Book 1, page 16
“Then stay here and do nothing. I will make sure everyone in this realm remembers you for the coward you are,” Azeban said.
“Fine. I’m a coward. Everybody laugh at Timir, the big gullible clown who was put on this earth for your amusement. Yes, I have a doll collection. Yes, I get gassy when I eat curry, and yes, I have a mole that sort of looks like one of the Chuckle Brothers on my left arse cheek. But you know what? At least when I inevitably get eaten by something horrible in this realm, it will be while following a path that I chose!” Timir screamed.
“So what’s your path, coward?” Azeban asked.
“I’m going to find Glooscap,” Timir declared. “Yes, I’m going to find Glooscap and get him to stop Malsumis.”
“Ha!” Azeban laughed. “No one in our tribe has seen him in generations. He is only found when he wants to be found. You are not of this realm. Why would he reveal himself to you?”
“I will! Or I’ll die trying!” Timir yelled.
“It’s your death, McScaredyface,” Azeban yelled back.
“I’m not afraid of you. Go on, call me that one more time! Go on!” Timir screamed, feeling the adrenaline radiate out of his every pore.
“McScaredyface. Now what are you going to do?” Azeban said.
Timir lunged at him, his hands open and ready to grab Azeban’s whiskers again.
Azeban was ready as well and reached out for Timir’s throat to pick up where he had left off before.
“Stop!!” came a yell from Anibi, and Timir and Azeban froze. They could see something new in her eyes that hadn’t been there before. They were red and puffy from crying, but had dried.
Anibi positioned herself between them. “Timir is right. It is pointless to fight Malsumis on our own. We must return to our people.”
“But look what he did to our…” Azeban started.
“Look around you, Azeban,” Anibi said. “All these bodies, but none of them are children. I think my father was able to get them out in time, for he believed the children are our future, just as Timir said. We cannot help those who died here today, but we can help those who still live. We must return to them.”
Azeban took in a sharp breath to protest, but could see the conviction in Anibi’s eyes and thought better of it. He instead kicked the ground in frustration and sulked away toward his horse.
“Timir, you can ride with me…wise man,” Anibi said.
Timir shook his head. “No. I told you, I’m going to find Glooscap. That’s it, I’ve decided.”
Azeban smirked. “I’ll try not to be too harsh at your funeral then.”
Anibi looked at Azeban, then back to Timir, thinking. She then hopped off her horse, untied her two pouches of provisions, and handed them to Timir.
“What are you doing?” Azeban asked.
“You’ll need these supplies for your journey,” Anibi said to Timir. “Azeban and I will have enough to reach the Penobscot camp.”
“Princess, this is madness. If the coward wants to die in the wilderness on his own, let him!” Azeban yelled.
Anibi ignored him. She gestured to the larger sack Timir was holding. “This one is food and fruit, the other is water. And here, you’ll need shelter as well.” Anibi then took the small folding wigwam from the back of her horse and gave him that as well.
“Mr Haldermann believed Pitaskog knew where Glooscap might be found,” Anibi said. “But the creature is a trickster and sometimes eats those who annoy him. So be careful.”
“Of course he does…” Timir said, as he felt the pouches slipping from his grasp, along with his resolve for going it alone.
“Follow this trail to where it forks and go left,” Anibi said, pointing to a trailhead behind them. “Take that to the river and on the other side you will find the Rock of Shame. It marks the beginning of the trail that leads to the cave of Pitaskog. It should only be a couple days walk from here.”
Anibi kissed Timir’s cheek and jumped onto her horse.
“Good luck on your path, wise one. Olibamkanni.”
Anibi tugged on the reigns of her horse, turned around, and rode off to the east, with Azeban following just behind.
Timir then found himself standing alone in the remnants of the Missisquoi camp, awkwardly clutching his meagre supplies, as one of Anibi’s pouches slipped from his grasp and fell to his feet.
