Chapter Four

It had been two weeks since the sleeping man had arrived. Mary had been very pleased as her Mama had let her stay home from school for a week. All Mary had to do is be a good girl, nice and quiet, and to pretend to everyone that she had been very sick.

At first she had been afraid of the sleeping man. She had woken up all alone on that morning, when he had first arrived. She hadn't been able to find her Mama, until looking at the sofa, where Mary saw her sleeping half draped, half seated next to a mound of blankets with a head.

It looked very uncomfortable.

She had nervously woken her mother up, relieved when she arose blinking. Mama had become worried then, Mary saw her face go white before turning to the head and poking its neck and waiting. Her Mama had looked relieved after that. She had also opened the heads eyelids and checked his temperature like she did to Mary when she was sick.

Mary watched silently as her mother had further examined the man. After she finished, her Mama had gone still for a moment, before turning to her and asking her if she wouldn't mind staying home from school for a week.

Her mother was at the kitchen table now, going through Mary's homework. She hadn't needed to catch up much, as Mama had gone to her school to get lessons for Mary while she was 'sick.'

Mary giggled at this thought. She was on a chair, looking at the man now. Mama had been very nervous about him at first, and had forbidden Mary to go anywhere near him. As the week went by, it became apparent that the man was not going to wake up, Mama had become more and more slack on the whole 'stayawayfromthatman' thing.

Glancing briefly at her mother, Mary leaned forward in her seat and poked the man in the cheek. She did this everyday when she got home from school. She thought it strange that he never woke up.

Just like The Sleeping Rose, she thought, smiling. It was funny to think of this man as the beautiful Rose Princess who slept for a hundred years in her tower, before being woken by Prince Charming's kiss.

An idea sprang to her head. She climbed off the chair and ran to her room. Crouching next to her bed, she pulled out her fun box from underneath.

Her mother found her there still, almost an hour later, surrounded by paper cut out flowers.

'Mary?'

'Huh? Oh...hi.'

Mary looked back down at the chain of flowers she was currently coloring in red.

'Do you like my flowers?' she asked, looking up again.

Her mother sighed, before kneeling down next to her.

'Hn...Pretty. You've done a nice job, Mary.'

'Thanks,'

She cast aside her current flowers to what seemed to be a pile, seizing another piece of scrap paper, began outlining a new flower shape.

She could feel her mother watching her, but pretended not to mind. Really, it made her a little uneasy, she couldn't tell if her mother was pleased with her effort or not.

'Mary?'

'Yee-arh?'

'What are the flowers for?'

'...'

'Mary?'

Crunchtime.

'Uh...they're for the sleeping man.'

'...'

Her Mama had that 'youbetterexplainyourselfquickyounglady' look on her face.

'You know, like the Rose Princess, who sleeps for ages and ages before waking up.'

'And...?'

'And, I thought that he might like some roses too...'

Mary tries the wide eye innocent look on her mother, it only works sometimes.

'Did I do bad?'

Her mother sighs and stares off in space. Mary bites her lip. When her Mama fails to make judgement, she gets impatient.

'Mama?' she says, tugging her mother’s shirt.

'Do you want him to wake up?'

Mary starts at her mother’s voice. It sounds distant, like she’s talking far away. She fidgets, unsure whether or not she should answer. This could be one of those funny questions where they answer themselves. Re-something.

‘Mary, I asked you a question.’ The wistfulness is gone from Mama’s voice.

‘Uhhhhh… I guess so.’

Her mother looks down at her, but says nothing. She leaves the room without another word. Mary stares after her for a moment, before absentmindedly returning to her cut out roses.

‘Eleni not in yet Gus?’ she asked the barman as she came out from the staff room.

The pale man shrugged.

‘Boss said she couldn’ make it. Ah well, it shouldn’ be too bad tonight. Reckon the weather tonigh’ll be worse then las’ week put together.’

Corel paused, worry jiggling at her mind.

‘He didn’t say why she couldn’t come in did he?’

Gus raised an eyebrow and shook his head.

‘S’alright, Sally’s comin’ in at twelve to cover her.’ He saw her frown ‘She’ll be right, probably jus’ sick or somethin’. There’s a bug goin’ round, you know.’

