Chapter 9 - Faelan

Yolanda started to feel anxious about Andy. He considered her a sister so he could make things more complicated. So she got up, pull herself together and then asked him, "That's okay Andy. I shouldn't touch him before. But there is no time for arguing. We should go, we can't spend another second here. Now —turned to mystery guy slightly—I am so grateful to you saving us. If it is not a secret, could you explain us that how you did do that exactly? No one can survive from this." She looked into the mystery guy's eyes; seeking for empathy. But she didn't get it one. "Why would I give you my secret?" Andy moved to him but she blocked him by her arms. "The same reason with that you saving us. You are a hero. It is a life matter, we really need to know. Tell us how could we cross this bridge?" She was so patient but the exhaustion in her eyes was clear to everyone. He was examining her in the meantime to get to know her better. He could see the difference in her gaze. Her gaze was lit up at the time when they were closed. So he smiled at the thought without responding to her. But Yolanda misinterpreted his half smile. "So, are you going to tell us?' she asked again. He shook off his thoughts and tried to look he didn't care about it when he talked, "If you let me know why is that so important? Why are you in such a hurry?" He definitely got point. She should answer that question but before she wanted to learn what was his name. "Of course I can tell but why won't you tell us your name? What harm could it do?" Yolanda took the topic right place that was ridiculous calling him as a mystery guy. "I wasn't keep it secret. It wasn't my priority at first and I don't talk too much with strangers actually." He explained yet she understand that he was stalling. So she remained silent to force him exclaim. It was worked, "I am Faelan. Do you want to know more about me? We could go near the river always, start fire and share stories." He gave them his middle name it is quite enough to call him actually. So he go with that. "Thank you Faelan to sharing your name with us. It is tempting actually only wish we couldn't waste time finding the material to heal my little sister who was suffering almost a year. And every kind of doctors has been examined her but couldn't find her illness. They tried lots of treatment and herbals on her but she couldn't recover. So the material is our only hope. When I left home she was at death bed. So please tell us." Yolanda explained everything she was speaking from her heart. She wanted to be honest with him. He agreed to share his secret, but only on one condition: he had to go with them until they found what they were looking for. She thought that was unnecessary and he didn't have to do anything? Has he no family member to look after or need to go to work ? Is he really a rascal? She looked up Andy who was puzzled like her. "Why do you want to come with us? You don't know even where are we heading off?" asked Andy with raised one eyebrow. The mystery guy, who claimed his name was Faelan replied after a pause, "You know.. I helped you second time. You seemed like a magnet to pull trouble to your way. I feel pity on your sister she needs to save from the illness. But I only can see is two amateur who spend a lot's time some stupid bridge." He stopped immediately but he spilled out once. He felt hopeless. Why he was always messing up? She felt heartbroken. But it didn't reflect on her face or voice when she spoke, "That's atually right we are amateur. Do you know this land well enough to help us?" She asked. "Well you can say that way. I spend a lot of time out here. I like sightseeing." He gave her lazy smile. She forgot about her resentment. "Then you can come with us. Right, Andy?" She almost forgot to ask his opinion. Andy was sulking but said, "If he believes he could help us to get heal Irene. Then he should come." said involuntarily. He clearly didn't want to get involve with him. But there was nothing to do she needed immediate treatment. Yolanda was still suspicious but she didn't show that on her face, "Then everything settled now tell us how to come across this bridge?" He explained everything. And then tried find a solution for their horses to cross the bridge. They were essential to speed up. So they couldn't give up on horses. But since this magic about humans maybe it didn't effect animals she thought. They tried this suggestion with one horse which was bounded tightly with a rope to tree until it could effect it. If it effected by the spell; they would simply pull the strings so it couldn't be lost for vain. Andy slapped the horse's back, sending it running toward the bridge. When he whistled, the horse stopped as expected and looked back his owner. The magic of this place wasn't effect on animals. They let the horses cross. Then they blindfolded their own eyes, covered their ears, and got in line. If there was anyone at that bridge, to see their walk, could tell; it was awful to watching those trembling legs of Yolanda and Andy. Two of them like living that nightmare again with whole consciousness. Faelan was calm, it was his third period on this bridge after all. They passed the bridge holding all the time guardrails. Untied their eyes when they stepped in the other side of the bridge with fear. They were the first human being who can accomplish the reach the other side. It seemed there was nothing to be feared off for now. They had to go into tunnel now. There was a pass in the mountain, facing with the bridge. The carved walls suggested the tunnel was man-made. It stretched into darkness, and Yolanda realized with a sinking feeling that they didn't have a torch for this mission. Even it was midday, this place was like a cave. She looked around to find some sticks or dried branches so she could make her own torch but there was no chance for that. Faelan suggested to get into the tunnel