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

the last time I breathed.

     Being so close to Ahote the murderer, I  couldn't help but noticed that he smelt of cool water, earth, and reptile. I probably smelt of unwashed, dirty girl.

     “I do not believe murder is his intentions, father.” Kaiah whispered.

      I realized I was starting to hyperventilate when Ahote’s hand slipped over my lips, quieting me.  His hands were cool and silken soft with slight padded fingers. I wanted to bite him or maybe run hands over his peculiar skin.

     “Our clan is that of peace and happiness, not of death.” Came the chiefs voice before he fell into a fit of coughing.

   After what felt like an eternity, the chief left. Kaiah opened the top of the basket, letting fresh air flooded in. She glared down at the two of us.

     “Coward.” she sneered at Ahote. Ahote seemed to take longer than usual to regain his wits and he looked sickly. He did not removing himself from our cocoon.

     Kaiah looked piercingly down at her brother. “You OUT! Remove yourself from her so you can regain your thoughts, you gwana for brains! And YOU!” she directed her finger to me as Ahote untangled himself. “You, need to get some clothing on else my brother here is going to-”

     “Kaiah!” spat Ahote, his face beet red and upset. Kaiah waved her hand dismissively and pulled me from the basket like I was as light as a doll, and I guess I was. I looked down at myself, my stomach shrunk in, you could count every bone on my body. I was a skeleton covered in flesh.

     I shuddered in relief when Ahote’s skin was no longer touching me, but Kaiah mistook my disgust as being cold saying, “There, there, let me get your some clothing. You must be freezing, being half naked and all...”

     I wonder how many more times in my life could I blush without my blood getting to lazy to migrate upward?

    With one last glance at me Ahote left the room and Kaiah began to rummage through her clothing. Finally, she picked out a long rust colored dress, much like the pink one she wore.

     “Take off those filthy underclothes, and wear this.” Kaiah chirped, turning around. I was thankful she spared my modesty as I pulled my knife from between my, eh, chest where I had hidden it. I slid the dress over my naked flesh and gasped, amazed at the soft lush texture of it. Warmth instantly seeped into my skin. Discreetly, I slipped the knife underneath the dress and secured it where the dress bunched tightly at my waist.

     Kaiah turned around and smiled warmly at me. “Me and you, were going to be friends, I just know it!”

     I was going to ask how a dead girl could be friends with a monster, but decided against it.

     “Now, here, take this for extra warmth!” Kaiah said shoving her fuzzy blanket into my arms.

     It seemed like my world was turning upside down. With people of my own kind, I had been ostracized, hated, spat on, but here with these wicked monsters that I had been warned against, they were showing me the first kindness I had been shown in a very long time.

     My throat felt thick and painful and I kept blinking repeatedly. But they were still monsters and I couldn't let myself forget that.

Yram

 

We all wear masks, and the time comes when we cannot remove them without removing some of our own skin-Andre Berthiaume

I sat in the clutches of darkness. It was not cold with the blanket wrapped around me but I still shuddered. The darkness seeped into the depths of me, freezing me from the inside. I moaned, my head rolling against the stone floor. I had not been fed even a mere morsel of food and starvation seemed to gnaw at my insides.

     It was easier in my mistery to remember how wicked these creatures really were.

     After I was done being dressed Ahote had led me back into the depths of this small cave and rolled a bolder in front of the opening, blocking any light I had. Where was Phoenix and Whiskey? Were they faring as bad as I?

     How long had I been down here? At the least a day and a half, with only water to nourish me.

     I moaned again and ran my hands over my gnarled hair, noticing that it was falling out from lack of nourishment.

     “It cannot be all that bad.” came the first voice I’ve heard in a long while..well, besides my own moaning.

     My heart beat wildly despite my depleted energy.

     “Where..are my friends?.. Are they.. okay? And my h-orse?” My voice was raw and weezy. It took up so much of my energy just speaking.

     I think I’ll just go to sleep again...   

     “Are, uh, you okay? You don't sound so well...” remarked Ahote.

     “No, I’m fine...I enjoy..starving to death.” I almost smiled at my at my joke.

     I had been on the verge of starvation my entire life, but now this? This was really starving to death. No food in the dead wood forest, The City of Ruins, the endless desert and now in the monsters den.

     Why was death taking so long? She must enjoy toying with me like a cat does a mouse.

     “What do you mean, starving to death?” growled Ahote. I notice faintly that he sounded outraged. That was funny. Didn't he want me to die?

     “They have not been feeding you?!” he bellowed his voice echoing into my den.