The barman turned away to serve, leaving Corel frowning at the back of his head. She felt queasy, she had dismissed the worry for Eleni’s brother in the light of no apparent news. She now wondered if she had been wise not to inquire at all. Truth, she had pushed the worry to the back of her mind. The burly customer’s tale from a fortnight ago slowly crept back into her mind.

‘Hey Corel, can you get on Table Nine?’

Gus’s voice cut through her thoughts. She shook her head, dispelling the feeling and slipping into work mode as she moved passed the counter. Again now, the matter was sidetracked, put away, but she couldn’t dwell on it, not here.

‘Sure thing.’

It was a quieter day, if not by much. There was always some business for a pub. Sally, an older waitress in her late thirties, arrived at midday to help. She was a nice enough person, with more dry wit then Eleni, and less cheerful.

‘You hear about it? Another house was broken into,’ she asked during a lull in business.

‘The one on Sunday?’

Sally shook her head, twisting her mouth into a half a smile as she leant against the bar, arms folded.

‘Nay another, and our Rector is thinking of replacin’ our Head of Security.’

‘Really?’ Corel asked, setting down a tray and proceeding to polish the newly washed glasses. That was news she hadn’t heard. Sally moved next to her to put away the clean ones and continued.

‘All high profile, senior members of the Party, no trace found of the intruder. Looks bad on them if one person’s gettin’ into their houses and gettin’ away. Everyone’s wondering who the devil is that’s done it.’

Corel was silent, eyes on her hands and the distorted glass reflection of her face. It was hard to know how to feel about the Government and its illustrious Rector Domaige, leader of the nation. She looked back up at Sally.

‘It could be a group, like that one that was broken up a few years ago.’

‘You mean Order?’ The older woman sounded skeptical ‘Nah, they weren’t nothin’ serious, and they’re through now. No one else would be fool enough to follow in their shoes.’

‘Still.’ Corel shrugged, handing her the last glass before turning away. Someone was at the counter, and Gus was talking to another table.

Corel found herself outside Eve Serpill’s door that afternoon. A day ago, she would have been happy for the extra cash. Finally, she had gotten a call offering more work, and she had been relieved. She’d had to live tight those past weeks, even with the few extra shifts The Three Staves had obliged her. But now she was worried, antsy. Eleni’s absence worried at her mind.

Yet she was here, Thursday afternoon and waiting for the woman to open her door. She rubbed her hands together; shifting the shoulder bag as it slipped down her arm for what seemed the tenth time.

‘C’mon…’ she muttered, reaching out to knock again.

Her hand stopped short as the door opened, revealing the tired face of Corel’s employer. She was startled by the shadows under the older woman’s eyes as well as the white lips that seemed tightly pressed together.

‘Corel, ah, you’re here, good.’ Eve’s eyes darted up and down the hallway ‘I must…must thank you for coming at such short notice…’

It seemed odd to Corel that she had not opened the door wider then a crack. Even Eve’s manner was peculiar, she had never seen the woman so flustered and anxious before. Brushing her fringe out of her eyes, Corel smiled, trying not to show her uneasiness.

‘It’s nothing, really. Glad to help.’

Almost reluctantly, Eve stepped aside to allow Corel entrance. The door was closed hurriedly behind them, and she heard the click of three locks being set in place.

‘So how’s Mary been doing?’ She walked into the room and shrugged off her coat to hang it on the rack ‘Is she in her room or-‘

Her voice died as her gaze landed on the pile of rugs and blankets that seemed to be heaped onto the couch. The pile became more defined, separated as Corel’s sight adjusted, to reveal a pale arm resting over a blanket, some tousled hair, and…

‘Ah…Eve?’

The said woman came up quietly behind her.

‘A drink, Corel? You must be chilled from this weather.’

Gracefully, the older woman walked to the kitchenette and guided Corel to a seat at the round table. She could do little more then nod, wide eyed as she stared at the man lying asleep on the couch.

It was just so out of place. Did Eve have a man? Even if she did, Corel was hard pressed to believe that she would let him sprawl over the furniture like that. Eve had always stressed to Mary and to herself that tidiness and order were vital to the upkeep of respectability.

‘Tea or coffee?’ And Corel could here the strain in her voice as she sought her attention.

