Chapter 48

The dim glow coming from the nearby lamp seemed to shine with a high-intensity glare as the pain began to swell behind Mand's eyes.

When the headache started, she quickly looked around the barn for some place to lay down. She spotted a number of haybales that had been placed along the darkened back wall of the barn and made her way towards them.

As she passed the back of the tractor, she saw a narrow wooden ladder that seemed to lead up to some sort of loft. Underneath the loft were four stalls, two on the left and two on the right. As she passed one, she heard a snort and whinny of what she presumed to be the horse that she had seen the farmers ride earlier.

Paying no mind to the noises from the stall, she continued onward until she arrived at one of the haybales and fell upon it. She closed her eyes and was grateful for the darkness that enveloped the back of the barn.

As the pain began to grow in intensity, all coherent thought seemed to fall away from her. All her mind could process now were brief flashes of memories - images and voices that seemed to cycle and repeat over and over again.

Her mind replayed the escape from the ship from earlier that day. She seemed to watch herself jogging along the wharf, ducking and avoiding people. There was something different about this though, the memory wasn't as sharp as it had been earlier in the day. As she looked upon the strangers as she passed them, she noticed in horror that their faces were smooth with no features.

Her mind replayed her flinging herself through the fence and then looking back. She saw a man looking at his bloody stump of a wrist. The difference with this memory, was that the fact that the face and the expression of the man were as clear as day. The look of horror, shock, and hatred as he stared at the air where his hand should be.

Seconds later, the images reset and she was running through the wharves again, her pursuers hot on her heels. She spotted the fence and once again using her powers reached out. This time though, the fence remained solid and she crashed into it. She felt someone grab onto her shoulders and began to shake her. Now caught, she began to lash out.

"MAND!" she heard a raised voice shout. She continued to struggle against the hands that attempted to hold her in place. "MAND!"

Suddenly, Mand was back to laying on the haybale, her limbs moving and connecting with something.... someone. Brenda was standing over her, trying to grab onto one of Mand's flailing arms, a look of shock on her face as she attempted to defend herself from the thrashing while trying to gain control of the situation.

"Mand!" Brenda shouted.

Mand, now coming to her senses, slackened and stopped fighting. She looked around for a few moments - out of breath and panting.

"I'm..." she gasped. "I'm sorry."

Seeing that the girl had finally calmed down, Brenda sat next to her and placed the back of her hand on Mand's forehead to try and gauge her temperature.

"My gods, you are soaking with sweat. Are you sick?"

"I don't know." Mand admitted. She thought a moment "I took a blow to my head a while back. I thought I was fine, but that's the second major headache that I've had today."

"Wait here a moment," Brenda said, concern on her face.

Mand watched the woman turn and wander back towards the front of the barn. As she waited for Brenda's return, Mand blinked a few times and closed her eyes. Afterimages of the waking dream flashed briefly before fading like embers of a dying campfire.

Brenda returned with the lamp a few moments later, the glow from the device causing a dull stabbing sensation in Mand's head. Brenda held it up and using her free hand, felt around Mand's head for a few moments. "Good gods," she gasp when her fingers fell on the now somewhat diminished lump from where Mand had been struck a few days ago. Mand winced at the touch.

"This seems pretty serious," Brenda said pulling her hand back. "You really should see a doctor."

"No," Mand said shaking her head. "Not right now."

Brenda stopped a moment, seeming to consider the situation and then nodded to herself.

"Right, there a people after you. Seeing a doctor may not be the safest for you right now. I can get you some herbs that may help a little, but that's about all I can do for you."

Mand nodded. Brenda held out her hand to help pull Mand up from the haybale.

"Think you are OK to climb?" The woman asked.

Mand took a couple of steps, testing her footing. As like the incident from the ship, she seemed alright again, the pain having faded quickly into nothingness. Aside from the dampness of where she had sweat through her clothing, there seemed to be nothing to indicate that she had an incident moments ago.

"Yes," she said. "I think so."

"Come on then."

Brenda led Mand back to the ladder to the loft that she had passed earlier.

"Dad doesn't spend a lot of time in the barn," Brenda explained as she began to climb. "And I can't remember the last time he's climbed up to the loft. Just make sure that you don't move or make a sound when you hear someone approach the barn and you should be fine."

Mand followed Brenda up the ladder and climbed into the lofted area of the barn. In the dim lamplight, she could see a jumble of boxes and what seemed to be forgotten household items.

Brenda led Mand through the maze of clutter until they were in a darkened corner that had a small single bed and a bunch of stuffed animals. A small shelf stood nearby, lined with what appeared to be children's storybooks.

"I would play up here from time to time when I was a kid," Brenda said shining the light over the little nook. "I called this place my club, although I was the only member. Dad brought the bed up for me here after he found me napping on the floor one time."

"I don't know how to thank you," Mand said.

Brenda shook her head. "No need for thanks. Just seems like the right thing to do. Oh..."

Brenda removed a small bundle and handed it to Mand. "Got some clothes there that should fit you."

Mand took the bundle and moved towards the bed.

"Dad should be going to town again tomorrow. He's doing some final negotiations with some of the merchants for labor and crop shares. I'll stop by to see you after he leaves and we will make some plans from there OK?" Brenda asked.

"Again thank you,"

Brenda waved Mand off and headed back towards the ladder. "Remember, keep quiet if you hear someone approach the barn. Now, get some rest."

"Ok," Mand said sitting on the edge of the bed.

With that, Brenda was gone. Mand now sat alone in the darkness.

After a few brief moments, every part of Mand's body began to feel heavy. The stress of the day had finally caught up to her. Still fully dressed, she climbed under the covers of the bed and closed her eyes. A thankfully dreamless sleep drifted over her.