Upperworld- Angel of Promise. chapter 1 part 2

"Simon." I whisper into the shadows. "Simon!"1

I turn to the sound of a cough. Someone, or something is walking toward me, bent over, breathing heavily.2

"Simon?" I ask, not recognizing the sound of my own voice.3

"I went to far left. You know I could never swim straight, I guess not even to save my life." He let out a forced chuckle. I knew he was trying to forget about what all had happened.4

"Do you think they will find us over here?" I ask, not sure I want to hear the answer.5

"Probably, but we should be safe for now. We'll go back home in the morning, they'll be looking for runaways by then, if they haven't turned human yet." He placed his spear on the ground and took a seat, leaning against a giant tree. It was still full of leaves, which cast shadows on the ground below.6

I lay down, wanting to dry my clothes, but knowing there was nothing to do with them, especially with a man around. I curl into a ball and force my thoughts to go blank. I toss around wildly in the remaining hours of night. I come to and from sleep, awakened by nightmares of the horrible beasts, and how they rip the flesh from humans.7

I can't sleep anymore so I stand; looking at the horizon while Simon sleeps. He thrashes in his sleep, but I don't want to wake him, I need time with myself to get everything straight. I can see smoke coming from where our village is placed. I know that my friends, family, and neighbors are probably dead, but I at least want Blu to be okay. I imagine him trying to save his family, telling Tarn to run to the forest, not knowing that he would be knocked over by the enemy.8

I sigh and climb tree that hangs over the river. I hope I can get a better look and find some survivors, maybe they had torches, but I see none. I stay here for a while, remembering all that I did the day before, before I took the last sleep in my hut. I did my chores, cooking and sewing up ripped clothes. I wanted to be a hunter, but women were forbidden to use weapons. Maybe now I can, there's no one to stop me, except Simon, but I don't think he'll mind. Blu use to help me with knifes. He had lived fifteen years, same as me, and we had been friends since birth.9

After my chores I called father and Simon for meals. Mother had helped me, and she served the helping out while I found the men. Simon was with Aarya. I wonder if she's okay. Simon and Aarya were always together, mother said they would get married someday, I hoped they would, she was nice. She had long yellow hair to her butt, but she usually had it up in a bun. She was taller than me, but shorter than Simon, about eleven and a half hands tall. Her brown eyes were soft, always full of care. I hope for Simon’s sake that she’s okay.10

Father was usually hunting for tomorrow’s meal. I would go out into the forest and call his name, knowing he wouldn’t go too far before we ate. I would walk with him when he came out, usually carrying a rabbit or a deer. He’d fling it over his one of his wide shoulders, holding the legs with his massive right hand, bow in left, his arrows in the quiver at his muscular waist. He was well respected in the village, many will probably cry when they hear the news. He always helped the people who asked, and even got the name Jaja, from a man traveling through. He said in his country it meant “well respected”, and the name stuck. His gray hair was cut to his scalp, and he always had a hard, but loving face on.11

After meals I would go find Blu. His mother said he got his name because his eyes were as blue as the sky the morning he was born. He had dark yellow hair to his shoulders, ten hands and four knuckles high, with sharp features. Father use to laugh and say that I looked at him as Aarya did at Simon. My face would turn red, but I know that what he said was true.12

“Hannah?” Simon’s voice brings me back to the present. I climb down the tree and jump in front of him.13

“Ready?” I ask, hoping we can find someone else who lived through the night.14

“Yes. I’ll get us a rabbit to eat when we get back to the village; I don’t want any of the lycans to find us out here.15

We walk back by the river, looking for where the water was thin and the land close together. We walk for a while until we come upon a log that extends 2/3rd of the way over the river. Simon climbs across it first; making sure it is sturdy enough to hold me. I weigh less, but he would rather have himself fall in than me, all men in the village where like this. When he gets to the end he sticks his feet in the water, and slowly descends into it. He stops when the water gets to his knees. He then lets go of the log and pulls his legs through the water, making it to the shore.16

I follow once he makes it to the shore. I crawl on my hands and knees, the rotting bark digging into my palms. I then get to the end and walk in the water. Simon leads the way through the trees, even though I already know where we are.17

