Chapter 8: Chapter 7

Abble dragged me by my hand along the docks to the fisherman’s harbour without remorse.

The force of her yanking almost made me fall several times. She probably could have thrown me over her shoulder if she had wanted to… I wonder if she could do that.

I really hope this Nightstalker curse doesn't stop me from ageing, because that was going to be a huge bummer. Abble was likely near my weight and much stronger. She was probably not the norm for most women here, but I was nonetheless a little annoyed at her stature.

Sigh. Way to be insecure, Kade.

While it appeared men were packing up for the night, there was still plenty of busy work occurring as they complained, stacking crates from their ships of varying sizes. A few fishermen glanced at us as they secured their boats to the dock for the night.

In addition to dungaree overhauls and long-sleeve shirts, most of the workers wore scarves around their necks. Almost everyone had tattoos. Even with most keeping their sleeves down, there were visible markings on their hands and faces.

I would never risk inking my face. What if they messed up? You be laughed at for the rest of your life. I didn’t need any help in that area.

About a dozen men walked by carrying a white-scale fish that could eat me. Its eyes were the size of my fist. It had no teeth, but was capable of swallowing something significant. A few families could survive on that for weeks.

How did they even catch that?

The air smelled briny with a hint of rotten fish as the wind swirled a light snowfall around.

I would need to find shelter for the landfall of this storm. Even if the harshness of the cold no longer stung my skin, the winds would probably be strong.

Abble pushed people three times her size out of the way. They, however, promptly back off any aggression after seeing who it was. I didn’t know if this was because she was a woman or because they knew who she was. Some men looked at her fearfully, which was funny since half of them were rough, tattooed behemoths.

Wait. What if they were not scared of her, but terrified of her father? She did say her father knew everyone.

Oh, no. Yep, this is it. These guys wouldn’t let her rudeness slide because Abble was intimidating or a girl. I was to be beaten by her father.

Great…

We entered the red brick city with snow-filled alleyways as we departed from the harbour. My first impression of this part of town was that it differed greatly from the upscale appearance of where I entered. Many of the windows were broken and boarded up. The road was poorly maintained, and I almost tripped on the holes hidden by the snow’s cover.

That is all I need to do. Twist my ankle.

The wind started picking up as it howled through the passageway that Abble took for a shortcut. The temperature didn’t seem to affect Abble as she determinedly pushed forward.

I was glad she was confident in this plan because I had none to share.

She had yet to let go of my hand, which felt like it was liable to break in her iron grasp. Abble strength was ridiculous; I assumed this was from her working at the docks. Unsure if my hand or shoulder would be ripped off first, I tried to keep up with her.

If I was to lose my mind, Abble was more than capable of strangling me to death; that was clear.

We came to a ramshackle, weather-worn brick house with harpoons crossing each other over the top of the door. The windows were boarded up, but light still escaped through the cracks. There was a slight sound of chatter coming from inside.

Abble pulled her ponytail loose, shaking her curly hair before inhaling.

Why did she do that?

Abble yanked the door open by its ring handle and pulled me through the entrance to a bar with the most rough-looking men I had ever seen in my life. They made the guys walking around on the docks look friendly.

Jewelled lanterns sat in the middle of each round table and illuminated the room along with the gigantic stone fireplace, burning strong. A middle-aged woman stared at me as she wiped the glass clean from behind the bar. Her face appeared tired and done with life but curious about my arrival.

The men wore short jackets, baggy pants, and high boots. They had long hair and beards that weren’t kept well. Some had missing eyes and patches. One man had gold and silver rings on his fingers that did not match his unpolished appearance.

Besides large wooden mugs, knives were jammed into the tables as if it was commonplace for them. A guy stood up, pulling the blade from the wood and putting it back into the holster strap across his chest.

Why… what was the point of keeping it out?

With eyes fixed on us, Abble dragged me across the room, stole a lantern from a table, and took me down a dimly lit corridor behind the bar.

