And The Heavens Fell Silent, Maria Louise [children's books read aloud txt] 📗

had flesh hanging in pieces on it.  As the creature continued to show me its kill it giggled wildly and began to tear at its own face, making claw marks where her own yellow tinted blood flowed downward, mixing with the dead humans blood. Most creatures, like this one, were more animal than human. Less than animal, even.

     I turned to the huge creature beside me, who was smiling crazily at all the blood around us. I chose him as my second in command because he was ruthless and evil. Those qualities, I knew, would make a powerful leader and furthermore, easy to control.

     “Tell some of the creatures to pack as much meat as they can carry and get a search party to follow her tracks.”

     “Yut meh materrr.” said the lead creature in a low wet voice. It’s voice was so strange and guttural I could hardly understand what it was saying. It annoyed me and I wanted to kill the thing, but needed it.

     “Oh, and Ursus?” I said using its name for the first time. “We leave tonight.”

Yram

Maybe this world is another planet's hell-Aldous Huxley

After drinking deeply from a puddle with the horses and scrubbing myself pink, I went to join the rest of the group at camp. Camp happened to be a small cluster of trees that were packed so tight they made a type of ceiling above us and wall around us. The horses could not squeeze their way in so they had to wait outside. I was not in the slightest comfortable with leaving Hosanna alone but my body ached for sleep and I was just so cold and wet. I hoped Hosanna would understand.

    I made my way through the brush and found a small flickering fire awaiting me. Phoenix looked up as I came upon the fire but the mysterious girl was hiding in the darkness of the treese.

     As I sat down next to the fire I started to feel my frozen limbs. They stung and burned so bad my eye watered and my body was so cold I could not help shake uncontrollably. It was agony of such as I had never experienced before. It made me ache for the blistering heat that use to consume the lands.

     Once the pain had left me, I become aware of an uncomfortable silence that drifted throughout the trees.

     “So...” I said speaking the first word spoken in at least twenty minutes, “Who are you?” I still could not see the woman clearly. She kept herself masked in the shadows.

     Shockingly, she moved forward into the dwindling fire, startling Phoenix.

     As the fire flicked exotically across her dark features, I suddenly recognized her. She was the girl I had freed from the slave traders!

     “You!” I gasped, shocked.

     “Me.” she agreed calmly.

     “She is black!” Phoenix exclaimed wide eyed to me, as if that was the logical thing to say next.

     The woman looked bewildered at first but then recovered and shot Phoenix a glare, which he ignored. I decided it was my job to explain Phoenixes bluntness.

     “He’s kind of -” I tapped my head, trying to explained.

     “I do not even know who I am.” Phoenix agreed.

     The girl eyed Phoenixes nakedness and agreed with me. Then there was another awkward pause. Me, only ever talking to my mother thus being socially inexperienced. Phoenix, being a man child, and the girl, just not wanting to talk to us.

     “Well, thanks for saving us.” I told her. It seemed like I had been saying that a lot lately. “My name is Yram and the naked guy here, is Phoenix.”

     She nodded and replied. “My names Whiskey.”

     “Whiskey as in the drink?” I wondered trying not so smile. She rolled her eyes and replied, “Whiskey as in my parents were alcoholics.”

     I considered that, then replied, “Well my fathers hunting me down as we speak, so I understand your parental issues.” I was trying to lighten the mood. It did not help, she gave me an odd look. Okay, first step to making new friends: Don't tell them your father is hunting you down.

     “And I do not have a dad.” Phoenix informed us smiling, “At least I think I do not...”

     Whiskey looked from me to Phoenix and back again. Her expression unreadable.

     “Ya’ll are weirder den meh aunt Erna after six shots o’ moonshine.” she said just staring at us.

     Phoenix looked offended as he shot back, “Says the black girl named Whiskey.” he crossed his arms over his chest.

     That was when Whiskey jumped across the fire and attacked Phoenix like a wild woman. I was too shocked to intervene. For one, I was just surprised that Phoenix knew how to use sarcasm. I had a hunch who he picked it up from. I was also bewildered at Whiskeys abrupt change in emotion. Her wild display of rage only increased as Phoenix refused to fight back.

     “You...Little...Mutant...Pigged, headed...Racist...Insane, man!” In between words Whiskey punched him mercilessly. I had to agree with her about the insane man part, but Whiskey did not seem very sane herself.

     I was just coming out of my shock to help Phoenix whom was lying there taking the hits, when suddenly he grabbed her wrists easily with one hand. She tried to fight free but it was a useless pursuit. Phoenix was surprisingly strong.

     “I did not mean to offend you, Whiskey.” Phoenix told her honestly. “I only meant to show you that we are not the only unusual ones here. From what I know about myself, I do not like mean people, or angry words meant to hurt. So please, try to control yourself.”

