Forgotten Monsters

Chapter 24- Fight or Flight

Resa dashed out the door, feeling the stinging of unwanted tears plaguing her eyes. Matthew’s words were like a knife in the back, unexpectedly hurtful. She knew that he was just grieving, bitterness was to be expected. She knew that after so long of being alone she had forgotten how awful people could be, but somehow she had assumed that Matthew wouldn’t act like the rest of them. She should have known she couldn’t trust anyone.

            She ran outside, ignoring the glare of the suspicious innkeeper. Little flakes of snow were floating down, obscuring the sunset. Clouds of white spilled out of her mouth as she breathed. The sound of horses echoed down the street and instinctually Resa ducked into the shadows of the inn, the crouching low. A dozen soldiers cantered into view, four of them stopped while the others continued. They dismounted and tied their reins to the post standing in front of the inn. Then, boots thumping, they strode into the inn, the door slamming shut behind them. Resa peered in the window and saw what she feared.

            They stood arguing with the innkeeper, she could make out a few of their words. Things like queen and escaped. Her heart pounded in her ears, blocking anything else she might have heard. Every molecule of her being itched to run- fast and far from here. She had the book in her pocket. She could leave here; she could escape and disappear into the huge world- never to be found again. But if she left now Matthew would be left unaware of the danger that was fast approaching him. And surprised, unarmed, and outnumbered four to one was not good odds. He would die.

            Resa couldn’t do it. After so long with no one, she couldn’t give up her only friend. The innkeeper was still resisting them, Resa was grateful for his obstinacy. She couldn’t walk past those guards and finding a back entrance would take too long. Looking up at the window to their room Resa desperately tried to find a way up. Seeing a gutter at the end of the wall she dashed towards it, seeing the soldiers leave at the same moment. Clamping her frozen fingers on the stiff metal she pulled herself up the piping. The snow was falling in big flakes now, freezing on her cheeks. She reached the edge of the closest window and swung onto the windowsill. Her pale fingers gripped the narrow sill as she edged along, hanging two storie above the frigid ground.

She reached the window and grabbed ahold of the shutter, dragging herself onto the sill. She banged on the glass, aware that she had seconds. Matthew turned from the fire, just standing as the door burst open, revealing the soldiers. He started and took a surprised step back. Resa banged on the window, drawing their attention. That was all Matthew needed- he dove for his sword, unsheathing it quickly. One of the guards advanced on the window pulling out his sword. Matthew swung at one of the men, disarming him before bashing the hilt into his skull. The soldier crumpled to the ground. That was all Resa saw before the other two dove into the fray and he was hidden from view.

Resa tried to grip the shutters tighter as she shuffled along the ledge trying to keep her balance. A fall would mean a broken leg or worse. The soldier grinned- he was missing a tooth. Unlatching the window he shoved it open. Resa slipped, just as she was about to plummet to the ground she grasped ahold of the window frame her feet pedaling the air. Reaching down to her boot she grabbed ahold of her knife before hooking her wrist over the top of the window and hauling herself up into a safer position. She waved the knife threateningly as her feet struggled for purchase.

The toothless man just kept on grinning as he drew a curved dagger out of his belt, sheathing the sword. He hooked it around her knife holding wrist- swiftly carving a ring around it. She yelped and the knife fell from her hand- drops of blood following it. He pressed the blade against a finger and she clenched her teeth, determined not to let go. Frowning he slammed the hilt down on her hand. Involuntarily she released. Helpless, she was forced to watch through the glass as he prepared to slice her fingers from her other hand- sending her tumbling to the ground.