I was practically thrown into the room at the end of the hall. As I came to a stumbling halt, Abble closed the door and spun around with a grin.

She set the lantern down on the floor. “Are you ready?” Abble asked, putting three fingers up. “Three… two… one—”

And just as her third finger came down, “Abby!” I heard in a husky, deep voice, and I knew who that was.

Her father.

Abble cleared her throat. “Oh my god, Kade. So impatient. I’ll take my shirt off in a second,” she said so loud it came across as theatrical, but I doubt she cared.

There was no way he believed this.

A thumping slam struck the door as Abble undid a few of her buttons. I averted my eyes and glanced around for an escape window, but of course, this room didn’t have one.

How didn’t this place not have a window?

I know I had thought about this a lot over the past week, but I was sure I would die now. This was it. All those near-death experiences were just leading me here to die in this comical way. Unfortunately, death delivered a joke I did not find funny.

Abble grabbed the door handle, creeping it open. “Yes, daddy,” she replied, poking her head around the door with a cutesy voice that didn’t match her deeper tone from before.

“Who is that boy?”

“Umm... He’s my boyfriend. I was preparing to tell you about him, but you know how you get so judgy.”

There was a long pause. “You pay no man attention in this town and then decide to pick a woman to fuck around with.”

Ouch. That wasn’t necessary, but okay.

“See! so judgy, but I can confirm he is a man. His cock has been working well.”

Abble… please stop.

“Let me talk to him,” He said, and I saw the door push in a bit, but Abble kept her palm firm on the surface.

“You said I could bring boys in.”

“I said, men… I clearly said, men…”

Abble shrugged, trying to push the door shut, but it wasn’t happening. “I am trying to give you grandchildren. It’s not my fault, mom, bless her soul”—Abble put her hand over her heart—“Cut your balls off while you were sleeping.”

What did I get myself into?

Her father groaned or growled; I wasn’t really sure. “Abble…”

“I need Wrecky to take me to Endeavor along with Kade. We will attend the College of Guilds, and I will return with at least one kid. Sound like a deal, right?”

A long pause hung in the air. “Why do you want to be admitted to that school? It’s just a bunch of glorified mercenaries. You will throw your life away.”

“What… do you listen to the words that come out of your mouth? You want me to be a pirate. How is that any better?”

Great, her father was a marauder. This just keeps getting better and better.

“Abble. Your mother made me promise you would never find your way to that college. She’s right. They accomplish nothing but killing people for profit. They feed the wars, Abble.”

“And you pick up the scraps. Are you really trying to play the moral high ground right now?” Abble said, and her voice shook with a touch of frustration.

“The government pays me to capture Sahscan ships, which benefits everyone in this city. So it’s a touch different.”

“Sure, but how many years did you just do it for fun? How many people did you kill before Mother asked you to stop? You’re no different from the Guild. At least they save people. You rob them. We will discuss this more in the morning. I am busy.”

Her father huffed. “I’ve changed, and your mother thought I was different. If Elizabeth—”

“Mom is dead, and it’s not like her quitting the Guild made a difference,” Abble said, slamming the door shut before putting her forehead on the faded wood surface. “Nothing made a difference.”

Oh boy, there were some family issues there. It might be insensitive, but I was curious about this Guild and why Abble’s mother left it. On top of that, she ended up having a daughter with a pirate—sorry, ex-pirate—and that was a fascinating love story, no doubt.

Why did she cut his balls off? I wonder how much health that took.

The room was charming. Her father’s robbery had provided her with a cushioned life inside these four walls. Nothing matched, but there were furnishings from many cultures here. Abble didn’t seem like the jewellery type, but plenty was scattered on the oak vanity off to the side.

She was like a dragon hoarding gold it had no use for.

I wouldn’t have minded sleeping at least one night under a roof, even if it was going to be on a rough floor. The orange and black fur rug in front of her bed was most definitely softer than the forest grounds.

