Hanging Tree (Travelyn)

Before the Hanging

    Oh god wow... The feedback I got on this was absolutely amazing! I honestly never expected that so many people would like this. Sorry it took so long to update, I'm really really sorry but I was so busy with school and then I've had literally no free time because of counseling and camps. I'm especially thankful to the person who demanded I update. This chapter is a little different because it's explaining the events that happened before he was caught and how he came to be there. I really hope you enjoy it and thanks for all the support. <3

                                                                                Aphmau POV

     I found Katelyn at the place I least expected, Travis' house. She was walking out the door side by side with Travis smiling and laughing, she looked a lot happier than I've seen her in weeks. I started to walk up to them but stopped not wanting to interrupt the moment. I stood and watched until Katelyn noticed me.

"Aph?"

   "Hey Katelyn"! I quickly rush over to them holding out a piece paper. "I'm so glad both of you guys are here. I need you two to run to the closest village and get some more supplies for the village, Cadenza told me that village was the best place to get the stuff we need for the stables. Here is the list of the supplies we need.

    Katelyn takes the piece of paper out of my hand scanning the contents.

"We'll do it".

                                                                   Katelyn POV

"Ugh finally we're off this creaky ship". I breathe in the fresh air feeling the sickness leave my body.

   We're in the village of Kitington; it's a fairly new village so we are taking our chances going there. We don't know what the people are like here, we don't know if they could hurt us or if they could help us. From the looks of the village I don't think that they will be much help.

   Even though it's a one of the newer villages the buildings are fallings apart and covered with moss. The paint on the sides of the buildings is peeling off and the wood on the porches is cracking. I'm sure that the village when it was first built was beautiful but because of neglect everything has been left alone to decay and rot. The people walking down the street are all frowning and look upset, even the children.

   I look over at Travis to see him looking around nervously. "Travis, are you ok"?

"Yeah I just have a bad feeling about this place, no one looks happy".

"I was just thinking that same thing let's just get everything we need and get back home".

"I don't know Katelyn these people look like they need some help".

"We'll see Travis, we'll see... Right now we need to find where we can get the stuff Aphmau needs for the stables".

   I look around and start walking towards a shop advertising saddles and reins. Travis looks at me and huffs but follows. The store is probably one of the more put together buildings in the village the outside is painted dark blue color and the entire house was in one piece. The only thing marking the building was the mold creeping up the side.

   A bell jingles when I open the door alerting the owner to my presence. The inside is much like the outside. It's clean and surprisingly cozy. There are chairs that are the type that you sit in and never want to get up, saddles line one wall while racks of bridles are in the middle.

  I look up to see an old lady smiling at us from the front desk. She's the first person in this whole place that I've seen smiling and I find it extremely comforting. She has long grey hair that is pulled back into a tight bun with flowers placed around her ponytail. She has a soft pink sweater and very little jewelry except a golden locket. Her black skirt stops at her ankles revealing leather sandals that are decorated with pink beads.

   She starts walking towards Travis who has drifted away from me and was looking at the grooming tools.

                                                                                      Travis POV

"Hello". I jump at the strange voice coming from behind me. I turn around to see the old lady from the counter. "I'm sorry but I feel like I recognize you from somewhere".

"I'm sorry but I don't think that's possible, this is the first time I have left my home in years".

"Oh it must just be my imagination then". She smiles and walks away to help Katelyn with the saddles.

   This lady gives me a bad feeling despite all of her smiles. I've changed my mind about helping these people, they're all bad. I just want to get the supplies and get out of here. I grab a couple brushes and put them on the counter before going to look at the bridles. I pick out a couple and meet Katelyn at the counter. The lady's bright blue eyes never leave me as we pay and even as we turn around and leave the store.

   As we're walking away I hear a scream.

"Katelyn? Katelyn where did that come from"?

"I-I don't know let's go find it".

"No, you stay here I'll be right back".

"What Travis no you can-"!

   I run off before Katelyn can stop me. I follow the screaming to a back alley where I see two men trying to mug a young girl. The girl's brown hair is being grabbed by one shorter guy and her bag is being pried from her hands by another taller man. I'm so angry I can barely see straight and suddenly I'm in my demon form. I pull out my sword and hit the taller man with the butt knocking him out without much of a fight. I then turn to the other one who despite his scraggly appearance turns out to be quite smart. He grabs my sword and pulls it out of my hands I fall forward not expecting this much of a fight when I'm hit over the head by a board.

Shit... looks like tall guy wasn't as passed out as I thought

   Then I fall to the ground and everything goes black.

Katelyn POV

   I am going to kill Travis, to death. Now this may seem a little harsh but it's because I don't trust the people in this town. The people here seem so judgmental and I was afraid that if he changed into his demon form then, well I don't want to think about what could happen to him.

   I'm searching everywhere, down every stinky dirty alleyway, in the brightest, cleanest parts of the village but I can't find Travis or that stupid girl he was trying to save. I'm in the very last alley way and I don't know where else to look. I lean back against the wall and slowly slide down. I start to cry my face in my hands, my whole body shaking. I sit there and cry even though I hate crying, crying makes me look weak, but I do it anyway.

Travis POV

   I hear voices but they're muffled I can't see anything there's some sort of bag covering the top half of my body. My hands and feet are tied and I can't move so I just listen in to what they're saying.

   I hear a deep rough voice say "A demon! In our town! I thought the horrors were over after they left I thought there would be no more, I thought that our town would be safe"!

"We will be" I hear "once he's gone".

   I sit up facing where I think the voices are coming from and I speak "I-I a-am n-not evil, I'm n-not a demon".

"HE'S AWAKE"! Comes the deep voice and then everything goes black again.