29
Winston shuffled alongside Maggie, trying to match her stride without looking at her. He felt a twinge in his shoulder from his bound hands being held at an odd angle and pulled them closer to his chest.
He immediately felt a tug pulling them back the other way, resulting in an arrow of pain shooting through his shoulder and down his left arm.
Maggie glared at him.
Winston avoided her gaze as he winced from the pain. He looked down at his hands that were bound tightly with dried reeds to a branch the Missisquoi had found. Maggie was also tied to the branch and he could feel her constantly twisting her wrists, trying to get back the feeling in her fingers.
Neither said anything for the last few hours as they continued their relentless march up to the top of Mt. Katahdin. They had come off the plateau now and were back on the last of the steep slopes that led to the summit.
The clouds had rolled in, blanketing the sky in cloth-like rolls of grey doom that threatened to flood the land at any moment. The hot sunlight had been turned into a freezing gale that blew right through Winston’s bones and had the odd effect of making him nostalgic for his office. It may not have had furniture, heat, or tolerable neighbours, but at least it didn’t have that wind.
Maggie yanked the stick back towards her again.
“Ow! Maggie!” Winston said with an annoyed tone.
“What? I can’t feel my fingers.”
“Well I can’t feel my shoulder and most of my right arm. You’ve been tugging on it all day.” Winston said, tugging the stick back in front of him.
“I’m sorry, am I being selfish? I know how much you hate it when people are selfish…” Maggie said.
“Oh, here we go…” Winston said, shaking his head.
“You know, when people think about themselves and ignore the needs of others. That must make you sooo mad!”
There was a clap of thunder and a heavy rain began to fall. Susep looked up to the sky with a confused look.
“No, what makes me mad,” Winston continued, “is when someone can’t admit that a situation is their own fault, then tries to cover up that fact by getting mad at me over something trivial!” Winston said.
“Trivial?! You think stranding Timir and me in this place for the rest of our lives is trivial?!” Maggie yelled, forgetting her previous attempts to keep her voice down.
“Heyyy!!!” came a shout from Susep toward Winston and Maggie, who snapped their heads around to face him. Susep glared at them as the rain streamed down his face, thinking.
A few minutes later, the party set off again. Winston and Maggie struggled to match their strides as before, while also attempting to get used to the animal-hide gags that were now strapped across their mouths.
It wasn’t long before Winston felt Maggie tug on the stick again and the pain in his shoulder returned.
An idea occurred to him and he tapped in Morse code on the stick, hoping Maggie would remember when they were in Haldermann’s kitchen.
I would have come back for you, he tapped.
There was no reply.
Can you hear me? he tapped.
Another clap of thunder above their heads and the rain continued to fall.
I said I would have come back for you. Was just winding you up, he tapped.
A long, slow sigh from Maggie.
Not the point, Maggie tapped. Doesn’t matter. Not a team, right?
Fine. I’m a bastard. You never should have dragged me into this, Winston tapped.
The rain was coming down in sheets now, turning the trail to thick mud. Susep turned around on his horse to check on his two captives, but found them walking quietly. He looked up to the sky, confused, then turned back around.
Didn’t drag you into anything. You were greedy. Only thought of what you could get for the teapot, Maggie tapped.
Winston groaned behind his gag and shook his head. I’m not the only selfish one here, dragon-slayer.
Not the same. I’m doing it to help these people, Maggie responded.
Are you? Winston tapped. Or do you like the idea of being a big hero, because otherwise you have to face the possibility that it’s not your life that’s dull, it’s you.
Winston was surprised at his own boldness. He knew he had just used the nuclear option. Calling Maggie dull was one he had utilised only in the most extreme circumstances in the past as he had found the medical bills and repairs to the property were rarely worth winning the argument.
But Maggie said nothing and continued walking as lightning began to flash in the sky, complementing the thunder to create a storm that hovered just above their position on the mountain.
Minute after minute ticked by and Winston got no response. The anticipation ate away at his soul.
