The desert is not a place to travel alone. Yet here I was, all alone, a good mile away from my camp, roasting a desert snake on a fire. All that you could see for miles around was sand, the glorious golden haze of it reflecting in my eyes even when I closed them. It was all I had known for 16 years, and all that I ever would. To be honest, I relished in its eternal dunes stretching on forever, and the quiet solitude which allowed me to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the camp and the pressing responsibilities that a chief's daughter was burdened with. It allowed me to think things over, in the silence of my homeland. To wonder if there was indeed anything which went beyond these sandy hills. Or to find snakes to catch and skin for my snakeskin boots. Well, that was what usually occurred. Until today.
"AMAYA!!! RUN!!" I spun my head around in a blur, furious to who had broken my silence. It came from the voice of a ragged looking boy, who was racing down the sand dunes behind me, panting and sweating like a sinner in church. I had never seen him in my life. How did he know my name? Fear of the unknown washed over me, as I grabbed the smouldering remains of the bonfire and held it like a sword, the crumbling wood rubbing charcoal off onto my hands. He drew closer, inevitably tired and, from what I could see, weapon less. Good. This would give me an advantage. Remembering what my father had told me, I spaced my feet apart; widening my stance, and drew the log across my body like a shield. Then he did a very strange thing. Grabbing my arm, he took off in the direction he'd been heading, a few meters away from the direction of my camp. Hitting him on the head with my stick, I managed to weasel my way out of his grip. "Get off me! What'd you think you're doing?! How do you know my –" Clamping his hand on my mouth, he dragged me behind a bush which was stubbornly growing out of the ground. He threw me a glare which said 'shut it'. I did. For a moment, we stayed awkwardly crouched together behind a bush about the size of my head. I didn't dare to say a word, though the questions I had were bubbling up inside me about to explode. His breath was hot on the back of my neck, and he was panting rapidly, clearly having run a long way. His hair, thick and wavy; the deep rich colour of hickory wood, hung just short of his jaw, his eyes bright and alert in a darker shade of brown. I could see a sheen of sweat on his caramel-coloured skin, due to all the running, and who knows how long he's been going on for? My thoughts drift to the nearest settlement, the town of Taos, nearly 10 miles away from where we are now. Suddenly the reality of his escape seems a whole lot clearer now. Whoever wants him, wants him dead. All of a sudden, I'm not so eager to leave this bush.
We perch there for what seems like hours; until my knees have cramp and I can't feel my feet anymore, when the mysterious boy finally (finally!) slowly starts to stand up. "I think," he mutters, peering around anxiously, "I think they're gone." Stretching, I look at him expectantly. "So, first things first, how do you know my name?" Even as I ask this question the rest in my mind are fizzing up, desperate to be set free. I bite my tongue, so I don't start spitting questions at him at rapid fire. He pauses for so long I am on the verge of screaming before he turns around and looks me in the eyes so intently, I feel my face burn up. "look, I just do. I – I was told that you'd be here, waiting." Told by who? I think, feeling nausea at the thought of being spied on from afar, but he hadn't finished yet. "I couldn't leave you to the hands of the Shadow Men." I am so scared at the thought of being watched in my only hours alone, that it takes a second for it to sink in. The Shadow Men. Oh my gosh, what have got myself into?! For the stranger to the desert, the Shadow Tribe are the demon warriors from Hell. They feed off fear and hatred and anger, all those dark twisted emotions. If a tyrant king from Vivuli, the Capitol, dies in his sleep, then both him and the assassin will suffer under the rule of the Shadow Men when they travel to the Underworld. Or if a rogue soldier or Devil dealer die under a Howling Moon, then they too will become Shadow Warriors. The leader of the Shadow Men is unknown, in fact the very existence of these Beings being true is unlikely, as myths have shrouded their identity for hundreds of years, until they have become a thing of Legend, a story to tell children who wander too far into the desert. "If you go too far into the desert, the Shadow Men will claim you as their own."
