Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
“What happened to the people?” Avera couldn’t have said why she whispered. Blame the eerie feel of the town. It was as if the inhabitants simply walked away.
Without any of their belongings.
Their first hint of something amiss occurred as they entered the outskirts of Herder’s Respite.
A house stood on its lonesome. The garden was overgrown and ripe with vegetables, the yard empty of people, laundry flapped on the clothesline, some of it twisted as if caught in a strong wind and forgotten.
Of more concern was the open front door.
With a hand on the hilt of his sword, a grim-faced Gustav approached the home. As he neared the gaping entrance, he called out, “Hello, anyone there?” When no one answered, he stuck his head inside only to emerge shaking it. “It’s empty.”
“Maybe they’re hiding because they don’t like strangers?” Josslyn opined.
“More like they left in a hurry. Dinner is still on the table. With a layer of mold, I should add, before you get ideas about eating it.”
“Any smells?” Avera asked.
“What an odd thing to ask,” Josslyn exclaimed.
But Gustav understood. “If someone died it wasn’t inside.” A decomposing body left an unmistakable stench.
Avera glanced at the road leading into the town. A road empty despite it being just past the noon hour. “Something’s not right.”
“Agreed,” Gustav stated, rejoining them. “Should we turn around?”
“And go where?” Avera waved her hands. “We can’t go back, and Fraegus Spire is in sight.” Indeed, the tall mountain, wreathed in mist, loomed over the small town.
“What if it’s the plague?” Josslyn asked, her brow creased in concern.
“A plague leaves behind bodies,” her brother replied.
“Could be they were removed,” she countered.
“Removed but the door left open and unmarked?” Gustav riposted. While it didn’t happen often, illness did sometimes sweep the population. Homes with the infected had Xs painted upon their doors to warn people not to enter.
“What if it was marauders who kidnapped them?” Avera suggested.
Everyone had heard the stories of how they abducted people for slaves. It usually happened elsewhere, though. Daerva never had that issue because of their inaccessibility.
“The marauders tend to stick close to their ships. Herder’s Respite is too far inland.” Gustav glanced towards the town. “If you’re scared, stay here while I check on things.”
“Should we be splitting up?” Avera didn’t like the idea of them being separated.
“No, we shouldn’t,” Josslyn groused. “If you’re going into town, then so are we.”
“Stay close,” Gustav commanded. “Let’s see if this abandoned home is an anomaly.”
It wasn’t.
They found more open doors, numerous tables laden with dishes and food gone fuzzy from being left out.
Not all of them were at the same stage of decay, as if some had been sitting for longer.
As they strolled about, poking their noses into the houses, not a single soul challenged their curiosity.
They also did not come across any bodies.
They did, however, find a few homes showing disturbances.
Chairs knocked over. Some dishes shattered on the floor.
The few weapons the townsfolk owned appeared to still be standing in corners or hung on walls.
They also didn’t find any blood or vomit or signs of diarrhea which would have been the confirmation of a plague sweeping through.
As they finished their first pass through the town, Josslyn pursed her lips and said, “Where’s the animals?”
Only then did they realize not only were the usual cats and dogs absent, but they also heard no birds or insects. Even the chicken coops were bare.
“What happened? How does every living thing in a town simply disappear” Avera mused, hands on her hips as she turned in a full circle in the town square.
“It is odd we didn’t find any bodies. While the stalls for the horses are empty, the wagons are still parked. Can’t see folks fleeing without them.” Gustav rubbed his chin.
“Seems to me the only reason people would run away from everything they own is if something scared them.” Josslyn hugged herself as if chilled despite the shining sun.
“But that doesn’t explain the animals.” Avera pointed out.
Gustav slapped his hands together and rubbed them.
“Well, there’s one good thing about it being empty.
We’ll be able to find some clothes and probably even some food that hasn’t spoiled.
We’ll take the rest of the day to outfit ourselves, get a good night’s sleep in a bed, and tackle the spire in the morning. ”
“You want us to sleep here?” Josslyn squeaked. “Is that wise, seeing as how the whole town disappeared?”
“Where else you wanna go?” Gustav drawled, sweeping a hand. “Back into the woods? Straight into the mountain? We don’t really have many choices.”
Josslyn’s lips pinched tight, and Avera felt sorry for her. She’d not asked to be dragged into Avera’s drama or danger. If not for Avera, Josslyn would be at home, managing her winery.
