The Graveyard (3)

I set Fiona two feet on the ground behind me and observed the two with vigilance. I don't sense any animosity coming from the two, and my instincts have never let me down before, but... I couldn't help but be wary.

Enter the graveyard with Lura and Rajah, or not?

They promised to keep us safe while inside the Graveyard, and to escort us to the other side of the Forbidden Lands to Glendora. They don't have ill intentions either, so why am I feeling so uneasy and unable to agree with them?

My words choked in my throat as I found myself just staring at them as the wails of the people coming from the Graveyard grew louder and louder. Unable to decide, I turned to Fiona, who was grabbing the helm of my shirt.

"Well, what do you say, Fiona? What Lura and Rajah said sure sounds nice, but daddy still feels anxious. It's like somebody is watching us, and our decision will decide our fate or something. Very queasy," I bent over and whispered.

Fiona removed her hand and rubbed her head. "I feel it too, daddy. Big sis Lura and sir Rajah don't look like they're acting. Maybe it's just the Graveyard making us feel this way. I've never heard or read about anything like this."

"What's wrong?" I asked, patting her head gently. Her brows scrunched up in pain. "A headache?"

"Mhm, Fiona... remember something... but at the same time, I—I don't recall," she muttered, climbing and latching onto my body. I caressed her back slowly, trying to comfort her.

Trepidation filled my mind even more so now that Fiona seemed like someone or something locked her memories up. Who and why would they do something like this in the Forbidden Lands?

Could this just be an unknown, natural force here, messing with one's mind and testing one's willpower?

I drew a deep breath as I turned to Lura and Rajah. Standing around here doing nothing won't answer the questions we have, nor am I willing to see Fiona suffer like this. We'll take the gamble and hope they uphold their words and do nothing fishy inside.

"Okay. We'll do as you say."

I noticed that both Lura and Rajah's ears twitched as I finished speaking. They turned and gave me a long glance before nodding to each other. Rajah howled, drowning out the wails of the people up and jumping into the fog. He disappeared from sight almost instantly.

Lura beckoned us forward as she flashed a mysterious smile that sent chills down my spine. "Let's go. We need to catch up."

The wails of the people sounded about again as I took a step into the fog, as if they were welcoming us into the Graveyard.

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"Fiona? Fiona? Are you alright?" I murmured as I tightened my hug around her. Her body was trembling in my embrace as I followed behind Rajah and Lura into more fog.

I snuck another glance at the shaking Fiona. Her breaths became frantic as her relaxed, sleeplike face grew tense. Her eyes that were already closed shut even tighter, as I felt the sting of her tears on my arm.

I kissed her cheeks, trying my best to reassure her. The clear stream of tears was salty and made my heart grieve. What memory can cause her to react like this?

"It's all right, Fiona, daddy is here with you," I muttered into her ears as I saw that Lura and Rajah had stopped.

I sat Fiona up in my arms and let her lean into my chest as I stepped right behind them. The two stole a glance at the sleeping Fiona, but said nothing. That only made me more suspicious that they knew something I didn't.

The wails of the people, well, ghosts of the dead, I presume, grew louder and clearer now, along with the creak of the narrow, wooden bridge. The rope that held the bridge together was loose, and the moss-covered tiles were missing or otherwise broken. I didn't know if it could hold on to one step from any of us.

The narrow bridge did not allow us to cross all at once, which meant that we'd have to cross one by one. What a pity it would be to walk across and it collapsed, leaving the rest of stranded on the other side. Lura and Rajah will fail the mission, while Fiona and I will probably lose our lives.

"This is it, the entrance of the Graveyard. Only a human that leads the way on the bridge will it allow us of the other races to cross," Lura explained, urging me forward with a curt nod.

I looked at the tottering bridge, and then Fiona. Good, her breathing is steadier, it seems she's calmed down. With a hand on her shoulder, I took the first steps onto the bridge.

It creaked and swayed on the first step, as I only now noticed how ridiculously deep the chasm below was. Why couldn't we see the bottom of anything in the Forbidden Lands? At the very least, if I fall, I should know what I'm going to land on...

Cursing this damnable place, I took my third step, as the wind picked up in speed, almost knocking me and Fiona off. There was no howl to my surprise, but I could hear the wails of the ghosts becoming soft murmurs now, although I couldn't quite make out the words.

They sounded like they were in pain... and remorseful? I raised my foot and halfway through, I caught the word 'regret' when Rajah roared from behind me.

"Human, cross the bridge faster! You have nothing to be scared about!"

The booming roar was a huge contrast compared to the soft, eeriness of the ghosts, shocking me stiff. Does this damn kitty not know the power of his voice?

Wait... what's going on? My legs suddenly felt energized, as the small, careful steps I was taking turned into bold, large strides and right into a hole in the bridge...

Before I knew it, I hit my head against one of the wooden boards as I found myself falling down into an impenetrable nowhere. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I only recently gotten rid of my fear of heights, but that doesn't mean I would free-fall twice in one day.

Lamenting my predicament, I flipped Fiona atop of me and braced for impact.