Fates Unbound: Across The All-Realm

Chapter 3: Rotted Roots

"Greta!" The booming voice broke through the walls of the Umbrys home. The sun barely began to peer over the horizon when Sammon's carriage came barreling up the dirt path before skittering to a stop. Sammon lept from the bench and rushed to the door. His fists nearly took the door off the hinges as he banged with all his might. Freda's sleep pocked face appeared.

    "Uncle Sammy, it's before breakfast time. Mommy says no friends before breakfast time," Sammon pushed inside the home, shutting the door behind them, ready to call out once more when his sister appeared from the top of the stairs.

    "What has happened, Sammon? Is it the children?" Sammon rushed to Greta, engulfing her in his suffocating embrace. He let out a bellowing cry, gripping her tighter. The pattering of feet echoed down the hall and into the room. The children gathered in the room, Rian holding onto Freda. "Sammon!" Greta now shouted, forcing herself from his hold. "You tell me what's happened damnit." She barked, her worry turning to anger at his failure to find his words.

"I was taking the north road, I didn't see them in the trees. There were so many of them," he spoke between rough cries. Greta's eyes widened as she digested his words. "I tried to stop them, but when I awoke she was gone," Sammon's words were cut off with a sharp slap to his face. In a flash his sister had struck him, drawing a gasp from every mouth in the room. Sammons's lips quivered, pitiful sobs shaking his breath. "I'm sorry, dear sister. I searched the woods all night until the sun arose. All I could find was this." He held out a familiar dress, only this one was tattered and bloodied. "I was charged with providing your daughter safe passage and I failed at that task."

Greta stood still, then her stature wavered. Her knees buckled as she fell to the floor. "Get out, Sammon." She whispered, staring down at her hands that trembled in her lap. "Get out! You bastard, get out of my home." Her loud cry faltered at the end as a sob poured from her throat. Her hands flew to her head, gripping her hair at the scalp. She pulled at it as though hoping to rip it from her own head. She rocked with madness, consumed by her grief and let out a wailing cry. A mother's cry for her child. Sammon grabbed her wrists, aiming to free her hands from her tangled curls to no avail.

In the corner of the room the children cowered at the scene, their  mother barely recognizable to them as she screamed and fought off their uncle, who looked over to them worriedly. "Children, to your rooms please. Quickly children!" He begged them. Rian took Freda's hand and fled from the room, going into what was now solely Freda's room.

In the kitchen Greta and Sammon battled with each other for control over Greta's body. Greta clawed and punched as hard as she could, crying out for Jessa. Sammon gripped her wrists and pulled her toward him. Greta took advantage and sent her forehead into that famous Lane nose, earning a satisfying crunch. A spurt of blood spilled from his nose as he released her. She scurried back, away from him like an animal, face slick with snot, sweat, and tears. Her white nightdress was speckled with her brother's blood.

Sammon stood with his hand over his bloodied nose cursing. He watched his sister for a moment longer, then hobbled from the room. He'd done enough today. Upstairs the children sat huddled on Freda's bed, praying to the Child for peace.

People say that once you've smelled a rotting body you never forget the scent. Since Jessa had never smelled a rotting body before it was impossible for her to know exactly where she'd woken up, wet, crushed, surrounded by the putrid scent of dozens of rotting corpses. "You move this load, and I'll get the next." A scratchy voice spoke. It was close enough Jessa could hear him clearly through the several bodies atop her.

"No, you said that last time. You get this one and I'll get the next load. You twat." A rougher voice responded. Whichever man won the argument, Jessa was grateful, as one by one the weight constricting her breathing began to lessen. Soon light streamed through. As her vision became unobstructed she realized exactly what lay atop her. Life rushed back into her as she screamed and pulled her arms free from beside her, where they'd been pinned by the legs of a man atop her. Her scream startled both men, who stood aside the cart.