It was hard for me to decide whether or not to speak yet, but something important needed to be addressed. If Abble had intended for me to stay here until dawn, she would then realize that I was a Nightstalker in the morning, and I wouldn't put it past her to kill me. She could easily accomplish it.

Fear of hurting her had faded, and I became more concerned for my life.

My best option would be to leave and return when it’s safe. I felt most comfortable walking in the sun during mid-afternoon. If she forced me to leave before then, I would be in trouble.

On top of all this, I was feeling a tad odd. My stomach was upset and my head was bothering me. I didn’t need to get violently ill in her room.

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“So I need to not stay in this room.”

Abble head swung around to me. “What, why?”

“Um”—think, Kade—“it indecent. We are unmarried.”

Abble stared at me blankly. “You’re odd.”

“Yes, very. Perhaps, I shouldn’t stay because of that.”

Her eyebrow raised. “What does that mean?”

“I could be a pervert.”

Abble face fell serious. “You could try to be a pervert, but I could always just smash your head in and tell my father you are meeting me at the docks.”

“You’re crazy…”

Abble nodded. “Oh, probably. I’ve just learned to roll with it. No sense in keeping it bottled up,” she said, making an ocean-wave motion with her hand. “Touch me with those dirty ass”—she looked down at my bandages before glancing over at my dirty fingers—“hands, and we’re fighting.”

“I definitely do not want to fight you, so I can meet you at the dock tomorrow afternoon?”

“We are leaving in the morning.”

Shit. This could have gone better. I couldn’t find an excuse for this besides the truth that wasn’t coming out of my mouth. Maybe I could say something about the trip being long.

“I need to rest. I have been travelling for days straight”—I put my hands into a praying gesture—“please Abble. Give me until the afternoon.”

“Okay, but you can rest on my floor.”

“I need to check something before I leave.”

“I’ll help you check that something tomorrow.”

“Um…”

I had nothing to rebuttal with.

“You're acting like you're going to run away.”

I run my fingers through my hair, letting out a sigh. “Abble. I promise I will come back. Your help is more than what I would get from anyone else here. There is no reason for me to run.”

Abble paused. “Fine. Do as you wish.” she huffed, folding her arms and looking away.

“Is there a way out of this room that is not into the bar? I think your father is looking to slit my throat.”

Abble walked over and moved a dresser with barely any effort before grabbing a hook on the floor and pulling a segment up.

She held the secret door open with one hand before gesturing with the other at the dusty opening. “Here. You can leave, but I want you back here by late noon. I will find and hurt you if that sun drops below the horizon.”

“Understood.” I nodded before descending the old creaky stairs into a poorly lit storage basement.

As I got about halfway down, Abble called for me. “Kade,” She said, and I turned back. She grabbed a brass key from her back pocket, tossing it at my chest. After almost dropping the key and receiving an eye roll from Abble, she continued. “There is an exit to the outside down there. It’s almost impossible to miss. Lock it from the outside after you leave.”

I gave her another nod before descending the stairs.

At the bottom of the stairs, barrels were stacked so as to obscure the steps. A strong, musty smell filled the air, and dust irritated my nose.

The door above slammed shut, and I heard Abble move the dresser back into place.

There was some annoyance in that closer, which I hoped was for her father and not me.

Continuing in the dark, I squeezed between two firkins leading to the main part of the cellar.

Abble had really hidden this. I wondered if her father knew about this or if this was her little secret. He probably knew. This was something like an emergency exit. That would make sense, since her father was a known pirate. I just hoped I didn’t run into him down here.

Light escaped from the cracks in the floorboards above, and every step that made them creak caused me to jump, thinking someone was coming down.

I need to hurry.

My vision at night had dramatically improved over the past couple of days. The light above normally wouldn’t have been bright enough, but it was sufficient for me to look around the stone basement for the door. I kept my hand on the damp wall for extra measures as I moved towards what looked like an opening.

