then maybe I wouldn't have come back home to find the Creatures of the flame, the Scars of the earth, packing up the bloody meat, the  broken bodies of everyone I loved.

   I was mercifully ripped from my flashback by Yram’s rage.

     Though I could still see Yram struggling to contain her anger, I knew which side would win. Always the darker side.

     “We cannot be like that! It hurts! It hurts when you touch me.” Yram’s voice broke. “Like fire melting my skin and kindling my anger! Don't, please. Don't touch me anymore!” her voice was shaky, choked and not in control. Lover boy seemed invoke her anger like wood to fire. Her whole body shook and she whimpered holding herself.

     Phoenixed was in shock, his hands still on her. His mouth opened and shut trying to form words, like a fish out of water.

     The unhinged look in Yram’s eyes only increases as he didn't remove his hands, it sent my heart a fluttering and made acid pool in my gut. I was shocked, I had never been afraid of someone before! Her lip bled, her eyes shone the color of the new moon and her facial muscles twitched not knowing what expression to take.

     Yram did not look human.

     I knew this could not end well so I silently dismounted, the others did not notice. Yram turned her upper body around and grabbed Lover boy by his throat. I was certain Yram was going to kill the boy, but instead she threw him far from the horse with strength she shouldn't have possessed.

     Yram got a funny look then. She stared at her hand like it was a terrifying creature instead of a part of her body.

     I saw anger quickly slip from her face and horror took its place.

     So faintly I may not of heard it, she whimpered, “God, what is happening to me?”

     Without warning, Yram hurriedly kicked her horse into a full out run, spraying Lover boy with a layer of dust. Yram and her mount stormed across the desert, rushing from us as if we were the ones with blood red eyes and inhuman strength. Only then did I realized, she must have been touched by the flair. Did that explain her hot and cold personality? I had never in all my travels come across someone so bipolar! She must be riding the white sheep or something!

     “I hurt her.” Lover boy whispered.

     This man/child seriously needed to get a grip on himself.

     “Damn right ya did! Nice goin’ Lover boy. You scared off or only hope to survive this damn desert!” 

     “I hurt her.”

     I looked down at Lover boy’s dust covered face, he looked so grave it startled me into trying to make him feel better.

     “Eh...but don'tcha worry bout it. She’s probably jus on da wrag. She be back!” I rewarded, stating my previous thought.

     Lover boy seemed relieved but confused. “What does that mean? ‘On the wrag’?”

     I laughed. “Datsa question to ask yer mama! Now get yer white arse up off dat dirt an lets go see wat got de red fillys panites in a wad, eh?”