The Old Man’s Cabin

Malik’s body hurt so bad when he first opened his eyes, he had to strain not to puke. Each passing moment only made the pain settle in. His body tingled as if a thousand tiny knives had penetrated his skin. He tried to move his arm and wipe the gathered sweat from his brow, but something held it into place. 

“I wouldn’t bother trying to move too much.” 

Malik dared to crack his eyes open further. The sunlight pouring in through the window blurred his vision, but he could see the old man from before scooping water into a cup. Malik kept his eyes squinted, watching the man move from the basin. 

“Try to drink this,” the old man said. 

Malik looked at the cup for a few moments. It would be a strain for him to grab the cup from the man’s hand. He heard the old man chuckle. 

“Come over and help me sit him up,” the old man called to someone just out of sight. 

Malik heard footsteps over wooden planks. He then saw Khris standing over him on the opposite side of the old man. 

“On the count of three,” the old man said and tucked his hands under Malik’s back. Khris did the same on the other side and they hoisted him to a sitting position. Malik’s body revolted, and he almost had no control over the vomiting that promised to rear its head. The old man put the water to his lips before he spewed. “Drink.” 

Malik’s tongue tested the water. The effort of even opening his mouth made him breathe heavy. The water cooled his tongue, and he pressed his lips around the edge of the cup and took a small sip. Water washed away the taste of sleep and dryness. Malik took a bigger drink and then turned his head away. 

“Where is Mollie?” 

When Malik opened his eyes, it had been the first thought. He had to know if Mollie survived the cave. 

“She is just outside with Egg,” Khris replied. 

Khris had a few scrapes and bruises along his face and neck. Malik figured it was from where the fallen debris from the ceiling had hit him, or maybe one of the many falls he had taken inside the winding paths. 

“Embre?” Malik asked. 

Khris pointed to the corner. “She is sleeping, but she is unharmed.” 

Malik felt relief knowing everyone had made it. Now he could figure out exactly how he had made it back to the land of the living and into the old man’s cabin. How far had they traveled with him being unconscious? How had they moved him?

“You need to continue resting,” the old man told him. 

Malik had a hard time keeping his eyes open. He was sore. He had no right to even be alive. He looked down toward his shoulder. Someone patched him up with clean bandages. It still hurt, but it was no longer leaking blood. 

“Can I see Mollie?” 

He hoped Khris would go get her for him. Then he could ask her everything, but mostly he could put aside his worries. 

“After you rest,” the old man said again. 

This time the old man pressed him down into the pillow. Malik’s mind fought the effort, but his body could not resist. Malik’s head hit the pillow and no sooner he slept again. 

When he awoke the second time, he was more orientated. He knew exactly where he was. He could hear the others moving and talking somewhere to his side. The sun had gone down and only the dreary sky looked back at him through the open window. Malik tried to will his body to move, but it still screamed in agony at the thought. 

“Water,” he said. 

The noise that was moments ago filled the room ceased. He heard the scraping of a chair on wood and then he heard the footsteps coming nearer to him. It took them a moment to reach him, but when they did, he felt instant relief flood through him. 

Mollie had her hair pulled back in a red tie. Her face was clean, no longer coated in blood, her shirt changed and she smelled of a fresh spring day. Malik could not hold back the smile. If he had been capable, he would have reached to embrace her. Mollie’s hand brought a cup of water to his lips. Her other hand hoisted his head, and Malik downed the cup. 

“How did we get here?” Malik asked, swallowing the last of the water. 

Mollie placed the cup back on the table and sat next to him on the bed. 

“We left the cave, and we were just here.” 

“What do you mean we were just here?” 

Mollie shrugged. “I don’t know. I barely remember a thing. Egg and I climbed to the cliff and carried you down. I am not sure how I managed or how you did not fall to your death. We took turns dragging you. When we got to the entrance, we stepped outside, and the cabin was just there.” 

“What about the relic?” 