maybe people could left some torches for the unprepared passenger. He went down for a few paces. He never came back. She asked, yelled and begged him to come back. She wasn't prepared to dive into new curse. She just wanted this things over and find talisman come back home and save her. But there was no choice but go after her life savior for twice. Even Andy was volunteer to look for him. So she had to go, it didn't matter she mentally broke or not. They went down after him. But this place was huge and looked like labyrinth. Appeared no trace of any torches. They had to move blindly again. She took Andy's hand to not lose him too. She occasionally called him, "Faelan" but there was no response. She took couple of turn to left or right. She had no clue to where she was or if they were close to exit or not. It took a while. Finally after an hour they found him fainted. There was blood streaming from his head. She screamed his name "Faelan" and bent down beside him, unsure whether he was dead. Andy took this mission instead of her. Looked closely if he breath in and check it his pulse from his wrist. He got up without saying anything. She began to drop her tears onto his face. "Andy" she eyed him with full of questions. "He is alive. Don't worry." She was relieved. Wiped away her tears and examined him. There was only a small scratch on his head -nothing more. Then... Why hadn't he still regained consciousness? Did he hit hard of his head instead of the scratch? Did he have concussion? She asked to settle down the logic, "It is only scratch that can't cause of fainting. What am I missing?" Andy, "Maybe you are missing that you are neither physician nor herbalist nor healer." He was still able to joke, even at this moment. "Come on. Be serious it is definitely wrong." She had a point actually. He suggested, "Did you check his eyes?" She never thought about it. But at this point was useless since there was no light. "Tell me genius how could I see his eyes in pitch dark place?" This mockery wasn't necessary coz Andy started some kind fire with some sticks. She looked surprised, but didn't say anything turned to Faelan to examine his eyes. Andy bring light with sticks used like a torch. She looked into his eyes. His eyes was white there was no eyeball in it like they hadn't at that time. She started trembling as she didn't know how they could take him out from there. "Andy what are we going to do? He is trapped in that place too." She asked without hope. Andy thought about it. Even Andy looked scared. But they needed solution for to saving savior. They could pull him out if only they knew where was the exit. Suddenly there was a lightening ball in the middle of the cave at the midday? She thought. She was certain that she saw purple lights. How a lightening ball could have color like this. She didn't have to think harder, the bride who was formerly called as the owner by Yolanda, was in front of them. She and Andy felt terrorizing. Yolanda cover Faelan's head with fear, taking him on her lap. Then she looked at again this face of her had been change; it didn't look like a living person anymore. It felt more looked like a ghost as she was. Her skin was torn away, exposing dried flesh and veins which was dried long time ago. Her entire body looked rotten.Yolanda went crazy this was all new and hard for her. Yes she was living a world that where ghosts and other monsters existed but she never saw any of them with her own eyes. Her town where she grow up was hidden place from those creatures somehow. It was safe place. If she knew there was really monsters ahead of the way; she would consider to take someone with her who had more experience and muscle for to deal with it. But she didn't actually take Andy with her. He was came after her volunteerly. But now she bet he regretted of his desicion every second. "Yolanda" she called her. She trembled with fear again. Every inch of her skin got goosebumps, as she supposed at there. "What?" She finally could talk, she didn't want to show her fear to the bride. "Don't you want him back? Your precious little savior? Or should I take him forever?" She was talking about Faelan. She got angry slowly. "He is not your business, let him go. Leave us alone; we don't want to harm you." She was bluffing again. As if it was work with those ignorant ruffians. She knew actually that she can't fool this ghost. But she always believed if there was any chance, she had to take it. Given up before the examining the all possibility was against of her character. "Hahaha. You think that you are clever, don't you?" Yolanda getting upset it won't be easy. Maybe they never survived from this. She regretted to let Andy and Faelan accompany to her. It was her fault. She had to took the bullet and save them. "Ask whatever you need you witch." Her tone was resolved. "You know what I want." The ghost said. "You want me?" Yolanda asked. "Yes." Ghost wanted her for what? "Why do you need me? Is only because I am female?" Yolanda tried to learn more so maybe she could hunt this ghost with that. "It is nothing you think about it little girl. Now are you coming to me or I would take your Andy with me too?" Can't she take her? Was she need permission? Did something change after the first capture? Was she not able to capture second time? "Why won't you come and get me? Instead of threatening me?" Yolanda tried to make her mad, so she couldn't understand that Yolanda was stalling and tricking her to talk. "Maybe who is brave enough to sacrifice herself has more sweat blood from the cowards." She got nervous with rage. "You were human once. How could you wicked like that. You are beyond to salvation. Why did you do that to yourself. And why are you showing people your past life. You don't care about anything?" The ghost was silent. Yolanda thought that she had point. Maybe she can fight at this frontline. She had to use her card wisely.