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

what my people did to you, but if you kill us you’ll be just as bad as them.”

     He said nothing to that, still ushering me forward.

     Icey fear shot through my veins as I laid eyes upon the dark maw he was leading me into.

     “No, no, no, no!” I moaned, backpedaling, but I was very weak and could do nothing to stop my descent into the dark cave.

     “You will only be here for a while, until I found out what to do with you.” said Ahote sounding sad.

     “But-but it's so cold!” I cried desperately. “And I’m barely clothed!”

    Ahote grunted and steered me away from the horrid cave. I almost cried with relief.

     After a while I asked, “Where are you taking me?”

     “To get you something to, ah, cover yourself.” he said. I bit my lip. At least he wasn't heartless.

     There was no sense of time in the cave, just endless tunnels and darkness. After a while the numbing adrenalin began to recede, leaving me raw, feeling all the pain of my sore muscles and torn flesh. I didn't want to tell him how much I hurt, how week I was, how pants would only chafe the stinging skin of my thighs.

    A thought worse than my selfish pain hit me.

     “What about my friends? They must be cold to!”

      Ahote said nothing.

     “Please, help my friends.” I begged.

     “No.”

     Yes!

      In stubbornness, I sat down. The cool dusty rock almost soothed my skin. Well, it would have if my scabbed up thighs didn't crack open with the movement. I had to bite my lip hard to not cry out.

     “Get up.” he said exasperated.

      “Help my friends.” I breathed.

     “Fine.” he grumbled. “After I get you clothed, I will send someone to help your friends.”

     Thank God!

     Ahote reached a hand down to help me up and I took it, but soon realized my legs weren't cooperating.

     “I-I can't get up.” I confessed gasping at the pain.

     He looked confused, tilting his head to the side.

     “I hurt my legs.” I moaned. I hated sounding so weak, but it hurt! Oh, it hurt!

     He fell to his knees next to me and reached out for my leg. Umm. I scooted away from him. Maybe he wasn't evil, but I didn't want him touching my bare legs.

     “Let me see.” he said holding out his gloved hands. How could he even see in this darkness?

     “N-no.” I gasped.

     “Your imposible!”

     “You're the one holding me hostage!”

     He didn't say anything to that but instead grabbed me around the waist and the crease of my legs and began carrying me down the hall. It was painful but not so bad as walking. At least this might help with my act of damsel in distress, even if I was being manhandled. Men alway had a soft spot for damsels in distress, and I figured if I couldn’t help myself I might as well gain a handsome prince to save me. Or in this case, some rude boy dressed all in black. But hey, a girl couldn't be picky in situations like this.

    He took me into a large hollowed out room with rich colors of red and brown, then he walked down a short hall into a room with light colors like yellows and pinks. A small mattress with fuzzy blankets lay in the center of the room where a creature sat. It was the female that I had seen earlier with floppy hair.

     The creature looked shocked. “Brother! What are you doing here!? With her! Fathers going to be furious!”

     “Shes hurt and barely clothed. I, eh, thought you could help her?” Said Ahote cringing.

     “Can you please put me down?” I asked, getting light headed with the swaying movements.

     “You-You didn't hurt her did you?” gasped the female.

     “No! I would never!” he shoot back madly.

     Ahote’s sister sighed. “Let's have a look at the girl, then.”

     “My names, Yram.” I breathed as Ahote laid me down on the females bed. I didn't want her talking about me as if I wasn't there. I had enough of that in my old village.

     “I’m Kaiah, Ahote’s sister, but I’m not as rude as him, don't worry.” she said in a giggly voice.

     “Ummh.” I muttered, eyes drifting close. The females bed was feeling so nice against my back.

     Someone put their cool hand on my forehead.

     “Leave, Ahote. Yram needs her rest.”

     “But-”

     “Out!”

     And then, nothing.

Yram

 

To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all- Oscer Wilde

Mmm. I was so warm. So happy. So comfy. Ahh.

     Wait-

    I snapped open my eyes and uncurled my hands from the soft blanket that was wrapped around me.

     A monster looked down at me with gleaming black eyes and white-blue skin.

     “Ahh!” I shrieked.

     “Ahhg!” bellowed the monster back at me as it jumped backwards and tripped over itself.

     I whimpered and pulled the covers over my head. I felt much safer under the yellow blanket.

     “Ahem, um, you're finally awake...” said a voice outside the warm blanket. A voice I recognised.

     “Ahote?” I asked, peeking my head over the covers. The monster looked back at me, its teeth bared in a snarl..or could it be, a guilty smile?

     “Ahote?” I wondered again, wide eyed.

    “Yes.” the monster said in Ahote’s voice.

