Shadows in the storm
With a look of wonder Mysty peered up at the skies as the roll of thunder boomed out, waiting in silence as she counted the time between the next clash only for another booming sound to interrupt.
"Myst! Get the washing in now!" He mother shouted from the open kitchen door, having noticed her daughter stood out in the garden and watching the storm rather than bringing in the washing like she'd asked.
"But it's miles away!" She called back with a frown, but pulled the sheets off the line regardless, bundling them into her arms and jogging back into the house- she doubted the rain would reach them out in their country home until later in the evening.
"I don't care!" Her mother bit back once she hopped through the door and took the bundle of sheets off her, placing them on the table and picking one sheet up. Automatically Myst grabbed the other end of the sheets and helped her mother fold, the pair working in silence till they had everything in a neat pile, "Pop those away for us darling, I'll put the kettle on," The older woman spoke as she off loaded the pile into her daughter's waiting arms and with out protest she trudged up stairs.
Myst had always tried to be as supportive as she could to her mother, it was just the two of them after all, it had been since the day she was accepted into school, and she knew her mum missed home, they'd all up and moved to start this new life her father had wanted so badly, and then it became just the two of them.
Sometimes Myst blamed herself for her mother's melancholy, if she hadn't of been so excited that first time she visited her possible school then she was positive her mother would have taken them both back home.
"I should do some studying," Myst huffed to herself as she trod back down the stairs, when she stayed at school she was more likely to do it, but she liked coming back over the holidays to spend time with her mum, only her final year was coming to an end and she wanted to do good on her exams, she was determined not be be distracted!
"Here's your tea," Her mum called and she hopped over to the kitchen with a bit more energy, taking the cup handed to her with a cheesy smile.
"Thanking you!" She chirped, "I'm going to go over my books now," She then stated before heading back off to seal herself away in her room with her studies.
Myst blew into her hot beverage as she opened up a few books, managing to read a few words before her bright golden eyes drifted off else where, distracted by her room despite how well she knew it and everything in it, "No! Concentrate!" She frowned at her self, turning in her chair and fixing her eyes back on her books.
She didn't read the page she was on for the longest time, she spent most of it letting her forgotten tea go cold as she frowned at the words before her till her brain gave up and allowed her to start taking in the information.
With a sigh she lifted a hand to rub at her tired eyes before reaching for her cup and taking a sip, instantly cringing at the lukewarm beverage but downing it as quickly as she could so not to waste it, "I need to stop forgetting about my tea!" She frowned as she put her cup down, fully intent on going back to her studies but as she failed again at twirling a pencil between her fingers she became more increasingly determined to do it successfully.
Soon a few hours had flown by, some spent studying the rest trying to twirl a pencil and playing with her hair, she now sat at her window, a novel laying open in her hands as she watched the rain patter against the window pane as she though what a miserable night it looked to be.
She watched one particular minuscule drop on her window with great interest, willing it to roll down and meet with another drop and grow, but her gaze then caught something past the rain drops, her eyes focusing beyond the window and to the gnarled shadow that scuttled it's way into the forgotten stable.
Her eyes grew wide and chest tight with fear as she questioned what it was she just saw, it was dark outside and the only thing casting light was the little that flooded out from the kitchen window.
Kicking her legs out and flinging her book across the room she stumbled over to her bedroom door and flung it open, "Mum!?" She called as she hurried down the landing and thumped her way down the stairs, calling for her mother the entire way.
"What?!" She finally answered in worry, having been jolted awake from her late night read on the sofa, her reading glasses askew on her face.
"Something has just gone into the stable!" She spoke quickly, her body jittery with a fearful excitement.
"What?" He mother shook her head, trying to wake herself up better as she took her glasses from her face.
"I just saw something go into the stable!" She pointed off in the direction.
"An animal probably?" The older woman yawned, setting her book and glasses to the side and turning her neck from side to side, hoping to rid it of it's stiffness.
