Crik by Karl Beer

Author:Karl Beer [Beer, Karl]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Published: 2015-04-05T23:00:00+00:00

35. ANGRY WORDS

The moon still bathed the ground in a silver glow when Jack ran to where Inara screamed. She shook, gripping her blanket tightly beneath her chin, unaware that he stood over her.

‘Inara?’ He shook her shoulder.

Bill came over to them, his round face as pale as the moon above. ‘What’s upset her?’ he asked. ‘Is she having another nightmare?’

‘I don’t know,’ said Jack. ‘Her eyes are open, but she’s not seeing us.’ He demonstrated by waving his hand before Inara’s unblinking eyes. ‘She’s trembling.’ Holding her, he could feel her body violently shaking.

Inara cried out, her face contorted in agony.

Cringing, Bill covered his mouth. ‘Look at her.’

Jack saw his friend’s hands shake. Another cry, almost a shriek of pain tore from her mouth. Feeling her body tense against him, she then jerked backward out of his grasp and landed hard on the stone strewn ground. She writhed, twisting the blanket around her body.

‘Help me hold her,’ Jack called, gripping her shoulders. ‘If she keeps moving like this, she’ll tear herself open on the rocks.’ He couldn’t believe her strength; even with Bill’s help, he had a job to hold her still.

‘Her cries are horrible,’ said Bill. ‘What’s happening to her?’

She spat unintelligible words at them through gritted teeth. Another spasm contorted her body. Her ruined legs kicked out feebly, smacking Jack’s arm. He didn’t notice until then that Yang had thrown himself across Inara’s midsection. The weak light didn’t give his shadow enough strength to hold her firm.

‘Teeth, I can feel them….’

Jack almost let go as he heard her tired strained words.

‘Make ‘em stop,’ she cried.

‘What’s happening to her?’ Bill, awakened so suddenly, had not had time to put on his glasses. Without them, he looked younger. Both boys watched, caught in hopeless inaction.

What was Inara feeling? Pain spread from her, making Jack’s fingers tingle. Hot and clammy sweat waxed her skin, making holding her difficult. Her cries rose into a heart-wrenching scream.

‘Keep her quiet,’ said Bill. ‘I don’t want the Ladies coming over to investigate.’

‘How’re we going to keep her quiet, when we don’t know what she’s going through?’

‘Put your hand over her mouth.’

Looking at him in aghast, Jack said, ‘I’m not going to do that.’ Her next scream was louder. When Bill put his hand over Inara’s mouth, stifling her scream, he didn’t argue.

‘She’s crying. I can feel her tears on my hand.’

He didn’t need Bill to tell him, he had seen her tears glistening in the moonlight.

Suddenly, Bill let go of Inara. A scream spilled out into the cold night as she tore from Jack’s grasp.

‘Bill, what do you think you’re doing? Help me.’

Sitting back, Bill looked out into the Red Wood. At first Jack thought his friend was about to start screaming like Inara. What is going on?

‘I can feel him,’ said Bill.

‘She’s hurting Bill, come back here and help me.’

‘You don’t understand Yin,’ said Bill. ‘Black is alive. He’s out there.’

‘That’s great Bill, but we have to help Inara now.’

The girl’s struggles abruptly stopped.

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