     I look at the creature then. I took in its large creepy eyes and massive pupils that almost consumed the foggy colored iris. The monster blinked slowly, its head tilted curiously to the side, a mop of black hair in a mohawk down the center of its forehead, It’s bare chest, leen and breathing quickly. A creature obviously only half human. I took in a peculiar wooden carved necklaces of a wolf along with a familiar green necklace, that it wore.  My hand flew to my chest but my necklace wasn't there. I didn't dare ask the creature for it back.

     The monster, Ahote, began to reach his pale hand towards my face. I shrunk away from him, but he ignored me.

     His cold hand touched my cheek.

     “What? Do I scare you now that you see me for what I am?” Ahote asked with a bitter smile. “Am I the terrifying monster of your nightmares?”

     Yes.

     “N-no.” I whimpered.

     “You lie.”

     Yes.

     Ahote’s eyes blinked slowly, calculating my response to him.

     Did he see my fear? My disgust? I had seen the other grotesque creatures, and they were awful too, but somehow it was worse seeing Ahote like this. Maybe because I had started to trust him.

     “Ahote! What're you doing in here?!” said the freakish girl named Kaiah as she stepped into the room. “Out! Out, Out, OUT!”  

     “She needs to go back to the holding place befor father gets home!” defended Ahote.

    Kaiah’s eyes flashed. “Not before she's healed, she isn't!”

     I wiggled furth under the covers till my eyes were just peeking over the blanket. I watched the monsters as they fought, their ams flying around wildly, the girls floppy hair bouncing around. I noticed that neither Ahote nor the girl was slathered in the oil most of the older members had on.

     “Okay.” Kaiah gave in after a while. “Let me check her bandages first.”

   I let out squeal as Kaiah ripped the blankets from ontop of me and cold air flooded around my body. Furthermore, I had no choice in the matter as she sat on the bed between my legs and started removing the cloth bandages that I just realized were there.

     Kaiah gasped as she peeled both cloths off my skin.

      “Ahote, come take a look at this!”

     I was too scared to react as Ahote looked at my bare legs while I was only in my underwear. Ahote’s face was flushed, but then all color drained from it. What was it they were looking at? I sat up a little bit, gazed down at my thighs, and gasped.

     My legs were healed! Only light pink scaring remained.

     Ahote’s eyes looked as if they were about to bulge out of his face as he asked me, “What are you?”

     I could not lie to them and say I was affected by the flair, but surely I could not tell them I was demon either!

     I looked at Ahote in fear and he looked back at me with the same expression I wore. Silence was thick and dangerous around us.

      “AHOTE!!!” Bellowed a vigorous voice, echoing into the room. I knew that obnoxious wheezy voice from anywhere. Ahote’s father.

    “The basket!” Whispered Kaiah hurriedly. I was taken by both my arms and dragged towards a woven basket. Then I was promptly crammed into it. I was too weak to protest. I couldn't muster up anymore strength. To my shock, another cold body was crammed in next to me. My body shifted into the contours of his as he slid in next to me, I had no choice. Ahote pulled the baskets lid overtop of us. But why was Ahote hiding from his own father?

     “Ahote!” hissed Kaiah. “Get OUT of there you gwana brain!”

     Ahote’s rough voice rumbled incoherently all around me. I tried to shift away from him but it was hard when I couldn't tell where my body began and his ended.

     “Who are you talking to, Kaiah snake?” came the somewhat softened voice of Ahote’s father.

     Kaiah’s voice was high and strained. “Oh, uh, me? Well, you know me daddy, always goofing off and talking nonsense...”

     Ahote snuggled deeper into our stuffed den until he seemed to be all around me.

     “Have you seen your brother? I need to speak with him. He has done a terrible dead.” The chief's voice was now more of a squak...in fact, I believe he did squak.

     “I don't know father, he's probably off hiding like the coward he is...” Said Kaiah in a very directed voice.

   Ahote’s heart beat quickly against me..or as that my own heart? After all I was pressed against the monster of my worst nightmares. I wanted to spring from our woven cage but feared my fate would be worse if I did so.

     “Well, if you find him tell him to come see me IMMEDIATELY.” Rumbled the chief.

     “Yes, father.” Kaiah chirped.

     The chief sighed. “Why couldn’t my son be obedient like you?”

     “Because he is curious and rebellious, just like someone else I know...”

     Another sigh from chief. “Yes, but when I was young I wasn't so bold about my rebellion! Imagine, sneaking off to the OUTSIDE world, and dragging his foolish friends with him! The boy is only sixteen and already he is causing havoc!”

    “Yes, yes. But don't be too harsh with him. Hes only foolish and young.” pleaded Kaiah.

     The chief exploded. “Don't be HARSH?! My son brought humans two FEMALE humans, to be killed! He is going to lead the clan someday, Kaiah, is he going to be a murderous, foolish leader?!”

     My head began to spin in a sickly manner, and I sucked in a deep breath, realizing I could not remember