Okay lets both agree we… he began to tap out on the stick.
The stick suddenly tugged violently towards Maggie and was brought down hard on her knee. With a crack, Maggie broke the stick into two pieces, giving them each freedom of movement again while at the same time giving herself a sharp, pointed weapon. Maggie whipped off her mouth gag and threw herself at Winston in a rage.
“I’ve been waiting a long time to do this!” Maggie seethed as she struggled against Winston’s grip to bring the stick closer to his neck.
“Yeah?! Then come on, dragon-slayer, is that the best you got?!” Winston screamed back.
Susep and his warriors leapt off their horses and jumped into the melee, trying to pry Maggie and Winston apart before blood was spilled. Despite getting firm grips on Maggie’s limbs they found it nearly impossible to pull her off. One Missisquoi warrior further on stayed on his horse and gazed at the landscape, watching as the rainstorm flooded it. The clouds blocked the sunlight almost completely, giving rise to moving shadows all around them. The warrior tightened his grip on his bow, ready for anything.
Off to his right, on the edge of his view, something moved. The man’s head whipped round, but he saw nothing.
Then more movement, just nearby. Jumping off his horse, the man took a few steps off the trail for a better look. From here, he could see that the movements came from fissures that were forming in the soil and exposing the roots below as the topsoil shifted and broke loose.
The man gasped. “Kina!!” he screamed at his fellow warriors, gesturing wildly to the ground, realising his voice was getting lost in the sound of the storm.
Meanwhile, Winston could feel Maggie overpowering him and knew it wouldn’t be long now, despite the warrior’s efforts to save his life. Winston had always suspected that Maggie would be the one responsible for his death. Vampires were hard to kill, but Maggie would find a way.
Everyone felt it at once.
A deep, deafening rumbling sound was heard that vibrated from deep below the earth and grew into an earthquake. The ground suddenly liquefied and Winston felt his body tumbling down a steep hillside, his senses filling with mud and debris and men shrieking as he lost all sense of direction.
Then it was over. Winston felt his body collide with solid earth and the falling sensation ceased. A tidal wave of mud swept over him then stopped. For a moment, all was perfectly still.
Winston found it hard to breathe and knew it was the weight of the mud on his chest. His limbs had ended up at odd angles, but he could feel raindrops on his right hand. Using that as a guide, he slowly dug himself out and squirmed his way towards the surface.
Popping his head into the cool fresh air, Winston gasped and panted to get his breath back as he wiped the mud from his face. Several of the warriors were already back on their feet and helping their compatriots to free themselves.
He could hear Susep calling out to his warriors to make sure they had made it. One by one, all the warriors responded to his calls and proceeded to salvage what they could of the provisions that had been strewn all over the mountainside.
A hand gripped Winston’s shoulder and yanked him to his feet. Winston let out a cry of pain and rubbed his shoulder, then found an angry Susep gritting his teeth at him.
“You, vampire! It is you and that squawking bird of a wife of yours that have angered the mountain. It is your lack of respect that has done this!” Susep yelled. “If any of my men or horses are injured in any way, I will make sure you both suffer greatly before I kill you myself!!
“Okay, okay. What happened to the whole thing with the Asinine and not fighting on the mountain?” Winston asked.
Susep leaned in close. “I know many places to bury a body on this mountain where it will never be found. Do not forget that.” With that, Susep returned to assisting his men as they pulled their frightened horses out of the debris.
Speaking of squawking birds, Winston thought as he scanned the area. Where is she?
“Maggie!” Winston called out, but got no response. He took a step and felt his foot sink into the mud up to his thigh.
“Mags, come on! Stop messing about!” he yelled as he began to slog his way around the area.
The rain began to abate as a minute went by. Then another. Then another. But still no response. The warriors eventually joined the search and called out her name as they poked long sticks into the mud, looking for any sign of her under the surface.
As the sunlight faded into early evening, Winston knew it was fruitless. Wherever Maggie was, she was buried too deep for anyone to reach her.
