Chapter 3 � THE KEEPER

Small droplets of rain fell through the leaves of the vast canopy. The wind was as harsh as ice on Millicent’s bare knees and made her eyes weep. In the distance the cries of the bloodhounds echoed through the frozen sky. Hunting.

 

Millicent wondered through the small wood, shivering from cold and fear. It was dark in the woods; the dazzling glow from the moon unable to penetrate thought the treetops. The wind howled with unnatural venom, screaming its curses at Millicent, reflecting her dread. Every shape, sound and shadow made her uneasy, but nothing did she fear more then finding Alice.

 

Stepfather had guessed the situation, despite Millicent’s silence; her eyes had made her answer. The belt buckle, stained with crimson, hit the side of her cheek, cutting deeply and still she was silent but Stepfather needed no more answers. This was just a warning, never to defy him again. All he wanted now was to find Alice and her ‘lover’. He dragged Millicent from the houses, pulling her by the hair, and only stopped once to light a lantern. He forced her through the village while he banged on doors, calling for a hunt. The men of the village gathered outside, carrying torches and some form of weapon. Women gathered at doorways and windows to watch, carouse to the details of the matter. One of Stepfathers friends had a pack of bloodhounds and so too they were recruited. Rallying the search Stepfather told them of the man who had raped and abused his daughter and convinced her to elope with him. Millicent watched as the village men grew more and more livid with her sister and knew that her fears had become real. It was decided the girl must be brought back in shame and beat…to death.

 

The search begun. Men began dispersing in every direction looking for the missing girl. Casting Millicent to the ground, Stepfather took the shotgun offered to him by the owner of the hounds and together they set off with the dogs, following the path Millicent and Alice had walked that very morning.

 

Millicent laid solitary on the ground for what seemed an age, pain ridden and cold. Once the men where out of sight several of the women began whispering in low conversations of what they had just witnessed, while the others came to Millicent’s aid. They tried to lift her from the ground, to tempt her inside their houses with thoughts of a warm fire and a good meal. But determination had set it. As soon as Stepfather was far enough ahead, Millicent pushed the women away and set off into a silent run. She had to get to Alice first. To make sure she got away and never came back. This was Alice’s chance to be free. With hast and hardship, the anxious girl ran.

 

And now here she was, wondering alone through the woods, a mile down an almost invisible path from where she had last seen Alice, following the road, which the boy must have come by. Trying so hard to be silent, Millicent moved softy deeper into the woods. But with every step Millicent found herself becoming more and more lost.

 

Small animals darted across the path ahead, rustling leaves and snapping small twigs. Somewhere above fruit bats were gliding over the canopy, travelling at an unearthly speed. Hounds laughter filled the silence like a soft thudding of a heartbeat. Baritone curses rang out with anger. The hunt was drawing in. Casting a blind glance over her shoulder, Millicent picked up speed. Running thought the obscurity; Millicent stumbled and tripped down a sudden slop in the ground. Rolling down the damp verge she found a new pain. The burning light of a fire ablaze in her eyes. Throwing her arms over her face, Millicent succumbed to misery, rolled up in a ball and began to weep, knowing that Stepfather would soon be upon her.

 

“Millie?” Said a sweet voice in the darkness.

 

A warm hand was pressed to the underside of Millicent’s neck lifting her head slightly. Gentle breathing softly battered her forehead, steady but worriedly. Opening her eyes Millicent cried with a immense joy only hushed by the loving embrace of her sweet sister.

 

“Oh, Millie!” Said Alice as she looked over the freshly opened cuts on Millicent’s face, her hand gently gliding over them. “What has he done to you?”

 

“Nothing compared to what he shall do to you! You have to get away Alice, before…”

 

Placing a calming finger to Millicent’s lips Alice looked over to the fire. For the first time, Millicent looked around at her surrounding and saw the boy sitting on a log in the shadows, his whitish skin glowing in the darkness.

 

“We are safe here.” Said Alice. “For a little while, at least.”

 

Alice helped her sister to her feet and sat her by the fire, and began to care for the cuts she had suffered.

 

“Please Alice!” Begged Millicent. “You must get away! If they find you they will…”

 

“Hush, Millie. I shall go with Pip, far, far away from here, in only a few minutes, and you shall come with us but first there is something I must explain to you.”

 

“Like why you are dressed so grand?” Ask Millicent curiously; eyeing the garment her sister wore. Her dress was light lavender with a see-through material of a darker violet, embroidered with silver and purple thread. Her hair has been washed, and now lay flowing down her back, covered with a thin veil of the same see-through material as on the outer layer of her dress. Strange silver ornaments decorated her wrists and daggering from her ears, were peacock feather earrings. About her neck was a long silver chain that held a queer pendent, a mixture of swirling vines and black pearls. For what reason why Millicent was unsure but she felt as strange sense of familiarity and recognition of this symbol. But what jumped out at Millicent most of all about her sisters appearance was the beaming smile of happiness cemented to her jaw.   