"It opened the door!" Again Myst threw her hand out, trying to press the seriousness of the situation to her mother who just didn't seem to be grasping it but luckily that knocked some awareness into her as she called for her wand with a well homed skill of wand-less magic and strode towards the back door.
Myst followed closely, worried and intrigued as she stepped out into the rain after her mother only for the woman to turn around and tut at finding her right behind her, "Get back in the house!" She pointed her back towards the door and Myst frowned.
"No!" She chirped back in outrage, she wasn't letting her mother go at something potentially dangerous alone!
With a roll of her eyes, shake of her head and a huff, her mum knew it wasn't worth the fight, her daughter wasn't someone to easily be swayed and so she instead opted for keeping the youngster behind her and stepped up to the stable door.
Slowly the pair stepped out of the rain and into the dark stable, the small light at the end of her mother's wand being the only thing that lit their way as they very slowly and very carefully investigated.
The tiniest sound of scuffling reached their ears and they both froze, waiting to see it they could hear anymore and wondering if perhaps it was just them making that noise, but just as they grew comfortable they heard it again and with a gasp Myst clamped onto her mother's arm like her life depended on it, she was not a fan of scary things and she was dreading something bursting out of nowhere and running towards them screaming.
"What was that?!" She whispered shakily, her eyes wide and darting about to see past the darkness while her mother ignored her and pressed on- oh she was terrified, so much so in fact she was useless, she was glad her mother wasn't as affected by the darkness or what was lurking in it.
Pressing a finger to her lips and shooting her daughter a frown to keep quiet she then waved for her to get back before going on alone and Myst watched with frightful eyes as her mum stepped closer to one stall, her wand held out and footing careful before she turned the stall quickly.
The light revealed the hunched figure as they tried desperately to shrink away from its brightness, shuffling further into the corner and cowering away, "Oh my goodness," Her mother gasped, crouching down and leaving her wand on the floor, holding up both hands to show she meant no harm as she spotted a flash for terror filled eyes.
"Mum?" Myst questioned as she shuffled forwards, her worry overriding her fear as she came round to stand behind her mother, her feet stopping and speech leaving her as she stared at the person huddled away in the corner, "Is he alright?" She breathed, unable to look away from the beaten figure, his clothes were torn and body battered, blood stained what little was left of his shirt and open gashes streamed out red rivers.
"What's your name?" Her mum tried to get him to speak, hoping to calm him down but he could barely see through the light pointed towards him.
"Mum, your light," Myst urged noticing the brightness was causing more discomfort and he no doubt couldn't see who it was that was speaking to him, but the moment her mum picked up her wand he tried desperately to move back from her, a pained 'no' falling past his lips. "We're not going to hurt you!" Myst spoke softly, hoping to be reassuring as she stepped a little closer.
"Let's get him inside," Her mother frowned lightly with her concern and Myst nodded, "Let us help you sweet," she spoke, holding out a hand but he still wouldn't move.
"He's shivering," Myst spoke, noticing then how he was soaked through and so she slowly took her cardigan off and inched closer, watching him wearily as the panic grew in his eyes, but she knew her mother wouldn't let anything happen. Slowly she draped her cardigan around his shoulders and backed off a little, but still leaning over she she was more his level as she watched the fear fade a little form his eyes and he dared to look up at her. "Please come inside," She spoke softly, her golden eyes deeply worried as she looked into his watery dark orbs.
"No one here is going to hurt you lovely," Her mum's soothing voice encouraged but still he stared into Myst's warm gaze, as she gave him a soft smile and held her hand out for him to take.
It was like trying to coax a petrified animal but the women managed it as the stranger accepted her hand and she helped him to his feet, her mother coming to assist when she saw the struggle the poor boy was having.
Myst stood with a blanket in her hands, waiting for her mother to finish the last of the bandaging on his arm before passing the item over, most of the smaller injuries her mother could fix with magic, the others would take a little more times and needed the bandages.
