Yarrow by Charles De Lint

Author:Charles De Lint [De Lint, Charles]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Science Fiction/Fantasy
ISBN: 9780312863937
Publisher: Orb Books
Published: 1986-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

Hounds and Ravens

Father, dear father, I dreamed, dreamed a dream,

I fear it will prove sorrow;

I dreamed I was pulling heather bells

on the dowie dens o’ Yarrow.

—from “The Braes o’ Yarrow’;

traditional ballad (Child 214)

10

Heart of the Wood

Cat lay alone in her bed, staring at the shadows that crowded the ceiling above her, and tried to sort through her feelings. While it was comforting to know that Peter was sleeping on the couch downstairs, she found herself thinking more of Ben and wondering what his reaction would be to her problems. She had the feeling that, unlike Peter, he would be able to accept the enemy for what it was: a parasite. Sucking not only her creative energies from her, but her life force as well.

For that was what had been happening. How she knew it was true, she couldn’t have put into words, but when Mick had jokingly mentioned vampires, the truth went through her like a shock. She just knew this was the reason she’d been feeling so dragged out lately. The headaches in the morning. Not being able to dream. Or write. Being more uncommunicative than ever. Was it any wonder when this… this thing was feeding on her?

She shivered and drew the blankets closer. She was frightened— petrified would be a better word. And very angry. This violation was worse than a simple break-in, worse even than being physically assaulted. For it was her mind that was being abused, her soul being raped. Slowly but surely the monster was consuming the very essence of what she was.

She wished there was some way she could escape. If she could just stay in her land of dreams forever. Never come back to this world. Never wake up.

She felt real in the Otherworld. It was here that she was the phantom— as much of a ghost as Tiddy Mun was. But the Otherworld wasn’t a haven anymore— the enemy had penetrated her dreaming as well. If she slept and dreamed, who was to say that the dark winged shape wouldn’t have her this time? And if she didn’t wake up before it caught her?

Turning, she buried her face in the pillow. She had no defense against this enemy. He was gone for now, but when he’d recuperated from his wounds, what was to stop the nightmare from beginning all over again?

She could move, she supposed. To another city. Another country. But would running help? Why had she been picked anyway? Because she dreamed real and other people didn’t? Surely she wasn’t the only person on earth that spun her life across two worlds? Surely other people had their Tiddy Muns and their… their Kothlens….

Maybe they did, a small voice inside her said. Maybe the monster’s already fed on them.

There had to be a way out— a defense, some way to strike back. Peter couldn’t help her now. He didn’t believe in the very real danger she was in because he didn’t— couldn’t— believe in her Otherworld. She supposed she couldn’t really blame him.

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