 

“Yes.” Said Alice. “You see, Pip and I…well…this is hard to say.”

 

Alice stopped speaking, her last words hanging on the air like frost. Millicent had not seen her sister so happy in such a long time and now she looked so sad again, like when Mother was taken to prison.

 

“Millie, the night we last saw Mother.” She said, looking Millicent in the eye. “When you were sleeping, Mother came to me, to tell me of a secret place, where I was to take you if anything ever happened to her. She told me of a sea, hidden in this very wood, and if you sail across it you will find safety. She said we would have friends there, if only I could find The Keeper. When Mother was taken I knew I had no choice but to get us both out, but when I came to the woods I could not find the sea…but I never gave up hope. I knew that as long as we were together we could survive. So I kept looking, until last year, as I was walking down the path I found a boy asleep and sick in the undergrowth. So I did what I could to help. I nursed him back to health and stay with him when I could, sneaking out at night to bring him food and drink, and when I asked him why he was out here all alone he said…”

 

Alice looked over her shoulder towards Pip, who waved a gentle hand in the air, before speaking.

 

“I told your sister I have been out sailing and my ship had sprung a leak.” He said. “I did not expect Alice to believe me, as there are no lakes or rivers in this part of the country, but Alice knew. Just as a knife is sharp she realise I was talking about The Secret Sea.”  

 

Millicent sat still for a moment, struggling with her confusion. Mystified that there could be a sea in the middle of the woods – it was impossible! How could she believe such nonsense, even if it did bring her sister hope, it simply could not be true. But Pip had seen the uncertainty on Millicent’s face, so he walked over to her, took her gently by the hand and led her to a cluster of bushes. Pushing their way through they got to the other side to find the most remarkable sight ever seen.

 

A beautiful sea glistened as far as the eye could see. It’s magnificence enlightened by the light of a full moon. Majestic waves swam to the sandy shore, singing to the night. Millicent looked upon the waters in wonder, breathing in the beauty, the magic of the place. It seemed as thought rainbows flew through the crystal waters and even the stars above belonged beneath the waves.

 

“I am The Keeper.” Said Pip humbly.

 

Millicent could see land in the distance, although very faint. A shooting star erupted from it, souring to the sky. 

 

“That was the signal, it is time to leave. If you would get you sister, I will ready the boat and we shall be on our way.”

 

And with that Pip left Millicent’s side and went to untie a small moored boat a few yards away. Millicent raced back to makeshift camp and flung her arms around her sibling.

 

“You came back for me, didn’t you?” Millicent asked.

 

But Alice did not answer.

 

Millicent pulled herself back from the embrace to see what was wrong. Her sister’s eyes were wide with horror, fixed to a place behind Millicent. All of a sudden a hand grabbed Millicent’s shoulder, pulling her backwards so that she hit the ground hard. The click of a gun being cocked rang through her eyes, and she felt terror like never before as she saw in the glow of the fire light, Stepfather aiming a shotgun at her sister’s heart!

 

 

 

 

Reviews

[DarkAngelWriter]

More minor spelling errors, no biggie. It's getting better. Now there's something going on as conflict. I don't still don't get where it's at or when it takes place, but I figure that'll come with time.

[dkbooks]

This one is my favorite chapter so far. I still get Alice and Milli mixed up sometimes, but I like where this is going. It does feel a bit like Narnia and I would like to have maybe read a flashback of the conversation with the mother about the secret sea. I think this would immortalize the mom and though she is dead, she will feel like she had actually been alive at one time. Some very good descriptions here!

[R J Askew]

Some lovely writing here...para two is wonderful stuff...very effective...right there. And that dab about 'Small animals darted across the path ahead.' worked well for me. I think you have built a sense of place very well. But it is the story telling that is the best part. I feel for the young girl and her fears and her responses seem like those of a deer, gentle, shy and desperate. And human, in the way she thinks of her sister. Her nature is a great contrast to that of her evil steptather. And you have a sense of tension and drama, in the chase. Then a new layer evolves with the mystical sea.......a bit like Narnia in some ways. And you end the chapter with a little flourish to keep the reader enthralled. I am still very much with it as you shift through the story-telling gears. Well done.

[Gandré]

I thought this was piece what is going to be a family chronicle. I like such writing with several characters each of them interesting and skillfully described, that is catching reader's attention, you are not demolishing the curiosity of the reader by boring sentences; I see this is going to be a remarkable story even I 've read only a part of its construction. A gifted author you are and I like your information about American characters for I am European, you are building an edifice of subtlety; it makes it a useful tour for me.

[BrightEyes]

oh no! although I don't understand why Alice thought they were safe where they were....this is bad...hoping that we aren't going to kill off poor Alice here....or Millicent...or the Keeper! Oh jeez, now look what you've done...I'll be up all night writing an escape plan lol. another great chapter!

laura

[Ruby Moon]

eiks!!!
he found them
just a minute more to safety!!!
T.T