Chapter 3 scene
Old Man Murphy's barn was old, very old and very hot, especially under a pile of straw, at least for the young man hiding under it. He had been there since before the sun came up and hadn't slept a wink. Sitting in the loft with only his head sticking out of the straw pile, he yawned lazily. Looking around he could see dust floating in little streams of light that came in through holes in the ceiling. Even in the light of day there wasn’t much to see the young man noticed, in fact, it was practically bare and the smell of decayed manure hung thick in the air. It made him nauseous.
Standing up the lad stretched and looked around nervously. The previous night had been horrifying. Upon seeing no immediate threat he walked to the edge of the loft and sat down and produced a piece of cheese and an apple from a small pouch hanging from his belt. He had ran home the night before but it wasn't safe, the creatures had somehow followed him there after the fire. The young man had assumed they had not lived through the fire but he couldn't have been more wrong. They found him as quick as a horse on Sunday and had nearly killed him in his room. By chance, luck or some strange twist of fate he had managed to escape by leaping out his upstairs window. Landing without breaking his leg, or worse, he fled making his way to the barn. Locking the doors from the inside he managed to keep the creatures at bay until the sun came up and they left, possibly not wanting to be seen. He thought it was strange that the men who controlled the beasts had not been around, but he was never one to argue with luck.
Finishing his apple the youth slid with some difficulty down the ladder. Landing with a thump and a small groan as his left leg hit the barn floor he winced in pain. Limping he walked to the double doors, unlocked them, and carefully peered out into the blinding daylight. He could make out the back of Murphy’s house as well as a few others but none of those savage beasts. Cautiously, he stepped out into the noon sun.
As Damon strode away from the barn, his head on a swivel, he could still feel the pain in his leg where one of those oversized dog things had bitten him, "his pets", the man had called them. I've got to get that wound cleaned out Damon thought as he passed through the old man's side yard and into the street. Peering both ways he turned down the street in the direction that led to the houses on the outer edge of Portsmouth, well...Cloud City now, Damon corrected himself. Walking down the street as naturally as he could he tried to avoid looking at people who passed by in case the City Watch had papers out on him, which he was pretty sure they did.
That lieutenant saw me for sure Damon mused and that blasted Fergie yellin threats didn't help matters. Well, first things first he decided, nodding at Mrs. Murphy who acknowledged him with a smile as she hobbled by with a basket of melons. Thanks for the free room, Damon laughed to himself as he picked up the pace a bit. Maybe the watch didn't have papers out on him yet. Maybe Fergie hadn't betrayed him after all, he could be freaking out over nothing. No, he concluded, the Murphy's just don't know yet they keep to themselves pretty much. After about several blocks and roughly two more to go to reach his destination, the houses came farther apart and would soon sprawl out along the countryside from the Portsmouth woods all the way to bay.
Suddenly Damon felt a tight knot in his stomach. Those beasts, he shivered, they don't attack much in the day, at least not around people, but folks are scarce out here on the edge of town. Fidgeting at his shirt where his father's necklace used to hang he stopped. The men, he wondered, the ones who control the dogs. What if they are following me? They still hunt in the day, and call their hellhounds at night. He glanced in every direction stricken with grief. What if they follow me to the Ashby house, what if they hurt Jonie? His leg was throbbing from the walk and was bleeding slightly through his pants. He had no choice, what had to be done had to be done even if he didn't like doing it. Glancing over his shoulder he started off again towards the Ashby residence. Shouldn't be anyone there but Jonie this time of day he hoped as he rounded the corner.
Damon approached the house as silently as he could; he had seen Jonie Ashby through the upstairs window as he neared the house. Frowning at what he had to do he snuck up the steps and softly undid the latch to the front door. Sneaking a glance both ways he crept into the house and quietly closed the door behind him. What had to be done, had to be done, he thought as he stood inside the doorway, but I don’t have to like it. With a look of regret he tip- toed up the steps towards Jonie's room.
Standing up the lad stretched and looked around nervously. The previous night had been horrifying. Upon seeing no immediate threat he walked to the edge of the loft and sat down and produced a piece of cheese and an apple from a small pouch hanging from his belt. He had ran home the night before but it wasn't safe, the creatures had somehow followed him there after the fire. The young man had assumed they had not lived through the fire but he couldn't have been more wrong. They found him as quick as a horse on Sunday and had nearly killed him in his room. By chance, luck or some strange twist of fate he had managed to escape by leaping out his upstairs window. Landing without breaking his leg, or worse, he fled making his way to the barn. Locking the doors from the inside he managed to keep the creatures at bay until the sun came up and they left, possibly not wanting to be seen. He thought it was strange that the men who controlled the beasts had not been around, but he was never one to argue with luck.
Finishing his apple the youth slid with some difficulty down the ladder. Landing with a thump and a small groan as his left leg hit the barn floor he winced in pain. Limping he walked to the double doors, unlocked them, and carefully peered out into the blinding daylight. He could make out the back of Murphy’s house as well as a few others but none of those savage beasts. Cautiously, he stepped out into the noon sun.
As Damon strode away from the barn, his head on a swivel, he could still feel the pain in his leg where one of those oversized dog things had bitten him, "his pets", the man had called them. I've got to get that wound cleaned out Damon thought as he passed through the old man's side yard and into the street. Peering both ways he turned down the street in the direction that led to the houses on the outer edge of Portsmouth, well...Cloud City now, Damon corrected himself. Walking down the street as naturally as he could he tried to avoid looking at people who passed by in case the City Watch had papers out on him, which he was pretty sure they did.
That lieutenant saw me for sure Damon mused and that blasted Fergie yellin threats didn't help matters. Well, first things first he decided, nodding at Mrs. Murphy who acknowledged him with a smile as she hobbled by with a basket of melons. Thanks for the free room, Damon laughed to himself as he picked up the pace a bit. Maybe the watch didn't have papers out on him yet. Maybe Fergie hadn't betrayed him after all, he could be freaking out over nothing. No, he concluded, the Murphy's just don't know yet they keep to themselves pretty much. After about several blocks and roughly two more to go to reach his destination, the houses came farther apart and would soon sprawl out along the countryside from the Portsmouth woods all the way to bay.
Suddenly Damon felt a tight knot in his stomach. Those beasts, he shivered, they don't attack much in the day, at least not around people, but folks are scarce out here on the edge of town. Fidgeting at his shirt where his father's necklace used to hang he stopped. The men, he wondered, the ones who control the dogs. What if they are following me? They still hunt in the day, and call their hellhounds at night. He glanced in every direction stricken with grief. What if they follow me to the Ashby house, what if they hurt Jonie? His leg was throbbing from the walk and was bleeding slightly through his pants. He had no choice, what had to be done had to be done even if he didn't like doing it. Glancing over his shoulder he started off again towards the Ashby residence. Shouldn't be anyone there but Jonie this time of day he hoped as he rounded the corner.
Damon approached the house as silently as he could; he had seen Jonie Ashby through the upstairs window as he neared the house. Frowning at what he had to do he snuck up the steps and softly undid the latch to the front door. Sneaking a glance both ways he crept into the house and quietly closed the door behind him. What had to be done, had to be done, he thought as he stood inside the doorway, but I don’t have to like it. With a look of regret he tip- toed up the steps towards Jonie's room.