It is said that they live in the most remote parts of the desert, coming out only at night when shadows roam, and, to be fair, many a time a lone traveller has gone out, and never been seen again 'sept for at the Howling Moon (when all hear the mournful wails of their deceased loved ones), but that may just be a snake or dehydration or a half-crazed boar who has killed the unlucky soul, average tales easily glossed over by the mysteries of the dark. But here was a boy, of real flesh and blood, baring no resemblance to the half-baked fools who spin lies about the Shadow Men. For a moment, I believed him. Then the waves of doubt took over and I sat back down on the sand next to the tiny bush, and laughed. "The Shadow Men?! You can't be serious, they don't exist! Don't tell me," I start giggling "don't tell me you believe in Fairy ya jino either!" He looks at me as it I'm crazy, then his face breaks into a grin. "Hey! Fairy ya jino is definitely real! Don't you dare to tell me otherwise! Who else will take my teeth away and give me pennies instead!?"
"Fairy ya jino gives you pennies? I knew I was being swizzled out of the good stuff! My Fairy ya jino gives us rocks under our pillows!! At least Taosian Fairy gives you money!"
"It must just be my devilishly handsome good looks!" I roll my eyes, but can't stop myself from laughing. Then, all too soon, it turns serious. "The Shadow Men? Don't tell me you're being serious." I whisper, all traces of humour gone. If he is telling the truth, and the Shadow Men really are after him, then I could be in danger, not to mention the whole village could be in jeopardy. He looks into my eyes so long I find myself lost in his gaze. "I'm deadly serious. We need to run, Amaya, or else they will catch us and we'll die." We are so close now, only a hairsbreadth away. "Why are they chasing you?" I murmur. We're so close it would take one jolt...I could just lean in and close the gap. It's tempting, so tempting, what with him so close to me. "Trust me, you don't want to know." He says in a soft voice, and leans in slowly. Forgetting what he has said, my mind goes blank as I close my eyes...
The sound of trumpets blaring jolts us apart. I look up, startled as common sense kicks in. Oh my gosh, I nearly kissed that stranger! I don't even know his name! Blushing, I turn to him to squeak out a half-hearted apology...to see he's not looking at me at all, but to the sand dunes from where he just came. My heart jumps into my throat as I realise what's going on. The Shadow Tribe.
To be honest, I don't think the legends are true to what they say. The Shadow People do not make people quiver at the sight of them. Oh no. It's far, far worst.
They began gathering around the top of the sand bank, about 200 meters away; black shadowy shapes emerging from the top of the hill of sand. There were thousands of them, black dots lining the edge, shifting slightly and almost hazy, like an illusion. The boy's face was devoid of blood, and he took a nervous step back. There was no point in hiding; we were an obvious and easy target. For a moment time stood still. Then they charged.
I had never run faster in my life, and probably never would again. I sprinted off as fast as I could, my mind desperately trying to keep up with me. There wasn't even time to twist my head around to see where the Tribe was, or, as the boy (two paces ahead) kept reminding me, they'll catch us. To start off with, I was blindly following him, my feet moving forward as quickly as possible to escape the Shadow Men, then realised the direction we were heading. Towards my camp. "HEY! We need to split up! Turn off in the opposite direction or they'll find my camp!" I yelled, using every last ounce of my strength to pull myself forward to be level with him. Turning his face to me, he nods, and before I can say a word, he veers off suddenly to the left, tossing a "Meet back at your camp!" over his shoulder, before disappearing off into the dust. Without even questioning how he knows my camp, I too change course to one more left, glancing over my shoulder briefly to see where the Shadows have gone. They've figured out we've split up, and have divided themselves into two as well. Great, I think, depressed. They're gaining ground. It's true; seated upon their Shadow-horse speed, which flicker like candles in the wind; they're drawing closer and closer. I can't outrun them forever. Sooner or later they're going to catch me up. Without warning, I suddenly trip forwards, and with my momentum pushing me in that direction, I tumble down the side of the dune I've been running across, round and round in the hot sand, until I reach the bottom where I lay panting, trying to re-catch my breath. I scramble to my feet-but it's too late to run. All I can do is press myself against the side of the sand mound, which is about 5 meters taller than me; and hope they can't see me.
Time stands still.
I breathe heavily, sure that they can hear my beating heart. Dark shadows pass over head and I screw my eyes shut, waiting for the end.
Nothing happens.
I'm alive! I'm alive!? I stumble home, head spinning. Was this all part of my imagination?