In the clearing I see where our village use to stand. Now all that I see is ruin. A few huts are left standing, but those who lived in them are stacked in piles, showing that someone is still alive, or was for a while. A smile crosses my face as hope begins to rise inside me. 18

I run to the hut closest to us and tear open the flap. No one is in it, but I don’t loose hope.19

“Hello!” I scream as I run toward the next. “Is anyone here?” I open the flap and look inside, no one.20

“Simon, have you found anyone?” I ask, as he wanders around the streets, seeing how things have changed in the past night. He doesn’t respond, and I don’t want to know why, I just want to find a living human.21

I walk past my old hut. It's burned down, but I can still see my animal skin blanket. I pick it up and wrap it up in my hands, snuggling the soft fur. I place it under my shoulder and continue toward another hut, trying to push the image of my hut out of my mind. Then I hear something.22

I turn sharply and run down the street until I get to one of the remaining huts. I recognize the sound and it fills me with joy. I open the flap and peer inside. Five people huddle in a circle staring up at me.23

I recognize everyone right away and a smile leaps to my face.24

"Hannah!" Blu yells, jumping from his seat. He runs to me and I embrace him with a tight hug. "I thought you were dead, but we couldn't find your body." He whispered against my cheek. Images come flooding back to me, I try to stop them but I can't, then I cry.25

"What's wrong?" Blu asks, concern on his face.26

"Last night, I thought everyone was dead. I saw Tarn…" I stop before I can finish the sentence, seeing the pain in Blu's soft blue eyes. "Simon saved me. Mother and father died. The lycans…they ruined everything." I stop, tears running down my face, and bury my head into Blu's chest.27

He stroked my hair and sat down, guiding me with him. 28

"These are the only other survivors." He says, nodding toward the others in the circle. I see Blu's sister, Ashakiran, her yellow hair tangled and messy, clothes ripped and torn, but her face, it shows no sign of tears, no sign of fear, only a sign of hope, and I idolize her for it.29

The others were Aarya; Simon will be happy, Jabez, another boy about Tarns age who looks sorrowful, and Hamidi, an older man who is thankful to be alive.30

“Is he here?” Aarya asks, tears lining the bottom of her eyes. I nod. “Thanks to Zophar's eyes. I thought you two had died.” She stands up and walks to the flap, then walks outside, searching for Simon. She yells his name and I hear his feet pounding on the ground. Jabez stands up, wanting to greet Simon back, but Hamidi touched his arm, letting him know they need their time alone.31

Blu stands and walks outside, me following behind him. He leads me through the streets, showing me people I once knew. He knows it hurts me, but I keep going and he keeps showing me. He explains how mad it makes him that Zophar would let this happen, cursing his name.32

“Last night, after I thought you were dead, I vowed I would get revenge. I told Zophar I would do anything to avenge my loved ones, and then something odd happened. It was as though I got taken into some different world. They told me I could kill the lycans if I joined them, so I did. They made me hold out my hands, then they sliced my palms, letting the blood run out. The one that talked to me then did the same thing to his own, but he showed no sign of pain.” He paused and looked down at his hands, showing me the cuts. “They chanted something, I couldn’t understand what, then smashed their hands into mine. I screamed as our blood fused and fell to the ground. ‘You will know when the time is right.’ He said in a deep voice while I was holding my hands. When I opened my eyes, I was back here, and the battle was over.”33

I stare at him. “Who were they?” I ask, remembering stories father use to tell me when I was small.34

“I don’t know, but I want you to come with me.” He tells me, staring into my eyes.35

I look away, afraid to go and leave Simon, but afraid to stay and leave Blu.36

“And Simon?” I ask37

He sighs. “I knew you would ask. I told the others about it and they agreed that they would come, we just need Simon and you, then we’ll be off in the morning.”38

I nod, “Alright. Where do we go?”39

Now he looks away. “I’m not sure yet, he said I would know, but I don’t right now. Maybe it will come when we leave.”40

We walk back to the hut; Simon and Aarya are in with the others. We sit down and Blu tells Simon about what he plans on doing. 41

“How can we be sure that they’ll help us? What if they kill us, or trap us and give us to the beasts?” Simon asks, not wanting to give in to leaving yet.42

