“What was that in the cave?” Scab said.
“The story is of a diseased woman banished to the cave from her village. Years later, her son, obsessed with providing his mother a burial, went in search of her remains. They found his body outside the cave, torn into six parts. Assuming this to be a bear attack, the village sent their six best hunters to kill it. None returned. Before they could make further attempts to hunt the bear, the village priests forbid travel to the cave, declaring the presence of an evil spirit. The locals call it Mother.”
Scab rubbed the back of one of his hands. “Won’t it come over here?”
Silas regretted telling him the story. I should have told him it was an animal. “It’s just a story. Whatever lives there stays inside.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“What if it’s angry at me for going in?”
“You needn’t worry; I’ve seen that thing, and it can barely walk.”
“Then how did it kill all those men?”
“It didn’t; it’s just an old story to scare children.” Which is exactly what you are.
Silas stared at the glowing red embers of the fire as they sat in silence. Scab eventually fell asleep. Silas carried him to the cabin, as had become the routine, then headed for the cave.
“Wake up, boy.” Silas stood at the door.
Scab could hear Vala snort outside. He looked around in the darkness. “Is it morning?”
“No, come outside.”
Scab rubbed his eyes as he approached Vala. “Where are we going?”
“Up you get.” Silas held out his hand.
As they moved away from the cabin, Scab smelt something strange. “Where are we going?” he asked again.
“The forest.”
“Why?”
“I must show you something.”
The moonlight disappeared as they passed into the trees.
“What?”
“Be quiet now, boy.”
As they travelled in silence, Scab realised what Silas’s smell was, the same as the cave.
They came to a stop, dismounted, and tied Vala to a tree. Silas tipped his head and walked. As Scab followed, he noticed the mountain wall lit by moonlight and stopped.
Silas turned and waved him to follow.
Scab shook his head. “I don’t wanna go back there.”
Silas waved again, this time with gritted teeth.
Scab followed, weaving through the trees until he walked into Silas’s back. Silas scooped him around to his side and pushed him to his knees, then pressed a finger against his lips and pointed ahead.
Sat on the floor, head and arms tied to a tree, was a naked white body. Long wispy bits of hair drifted in the wind. Flaps of skin made it look like it had been melted.