Scout Stories: Caged Curses

Run

Keefe flinched. He couldn't help it. The second the old man had mentioned killing Aedly, it had been like being struck. There was nothing he could have done to prevent it.

"Is that a problem?" asked the old man. Keefe wondered if he was imagining the malice that had crept into his voice.

Feeling very stupid and very small, Keefe bit his lip and shook his head. He dared not to look the old man in the face, afraid of what he might find there. He didn't look at any of the others either, preferring to stare at his shoes-which were worn to the point of almost falling apart. It was completely dark now, so he could only see the hole in the side of his left shoe because of the firelight. If he had out it, and they were plunged into darkness, he might have some way of escaping. Not yet, said a small voice in his head. You'd only be running into the dark, where that thing is waiting for you.

No one had said anything for several long seconds. It seemed as though the shake of his head was not enough of an answer for the old man, and the others weren't going to interrupt. Maybe Keefe was being paranoid for not watching the old man in his peripheral vision, tracing his movements without looking directly at him. Maybe they all just wanted to help the poor, injured boy they had found at the side of the road. Maybe the fear of the beast was making him mistrustful and fearful of everything. Or maybe his instincts had been honed over the last few days to a point where he was most aware of danger. Either way, something was telling him that if he turned his back on the old man, there would soon be a knife in it.

"It's just..." said Keefe, trying to make the pause natural, "I've never killed a person before."

"THEY AREN'T PEOPLE!" spat Ainan.

Everyone, including Keefe, turned to stare at him.

"Any person they may have been died the second they turned!" The fury twisted the young man's face so much it was ugly and almost unrecognisable. "Anything left over is just as much of a monster as the Aed."

"No," said the old man. He spoke in an even tone, but it surprised Keefe as much as Ainan's scream had. "They aren't equally as monstrous as the Aed. Not at that stage, anyway."

Keefe wondered what he meant by that, but was too afraid to ask. Instead he turned to Ainan again and bowed his head.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I didn't mean to upset you."

"No, I'm sorry," said Ainan, his face softening. "I didn't mean to frighten you. I just..."

His voice trailed off into silence. The old man let out a loud sigh.

"This Aed chasing you," he said to Keefe. "You've lost people to it, right?"

An image of Paige flashed before Keefe. Not the smiling girl who used to cheat and win every race, but what the creature had left of her. What it had left for Keefe to discover. He nodded.

"I think it...played with her first," said Keefe, raising his head and looking at the old man.

"Did you see it?" asked the old man.

Keefe shook his head. "I found her afterwards."

"Most of this group is lucky enough to be able to say that, like you, they never witnessed a monster in the act. Ainan and myself are not that lucky. Tell the lad your story, Ainan."

"I don't think-" began Ainan, looking incredibly uncomfortable.

"-He has to know," insisted the old man, locking eyes with his young friend.

Ainan swallowed hard, and nodded. He sat down and indicated for Keefe to sit across from him.

Keefe thought for a moment about using a gust to blow out the flames and running, but Tasha had a bow and was watching his every move. Keefe sat down, and the group sat around him-blocking all points of escape. The old man sat next to Ainan, and watched Keefe intently.

Ainan cleared his throat.

"I was eight when I saw my first Aed," he said.