“Zophar sent them to me.” Blu replies, eyes looking fierce43

“Zophar also let the lycans kill the others.”44

“But not us. We should be grateful we’re alive” Hamidi joins in.45

“Then we should stay here and rebuild the village. Others will pass through, maybe stay. We can build it back up to the way it was.” Simon presses.46

“And what about the others? Will we leave them with only death?” Jabez says, trying to sound older than he really is.47

Simon sighs. “If a young man is stupid enough to die himself to avenge someone who is already dead, then so be it, but I will not be among him.” He turns to leave and sees my hurt face. I finish what he left undone and bolt out of the hut. I run to the river and sit, skipping rocks out over the water.48

Simon walks up behind me and places his hand on my shoulder. The wind blows over the water, making it ripple and shine in the sunlight. A leaf falls from the tree above me into the water, and flows down the river toward the jagged rocks.49

“I’m sorry.” He finally says. “I just don’t want you or Aarya to get hurt. I already lost mother and father, I thought I had lost Aarya too, but now that I have both of you, I won’t let anything hurt you.” I stand and turn toward him.50

“Then why did you hurt me?” I ask, staring into his eyes.51

He lets his breath out and looks to the river, before looking back into my eyes. “I didn’t mean to, I just wanted to protect you.”52

“I know, but you’re not going to do anything about mother and father dying? You’re just going to go off and start a new little happy life?”53

“I would kill all the wolves in the world if it would bring mother and father back, but it won’t. All it will do is get us hurt.” Anger rising in his voice.54

“You don’t care.” I whisper under my breath.55

He grabs my shoulder and pulls me to him, his face inches from mine. “Don’t you ever say I don’t care about them. I saw father die in front of my eyes and mother disappeared. I left them to save you though, because that was father’s last wish, and I succeeded. I kept going and did not stop until I knew you would be safe. Now don’t you ever, ever say I don’t care about them.” His eyes are fierce like a cheetah in a fight.56

“But you didn’t save mother.” I counter, knowing it would hurt him, but not being able to stop myself.57

His grip softens and he lets go of my shoulders, then backs away, his face pale as though he had seen a spirit. Then he turns and runs back to the village. I sit back down and stare at the river, unable to believe what I had said to him. He was my brother and he saved my life, so why was I disrespecting him? I’m not sure, and it scares me.58

I wait for a while, looking out at the water, remembering life before the past day. It’s getting dark so I hop off the rock and start walking toward the village. I think about things I can say to Simon, hoping he’ll forgive me. I step around a fat tree and hear a noise to my right. 59

It sounds like muffled screams, but I’m not sure. I wonder if I should go back and get help, then realize I might be too late. I take off toward the low noises and come to where the trees are thick. I hesitate, then step into them, searching for who, or what, could have been making the sound.60

I peer into the dark and see Simon tied to a tree. I try not to laugh, thinking he’s playing a joke on me to make me feel even more sorry for him, but then a stream of moonlight cross his eyes and I see the fear which they hold. He gives me a pleading look to get him out of the ropes and take the patch of fur from his mouth.61

I walk to him, keeping my eyes on the shadows around me. I yank the fur from his mouth and he coughs, trying to get the taste from his mouth.62

“Untie me.” He says in a low voice, which I could barely hear.63

“I’m sorry.” I whisper, not being able to think of the words I had prepared. I grab hold of the rope, looking for the knot. “What happened?” I ask finally. 64

“I saw someone when I left you. I thought that it might have been a survivor so I followed him. Then he stopped and turned to me before I had spoken to him. He was tall and muscular with dark hair and sharp eyes. He spoke with no fear. He told me he was sent to find Blu, so I told him where he was. He started to walk with me, then perked his ears, listening to the night. He told me to stay here and not make any noise, so he tied me up, so fast I didn’t know what had happened. He ran into the trees then disappeared.65

“He wanted me to wait for him, but it’s dark now, and I should tell Blu he’s being searched for.” He stands and grabs the rope, thinking he can use it later. “Keep your eyes open and your ears alert, he could be coming back anytime.” He starts walking back and I follow, searching the night for any sign of the man.66

When we get out of the group of thick trees and back to the regular forest I hear a sound in front of us. Simon stops, eyes searching the night, then calls into the dark, “Hello.” He pauses, “Is that you?”67

