I'm back! Since I will be going to six flags tomorrow, I won't be able to update tomorrow. So, I decided to be nice and update today. :)
Thank you so much to my reviewers! You guys are awesome! Debbie Hicks and Guest, I'm sorry I couldn't give you guys previews; you didn't sign in. :(
TheRyter- Yeah, I was looking for that kind of story and when I didn't find one like that I wrote one! :)
Sara Kai-Thank you! And I'm updating today! :)
Debbie Hicks- Interesting theories :)
Guest-Updating now! :)
Chapter 4- Alec
o~O~o
The food rations had been too small this evening. Alec held his stomach as it growled like a bear. Why did this have to happen almost every night? Why couldn't he have a real meal for once in his life? His thoughts went to the salmon in the river a few miles away. The hunger pains stopped the visions sharply though. The few spoonful's of water and carrots hadn't been enough.
When was it ever enough?
It was too dark to work, but his hunger wouldn't allow him to sleep. Alec leaned against the fragile wall of the cruck house.
'The winter and its cold winds will surely be the death of us if we don't die of starvation first.' Alec's thoughts had been mostly negative that evening.
If only Jane was here. She would have brightened everyone up.
But he only would have been hungrier than what he already was. He and Jane might not have even eaten one bite if she was still here.
Maybe it was a good thing she went away with a husband. Maybe she was even eating full meals again. Alec had always hated how small Jane had been. When they were younger, he recalled seeing every one of her bones sticking out through her too small, too dirty tunic.
Glancing down at his own protruding ribs, Alec silently scoffed. Couldn't he die of a heat stroke already? House fire? Go to sleep and never awake?
Maybe he would get lucky and get on the village's bad side.
"Call me a witch for all I care," he muttered under his breath.
The light snores of his parents stayed sound throughout his fuming's.
He stared at them, wondering what they would think of his rants.
Alec could imagine his father telling him all about the joys of life. Shaking his head, he closed his eyes and thought. What joy? We are practically slaves. I am slowly starving myself to death and working dawn to past dust.
The animals only ten feet away from him, started to stir. His eyes snapped open when they started making noise. One of the chickens flapped its wings and flew as high as it could before landing back on the dirt floor.
The one cow they owned tossed its head from side to side.
"What on earth?" he muttered.
Suddenly the cow shrieked and tried to back away into the edge of the wall as if it could hide it.
His parents bolted straight up out of the straw as soon as Alec did. But he got to the animals first trying to stop their thrashing.
The chickens were all out of control as they flapped harder trying to fly away. One of the chicken's wings knocked a lantern off the shelf.
The family watched in horror as the lit lantern broke into the straw. The straw lit up almost immediately.
"Thomas!" Dimia shrieked in fear.
Alec tried reaching for the cow, knowing he had to get the animals out of here, but the animal brought its head up out of reach.
He watched as his mother tried to grab the chickens, but they too were flying out of reach. When the cow's head came back down, Alec tried to wrap his arms around its neck.
He almost sighed in relief when he succeeded, but his victory was short as the cow thrashed its head back up, bringing Alec with it.
Yelling in surprise, Alec was hurled at the wall very close to the flames.
Pain spread throughout his head. And a dizzy feeling unbalanced him. Swaying slightly, Alec took a step forward hoping the feeling would leave.
When he steadied himself, his eyes darted around. The five chickens they owned weren't desperately flapping their wings anymore. They weren't even moving. The flames licked up to the walls.
Dimia, wide eyed, shot her eyes to the fire and then to the cow who seemed even more determined to leave the house.
Thomas had fallen to the ground much like Alec had against the wall.
Dread filled Alec as they opened the door and ran out. The cow backed away from it into a unscathed wall.
He jumped to grab it before it would burn.
Warm small hands wrapped around Alec as he took one step forward.
"Alec," his mother's eyes were pleading and distraught. "Let it go. The fire has already taken up too much."
"That cow is all we have left besides the crops, Mother. We can't lose her too."
His thoughts turned frantic. He couldn't starve any more than he already had. The cow gave them money. Not much, but enough to buy some food from the market.
With the dead chickens and burning house, they already lost too much.
He jerked his arm away and ran into the house after the crazed animal without looking back.
Walking up to it was easy. Getting it to move was a different story.
Alec threw his arms over its neck and pulled, but the animal wouldn't move forward.
"What is wrong with you?" he yelled.
Alec saw the flames above him, making him more desperate to get out of the house.
"Come on!" He shouted.
Heat was surrounding him. He shook with anxiety.
With all his strength, he yanked back. When the cow took a step forward, Alec felt relief until it started kicking its legs wildly.
One of the hooves struck Alec in the ribs making him scream in pain. He swore he heard something crack.
Alec crumpled to the ground in a heap. He looked up in time to see a hoof meet his head.
His form was broken as the fire swept around him, caressing him.
So, Alec is dying by fire, but in a different way. I threw in the witch line for fun! :)