As Empty As It Seemed

Another short story.

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As empty as it seemed, it felt like that there was inevitably something there. Something I was missing, the last piece hiding beneath my nose.

A clocked ticked loudly in my head.

I was running out of time.

I flipped through the pages once more opening my eyes wider to see anything and everything that could possibly be among the pages.

A glimmer, a flash. I didn’t know what it was that threw the candle’s flame across my eyes, but it caught my attention. I turned the pages back franticly when the book opened nearly on its own in front of me.

Embedded in a few pages was a ring. It was silver with the band coming around a light blue gem, with two small topaz, and clear stones on either side of it. My first name with his last were scribbled on the page.

Water welled up in my eyes. I had found what I was looking for, but I still had failed completely.

The doors burst open behind me, blowing out the candle on the desk. An orange glow flowed in in its place.

“Do you have it?” a strained voice asked between gasps of breath. “Do you have what he said would protect us?”

“Yes, William.” I managed to say between sobs, pulling my new treasure onto my left ring finger.
“Then, we should be getting out of this place.” William replied, with a more quiet voice and kinder tone.
There was a roar above and a crash, rumbling the entire building. Dust began to fall from the stone ceilings. I held the ring on my finger to my heart, taking in whatever power it possessed and hoping to make it a part of me.

William strolled into the room, gently prying my hand from my chest and taking it in his own.

I looked up at him, and his eyes were frantic, but somber.

“Come Rachel, it’s what he said to do.” Tears pooled in my eyes again, and he took my chin under his fingertips.” I swore to him that I would protect my little sister, and to my last breath I will.”

I nodded, too emotional to speak. I was leaving him to destruction, pain, and anguish. There was so much I would be risking.

I took William's hand in my left one, grasping it for a moment, trying to be brave.

There was another crash and a torch tumbled to the ground, making the elegant tapestry go up in flames. The fires were roaring in our ears along with another cry from upstairs, and we ran.

Our feet clambered loudly on the stone floor, the castle slowly falling to pieces behind us, but we didn’t look back.

Outside the wind was blowing our now visible breath past our heads as we continued into the forest. I looked back only for a moment to see the castle, our home, our history, going up in flames. The shadows engulfed us as soon as we were within the trees with only a small amount of moonlight grazing our faces now and then. A howl echoed behind us, and William ran faster, dragging me behind him.

It seemed like we were running for hours, and the temperature had been dropping all the while. My throat had been feeling like I had been inhaling razor sharp shards of ice as we ran. My limbs were numb, but my legs were beginning to feel like gelatin.

“Will,” I gasped, surprising too quiet even for myself to hear, “William, please.” He began to slow, noticing my voice. “Please, we must stop.” My feet planted themselves on the ground, pulling my brother back.

“We cannot!” He turned to face me, grasping both of my wrists fiercely, spittle flew on my face, and his eyes were wild. “If we stop, he could find you and-and-“

“William.” I pleaded. “We must, we’ll be safe. Now we must rest.”

He stared into my eyes for a moment, resisting the urge to argue, his chest heaving in and out as he gasped for air.

“Alright. Yes, you are right…rest; we need…” he stumbled a few feet turning from me, his hand almost leaving my ringed one. I grabbed it again.

“But do not, do not, let go of this hand. Do you understand?” I put as much seriousness as I could manage into my voice.

“Of course dear sister.” He mumbled.

We then walked, searching for a small place of shelter. We were unable to find much besides a small grove of trees that would at least be comfortable to lie on. I lowered myself to the ground and William surprised me by pulling a bag off of his back with necessary things for survival. Food, bandages, clothes, and blankets were in the pack. Last but not least, were a gun and a knife at the very bottom, signifying that they were the first items of his choice. I eyed them, almost in disbelief as William observed their condition. After a moment, he then handed me the pistol. I looked at him questioningly.

“Why don’t you have it? I know how to handle a knife, not a pistol.” I tried to hand it back to him.

He pushed it back in my hand, eyebrows raised. “I am hoping he will not get that close.”

We got ourselves comfortable, still not letting go of each other’s hands, falling asleep wrapped in the blankets William had brought.

In the time from when we had lied down to when the sky began to lighten between the trees, I had not slept. All I could do was worry about him, and how we left him behind to face the terror alone. I started to cry again, wanting to help him, but knowing there was nothing I could possibly do, except to survive. My tears froze in the middle of my checks.

There was a rustle in the trees and footsteps on the leaves. I made myself immobile.

From the direction of the castle came a large animal from the trees. It came slowly and calmly toward me. The closer it got the clearer it became. It was dark brown and easily as large as a bear, but as graceful as a cat and as majestic as a lion. I was not afraid, but awed. The creature approached me, sniffing as it came. It stood next to me, away from William, and I could feel the heat off of its body.

I watched its paws, noticing that they were larger than my hands. Its head hovered over me as it sniffed my left hand and the ring on it. After raising its head, it laid itself on the ground next to me and I finally looked at its eyes.

His eyes were topaz, as were this giant wolf’s. They were somber and pleading. I could almost see him in his eyes.

I was overwhelmed with emotion throwing my arms around his neck and I began to weep. He was here. He was safe. And since he was, I was as well. Shane rubbed his large head gently against me, mopping up my tears. I moved myself against him taking in the warmth, then pulling the blanket over him as the sun began to rise and the softness of his fur began to fade.

I held onto him as he struggled no knowing what else to do. I watched his face become the one I knew so well, the snout turned and shrunk into a nose, along with the rest of his features that shrank to their original state. I kept my eyes on his as soon as the process was done. They were mostly closed and blurred. He looked absolutely exhausted.

“Isaac…” I whispered. “Isaac, speak to me.”

He didn’t respond except for an exhale of breath and he shuddered from the cold. Instantly, I wrapped the blanket tighter around him pulling myself against him, now sharing my warmth since he now had no other protection from the world.

On my other side William stirred in his sleep, then jumped up roaring a call of war. I knew he was only reacting to no longer feeling my hand in his and I didn’t move or say a word.