Caleb's starting to come into play again, and with Alex, well you'll see
what's up with him.
------------------------------------------
Caleb sat in the tree, watching Alex pace far below. A war was going on in Alex's mind. Someone was talking to him, telling him things. It was happening now; Alex was down on the ground, muttering to himself. Talking to whatever it was. Caleb's collected face didn't alter, but deep inside he was brooding.
All of this time! All of this time my mother was telling the truth! All the years of mockery! Of all the years of our shame! It's all bloody real! Elves exist! For all those years they called her crazy! They exist! He grit his teeth and then sighed. It would do no good to grumble over the past at the moment. Caleb ran a hand down the tree affectionately, feeling its spirit ripple under his touch. Middle-earth is real. Then that means that-
"Caleb!" Alex cried out from below. He balanced himself easily on a branch and glanced down.
"What is it?"
"Where are we going again?"
"No where! I don't know where we are to go." He answered, climbing down a bit lower.
"I find that hard to believe. After all, you knew how to avoid those- things."
"Elves?" He corrected quietly, not liking the level of dislike in Alex's tone as he mentioned them.
"Yeah them. How did you know?" Alex asked curiously. They locked eyes. Caleb was a bit taken aback from what he saw there. Madness, madness was brewing in Alex's eyes. But who put it there? Caleb leaned back against the tree. Suddenly he didn't trust his younger cousin.
"Just lucky I guess." He narrowed his eyes slightly as Alex spun on his heal away from him, returning to the same pacing path as before. Soon after the mutterings began again. Who was talking to Alex?
"Caleb, you should get some sleep, you stood guard last night." Caleb glanced at him wearily.
"It is fine, I can stay up another shift."
"No, no. I'll feel bad if I don't do my part." Alex insisted, climbing clumsily up into the tree. Alex had become scrawny, Caleb noticed in some back part of his mind. The past few weeks they had been living on berries and honey. With and occasional bird or fish when they were lucky. While Caleb wanted nothing more then to observe the curious boy. But his body screamed out for rest. So, reluctantly, he laid himself onto a branch. And closed his eyes. That was his first mistake.
---------------Dream-----------
Endless yellow light surronded him. In front of him, towering impossibly far above him, was a black marble obelisk. From its black depths a voice called to him, a pale hand punched through the dark, fragments of it shattering everywhere. Dark light shown through the small hole. From deep inside it someone was screaming. The words were muddled through the thick walls. Caleb strained his ears to hear it.
"Give me your hand!" Caleb shook his head; he refused to touch something he didn't know about. The hand withdrew and there was a horrendous pounding against the wall. The structure seemed to vibrate with it. Then slowly, cracks of light appeared. Hands tore at the black marble of the walls, breaking them like they were glass. The hands created a large hole directly across from Caleb's face. A beautiful face could be seen, strained and pale with pain. The man's muscles strained against the dark tendrils that tried to pull him back. Caleb found himself staring into a pair of violet black eyes, only a shade darker then his own.
"GET ME OUT!" The voice was crystal clear now. The man-no elf. It had to be. He fell silent, struggling with the tendrils for a few moments. "GET TO MY SISTER!" The elf was getting pulled back now, his strength had finally failed him. "TELL HER THAT HER BROTHER LIVES!" He let out a final cry as he disappeared into the obelisk. "MY SON!"
-------------------------------
Caleb awoke with a jerk, nearly falling off the tree. His breath was quick and sweat had glued his black hair to his forehead.
What was that?
"Alex?" Caleb called out, climbing down quickly. He couldn't sense the boy anywhere. When he got to the bottom of the trunk he knew why. Both of the packs where gone. Caleb's eyes narrowed as he cursed himself in every language he knew. And then he made a second mistake of the night. He let his anger take him.
He should have known better! Caleb let out a growl and a loud 'Fuck'. He kicked the tree, ignoring its cry of protest. Now he was screwed! No packs, no gear! Oh that stupid little kid was going to get himself killed! God DAMN'T IT!
And then he felt the arrow against his neck.
He had been caught by the elves.