‘Ah-um…coffee, thanks…’

Turning back to the table, Corel watched as Eve hastened about the kitchen. She felt uncomfortable and awkward. Eve was putting off something, some fact, as well as desperately trying to maintain a sense of normality around her. It wasn’t working. Corel shifted in her seat, gaze flickering back to the couch. She cleared her throat.

‘Uhm…is Mary feeling better…Eve?’ She saw Eve’s shoulders tense, then relax.

‘Hm? Oh yes, she’s asleep already, I just…well…’

Corel waited, and abruptly, Eve sat down and faced her. Straight upright in her seat, she noticed the woman’s hands were pressed down on the table edge, making them white. Corel flicked her gaze back up to Eve.

‘Is everything alright?’ She asked finally.

Eve took in a deep breath, as if she were preparing herself for some strenuous task.

‘I have a…very enormous favor to ask of you.’ The woman pressed her lips together and studied Corel intently. She meet the gaze evenly, curiosity buzzing around her head, and nodded slightly.

‘You may have…noticed…the-my guest on the couch. The fact is, Corel, that he is at the moment very sick, and, well, needs constant attention. I’ve been taking time off work under the pretext of tending to Mary, but with things as they are, I cannot afford to do that any more. I-‘

The words had flooded out of her, but at this point she choked, so fiercely that Corel half thought that she couldn’t breath. She rose halfway out of her seat before Eve waved her down again. Biting her lip, Corel complied, aware that Eve’s gaze was set intently on her.

‘I need help…Corel, please. I…I couldn’t let him die…’

Something quirked in Corel’s memory and she felt herself blanch at the thought. What if…but her stomach turned over at the thought.

‘He’s not…not that man who was outside…last…last time I was here?’ Eve looked away, and Corel’s mouth dropped in surprise.

‘Surely not!’ She exclaimed in disbelief.

‘I had to.’ At this, the older woman raised her face, a defiant look in her eye that made Corel close her mouth immediately ‘He is my brother-in-law.’

Even the stiff tone of her voice couldn’t stop Corel’s eyes from boggling. She hadn’t even known that Eve had a brother-in-law. She’d always assumed that Mary was a love child of sorts, or that Eve was widowed.

‘How-‘

‘That doesn’t concern you.’ Eve said shortly. Corel sat back in her chair and wondered. What other secrets did Eve keep? She’d always known there were some somewhere. She had never talked openly about her past with Corel, despite them knowing each other for two and a half years now.

Yet neither had Corel divulged any of her own past to Eve. It was not so surprising, really, that they should know each other but be such strangers.

A sick brother-in-law who looked like a homeless bum? It was just bizarre. She contemplated her next words carefully.

‘If…has he seen a doctor? Surely, if he’s ill, he should be in hospital…’

Her voice died when she saw Eve’s knuckles whiten and her nostrils flare.

‘NO! He can’t!’ She hissed urgently ‘You must never tell anyone one he’s here. Anyone!’

Corel bit her lip and gripped her chair, taken aback by the vehemence of Eve’s words. This was getting very strange, and she was beginning to worry.

The other woman must have realized how forceful she had sounded, for she straightened immediately and forced a polite smile onto her rigid face, every part the respectable lady Corel had known. She thought, however, that the expression on Eve’s face more resembled a grimace.

‘I apologize, I haven’t really been fair to you…’ Eve's tightly controlled voice wavered just a little ‘Just…please understand…he…he is in some trouble…a-and he has no one else to go to. You do understand, don’t you?’

Oh yes she did, of course. Most folk had some sort of ‘trouble’ these days, and it was best to keep a low profile. Maybe this brother-in-law was in debt, or on the run. Perhaps he was a fugitive, one of the old rebels. Corel drummed her fingers distractedly on the table; the sick man could be anything.

Whatever-whoever he was, it hardly mattered, Corel supposed. Eve needed help, and Corel realized that for Eve to call upon her meant that she had no one else to trust. Sighing just a little, she gave a small smile to the anxious face of Eve and nodded.

‘Course I do, Eve.’

It was cold and dark by the time Eve had returned from the nightshift and Corel had set out against the night. She almost regretted it now, Eve had offered her to stay the night, but somehow, she could not bring herself to accept.

Mary had awoke only once in the night. Some fearful beast had chased her, she said meekly as she rubbed her teary eyes. Corel had smiled, thankful to see the little girl again. She cared for Mary almost like a baby sister. Mary was still untouched by the cares of the world, and it comforted Corel to see that innocence still existed.