     That was the wrong thing to say. If there was anything I knew, You did not tell a girl to control herself.

     Expectedly, Whiskey broke free of Phoenix’s hold and kneed him in the crotch, a insane smile lighting her face the whole time. Phoenix rolled over on his side holding himself and groaning in agony.

     Whiskey got to her feet, looked down at him and smirked, “Lesson one: Don’t tell me what to do, Pretty boy, or next time I will take my knife and remove yer little-”

      “That's enough!” I bellowed hurriedly. This had gone to far. Whiskey looked over her shoulder and glared at me. Phoenix was too preoccupied to acknowledge me.

      “Stop fighting, that won't get us anywhere. Right now we just need to get to sleep before we all rip each others heads off. Okay?” I finished with a sigh. It had been a long day.

     “Don’t ya get me started on yo too Lil’ red.” Whiskey glared my way. “Since I met ya nothin’ but trouble has happened! An where are ya dragging us anyways?!”

     I wanted to point out that I was not dragging them anywhere. It was her who decided to follow me, but instead I said, “Honestly, I have no clue, but my horse will lead us there.”

      Whiskey looked bewildered, “Well dat's comforting! I was afraid I was taggin’ along with a nutcase, but no, not at all. Yer horse is just leading us to a place ya dont know bout. I feel so much better now.”

     I could taste her sarcasm.

     “Then leave me.” I told her, my pride wounded. But I was actually thinking, Please don't leave me alone with Phoenix! The thought terrified me.

     Whiskey studied me for a moment before deciding, “Well, I ain't got nowhere else ta go.”

     Relief flooded through me as Whiskey grumbled and moved about as far away from Phoenix as she could before settling down to sleep.

     I followed Whiskey lead and settled down into the cold, but thankfully dry, ground. I was dozing off when my stomach started growling at me. Tomorrow I will find food and eat, I promised my stomach. But right now I need to sleep.

     To my dread I heard Phoenix behind me, scooting closer. My skin prickled with his nearness.

     “I do not like her.” Phoenix whispered to me, his warm breath steaming on my neck. “She is mean.”

     “Well, you weren't so nice your self.” I shot back. Frankly, I liked the girl. She had spunk and honestly she reminded me of mother.

     Phoenix gave me a look of betrayal which I promptly ignored and rolled over faking sleep. I tried to steady my breathing so I would seem more asleep but Phoenix was no fool. Well, he was not a total fool anyway.

     “Yram?” Phoenix whispered, his voice deepening with a serious note. “Why do you hate me?”

     I focused on my breathing, trying to remain calm. Why did I not like him? He saved my life, he was gorgeous pure and Innocent, but something did not feel right about him. Something was off.. Wrong.

     “Yram?...”

      Giving up my useless pursuit to ignore him I turned around. We were so startlingly close that our noses brushed together. I blushed, flustered. I didn’t know what to say.

     I was close enough that I smelt a calming smell coming off of him, like sage, salt, and honey. The smell comforted me, reminding me of home. So naturally I jumped back, pulling away from him.

     I could not think about my home. Or Mama. How I left her.

     “Do not.” Phoenix muttered. He looked wounded.

     “Do not, what?” I asked breathlessly, trying to speak through the heart in my throat.

     “Fear me.”

     I had nothing to say to that. I did fear him. Very much so.

     “Why do you stay with me?” I wondered abruptly.

     “I told you. To protect you...I think.” He said honestly.

     “But, um, why? You don't even know me, so how is it you want to protect me?” Without realizing it my voice had been getting steadily louder. I glanced over at Whiskey, but she was in a coma like sleep, snoring loudly.

     “I cannot explain it.” said Phoenix.

    I snorted. “Try me.” At this point in my life, I would believe anything.

     Phoenix hesitated before speaking, not sure if he could confide in me.

     “I feel this...pull inside me, leading me to you. It feels as if, even if I walked away I would be steadily pulled backwards. Back to you. Whatever reason I am here, whatever purpose I will serve, you are a part of it...Whatever it is.” Phoenix finished, desperately trying to make me understand.

     I should not have asked. I knew it would be a mistake to dig deeper into Phoenixe’s revealing yet confused mind, but I could not help myself. I was drawn towards him as much as I was repelled. His honesty and openness disturbed me to no end, but at the same time, I was intrigued.

     “I know how you feel, Phoenix.” I admitted reluctantly. “Somehow, in a weird twisted way, I feel the same as you.”

     It least I thought I did...

     But the fear I felt because of him...

     The strange way he made my body feel whenever he was near...

     Phoenix looked both shocked and relieved at my admittance. His deep blue eyes looked into mine, making