Coward Ryan - Chapter 6

PART 2 - Moody Joséphine 1

Joséphine Anne-Sophie René du Bois was not having a good day. In fact, she hadn’t had a good day for some weeks now but this day of all days was most definitely the worst of the lot.2

For one thing, she was in another world. For another, it was uncivilised and it seemed to be run by animals. Animals that talked. And in English – not French – which perhaps made things even worse.3

The one right in front of her now – the one that had kidnapped her – was a horse (but with wings) and unlike horses on Earth, this stupid horse was utterly rude and inconsiderate. It refused to let her ride it (even though they’d been walking for hours on end), it refused to answer her questions (even though it was the one that had kidnapped her) and it refused to let her stop to have a rest.4

Joséphine hated it and had made it loudly known the first few hours she’d been forced to traverse across this horrible wilderness of a world. But now she was far too exhausted to be bothered speaking (in English) just to be ignored.5

Joséphine wiped a trickle of sweat from her face. She’d never walked so far in her life! They must have travelled hundreds of kilometres by now. So far, she’d been forced to tackle rocky terrain that really wasn’t good for her sleek black boots and scrubby little bushes that really weren’t good for her ankle length black skirt, and spindly little trees with their low hanging branches that really weren’t good for her fancy black top. 6

The strips of black lace she’d been so proud of when she’d sewn them together had been all but torn to pieces and even her knee length black overcoat was being repeatedly caught on sticks and branches. Not to mention the hundreds of flies and mosquitoes and midges that had attacked her and the dozens of spider webs she’d walked through. 7

And what was with those wasps? They kept buzzing around her – at a distance now since she’d managed to kill the first one – almost as if they were watching her or examining her. Every time she turned her head they would zip behind a leaf or a flower but she knew they were there and it was driving her insane.8

Joséphine shuddered as she caught sight of yet another one from the corner of her eye. “Freaky little wasp!” she yelled at it in French. She picked up a rock and hurled it at the bush the wasp had ducked behind. She hated insects. With a passion.9

The horse-beast in front of her snorted derisively and rolled its eyes, but otherwise ignored her, as it had been doing all this time.10

Joséphine scowled. If she’d known she’d be hiking through this horrid jungle when she’d left the house last night she would have taken an extra large, 20% extra value pack of fast killing insect spray with her. Maybe it would have repelled the stupid horse, too, she thought bitterly.11

“Can’t we stop yet?” she demanded of the beast in front of her but of course it was still taking no notice of her plight at all. It gave a haughty snort and pushed on through the trees. A branch snapped back almost in Joséphine’s face. She could have screamed. 12

Even when she’d said she was hungry and thirsty and tired and her feet hurt and her clothes were getting ruined and stained, the beast hadn’t paid her any attention. It was heartless, it really was. She was sure the stupid horse was taking these little used animal trails just to annoy her and get on her nerves.13

She cast a hateful glance at it. She was doing it a favour, really. She could have gone kicking and screaming and forced the horse to drag her the whole way to wherever on this godforsaken world this animal was taking her, but was she? No! Granted, the horse had nearly bitten her hand off the first time she’d tried... but that was beside the point! She was the one being kidnapped here!14

Joséphine stumbled onwards, crushing plants underfoot and breaking branches that were in her way. “Stupid horse,” she muttered (but loudly, and in English so the horse could hear her). “That’s the last time I’m going to be concerned for a stray animal.”15

She scowled again as she remembered what had gotten her into this mess in the first place. Stupid Jean-Pierre, sending her off outside until she learnt the difference between a disjunct and a conjunct. He knew she hated being outside. Especially at night. Who was he to tell her off? He was just an English tutor. And a lousy one at that.16

Then she’d seen one of the horses running loose from the stables. It had led her a right chase when she’d gone after it. Only it turned out not to be one of her father’s horses after all. And by the time she realised it had wings as well... well, it was too late and she’d already been kidnapped and brought to this wretched place and forced to march continuously without a break for half a night and a day.17

And that was the funny thing. The sun had risen in leaps and bounds and actually quite jerkily and she had a feeling they’d physically travelled much further than they’d actually walked. 18

The ground suddenly shifting beneath her feet from rocky cliffs to scrubby grasslands (yet with no sign of the cliffs when she’d looked back over her shoulder) had kind of given it away but she had no idea how or why it was happening. It was just another question the wretched horse in front of her had refused to answer.19

Her thoughts turned back to Jean-Pierre. Why’d he have to send her out that night of all nights? Claude had likely been a part of it too. In fact, they’d probably all schemed to get rid of her. She’d always known none of them liked her. Even her parents barely had anything to do with her these days.20

Well, she thought, now she was truly gone out of their lives. They’d probably be throwing a party because of her absence. They probably wouldn’t even care if she – Joséphine sniffed – if she never returned...21

