Harm and Harmony

-Chapter 38-

Day: 21

Days Left: 5459

Lives Saved: 0

'It was only really interested in you.'

Those words consumed all of the chimaera's mind as she lied down on the cave floor. She clung onto her green cloak with her three-fingered paws as she recalled back to the fight. Harmony knew it was true. That clay golem was only interested in her. She was the only one it wanted to hurt. It didn't even pay attention to Corinna despite her throwing boiling water over it.

Then why did it only want me?

No. That doesn't matter.

Harmony glanced back at the young woman with golden blonde hair and freckles sleeping next to her on the cave floor.

It only wants me, so only I should be involved.

After waiting a few moments, to make sure that Corinna was truly asleep, Harmony collected her belt and cloak then crept out of the cave. Attempting to leave, the plank of wood, that acted as a door to the cave, almost clattered to the floor as the chimaera's snake-tail accidentally knocked into it. Harmony grabbed it at the last second before it hit the ground. Fortunately, Corinna was a heavy sleeper, due to having such an enormous household, she naturally learned how to sleep through even louder and chaotic dins.

Hesitating at the exit, Harmony looked back at the sleeping Corinna huddled in the duvet. The chimaera let out a small growling sigh before returning back inside and wrote a message in the dust and dirt on the cave floor. After finishing, she finally left the cave and propped the plank of wood back up to cover the entrance.

She looked down the mountain, where the cave was situated, at the hazardous downslope that led to the bottom. Whilst it was still desert, there were grey and brown grass and sprouts of green fighting against the infertile land. On the other side of the mountain was where the desert began to fade into what the prisoners called the Carrion Steppe, in which the fauna slowly grew taller and greener. But that wasn't where Harmony was going. The chimaera was going back, back for the clay golem.

Sniffing at her arm, Harmony caught the golem's scent from when it had held her captive. With only one thing on her mind, the chimaera set off and climbed down the mountainside to hunt her prey.

*

Not a moment after Corinna had fallen asleep did the queen appear in the darkness of her mind.

"You need to wake-up, Miss Warren," said the voice of Queen Corinna. "Now."

The young woman turned to face the masked monarch that sat on top of her throne. "What's wrong, Your Majesty?"

"You will soon be in danger, Miss Warren." The queen tightened her grip on the arm-rests of her throne. "You were correct about the clay golem only targeting the chimaera."

"Why is it after Harmony?" Corinna blurted out. She realised that there was no reason why the queen would even know this. But the young woman had grown accustomed to having her thoughts being heard all the time that there was little use in hiding them whilst her mind was invaded.

"It desires revenge... against the chimaera," said Queen Corinna. "And now it wishes to exact that revenge by targeting you."

Corinna paused. There was too many questions, too many things she needed to know. And then there was the fear. No. There was no fear. The fear dwindled and disappeared at the thought of Harmony. They could easily defeat the clay golem again. Now that she had more time to think, she had a plan. And it could work. It will work. The only thing that had changed was that Corinna was the distraction and not Harmony-

"The chimaera has abandoned you, Miss Warren," Queen Corinna said, raising her voice. "We can see the golem, it has almost reached you. You do not have much time." The monarch snapped her fingers.

*

Corinna awoke in the cave, her heart pounding. She wondered why. Perhaps she had a nightmare? Still tired, she adjusted herself into a more comfortable position and closed her eyes. But no matter how many times she attempted to fall back asleep, she found herself waking abruptly soon after. Something in her mind was preventing her from sleeping. She had heard something about this like your body has an innate sense of danger and forces yourself awake. And it seemed her instincts were correct for when she rolled over, she saw that Harmony was not lying by her side.

She sat up, her eyes scanning around the cave for a six-foot-six chimaera but found none. She had gone. Scratching at her elbows, Corinna quelled the rising fear and anxiety in her body. Upon spotting the message in the sand, these feelings bubbled down but did not disappear entirely.

'GONE TO DEAL WITH GOLEM. YOU STAY HERE, BE SAFE -H'.

"Well, screw that," said Corinna, kicking up some of the sand. Having spent almost three weeks with the chimaera, she had learned how Harmony's brain worked, how she solved problems. She always took the direct approach, running straight on instead of thinking beforehand. Physical attacks didn't work on the clay golem. Harmony couldn't win with her brute strength and determination. Which meant you had to fight smart, clever. Corinna could win this fight with her mind.

Rolling up her sleeves, Corinna got to work. She found a woollen scarf and tied it into a makeshift bag that wrapped around her chest, in which she stored the cigarette lighter, the can of bug spray, and lighter fluid. Using a knife, she cut the duvet into six small squares and folded them also into the makeshift bag.

Now armed with both a knife and a cricket bat, Corinna was ready. She was ready to get rid of the clay golem once and for all.