Stranger Spirits

The Consequences of Our Actions [Chapter One Part Eight]

I continued to passively move through a bunch of different thoughts as Jacob and I walked home. The final thought I had before reaching home was actually about Atticus and how he was chosen. Why would the Gods choose someone who was only clawing bark off a tree? Jacob and I casually passed through the front of the shop heading to the back towards our common living area when I halted at the doorway. Sitting at the dining room table was Shikoba sipping some tea.

"Vaughn, sweetie!" Mother came over to me and pulled me in. "Elder Shikoba just came over telling me that he wanted to speak to you. He was saying something about how you both were discussing something yesterday and he came over to follow up with you."

I shot him an alarmed look. "No worries Vaughn, I told her that our conversation was private." He gave me such a fake smile. "By any chance, would you spare a moment and take a walk with me. I believe that we need to continue our conversation."

"Ugh," I looked at my mom and she gave me a gaze telling me that if I didn't say yes that she would punish me severely and Jacob just gave me a confused look. "Yes, of course!"

"Jacob, your father needs help with the store while he completes some work orders with the craftsmen. You know how busy it will get. Vaughn, after your conversation with Elder Shikoba, please head to the front and assist us okay?"

"Of course," I led Shikoba outside, "I should be back soon."

Once we were a distance off Shikoba's voice shattered the silence. "Did you even bother last night?"

"Yes, I did." I couldn't look him in the eye. Did I really try? Cause from what I recall all I did was run away from Atticus. Maybe some people were made to be the pursuers, the leaders in life, and others were just meant to be led. There's nothing wrong with the latter.

"Well, you clearly did not try hard enough. You always seem to not be bringing enough to the table for all the trouble that you cause."

A chill erupted through my body causing me to shiver. "How long has this been happening?"

"The entity has been attached to you ever since your parents brought you here. For all we know, you could have been born with it." My stomach began to knot and my breath began to quicken. I covered my mouth because I didn't want to ask this next question, fearful of the answer, but I knew that I had to ask now or forever hold my piece.

"Am I the reason that the Outreach Project was suspended?"

"Yes, it is." Before I could try to hold my feelings in tears rolled down my cheeks and my feet gave out making me fall to my knees.

My fingers stung from the cold as they were the only things holding me up from the snow. "You're lying!" My voice cracked.

"You know I'm not," He took a step closer to me. "Because you brought that blasphemous entity with you, we had to stop the project for the safety of our people. We have to perform extra protection enchantments on the village to prevent it from communicating with you and it has pursued you for almost twenty years."

He knelt to the ground so that we were eye level. "So tonight, the council of shamans will not protect you anymore. You had an opportunity to redeem yourself and you failed. When that THING comes into contact with you, and I assure you it will, anything that happens will be your fault. If it possesses you and makes you kill your family." He slid his thumb across his neck. "The blame will not be on us."

I tried to say something but my body failed me. I wanted to tell him that I could prove him wrong. I wanted to tell him that I could conquer whatever it was tonight if need be but the true weight of my reality kept me from speaking. If I ran away from Atticus as a wolf, someone who I don't think would intentionally hurt me, how could I stand up against an ominous presence that has been lurking around me for my entire life?

Shikoba stood up and turned away from me. "If you have any shred of humanity then you know what you must do." With that, he left me behind sobbing alone and feeling vulnerable.

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My boyfriend is over for the weekend so this week's "author's corner" will be short! Hope y'all are doing well and have liked the story so far! Next week will be the final part of chapter one!

-Ryan