She was gone.
30
Timir was positive he was lost this time. For the past few hours he had been attempting to follow the trail that Anibi had told him would lead to a river. What she had failed to mention was that the trail was rarely used and completely overgrown. Timir hadn’t so much followed it as restored it, hacking away the thick underbrush with every step. Wherever he was going, it was somewhere that few of the Abenaki tribes ever ventured. Always a good sign, Timir thought. I’m sure the reason they don’t visit this Pitaskog chap is because he’s lonely and can be a bit chatty and totally not because he’s a raging homicidal man-eating hell-beast.
Timir was also cold, hungry, and beginning to hear Sanjay’s barky laugh echo in his head. He usually heard that whenever he got the sense he was being pranked. Had Anibi and Azeban got one over on him, he wondered? Where they relaxing back in their village somewhere, sitting in sun chairs, holding fruity martinis with lots of straws, giggling over their sunglasses about how easily they had got Timir to believe all that malarkey about Nigella and her death god?
Timir knew that if Sanjay, or any of his brothers, were here now there would be plenty to laugh at. Spending a night in the red death tree, throwing a temper tantrum for Azeban, pretending to be a brave mountain man and getting hopelessly lost in the forest, and the biggest of them all–his futile attempts to flirt with Anibi. He knew Anibi, being a warm-blooded female with eyes, was way out of his league and his brothers would never let him hear the end of it. In fact, the idea of Timir having anything to do with a woman had always been a bottomless well of hilarity in the Bhagyavana household.
The sound of Sanjay’s harsh, barky laughter filled his head and made his blood boil. He thought he had been rid of that nightmarish tone when Sanjay finally moved away to law school in the US, but he soon learned that it was destined to ring in his head for the rest of his life. Even now, he could imagine it perfectly.
Timir stopped. He wasn’t imagining it, he could hear it. Somewhere behind him, just over his right shoulder. Timir turned around and scanned the area but saw nothing. Then the laughing stopped.
Timir felt his stomach growl and decided to stop to eat. He searched the bag of provisions Anibi had given him and found several unidentifiable animal carcasses that had been skinned. Timir knew they needed to be cooked first and looked around his immediate vicinity for the materials he would need. Seeing no sign of a gas cooker, a non-stick saucepan, nor any locally-sourced artisanal olive oil, he settled for chewing as much of the raw carcass as he could stomach, then moving on.
After hacking his way through what felt like a continent’s worth of underbrush, Timir felt the ground start to slope downward. In the distance ahead he could just make out the sound of rushing water. He recalled Anibi’s instructions about following the trail to a river and he hacked and beat his way straight for it with renewed hope. He also remembered what Anibi had told him about crossing the river and finding the Rock of Shame. He wasn’t as worried about that bit. If there was shame to be found in this realm, he would sniff it out like a bloodhound.
Timir reached the edge of the forest and found himself on the banks of what had once been a mighty river. The riverbed was wide and full of mud and stones rubbed smooth by eons of rushing water. But the only water that remained now was a small brook, barely a metre wide, that lazily wound its way through the bottom of the riverbed as a sad reminder of what had once been.
On the opposite bank, Timir could see there were more trees, but they were different. Their long branches grew straight up from the trunk, then curved outwards before heading straight down to the ground, creating green, leafy bell shapes that undulated in the wind. Weaving his way through these trees, Timir could see a clear footpath leading from the river’s edge and up into the foothills beyond.
There was no sign of any rocks of the shameful variety, but Timir knew he would find it soon enough. He was just happy to be back on a proper trail where he didn’t have to fight a constant battle with the underbrush for every step.
Timir climbed down into the riverbed expecting the worst. He tiptoed his way across the mud and smooth stones, keeping a keen eye out for any tentacles, claws, antlers, stingers, suckers, teeth, fins, scales, horns, or any other sign of a peckish carnivore with a taste for Indian cuisine.
