Chapter Two

Out of the Cold at Last

Zechs shivered in the predawn darkness. He looked over and saw the still form of Noin, asleep. A tender smile crossed Zechs's face. It had been a good night because no storms had come. He was glad that Noin finally had a chance to sleep. She had been as worried as him, even though she didn't let it show. Zechs pulled out a map he had borrowed from another traveler some way back and tried to figure out where they were. He traced the path they had been following with his finger and found the place where they had camped the night before by the stream. He estimated that they had come about fourteen miles yesterday. The map was old and so worn that he couldn't tell if the dot on the page farther up the trail was a town or simply a smudge. He folded it again and tossed it into his now empty bag.

His rustling about had awakened Noin. She at up and pushed her hair back from her face. Zechs turned and gave her a sympathetic smile.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," he said softly.

"Well I'm up now, so we might as well get going," she replied disregarding Zechs's attempt to keep the morning air quiet.

She rubbed her arms briskly to warm them and the smoldered the remains of the fire. Zechs wrapped up their sleeping rolls and shouldered his bag. Noin did likewise and soon the two were off again. Zechs felt cheerful and hoped that this feeling was caused by the aspect of reaching a town that night. He told himself over and over that the dot had to be a town. It just had to be! He sped up his pace as if to see if his hunch was right and soon left Noin several yards behind. Seeing her struggling to keep up with his long strides, Zechs slowed his pace. After an hour of this hard pace they both stopped to take a break.

Noin didn't ask about why Zechs had been in such a hurry so he explained. "I think we may be nearing a town. There is something up ahead according to the map. We need to stop in a town soon or we'll have to go hungry." Zechs realized that of course Noin knew this. His chatter was just a reassurance to himself. "While we're there we might even get to sleep on a bed instead of the ground," he continued. "I personally am tired of being out in the open."

Zechs blushed when he realized that he had betrayed his fear of the storms by the wistfulness in his voice. He was grateful for once for his dirt and weather darkened face because Noin hadn't seen him blush, or at least she didn't let on. She also didn't say anything about his wish for being out of the open. She simply stood up as a signal that they should continue walking. Zechs was heartily glad that Noin was that way. She never said anything that would embarrass him.

After several hungry hours of hard trekking Zechs's acute anxiety was wiped away by the sight of the small town slumped in a valley of rolling hills. The valley would have been beautiful had it not been almost destroyed by the acid rain. Zechs let out a whistling sigh. In his relief he almost ran toward the town, but instead chose a more dignified pace. Noin followed him down keeping her usual cool about her but undoubtedly just as excited as reaching civilization as he was.

They entered the town cautiously, but when no one stopped them they continued down the dirt covered main street. In fact there was no one outside at all. The town seemed totally empty of life. After walking for a little longer, growing more and more uneasy, they came to a building that had a sign in front of it that said in faded letters: INN. Zechs approached the door and rapped loudly on it with his knuckles. For a time there was silence but then the door was yanked open from the inside. An elderly woman stood framed in the door. She scowled at Zechs but then looked past him at Noin. The scowl faded from her pinched lips as she looked at the younger woman. Then she beckoned the two travelers inside with a sharp waving motion of her hand.

After they were both inside she turned and had them sit down on a dusty sofa in the small room off to the side of the entryway. She sat as well but didn't say anything. Feeling more uncomfortable inside than he had felt out Zechs cleared his throat and tried to introduce himself, but their host silenced him and pointed to Noin. "Not you, young man. Now, pretty lady, who are you?"

"My name is Noin and this is Zechs," Noin replied in her silvery voice. "We are travelers seeking hospitality."

"Travelers, yes I suppose you must be being what you are," said the older woman, but she said it an unoffending tone.

Zechs was still peeked though. He couldn't figure out how everyone but those who had the gift could tell that they had it. He looked at himself self-consciously to see if it was something visible, like a giant sign painted on his musty tunic. He saw nothing different though and looked up at the old women. He was surprised to see her watching him and smiling.

"It's nothing on you silly," she said quietly. "It's just a feeling we get."

Zechs stared at her in open mouthed shock. He hadn't been that obvious, had he? Then again, Noin had always somehow been able to guess what he was thinking. He must just be a very obvious person he thought.

"I can understand where you are coming from though, and you'll be happy to know that I gladly allow people like yourselves to stay at my inn," continued the silver haired lady. "I understand how hard it is for you, and I know that it isn't your fault. In fact, I find you two very interesting. Especially you, young lady."

Noin stiffened in her chair but her reply was calm, "Why exactly do you find me 'interesting'?"

"Because you are different than the rest. Your gift is different. You realized that didn't you? It was this unique quality that made me interested in you. It was a special kind of gift that I have not seen for a long time. This is true, isn't it?"

