burned through Gylar’s body. The brutal injustice galled
him.
“I’m going to take you to the top, kid. It’s not going to
end like this, not without a fight. No, not without an answer.
By my dead brother, I swear you’ll get to ask your
question.”
He turned over and tried to go to sleep, but it wasn’t
until morning that exhaustion closed those eyes that were
very tired of looking at the world.
*****
The morning broke, warm and sunny. A few clouds
drifted through the sky, but gave no threat of any type of
storm. Snow gathered on tree limbs, slipped heavily from
leaves, as the warmth of the day melted it. Pine needles
shrugged off sheets of snow and rustled as they adjusted to
their newfound freedom from winter’s blanket.
Marakion stood at the cave’s entrance. Nature was
adapting to the freak warmth of the winter’s day. The snow
on the ground was glazed with a sheen of wet sparkles.
Everything was adapting – everything except Gylar.
The sickness moved fast once the fever started. Gylar
had slept late into the morning without knowing it, and
Marakion had not come to a decision about waking him
yet. As he stood there, though, he could hear the boy
coming to.
He scuffed a groove into the wet snow. Casting a scathing
glance heavenward, he turned and made his way back into
the small cave.
Marakion stopped a half-dozen paces from the boy. Gylar
knew what was happening to him. Maybe he’d realized
it in the middle of the night – the fear was on his face – but
the fear was held at bay by determination.
Gylar looked up. The boy tried to manage a smile, but
failed. Tears stood in his eyes. Marakion wanted to say
something, some word of comfort, but he knew if he tried
to talk, it would come out choked.
“I have it, Marakion.”
I know, Marakion spoke in a voice with no sound.
Clearing his throat, he said again, “I know.”
“I’m going to die.” The boy’s eyes were wide. They
blinked once, twice.
Marakion nodded and lowered his gaze, his boots again
scuffing a trench in the dirt floor. “Yeah,” he said.
A different kind of fear entered Gylar’s voice.
“Marakion, you have to leave me, now. You have to go.”
His teeth chattered. Closing his mouth, he tried again. “You
might have it already, but. . . but maybe not. You have to
go.”
Marakion knelt beside Gylar. The man smiled. “You
want to try to make me, kid?”
Gylar was puzzled. “No . . .” His brows furrowed in
confusion. “Make you? No, but, Marakion, if you don’t
leave – ”
“I’m staying.”
“But, sir, I told you what happened to – ”
Marakion shrugged. “Do you want to make it to the top
of this mountain?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’m staying.”
Gylar started to protest, but Marakion cut him off with
a motion of his hand. “You’ve got heart, I’ll give you that,
but you aren’t going to make the summit without me.” He
smiled expansively. “Even if you try.”
Gylar nodded, wanned by the smile. Marakion
suddenly reached out, held the small boy close.
“I’m afraid, Marakion,” Gylar whispered, his shaking
hands clinging tenaciously.
“I know” The man patted the small back. “I know.”
“But it’s all right.” Gylar sniffed and let go. Running a
sleeve across his nose, he smiled with effort and looked up
at Marakion. “I just want to make it to the top, before . . .
well, before . . .” He gulped. “I just want to make it there,
that’s all.”
“Yeah.” Marakion took a deep breath. “You will, I
promise.” Standing, he extended his hand. “Let’s go, kid.”
Gylar grabbed it, and they began again.
The cave they’d spent the night in was near a natural
groove – almost like a trail – worn in the side of the
mountain. Once the groove ended, the terrain became
exceedingly precarious. More than once, Gylar slipped, and
only Marakion’s quick reflexes and strength saved the boy.
About three hours after midday, Gylar stumbled and
had a hard time getting to his feet again.
“I’m sorry, Marakion,” he said, shivering as he tried to
Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107