I found the stairs leading to the exit with little effort. The wind was hammering the doors from the outside as I approached. After fooling around with the chunky lock, I got them opened and left out the double doors to the breeze, aggressively thrashing around. I did as Abble said and locked it from the outside as the wind fought me the entire time.

The storm blew my jacket around, and I trudged through the snow, hoping to find somewhere to hide for the night. Walking wasn’t easy, as the air battered my side, causing me to stumble a bit. Staying in the basement might have worked, but I didn’t want to risk Mister Pirate coming down and discovering me.

I would just find somewhere else to stay… where was I going to stay? I had no money for an Inn.

There was abnormal aggression upon the storm’s arrival. This weather continued to be odd for this time of year. This was far worse than the night I killed the Nightstalker. Everyone had left the streets, so I was the only insane person wandering around.

 

I was thinking that staying with Abble was the sensible choice now. This weather had grown much worse than I expected.

As I turned down an alley to get a break from the wind, my stomach twisted on me abruptly. I violently vomited into the snow, which caused me to fall to my knees, holding my sides. My head exploded in pain as I didn’t know what to hold on to, my skull or my ribs.

I couldn’t contain the river of black from flowing out of my mouth. There was no way I had this much inside my stomach. I hadn’t eaten in almost a day.

Somehow, I managed to get my backpack off and away from the disaster.

After spending hours in a prone position, heaving and moaning in pain, I hoped no one heard me dying. With the vicious winds and snow, the surrounding buildings certainly could not see out their windows, so it was unlikely they heard me.

Flipping over to my back only caused me to choke on my vomit. I worried if I lost the energy to orient myself, I would drown in my own puke.

Or worse than drowning, not dying, and being tortured endlessly by suffocation.

Amid this sickness, I just lay in my pool of fluids, unable to gather the energy to move from the cesspool that gathered under me. All I wanted was for the hurling of my gut to stop for a few minutes.

Fuck, this was bad. I was flirting with the Idea of welcoming death’s kiss.

The nausea subsided many hours later, and my head no longer felt like it was being beaten in with a hammer. I couldn’t really enjoy the relief, as I had long become numb to my suffering.

I rolled over to my back, staring at the stormy night sky.

This was the end. I felt it. Now it was just a matter of when I would lose my mind and start attacking people.

My head turned to my bandaged arm, twitching. It didn’t feel like it was connected to me.

I held it up before grasping it with my other hand, trying to stop my fingers from fidgeting. It was like it had a mind of its own.

So I would have no say in my actions.

It was unclear if I was just numb to everything that was happening to me or if I had just lost the will to live because I did not feel any emotion as I removed the white wrapping around my hand.

My nails were all black, and my veins were grey. The skin was sunken, and no longer swollen. I could see the outline of the individual bones.

My hand looked like a skeleton.

Time felt slow as my hand fell to my side, twitching, and I lay on the ground.

Then everything became silent, and my vision blurred as the snow built up on me like a dead body. I closed my eyes, wishing I had lasted longer. At least I tried and didn’t give up.

It seemed like this was really it. My luck had run out. Hopefully, a guard would walk by and kill me immediately. I didn’t want to watch myself hurt people.

That was horse shit. I really didn’t care.

I wouldn’t have come into the city if I were that concerned about it. I suppose it was for the best that I died. It was selfish of me to put others in danger so I could find a cure I knew I could never gain.

The morning arrived despite my self-loathing.

As the sun rose, my skin started warming up, and the snow melted around me as steam ascended into the air. I kept my eyes tightly shut as I awaited my end. The light was burning me differently than before. I could feel my skin peeling back on my Nightstalker fingers, and I clenched my teeth at its sting.

It was like a fire was searing my hand, and I wanted to pull away from it, but there was nowhere for it to go.

I was going to burst into flames, and it seemed like an agonizing death.

You deserved this, Kade. If you only had listened to Yuridia.

Ugh. Stupid, stupid.

“Interesting,” I heard, opening my eyes to black leather boots crunching the snow next to my head. “I’ve been looking for you.”

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