Her little head had drooped against the pillow, eyelashes fanning her soft cheek, and quietly, Corel closed the book she had been reading out loud. Gently, she had eased Mary’s limp body under the covers, tucking them in close around the small girl’s frame.

A particularly bitter gust of wind swept through, making Corel cringe almost painfully.

That’s what you get for being stubborn, she told herself ruefully, trudging on.

Eve had shown her how to tend to the unconscious man, heating the water bottles regularly, feeding him sip of thin soup. Her insides had squirmed at the pitiful, scarred body beneath the layers of blankets. Eve had watched her carefully, saying nothing. In turn, she did not inquire at the raw wounds and visible ribcage.

So she had tended to him, reading a battered old novel and listening to the fuzzy radio while Mary slept, Eve worked and he slumbered in his uneasy dreams. Every so often he had moaned, and Corel had shuddered at the sound before slowly, tentatively, stroked his forehead till he calmed.

No, she had no wish to stay there the night.

She felt tired, her eyes weighed heavily down, as if laden with stones. It still felt unreal, the whole concept, the whole situation. Even as her boots echoed the streets, she still fought with the notion that Eve, EVE, had taken in some derelict off the streets. Saved him and tended to him as is he were her own child. Corel had seen the way her eyes had changed, softening before hiding under a guarded gaze.

People just…didn’t do that.

She shivered again, glancing up at the shadowed street and desperately wishing herself home. It was too late, far too late for it too be safe. Even now, hidden men lingered at street corners, she could feel their eyes on her as she hurried passed them, breath held and hand clenched tight in her bag.

Almost there, almost at the station. Glad to see the welcoming light, Corel quickened her pace.

A figure lurched out before her, staggering as she jumped back in fright and branded the small can in her hand like a weapon of salvation.

‘Stay back!’ Heart in her throat she yelled ‘I’ve pepper spray an’ I’ll let you have it!’

The man lurched again, and she waved the can of pepper spray threateningly at his face. But he fell to his knees unbidden, and an eerie rattle seemed to hiss out of his throat. Horrified, Corel watched as the body slumped to the pavement in front of her. Frozen in place and with wide eyes she stood as the shimmering shadow creature detached itself from the corpses back. Her brained screamed for her to run but she could not.

Long, spider like limbs unfolded, bringing the squat body slowly upright. It’s round head looked up, observing her, a dark, long cap upon its head dripping with some liquid. It shifted closer, and with a chill, she realized that the cap was drenched in blood. Corel choked and she felt sick to the core. This was one of them, one of the things that plagued the outside land.

Phantasm.

‘Yon pretty spray’ll hurt me naught,’ its impish face grinned wickedly as it croaked at her. She stumbled back ‘looks like more prey in thee I’ve caught!’

The can slipped from her fingers, sickening lurch rolling in her stomach. It was useless here anyhow. The creature extended a spindly leg, moving closer with glittering, black eyes. Wildly, she groped around her neck, fingers catching on the cold metal she clenched it forth, desperate voice rasping.

‘Leave me be, I have iron!’

Blinking and heart hammering she waited, hoping. It paused, uncertain, considering and she thrust her pendant forward, fine chain snapping, pointed end outward like a knife.

‘ ‘Tis true iron, an’ silver too, go away!’

It swayed from one foot to another, stepping forward again, and Corel felt her knees go weak. Another long limb stretched out and frantically she lashed out of it. Too slow, of course too slow, but it jerked its leg away, hissing as it drew away, red cap swinging. Thrusting out its head out it spat at her, spit burning the stone it had landed on.

It leered.

‘Smart mud-girl, to ward me away, smart dirt-girl is made from clay;

Smart mud-filth, I’ll make you pay, your bloodied corpse I’ll lay-

YET!’

With a sickening cackle of laughter it snapped, and Corel fell back from fright, scraping her palms on the concrete as she scrambled to get away.

But it was gone, all that was left was the bloodless corpse eschewed on the pavement in shadow.

Authors notes: Just a quick word from me. Sorry its taken so long. I had actually finished this a while ago but never gotten around to posting it. Life's been a bit hectic, I'm afraid, but I will try to update sooner in the future.

Again that golden rule, you review me and I'll return the favour!