I get ready to walk into the shadows when I hear a growl. Fear seizes me as I realize what it is. Simon shoves me behind him and picks up a thick stick, ready to swing at the beast if it gets near. I grab a rock the size of my hand and get prepared to defend myself.68

Simon starts forward, slowly, watching his steps. My heart is hammering in my ears, blocking the sound from the real world. I grip the rock tighter and bring it up to my chest; my left hand on Simon’s shoulder that holds the rope.69

After two steps I can feel the creatures breath upon my neck. I scream, turning, bringing the rock up to smash the lycan in the face, but as I look into its dark yellow eyes I stop. I can see the fierce look on its face and see clearly that it wants nothing more than to kill us, but its eyes say something different. It’s as though he feels sorry for what he’s about to do.70

Simon smashes the thick stick against the creature’s neck, telling me to run. I back up, still staring into its eyes. Simon pulls the stick back again and swings, but the beast catches it and flings it away, as though it were a twig.71

It lunges toward Simon, it’s claws outstretched and knocks him down. I scream, knowing I have to help, then remember the rock in my hand. I pull back my right arm and throw the rock at the animal’s head. It hits right below its left yellow eye and it lets out a howl, allowing me to see its long and blood caked teeth.72

It turns toward me and leaps off of Simon. I back away, not knowing whether to run or stay. Simon stands and picks up the rock that I threw. He comes up behind the beast and slams him in the side with the rock as hard as he can, cracking a few bones. The lycan lets out a scream so loud I almost can’t hear anymore.73

“Go get help!” Simon screams over the werewolf. I nod and turn to run when I remember my necklace. I hear Simon scream.74

I turn to see him on the ground, trying to strangle the beast with the rope, but the creature is on top and pins him to the ground. It lifts its left paw above its head and brings it down into Simon’s chest. Simon opens his mouth, trying to get air as I scream. Blood trickles from his mouth and gathers onto the demons dark brown fur.75

I yank off my necklace and run toward the beast as it lowers its head for its meal, my brother. I hold the arrowhead and thrust it into the animal’s throat just before it bites into Simon. It tries to attack me, but is too weak and falls to the ground. I rush to Simon, gasping for air, trying to hold onto life.76

“I…I love…you.” He gasps, coughing blood from his mouth. “Tell Aarya…” He stops, trying to find the right words and reaches his right hand up to my cheek. “I…lo-…her.” He finishes staring into my eyes. I nod and wipe tears from my eyes. “Kill-them.” His hand falls from my face as his eyes shoot open, not wanting to leave this world behind. Then he goes still, and I know he has passed on.77

I lean over him and push his hair back so I can see his face. Blood is running down his chin and his eyes are still wide open, I would think he was alive if he were breathing. I wipe the blood from his face with my dress and stare into his eyes one last time. I wipe more tears from my face, then close his eyelids, shielding him from this world so he can see the upperworld.78

I stand and turn to face the werewolf. It is clutching its throat, trying to breathe, but its attempt is pitiful. It gives up and rolls onto its back. The muscular body looks scared and in pain, but its eyes look different, as though it is happy to be dying. 79

Wheezes and then stillness. The creature dies in front of me and I smile. Hate builds inside me and I want to kill more. I want to get even with the beasts, kill as many of their kind as they did mine. I start to laugh at its ugly body, but it starts to move.80

The body shrinks into a human size form. The brown hair seems to dissolve into the skin, leaving only dark flesh. The paws turn into hands and the muzzle into a mouth and nose, and I realize something; the creatures that killed my family were humans. He was no bigger than Simon, and he had killed him. 81

Anger grows. I hate him more now than I ever did. How could one human do this to another? I want to take my necklace to him over and over again, but it won't help. I sigh, then fall to my knees, fresh tears rolling down my face.82

I sit for a while, crying over Simon, wishing he were still alive. My necklace digs into my hand as I squeeze it, trying to forget about the pain death has brought me. I take the rope lying by Simon and tie it to the man’s arms, knotting it like father had taught me to do when I tied up a rabbit. I then throw the other end of the rope over a low branch in the tree, the excess rope swinging back down the other side. I walk to it and pull it down; the limp mans body slowly lifting off the ground. I pull harder, my arms getting tired by the weight of the man. I now wish that I had done some of the things Simon and Blu did in their spare time, that way I could be stronger.83