Joséphine trembled. Her face grew all hot and her emotions wobbled dangerously. But... but what I wouldn’t give to be back there right now! she wailed to herself and her anger disintegrated into despair. Anything would be better than this! she thought. Anything! Even learning grammar definitions! 22

Joséphine bit her lip but she couldn’t stop it now. Tears overflowed down her face and pathetic little sobs escaped from her lips. She just couldn’t help it.23

The horse beast swung its head around almost instantly. “Stop that!” it snarled. “Or I’ll bite your fingers off!”24

Joséphine stared at the horse’s hateful expression – why is this happening to me? she cried –¬ and she burst into a fresh load of tears. 25

The horse glared at her and bared its teeth menacingly. It took a step towards her. “Don’t think I won’t do it,” it said ferociously. “You humans think you can do whatever you like. You never think about anyone but yourselves! Well, what about the rest of us? You destroy our homes and break our spirits and for what? To enslave us and make us do your evil work for you! You’re utterly selfish, conniving, evil destroyers and frankly I’d be happy to see the last of you. Now shut up before I really do something you’ll regret!” The horse snapped its jaws together on the last word with a loud clack of teeth. 26

Joséphine shivered. She whipped her hands behind her back and glared at the horse defiantly through her tears. “You can’t treat me like this! You-you’re just an animal! Humans are at the top of the food chain, in case you didn’t notice.”27

The horse gave a whinnying snort. “Not in this world, you aren’t. And there are much worse creatures here who would bite you in half the moment they saw you. In fact, I’ve a right mind to leave you here for the –”28

A loud buzzing noise suddenly interrupted the horse’s rant. Joséphine’s eyes widened and her jerking sobs froze in the back of her throat. A gigantic wasp – as in huge, massive – flew out from between the trees. It was so big, Joséphine could see its wickedly sharp mandibles, the pupils in its plate-like eyes and each individual hair on its body and antennae.29

Joséphine’s knees went all weak and wobbly and she stumbled back against a tree trunk. 30

“Zebo! Thank the myths!” the horse exclaimed, and it pranced forward with such glee and relief that Joséphine was sure the monstrous insect was here for her. 31

A strange gurgling scream escaped from her throat. “Ergah!” she shrieked. “It’s the queen bee! It’s come to get me!”32

The giant wasp settled to the ground in front of them and twisted its head at Joséphine. It stalked towards her, its long antennae waving about menacingly in her face. 33

“I didn’t mean to kill it!” Joséphine shrieked. “I was only defending myself! Don’t eat me!”34

“Tch!” the horse said. “Of course she meant to kill it. She’s a human, for myth’s sake! But forget that. I’ve nearly gone mad being around this human for so long. All she’s done is complain and scream and fight and she practically refuses to budge every single step of the way. I was beginning to think I’d be stuck with her indefinitely!”35

The wasp’s huge, glaring eyes turned from Joséphine to the horse, and Joséphine breathed a sigh of relief. It buzzed a string of angry sounding noises to which the horse said, “Yes, yes. I know how precious your wasps are. You tell everyone a thousand times. But really, Zebo, it’s a human we’re dealing with. What did you expect?” 36

A distinctly annoyed expression came over the wasp’s face. It tipped its head to one side, clicked its mandibles together and buzzed again. 37

The horse’s expression turned into one of horrified indignation. “What!” the horse neighed (and if Joséphine hadn’t been so frightened she would have smirked at the creature’s distress). “You mean I brought her here for nothing?”38

Joséphine looked back and forth between the wasp and the horse. “Oh this is mad!” she said to herself. “An English, talking horse with wings and a giant, buzzing wasp are arguing about what to do with me. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.”39

The horse tossed its head and snorted in outrage. “No, I will not,” it was saying. “Do you know how far I’ve come? Do you know how many Spell Gates I’ve had to go through? Just to get her this far? If Strago wants her, he can jolly well come and get her himself. There’s no way I’m going to trek all that way up his volcano with this little witch in tow. I’ve done my bit by bringing her here. I refuse to go any further.”40

The horse was getting really agitated now. Its front hooves kept pawing and stamping the ground and its wings kept unfolding and beating at the air. Joséphine thought it was close to rearing and stampeding and what would happen to her then?41

“You take her then!” the horse suddenly neighed. “Dammit, Zebo, I don’t care how busy you are. I’ve had more than enough of her! You can’t– Oh no, don’t you dare! Don’t you dare leave her with me! Zebo! Zebo, get back here!”42

The horse raced forward but the wasp was gone. 43

Joséphine relaxed but then the horse turned in her direction and her body froze. 44

“You,” the horse breathed. “You stupid human! Why do you have to interfere with us now?” The horse tossed its head in distress. “Don’t think I’m going to take care of you. I’m not taking you any further, you hear? And if Strago doesn’t come by this afternoon, I’m leaving.” The horse reared, slamming the ground with its hooves, then galloped briskly off through the trees.45

~~~46

To be continued...47

Start: Chapter 148

Previous: Chapter 549