     “No.” I whispered. They have not.

     “Oh, I’m going to KILL them! I have been stuck with my father for only a day and already they have neglected their duties!” Ahote’s ranting became fainter and fainter as he left the outside of my cave. That was fine with me. Being alone was better than being comforted by a monster.

     Right?

After a while of dozing in and out of sleep, I heard footsteps echoing closer. An awful grinding sound rang out as the bolder was pushed away from my cave entrance. With all the strength I could muster, I scurried as far away from the ray of light at the entrance as I could.

     “Wh-who’s there?” I croaked.

     “It’s Ahote. I’ve brought you some food.”

     I almost whimpered at the memory of something filling my painful stomach.

     Ahote hesitantly crawled into my den and an almost painful smell followed him. My whole body shook.

     “Soup.” Said Ahote holding the bowl out to me. I had no time for manners. I grabbed it from him, ignoring the scorching heat and I tipped my head back gulping it down. When I was finished my stomached cramped but I still wanted more.

     “More?” I pleaded breathlessly.

     Ahote studied me me for a while then handed me a lump of bread.

     I tore into it ravenously and soon the bread was gone too.

     “More?” I asked yet again, feeling like I was going to be sick.

     “You have not eaten in a long while have you?” Asked Ahote.

     I shook my head, agreeing with him.

     I felt more comfortable with Ahote now when all I could see of him was his outline.

     Ahote chuckled. “You're not near as tough as you appear to be.”

     I glared at him, I couldn't help it. “You're wrong.”

     “Am I?” He asked. Then suddenly bile began to boil up my throat and I spewed my wondrous meal into the corner of the den. I felt a cool hand lift my hair up from my neck, and I flinched from it even though It felt nice to be comforted.

     I looked at all the wasted food on the floor and, God help me, I contemplated eating it.

     “Are my friends fed?” I asked after wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.

     “I thought you would asked that.” Said Ahote, dropping my hair. “So I made sure they were fed first.”

     Ah, sweet relief.

     “Can I see my friends?” I risked.

     “No. Not to day. Tomorrow at your trail, you will see them.”

     My death trial. Ahote did not say it, but I heard the implications all the same.

     My death trial.

    

     “Ahem...What was that star marking on your stomach?” Ahote asked abruptly. I was glad it was too dark to see my face.

     I gulped. “A-a birthmark.”

     Ahote had long since led me from the soiled cave and into another one with a single strike on light shining down some somewhere far away. I was shocked when he didn't leave me again but instead plopped down right in front of me and began asking questions.

     “Hmm.. and are you here to kill my clan?” Wondered Ahote in a serious tone.

     “No! I’ve never killed anyone!” but I have come close. Very close.

     “Then I am sorry I brought you here. I just wanted to study your kind..but then again you are not human are you?”

     “I am more then you are!” I defended. My hand flew over my mouth. I shouldn't have been so rude to my captor. It was so easy to forget he wasn't human when I couldn’t see him. All I could rely on was his lush, very human, voice.

     Ahote shrugged, moving on. “Is the green beast necklace you have, your totem?”

     You mean the one you stole? I thought.

     “My totem?” I asked.

     “You know, your spirit animal.” he explained.

     What?

     “Ah, so humans don't have them then.”

     I scratched my head. “Um, not that I know of. What are they?”

     “Well, when each member of my clan is born my father and other elders, anoints them with their spirit animal. Each one represents different personalities and qualities. Different duties, in a way. That is how we keep the clan going smoothly.”

     Now I was getting intrigued. I remembered the necklace he wore. “So is your totem a wolf?”

     Ahote laughed. “You don't miss a thing do you? Yes, it is.”

     So much made sense now! “And that is why everyone makes weird animal noises!”

     “I wouldn't call them weird but yes. We were trained from a young age to embody our animal. It is as much a part of us as our Scar side.” I could hear the smile in his voice.

     “Can older members get their spirit animal? How can you tell what animal the baby is?” I questioned, just as curious as he was about my kind.

     “Well, an older member can get a new spirit animal if the elders allow. Like if they were chosen to hall the baskets but became lame..so the answer is yes, they...” Abruptly Ahote trailed off, his eyes shining with an idea. To my shock Ahote got up, left the room, and replaced the boulder. He didn't even spare a glance back.

    Well, then. 

Hours went by in mind numbing boredom and loneliness. Why did Ahote have to leave so abruptly? What was he up to anyway? Would he bring me back some more food? I was starving!

     I sat with my back to the cave wall, arms crossed over my chest. I