Oddly Quiet

When he heard that, Ginika's heart sank, and he looked at the kid who had spoken that.

Has she been there all along? How much of his conversation with Dodo has she heard?

He lubricated his thumb with his saliva and relaxed the strand of his hair that always blocked his eyes and tainted his appearance. He would want to look presentable when they walk out from the shadows.

"Why do you think so?" Dodo asked.

"Have you been there all along?" Ginika asked Zahra, but was ignored

"The playing ground is oddly quiet, is it time for bed already?" Zahra asked with a flippancy that made Ginika to swallow.

He hates it when the girls treat him like he was unimportant. They were all the same age, with heights distinguishing them.

"No, Zahra. The sun had set only a few hours ago, and the moonlight has not yet reached its peak." Dodo said, she was on her feet already, making sure Zahra was wrong.

"I can't see anybody" The disappointment in her tone sent a shiver down the other two children's spine.

Ginika nodded his head and stood up. Now that he was sure that the girl was actually using magic for the game, he would gladly report her to the chief, in secret.

The three friends walked out from the shadow of the cashew tree and made their way to the sandy path leading to the village square.

"What could have caused the departure of everyone?" Ginika asked.

"Maybe, they thought it was bedtime, you know, with the light of the full moon and all," Zahra said.

Ginika stared ahead, he could feel the hands of Zahra's eyes crawling on his body, but he pretended not to notice.

"Or could it be that the taskmasters are already in the village square?" Dodo asked.

"That would be the best explanation then, they've been gone for two weeks now, I just hope they came with more bread this time?" Ginika said. He looked over his shoulders, this time hoping to catch Zahra's eyes, but the girl seemed distracted.

The path to the village square had changed to a narrow sandy road which could take only two people abreast. From the light of the moon, the route snaked in the night and was lost somewhere ahead. Dodo and Zahra took the lead, leaving Ginika to follow their trail behind.

They have all grown with the same height. Still, recently, Ginika was feeling inferior because both girls had overtaken him with a few feet. And now they took the lead and let him follow behind as though they were some grown-up, who has a child pestering.

"Do you ever wonder what is out there, I mean, beyond the walls?" Zahra asked. Ginika opened his mouth to answer, but the words got stuck in his throat when he realized that the question was not directed to him.

"I think about it every day" Dodo said, "But my mother told me that there is nothing out there that has life."

'There she comes again,' Ginika grumbled to himself. Dodo can hardly make two complete sentences without referring to her mother.

"She said the whole place is clustered with dust and sands, and a wild beast that can devour a hundred men at a go…"

'You are either a fool or your mother is the best liar in the three kingdom.' Ginika hissed silently, he wished he could shut his ears to the ranting of these girls.

Something moved in the shadow, drawing his attention. He let his gaze dwell upon the tree on the right, hoping to catch a glimpse of what it was. There, sitting like a King on one of the treetops, was an Owl. His stomach knotted as the realization struck him. 'Be wary of an owl, especially in the night.' The voice of the village chief reminded from before.

"Zahra, Dodo, wait up," He shouted and ran after the girls who hadn't noticed his absence.

"What?" Dodo asked coldly as she and Zahra turned their attention to him.

"I think I know why the other children went away," Ginika said, "They have been kidnapped by the children of the night"

"Oh, no, this is bad," Dodo said and burst into hot laughter. Ginika felt bad when Zahra chuckled along with Dodo. He couldn't believe that the girl would join Dodo in making fun of him.

"Out of my way you two." he fumed and burst out from their midst, "I am going home." tears blurred his eyes as he trotted down the path, why is it that nobody takes his words seriously?

The smell of smoke made Ginika froze. He wiped his eyes and lifted his head. That was when he saw the houses that were on fire.