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

out not to be creepy shapes or monsters, but men, (so I assumed), dressed from head to toe in black, not a inch of their skin showing with turbans wrapped around their heads and gloved hands. They also walked with a type of slither in their movements. That scared me because they did not move as a human would, and also they held spears pointed towards us, which did not help in the slightest with my discomfort.

     “Have ya ever noticed dat ya got da luck of a baby covered in blood in a hungry wolf pen?” asked Whiskey casually.

     “Whiskey,” I whispered. “I am a half demon who is being hunted down by the devil and had been captured by slave traders and sold to another demon who wanted to absorb the life out of me.” I sucked in a huge breath. “I've been struck by lightning, I'm a woman that struggles with just about every sin and now I am now captured by terrorists. If I didn't know I had bad luck by now, I would be quite dim.”

    Whiskey choked out a laugh at that but soon shut up when a spear point was jabbed at her throat.

     Phoenix and I stood as still as possible, waiting for someone to make the first move. I realized the terrorists seemed to be keeping their attention mostly on me.

     “Flare child.” they whispered.

     “Look at the eyes, shes a Scar.” Their voices were smooth yet guttural as they talked about me as if I couldn't hear them.

     “The others are Human, though, and shes NOT like us.” growled a nice masculine sounding voice, he was clearly the leader by the way he held himself. “Kill them, it is not a coincidence that they have found their way directly to our clan. It must be another hunting party sent to murder more of our people!”

     “We do not kill!” slithered a voice from one of the masked men, I couldn't tell who. They all were obviously hesitant about killing. No one even shifted a spear slightly closer to us and they held their weapons awkwardly like they were afraid of them. What a strange bunch of people.

    I decided it was time to speak up before we all became spear shish kabobs. “If it makes you feel any better, we are not, in fact, trying to kill you, as you can see we are unarmed. Actually, we are quite lost and it would be kind of you to point us the way so we can, um, leave you in peace...”

     For some reason our captures all jumped back and gasped as I spoke.Well, all but the leader who wanted to kill us. He stepped closer to me, peering at my face from under his shadow mask. My heart went still and ice shot through my veins as I glimpsed his eyes. They reflected from the moonlight like an animals eyes would.

     “You can understand us?” He spoke slow and deliberately.

     It became apparent that they were all a bunch of loonies.

     I tried to speak slowly and soothingly as if speaking to an upset child. “Yes, I can understand you. Now, if you could just let us g-”

     “You speak our language.” he stated in awe, interrupting me.

     “What are dey saying?” whispered Whiskey, wide eyed. “How do ya know ta speak like dat?”

    It was official. Everyone had gone nuts.

     “Well, we're just going to be on our way then...” I told them and subtly started to walk backwards. Whiskey noticed and followed in my lead. Phoenix just stood there with an unreadable expression.

     “Run!” I yelled, slapping Hosannas rump and took off. Only Hosanna didn't go anywhere. He just stood there licking his lips happily, same as Phoenix. As it turned out me and Whiskey were the only ones who ran and limped away but only made it about as far as the closest bush when hands were gripping me and pulling me back.  I kicked out in agony and shrieked and wiggled to get away. Looking over to Whiskey I found her to be in the same predicament as I, only she was faring much better, biting like a rabid dog. I followed in her lead and bit my captures hand. He howled in pain. Yes, I mean howled. Like a wolf.

     Well, then.

     “Phoenix, HELP!” I called. He looked over at me and met my eyes in a blank expression. Oh, I was going to kill him!

     I slammed the back of my head into the face of the man holding me.

     “HELP!” my capture gasped. About five men trotted over and helped him pin my  appendages down to my body.

     Why did the red haze only come upon me at the most inconvenient times? Where was it when I needed a little demon?

     I glared at Phoenix, wishing looks could kill. Whiskey looked over and winked at me. “Nice one, red filly! Sure gave em a run for der money ya did!”

     “We will bring them to Chief Qaletaqa. He will know what do with these Pinkskins!” spat the man holding me from behind. I now recognized him as the leader.

     “What’s goin’ on? Wha’d he say?!” Whiskey whispered to me.

     “You mean you really can't understand them?” I wondered incredulously.

