“A man, or at least I assume it was a man, ran into me; knocking me down,” the man told his comrades. “I didn’t get a good look. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t get down on yourself. None of us were expecting to find anyone else here. We’ve been here a year now without anyone else joining us. Hopefully he comes back. I would love a change in scenery around here. But for now, get back to your work, Clink. We’re low on food and yours and Tink’s research is the only hope we have,” Davros said, then turned and sighed.
***********************
Thom watched the compound for what felt like an hour. The sky remained the same gray, the fog remained in all directions except back towards the building he awoke in. His hunger had been steadily growing, and was now eating his concentration. Standing, he hoped that they treated prisoners well. He tucked the piece of wood inside his sleeve and walked back to the building.
As he approached, the main door swung open. An older man stood in the doorway, a look of indifference on his face. Thom was still thirty feet from the door when the man called to him.
“Stop. We do not intend to hurt you, but I realize it is hard to trust someone you do not know. Similarly, we find it hard to trust a stranger such as yourself. Tell me, what do you intend to do to us?” Davros asked.
“I have no intentions. I woke up in your building and was looking for food. I got spooked when I ran into your friend and that is why I left. But then I… then I got out there, and the fear rose higher,” Zand responded, then motioning to the building and the fog, “What is this place?”
Davros considered Thom’s words, then said, “You chose to run away rather than descend upon my man earlier, so I believe you do not intend to harm us. I hope I am right. We do not know what this place is either. We, like you, awoke to find ourselves inside this building. Unlike you, my dear friend is out in that fog, looking for help. He has been gone a long time though, and I fear he is dead. You are welcome here. We must band against the dark forces at work in this land.”
Thom looked back at the fog. From here, it was not visible. Instead, it looked like there was a forest in the distance, mountains on the horizon. He turned back to Davros and shook his head forcefully while walking inside.
***********************
The group ate and spoke of their strange surroundings. It took a few hours for Davros to explain how they came to be in a place such as this. Actually, it was mostly just guesses on the part of the twins, but they seemed reasonable guesses. The strongest theory had to do with their magical comrade, who was not present, and his tampering with forces he did not understand. The last time they saw him he had been working on a new spell, one that would allow him to turn invisible. During the course of the afternoon they last saw him, he had shot out a giant gout of flame and changed the weather.
Thom explained what he last remembered, mainly Master Grahm tampering with magical forces he too did not understand. The twins wanted to inspect his leg, but Thom felt a little shy. Davros bellowed a great laugh and said that they had some wine if it would help. Thom didn’t get the joke, but said he would not object to some wine. Davros left to get the wine; returning with a jug and some glasses, which he filled and passed around.
The men sat around, drinking their wine in near silence. Occasionally a slight grunt would be heard. The wine was not very good. Davros had learned how to ferment fruit safely in his youth, but it was hardly quality work. There were dried fruits in the larder, as well as yeast for making bread. He boiled clean some vessels and then set about adding the fruit and yeast, along with clean water and then let nature take its course. Davros was the only one that seemed to enjoy the concoction, but nobody refused to drink their glass.
“So, where are you sleeping? There are plenty of rooms in that corridor, but are you camping centrally in this building?” Thom inquired.
“You have some mind for strategy I see. Yes, there are plenty of rooms, but it is safer to all sleep in one room, and we keep watch as well,” Davros said.
“Those rooms are... creepy,” said Tink.
“There is no reason to think them an ill omen, but all the same, we avoid that corridor entirely,” said Clink.
“I agree. The courtyard is haunting, I would not wish to sleep with a window between me and it,” Thom said.
Davros suggested that Thom gather some bedding from one of the rooms and to bring it back before it got late. Thom agreed and stood. No one volunteered to accompany him. He might have been able to request it, but he didn’t want to look weak.
No comments:
Post a Comment