With a soft sign her mum draped the blanket around him and left to make him a warm drink while Myst continued to stare, she knew she shouldn't but it was the only thing stopping her from asking so many questions, "What's your name?" She then spoke up quietly, watching as his head barely lifted as his dark eyes peered up to her before darting back down, "I'm Mysty, that's my mum, Sonny," she continued to speak, hoping she could make him feel at ease enough to say his name.
"Myst," Her mother called for her and she looked her way, "Can you go set up the spare room and dig out some of Henry's old clothes?" Sonny asked and her daughter nodded, giving the stranger one last glance before heading up stairs.
The sheets she'd put away earlier that day she dug back out, heading to the spare room and changing the bed sheets as quickly as she could, piling the dusty ones in the corner and scooping them up after her task was done, she then threw the bundle out the room and walked as quickly as she could to her mum's room, flinging the closet open and digging to the back and heaving out the hefty leather suitcase hidden away.
Her fingers worked quickly at unbuckling the straps before she flung the case open and started rooting about, everything inside was clean, neatly folded and completely forgotten, "They'll do!" She declared once she found a set of pyjamas and quickly grabbed some clean underwear to add to the pile before she hurried back down stairs. "I found pyjamas," She huffed, holding the pile out while her mum nodded and took them.
"Thank you, you can go to bed now, it's late," She dismissed her daughter, despite her look of disappointment.
"I'm not a child," She frowned.
"Now," She warned with a point and with no more arguments she trudged back to the stairs.
With a huff Myst changed out of her clothes, throwing the damp items over where her wash basket roughly lay and pulled her night gown over her head, she walked to the door about to go to the bathroom to brush her teeth when she heard her mother coming up the stairs, still speaking away to the stranger they found. She listened as her mum pointed out where the bathroom was and explained what room he'd be staying in before telling him to get some good rest, she then heard her mutter as she nearly tripped over the pile of sheets she'd forgotten to pick up before her foot steps carried her down the hall and to her room where again more muttering could be heard once she spotted the open suitcase left open and fully rifled through. "Oops," Myst cringed to herself, she hadn't even thought about cleaning up after herself she'd been so frantic with completing her task.
With a sigh she went back to her bed and tried to lay down, but she just wasn't feeling tired, she was unbelievably restless and so sat back up instead, she looked to the door with such curiosity she was sure she was going to explode if she didn't venture out and so she stood quietly and crept over to the door, and opened it slowly.
Peeking down the hall she wondered on venturing to get herself a drink, she was suddenly very thirsty and it had absolutely nothing to do with passing the spare room at all! With a quick look towards her mother's room she then opened the door and tip toed as quietly and slowly as she could down the hall and as she reached the spare room and it's slightly adjacent door she found she was suddenly too scared to look and wanted to speed past instead, but as she took another step her foot hit that one awkward floor board and the long groan it gave echoed away into the night.
Myst waited a moment in silent dread and that's when she heard her mother's door fling open.
"Mysty!" She called out in that odd shouted whisper and instantly she dropped her head back with a groan.
"I'm just getting a drink!" She turned to look back at her mum, opening her arms in a gesture to show she wasn't doing anything else, having a stand off in the hall way with her mum as they stared at each other.
"Hurry up!" Her mother eventually back down, stepping back into her room and closing the door, leaving Myst to sigh in annoyance and turn back to the direction she was heading, but as her gaze panned she peered into the spare room and there she caught the eyes of the stranger watching her, he instantly bowed his head, looking down and continuing with buttoning the shirt of the pyjama set.
"Would you like a drink?" She whispered to him, waiting for his reply and watching as his head tilted up the slightest but his eyes flashed nervously to her and back down a few times before he wordlessly shook his head.
With a defeated sigh she headed back down to the kitchen and grabbed herself some water before deciding on getting him some anyway. When she trod back up the stairs she paused at the door and gave it a tiny knock, alerting him once more to her presence and with out a word she held the glass up and placed it on the dresser that sat against the wall by the door, "Goodnight," She then smiled to him before continuing on to her room and closing her door.