He did not really care about the relic. All he wanted to do was finish with the stupid request. He wanted to heal and get out of this cabin. They could go back to Opallum and become traveling bards. Mollie was good, and they could make a decent living. Khris and Embre could go where they needed to go, and the old man could keep the stupid box. 

“It is here,” Mollie said, looking back into the center of the cabin. “It did something to me in the caves.” 

Malik groaned as he shifted his weight to his side. “What do you mean it did something to you?” 

Mollie turned back toward him. “I don’t know, forget I said anything.” 

Malik doubted he could forget she had said something. He could not comment on it, however. His eyes betrayed him, and he fell back into a sleep. 

When Malik woke again everything was quiet. His head swam with pain, and he thought maybe he still dreamed. He could see the old man standing over his dining table. The others he could not see. The old man leaned over the table, and something before him glowed. Malik had seen the glow before from Mollie’s sword and one other place. Malik racked his brain to remember where else he had seen that glow and after a few foggy moments, he remembered the relic had grown bright in Egg’s hands. Malik could not see the relic, but he knew it must have been on the table. The old man did something with it, but Malik could not tell what. Malik let out an involuntary moan. The old man jumped and turned. The glowing stopped. The old man looked around the cabin and then to Malik. He did not have the kind smile Malik always saw plastered across his face. The old man’s eyes were black, darker than any man’s eyes should be. Across his face were two white lines.

Malik shook. It was the first time he had moved in several days. His body still ached, but he could move again. He did so with care and pushed himself to a seated position. Mollie and Khris sat at the table. Egg hung off Mollie’s leg, scanning the room with his over large eyes. Embre sat in the corner reading a book. The old man stood over the stove cooking something in a pan. Malik swung his feet to the floor. Had he really seen the old man’s eyes grow so dark? Were his cheeks tattooed with the white stripes? He coughed, trying to get the old man’s attention. 

The old man turned and with the smile Malik knew, announced breakfast would be ready soon. 

Malik still needed help to get from his bed to the table, but his body didn’t betray him. He ate two helpings of eggs, sausage, and bacon and drank down two steaming cups of coffee. With his belly full, he felt tired again but denied himself the sweet relief of sleep. 

“We are done then?” he asked, pushing his plate away. 

Everyone looked at him. 

“Done with what?” Mollie asked. 

“With the relic, with the Tempre, with everything.” 

“Well we brought the relic back to where we decided it should be,” Mollie answered. 

“So, we are done?” 

Mollie nodded. “With the relic, yes.” 

Malik felt she left the other questions hanging. She did not commit to being done with the Tempre. 

“And everything else?” 

Malik wanted to move on. He wanted Mollie to move on with him. His body would be ready to go soon. He needed to know Mollie would leave with him. 

“Let’s talk about it when you can get around again,” Mollie suggested. 

Malik shook his head now. “I just want to be done!” 

Mollie turned her eyes away. Malik knew she had not given up on stopping the Tempre. They had left Sweet Tongue for dead, maimed Minus, and heard Zimbre die, but that was not enough for her. Was it enough for him?

Malik thought about what Sweet Tongue had said about Abrie. Had he really been there the night Malik’s parents died? Shouldn’t Malik find Abrie and let him speak for himself? Sweet Tongue was a known liar, and there was no reason to believe him. He was just trying to destroy Malik’s will. He had done a superb job of it. 

“I just want to be a bard again,” Malik said. 

Mollie looked up only for a moment. “You can be,” was all she said. 

In that moment, Malik knew she gave him permission to leave. She had told him it was okay to abandon her and the others. Whatever he did after was his own choice, and she was okay with what he decided. 

“When do we leave for Gray Waters?” Malik asked. 

Malik thought he saw the slight hint of a smile creep across Mollie’s face, but in an instant, it vanished. 

“I think you should wait till you can walk to the table at least,” the old man said. 

The rest of them joined in on the laughter. Malik leaned back. The old man was probably right. However, as soon as he was ready, he would get out of this cabin. Maybe he still had the chance to convince Mollie to run off with him. Maybe they would have no choice but to go to the city. Either way, Malik would be there beside Mollie. He had decided that much.