Noin stared at her levelly, her violet eyes not betraying her confused thoughts. Behind those cool eyes were thoughts that followed along the path that Zechs's had taken. How did she know?

"You are wondering why or how I know this? It is because my great grandmother was one of the few in her time that possessed a gift such as yours. Now in your time, it is very rare to have the gift because most of those who have it are being shunned and killed. This makes me sad. I sympathize with you people, but I tell you that what you have is very important. So never let it go."

She lapsed into silence and closed her eyes as if to see a time that happened long ago. Both Noin and Zechs were surprised by what they had both heard, but they sat silently not questioning their host any further. Eventually she lifted her old tired head and beckoned them forward. They were led to a small room off to the side of the larger room. At first glance the room was very bare except for an old bed in the center of the room. As Zechs and Noin looked closer though they could distinguish shapes in the faded wallpaper. These shapes portrayed a beautiful scene of what Noin and Zechs knew to be many others of their kind dancing around the flames of an open fire. How they knew that the people were like them, they didn't know but suddenly the room seemed friendlier and they knew that they could rest easier than they had in a while. The door closed behind them and they gratefully climbed into the rickety bed and fell instantly asleep.

Loud shouting from the street awoke them early in the morning. Zechs sleepily pulled himself from the surprisingly comfortable bed and poked his head out the window. The window was on the side of the house and looked out over the edge of the town and the small main street. He noticed as several men, obviously drunk staggered past heading for the downtown. They were shouting recklessly and swearing at the top of their lungs. Presently, one stooped over and took up a rock from the road. He threw it hard at the building across the street, breaking a window. His companions chuckled and staggered around looking for rocks so that they could join in on the fun. Disgusted, Zechs slammed the window and turned towards the bed to wake Noin. She was already awake though and standing by his side. She made no movements or sounds but she was just as disgusted. Noin's attitude, though seemingly disapproving, was tinged with amusement, or was it curiosity? Zechs could never tell with her.

A soft knock came at their door then. Zechs opened and saw the old woman standing there holding a tray of food for them.

"Here, I thought you two might be hungry," she then saw Noin staring out the shut window. "I'm sorry about that. I had hoped they wouldn't wake you."

"You know them?" asked Zechs, his gaze turning also turning to the retreating figures.

"Not personally. They come every once in a while to mess up the town. There isn't much they can do though because the town is so worn down and battered that no one really cares." she replied.

"Aren't people afraid that they might hurt someone though?" questioned Zechs.

"No, but then I suppose that's because I'm the only one who lives here anymore. Those people out there come in from the farms around the town to loot abandoned homes and destroy things for fun. It's a sad world we live in now..." she muttered and shook her head sadly. She exited the room and shut the door behind her.

Zechs's eyes were big as he turned to Noin, "That woman scares me. What kind of person lives by themselves in a deserted town?" He asked in a whisper.

"I think she's sweet. It's nice of her to let us stay here. She's probably just lonely," came Noin's quiet reply.

Zechs just shrugged and sat down on the bed with their food.

The rest of the day was spent simply relaxing in the hospitality of their host. She regaled them with times long since past and made them feel completely at home. Even Zechs overcame his feeling of unease. They then answered the questions asked them about their travels. Zechs did much of the talking leaving Noin to her usual quietness.

Time passed quickly in the small house that day and before they knew it night had settled in around them. Zechs and Noin retired to their small room with deep contentment. For the first time in a while they felt safe and happy.

Zechs was awakened later by Noin's persistent nudges. Noticing the distress in her attitude he came fully awake and pulled on his traveling clothes. He was then drawn to the window with a bright flash outside. He lifted the window and looked out. He slammed it again quickly and turned ashen faced towards Noin.

"Storm?" she asked more a statement than a question.

Zechs nodded slowly. They were both hurled to the floor when a huge blast of lighting struck very close by. They gathered their things and stood as close to the window as they dared so that they could see what was happening. They didn't have long to wait before they figured out that the old wood building next to them had caught fire. The blaze spread and soon reached the inn. Grabbing their things they bolted out the door.

Almost immediately the inn filled with smoke. They crept low to the floor and shielded their mouths with their shirts to block out the suffocating smoke. They had almost reached the door when Noin grabbed frantically at the back of Zechs's shirt. He realized what she was doing and turned to see the old woman looking sorrowfully out the window, apparently unaware of the fire inside the house. She turned slowly and looked at the two crouched by the door. She smiled slowly and then turned from the window and headed toward the back of the house and the flames. Noin scrambled up and tried to follow, but Zechs jerked her roughly back to the floor and pulled her through the front door.