Jack
We moved on the journey, to each their own thoughts, everyone lost in their problems. We were silent all through the walk, not because just because we had nothing to say, we also didn’t want to. What was there to talk and laugh about. As jovial as I was, I didn’t have anything to say as well. I was more worried about the state that my darling poor Mia was in more than the awkward silence that trailed us as we walked.
On a normal day, I hated silence wherever I was, especially one that was as freezing as this was. I would have found a joke or anything to not make the journey long but right now, I didn’t care. I wanted the silence. I needed it as it allowed me to think the way I wanted to. I craved it. I loved it just the way it was.
I was worried that we wouldn’t get to Mia on time, thinking that the horse wouldn’t be able to work as fast as we did. I realized that I was being ridiculous. He kept his pace with us and I was proud, more than impressed.
He seemed to have his own story, what made him as determined as he was. He couldn’t just be like this because he wanted to help us out of his fair sense of justice.
He must have his story but had told is not to ask and I was going to respect that. Mia had taught me how to respect the decisions of others and I must say that I was getting better because of that.
Mia. I missed her. My heart ached and twisted with pain. For the hundredth time that year, I truly wished that she was okay. I didn’t trust that those three bastards wouldn’t try to take advantage of her.
She might be slowly turning into a werewolf but she didn’t have the strength to deal with them, certainly not alone.
I sighed, wondering there was to do to her to make all the supernatural beings that were here stop liking her. I hated it. It had to stop. What was there on her that made her always a target for those godforsaken creatures?
I was so lost in thoughts and didn’t check where I was going. I stumbled and gasped as I reached my hands forward in bid to give myself balance.
“You seem lost in thoughts, young man.”
“Isn’t everyone of us?” I shrugged, playing it cool.
I was already embarrassed that I almost fell down, he didn’t have to point it out again. Moreover, what was with everyone here and acting as if we were kids? How old were they really? I didn’t think the horse would answer if I asked him that question so I didn’t bother.
“We all are, I guess.” The horse replied.
I shrugged. It was good that we leave it the way it is.
“It’s too silent. Don’t you think?”
“Isn’t that what we all want?”
The horse snorted at me. “You should learn how not to reply people with questions.”
I blushed. “I’m sorry.”
“I didn’t know you could apologize. I thought that you would be a proud wolf.”
I shrugged. “Isn’t that what they all think?”
He shook his head, laughing, his body shaking as he did. “You are an impossible one,…” He let his sentence trail off and I knew what he was referring to.
“Jack. My name is Jack.”
He nodded and repeated his words. He must have gotten some satisfaction from adding my name to the words as his teeth bared in a smile and he shook his head.
“You are an impossible one, Jack.”
“Thanks. I guess.”
“My name is Neigh.” He offered.
I nodded. The name suited him right. He took a turn to the left and we followed him. I was curious with how he knew of the hideout of the guardians. He didn’t seem like he had once been close with them and they had given him a tour of their space. There had to be a story here but as he had said, we shouldn’t ask. I could only hope that he changed his mind.
“Neigh, nice name.” I nodded at him.
“Thank you.” He beamed. “My mother named me that.”
Compliments must be so scarce on the island as the wide grin that spread across Neigh’s face was one of a kind. I could see that he had gotten more relaxed with us and I found an opening to satiate my curiosity. He wanted a journey that wasn’t silent and awkward, he was about to get it, at his expense though.
He should have been careful what he wished for before he did.
“Wow. I didn’t know you had a mum.”
He snorted, looking at me like I was crazy. “Is there anyone without a mum? Why would you think that I didn’t have one? How else would I have been born if I didn’t have one?”
He seemed offended and I didn’t like how this was going. He wasn’t going to talk if I offended him that easily.
I apologized. “I’m sorry. I assumed that since you all live in a supernatural world, you were born through supernatural means.”
“Noted. We all have family here. I was blessed to have a mother and one sister. My father died when my sister was two. He fell into the trap of the Dinxes and never returned.”
“The Dinxes?” Quinn nodded.
I knew that was the only thing that would make Quinn get interested in the conversation. He would love to hear about creatures that he didn’t know about. He knew what I was doing, trying to get information about the horse and wasn’t interested in it. John was always silent so it wasn’t a surprise to me that he kept quiet.
I had already resigned my life to being the only person who would talk. I didn’t mind but having Quinn butt it in was refreshing for my ego. I would hate for us to part ways with Neigh and have him think that I was talkative.
He nodded. “Yes, they are another group of creatures here who set traps for others and eat the carcass of anyone that falls into it.”
“What if the one who falls into their trap is stronger than they are?” Quinn asked. “Or do they have the power to fight everyone?”
“They do not fight.” Neigh smiled. “In fact, they are the smallest of all the creatures here. They kill their victims with poison. There is poison in their veins and they spit a lot of it on the traps they set. Any unfortunate being who falls into it dies immediately because of the toxicity of the poisonous spit. When the victim is dead, they come to feed on him.”
I shuddered. That was a gruesome scenario that he painted. I saw Quinn shudder as well and I knew what he was thinking. He must be feeling grateful that we hadn’t gone to where they were at all. That would have been a disaster.
“Thank you for helping us find our girl, Neigh.” I said, cajoling him. “You are the only one who has helped us ever since we came here.”
He smiled. “You are in a dangerous place. That was expected.”
“Your mum must be so proud of you at the moment.”
His expression changed and I gasped. I must have said the wrong thing. I hoped that he didn’t decide not to help us. Quinn gave me a scornful look as if to mock me for fishing for information. I snorted back at him, uncaring of what he thought. As if he would have known of dinxes if I hadn’t asked. He grinned and shook his head as if he could read my mind.
“I’m sorry.” I apologized to Neigh.
Asides not wanting to stop him from helping us, I didn’t want to hurt him as well. He came at a time that we had no hope and were full of despair so I was not going to make him regret it.
“It’s not your fault. It’s the goddamn guardians.” He hissed.
Finally, I was going to get the story I was interested in. I hoped he didn’t stop talking. He didn’t and that made me glad.
“They killed your mother? Is that why you hate them?”
“It’s a long story.”
“And I think we have the time to listen to it. We haven’t gotten to where we are going and you said you didn’t like the awkward silence.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“The mic is yours then.” I smiled at him.
He chuckled. “You are fun.”
“I love that you say that.” I grinned at him.
“The guardians took my sister as they took your girl. They wanted her to be their bride, more like their plaything till they get tired of her and find another one. She didn’t want them so they killed her. My mother wanted to find her and searched all over for her. I was worried for her and secretly trailed after her all through the journey. That was how I found out about the hideout of the guardians. My mum died of heartbreak a month later after getting there and seeing her daughter’s corpse. We couldn’t even bring her home. She was so badly beaten and bruised. We were about to give her a burial when we heard the guardians coming back and had to leave because of fear. Mum was afraid of what they would do to me if they found us. I know it killed her to leave her kid like that as she was moody all through the way home and she changed after that. She had always been a cheerful person but became moody and pensive till she died. I miss my mum and my sister and have been planning my revenge since then but I can’t do anything about it because I was afraid just as mum was that they would kill me. I have hated them in secret instead. That was why I decided that I was going to help you.”
I nodded. That was understandable. I only hoped as we moved through the journey that Mia was still alive as there was no doubt that she would not want to be their bride. My kettle skipped a beat as we moved further in our journey. I was more afraid of seeing her corpse than knowing that she had become the bride of the ugly trolls. I knew the latter wasn’t ever going to happen so I wasn’t bothered. I was worried only for her life.