The Forbidden Lands (Wattys 2015 Winner)

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Two
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It's funny how fast smiles can fall away. How swiftly a feeling of elation can turn to despair. Moments ago, we had been laughing and grinning, within a dance. Now, a dark feeling shivered into my spine. I could tell others had felt it in addition to myself. I watched Sam's face, which was in mid-laugh, turn to stony sadness. A chill was in the air, and a darkness covered the land. I remembered what Girec had said about the shadow.

It showed some men their worst fear, and drove them to madness.

"Run!" I said. The bandits looked at each other, confused. I began running for the river. Perhaps if I got onto a raft of some sort quickly enough, the fast current would take me away from the shadowy creature of fear.

I heard a scream of horror as I was running away. The creature had gotten to him already.

I heard someone chasing me, and turned around. It was Liam. Somehow, even in the most dire of circumstances, his face was expressionless. He was dragging Sam, who was frozen in fear, along with him. It did nothing to help my own feelings.

We arrived upon the river. Seemingly, Liam had the same idea as me. He set down Sam and began pulling logs out of the forest. Without saying a word to each other, I began ripping up my elfin cloak and tying it around the logs, to keep them together. When I ran out, I began using my dress.

I could feel the shadow coming closer. I pushed the raft towards the water, and Liam placed Sam upon the logs.

"Get on," Liam said. I jumped onto the makeshift raft, and Liam pushed it into the river. Immediately, the current began to pull it away. He jumped, and I held out my hand.

He just barely grasped it as the raft pulled away. "Don't--let--go," he grunted.

"I won't," I promised, blinking back tears. The fear in my heart was pounding on my chest. The worst possible situations flew through my head. Girec was dying. I was letting go of Liam hand, and living with the guilt forever. I failed the five races, and they starved to death. The lifeless eyes of Jax. The hopelessness in Assana's eyes as she faced her people before she died.

No, I told myself. I will not give in to these fears. I kept my grip on Liam's hand as tight as I could, and squeezed my eyes shut. I will not succumb to these terrors. I will not. I. Will. Not.

I held on like that for what seemed like an hour. The raft got farther and farther away from the bandits' camp. When I opened my eyes, Liam was dangling in the water, lifelessly. I screamed.

No. Not after what I had experience. I pulled him aboard the raft, and discovered that he was breathing.

I cried out in relief.

Sam murmured in his slumber of frozen terror. "No, Rinella, don't die. You can't leave me alone again. Please no." There were genuine tears pouring from his closed eyes. His voice was full of anguish. I wondered who this Rinella was, this person so dear to Sam.

"Sam," I said soothingly, clutching his hand, "it's not real. Rinella is safe. All is well. You are well. It is not real."

I heard his breaths slow. He could hear me! I continued, "Once you awaken, this will all be a nightmare of the past." I squeezed his hand.

He opened his teary eyes and looked up at me. "It's not real?" he said in a whisper.

It felt odd to be consoling a man bigger and older than I. But it was necessary. "No, it was all in your mind," I said.

He nodded and closed his eyes, this time falling into serene and untroubled sleep.

I turned my attentions to Liam. His breaths were slow and shallow. I presumed he had swallowed a lot of water.