     She barked out a laugh. “All it sounds like to meh is ‘Bar bar hukju bar grumble baar!’ Ha! That’s what I’lls call em! Barbarians!”

     I tried to hold back a laugh.. “I think they are taking us to their leader... and, uh, i’m pretty sure they aren't human...but I’m hoping they are just crazy.”

     Whiskey raised her eyebrow. “Filly, I’m crazy. Nope, der monster! Barbarian scum! Whadya got to hide under dose ugly outfits?!” she spat on one of their turbans. They all flinched away from her, terrified.

     “Now, come with us willingly or we’ll drag you there. Tell the others.” my captor demand.

     I rolled my eyes. This guy was all bark and no bite. I obeyed anyway and translated his message. Now that I was paying attention, I could tell the difference between the two languages I was speaking. They both came perfectly natural to me, but left different tastes in my mouth.

     My original language was more smooth and bubbly, like a stream. The new one, rough guttural and and wild, like a crackling fire, a bear growling, and gravel crunching under my boots. This new language exited me. Maybe being demon wasn't all bad?

     I was thankful that I was not dragged or thrown over his shoulder, instead I was simply urged forward, him still holding my wrists together almost gently. The same was done with Whiskey and Phoenix. These people, I could already tell, were as soft as Hosannas fur and not at all the fearsome warriors they appeared to be. That comforted me.

     But even the gentlest of people had to eat.

      “What about my horse?” I asked stopping abruptly, my captor stumbling into me.

     “We’ve got plans for him.” he said regaining his footing and taking a step back.

     My heart started racing. “If you so much as touch him i’m going to-”

    I was pushed forward. “Were not going to harm your horse, woman. Calm yourself.”

    I was relieved but I did not appreciate the way he spoke to me. “Oh, yes, thats what I will do! Stay calm as the man who tried to kill me, takes me into his lair!”

     I heard him laugh behind me.

    He wasn't going to think I was so funny when I played ‘hide my boot.’ with him... I wonder if my mother would be ashamed of my now corrupt thoughts and ways. Sorry, Mama. I can't be your ‘little angel’ in this world.    

      “And my names Yram, boy.”

     He didn't miss a beat. “Nice to meet you, Yram. I’m Ahote, and I can't help but notice, you're not wearing any pants.”

Yram

 

I know you are here to kill me. Shoot, coward, you are only going to kill a man-Che Guevara

          

We were led inside the red rock mountain!

     Walking painfully further and further into the stone walls, I tried to remember the route just in case we needed to escape. After the tenth turn I gave up on it all together and decided to try and fight them instead, which lead to even more disappointment. After all, they were armed men and me only a hurt unarmed girl. Hmm, an unarmed, captive girl..there were some things a girl could do to get her way with men. I kept that in mind for later.

     Soon, oh too soon, we came upon a massive, ancient, wooden door. It was dark and oily with age and smelt of mildew and rot..but then again the entire cave stunk like mildew. Ahote stepped up and banged on the door. I small flap was lifted and two large black eyes peered out. The creepy eyes reminded me of a reptile or a bat.

     My stomach dropped and the massive door swung inward revealing the most horrific scene I had dreamt of in my worst of nightmares. Besides me, Whiskey scratched and began flinging terrified profanity at the captures. Our inhuman captures. Phoenix just stared, his lip parted, looking more entranced then anything. And me, the brave Yram, what did I do? I coward and whimpered, trying to make myself appear as small as possible, not that it helped me disappear. Every hundreds of large gleaming eyes stared upon us in shock. All was quiet but the pounding of my panicked heart.

     We were trapped in a dark underground world, with creatures of the flair. The blood thirsty monsters of Mamas stories.

     Never before had I been so certain of my death.

Phoenix

 

Faith is a necessity to a man. Woe to him who believes in nothing- Victor Hugo

  A Canyon, ingenious... I thought to myself, I look to the head of the procession as we came into the mountain, Yram in the arms of all the men around her. She was struggling, I’m quite surprised she hadn’t escaped by now. She was constantly releasing frustrated screams which rang off the canyon walls like a harpie’s cry. She gave a look back at me, the hurt and disappointment very clear in her stare. I could feel the daggers from her eyes, I looked away, trying to appear interested in the water formed canyon walls.

  Honestly it was hard, impossible,