----------------------------
Soooooooooooooo, whatcha all think of the turn of events?
------------------------------------------
Caleb sat in the tree, watching Alex pace far below. A war was going on in Alex's mind. Someone was talking to him, telling him things. It was happening now; Alex was down on the ground, muttering to himself. Talking to whatever it was. Caleb's collected face didn't alter, but deep inside he was brooding.
All of this time! All of this time my mother was telling the truth! All the years of mockery! Of all the years of our shame! It's all bloody real! Elves exist! For all those years they called her crazy! They exist! He grit his teeth and then sighed. It would do no good to grumble over the past at the moment. Caleb ran a hand down the tree affectionately, feeling its spirit ripple under his touch. Middle-earth is real. Then that means that-
"Caleb!" Alex cried out from below. He balanced himself easily on a branch and glanced down.
"What is it?"
"Where are we going again?"
"No where! I don't know where we are to go." He answered, climbing down a bit lower.
"I find that hard to believe. After all, you knew how to avoid those- things."
"Elves?" He corrected quietly, not liking the level of dislike in Alex's tone as he mentioned them.
"Yeah them. How did you know?" Alex asked curiously. They locked eyes. Caleb was a bit taken aback from what he saw there. Madness, madness was brewing in Alex's eyes. But who put it there? Caleb leaned back against the tree. Suddenly he didn't trust his younger cousin.
"Just lucky I guess." He narrowed his eyes slightly as Alex spun on his heal away from him, returning to the same pacing path as before. Soon after the mutterings began again. Who was talking to Alex?
"Caleb, you should get some sleep, you stood guard last night." Caleb glanced at him wearily.
"It is fine, I can stay up another shift."
"No, no. I'll feel bad if I don't do my part." Alex insisted, climbing clumsily up into the tree. Alex had become scrawny, Caleb noticed in some back part of his mind. The past few weeks they had been living on berries and honey. With and occasional bird or fish when they were lucky. While Caleb wanted nothing more then to observe the curious boy. But his body screamed out for rest. So, reluctantly, he laid himself onto a branch. And closed his eyes. That was his first mistake.
---------------Dream-----------
Endless yellow light surronded him. In front of him, towering impossibly far above him, was a black marble obelisk. From its black depths a voice called to him, a pale hand punched through the dark, fragments of it shattering everywhere. Dark light shown through the small hole. From deep inside it someone was screaming. The words were muddled through the thick walls. Caleb strained his ears to hear it.
"Give me your hand!" Caleb shook his head; he refused to touch something he didn't know about. The hand withdrew and there was a horrendous pounding against the wall. The structure seemed to vibrate with it. Then slowly, cracks of light appeared. Hands tore at the black marble of the walls, breaking them like they were glass. The hands created a large hole directly across from Caleb's face. A beautiful face could be seen, strained and pale with pain. The man's muscles strained against the dark tendrils that tried to pull him back. Caleb found himself staring into a pair of violet black eyes, only a shade darker then his own.
"GET ME OUT!" The voice was crystal clear now. The man-no elf. It had to be. He fell silent, struggling with the tendrils for a few moments. "GET TO MY SISTER!" The elf was getting pulled back now, his strength had finally failed him. "TELL HER THAT HER BROTHER LIVES!" He let out a final cry as he disappeared into the obelisk. "MY SON!"
-------------------------------
Caleb awoke with a jerk, nearly falling off the tree. His breath was quick and sweat had glued his black hair to his forehead.
What was that?
"Alex?" Caleb called out, climbing down quickly. He couldn't sense the boy anywhere. When he got to the bottom of the trunk he knew why. Both of the packs where gone. Caleb's eyes narrowed as he cursed himself in every language he knew. And then he made a second mistake of the night. He let his anger take him.
He should have known better! Caleb let out a growl and a loud 'Fuck'. He kicked the tree, ignoring its cry of protest. Now he was screwed! No packs, no gear! Oh that stupid little kid was going to get himself killed! God DAMN'T IT!
And then he felt the arrow against his neck.
He had been caught by the elves.
----------------------------
Soooooooooooooo, whatcha all think of the turn of events?