“Neither of you have to stay. My mother said only I should visit the spire. Gustav, why don’t you take Josslyn away from here and I’ll meet up with you the day after tomorrow once I’ve done whatever it is I’m supposed to do on that mountain?”
“I am not leaving you,” Josslyn huffed. “I’m just pointing out that we need to be cautious.”
“Agreed. We can find a house with a large room we can barricade and take turns keeping watch,” Gustav suggested.
“Assuming it’s an outside threat. For all we know the food is poisoned.” Josslyn’s tart reply.
“If it were poison or plague there’d be dead bodies all over,” Gustav reminded.
“Maybe it made them hallucinate and they ran into the woods,” Josslyn snapped back.
“More like fled to the mountain, since we saw no one on the way in. And I doubt it was the food. Everyone would have been eating something different. Only way something would hit everyone is if it got into the town’s water supply.
” He glanced at the fountain with its unrippled and clear liquid surface.
“Are you saying we can’t have a drink?” Avera’s mouth suddenly went dry as if the mere suggestion could parch.
“I’m sure we can find some wine.”
Avera grimaced. “You know I’m not fond of the stuff.”
“I am,” Josslyn murmured. “And I’d like several cups of it, please.”
“We could boil the water first,” Gustav suggested.
Avera shook her head. “No point, because I won’t drink it. Not if there’s a chance it will harm me.”
“Technically, we’ve seen no signs of injury.”
“Still not drinking it.” Avera wouldn’t take any chances.
“If it helps, I could tether you in case you tried to wander.” Gustav offered a solution.
“Or we could backtrack to the stream we saw in the woods,” Josslyn suggested. “I saw a deer drinking from it before it ran away when it scented us.”
“Are we all going, or just me?” Gustav asked.
Avera bit her lip. Before she could reply, she noticed Luna drinking from the fountain.
“Luna, no.” Her steed flicked its ears and kept on slurping.
And what did Avera do?
Watched.
They all did.
Luna didn’t suddenly gasp for air or bolt. She flicked her tail and farted.
“Guess we’ll soon see if it’s the water,” Gustav opined.
“I’m going to tether her just in case,” Avera stated, grabbing Luna’s bridle. They found a barn attached to a large house. The stone facade and relative wealth of it in comparison to other homes likely made it the marquis’ residence—the marquises being those who governed the towns.
Inside they found the same situation as the other houses. A kitchen that appeared abandoned after the meal, the dishes still soaking. The beds remained tidy. The closets full of garments. Best of all, they found a chamber with a tub, over it a spout and handle. When pumped, water poured in.
Josslyn squealed. “We can have a bath.”
“I thought you didn’t trust the water,” Avera stated as the other woman worked the lever.
“I am not planning on drinking it. I’ve never felt so grimy in my life.”
Avera hadn’t either, so when a clean Josslyn finished bathing, she took the plunge, literally dunking herself in the water and scrubbing hard. Wrapped in linen towels, they then checked out the closets for garments.
Josslyn held out a dress which was wide all over but short. “It will barely cover my knees,” she exclaimed.
Meanwhile, Avera had found the marquis’ wardrobe and held out a pair of soft britches. “I’m thinking these might be better than skirts for mountain climbing.”
“Ooh. And they’re a closer fit.”
Shirts and jackets completed their ensembles.
Avera found a belt with an attached sheath for her dagger.
She dumped the pockets of her skirt to find an apple, a ribbon, and the amulet she’d forgotten she had.
She still hadn’t found time to examine it, but each time her hand brushed it, she got tingles.
Despite not knowing its use, she draped it around her neck, the disc hanging below the locket.
When they emerged, dressed in men’s clothing, Gustav took one look and arched a brow. “Interesting choice.”
“You mean practical,” Josslyn declared.
“And warm.” Avera hadn’t realized how chilly the skirts left her legs until they were fully wrapped in pants. “There’s thicker jackets and other apparel as well to keep us cozy.”
“Maybe for you. I won’t fit in that,” stated the broad-shouldered rook. “I’ll go check out some of the offerings in the other houses. Coming?”
Avera almost said yes, only to find her gaze distracted by a bookshelf in the parlor. “Actually, I’m going to see if there’s anything written down about the spire. Could be the town closest to it kept some kind of record or wrote down some stories that never made it to the capital.”
“Lyn?” Gustav glanced at his sister.
“I’ll stay with Avera. But do hurry back. Worrying causes wrinkles.”
His lips curved. “We wouldn’t want that to happen.”