Stranger Spirits

The Talisman [Chapter Five Part One]

We continued to travel south for about a week. We made steady progress as the terrain continued to change in unusual patterns as we walked along. At this point, we were well past Aucilla. My pace slowed down as I thought of all the people I've left so far.

My family was the first thing I thought of. My heart throbs from how much I love and miss them. I would give anything to see them again. To just have the ability to go back to our shop and do those tedious and arduous chores. To have mother's cooking again and just be in her gentle embrace again.

To ask them again about their journey and tell them how I met Bruno and Rosita. I would tell her and father how they're well and thriving. How they owned their own farm and...how much they were still in love. It can really warm your heart up. I scratched my neck idly.

I would also brag about how I befriended the chosen one, and with his help, I confronted Franco and his son and schooled them. I chuckled to myself with teary eyes. I'll probably leave out the detail about how Atticus stole their jerky before we left. I don't want mother to think that I've become some kind of delinquent.

I sighed. I just want them to know that I've learned so much just from the beginning of this journey and that this wild journey will not be in vain. I WILL find whoever is responsible for these visions and I will hold them accountable for their actions. I have a place. Ilcryst. Once I can get there then I know I will figure the rest out.

Clasping my hands together I wondered what they're up to. I'll make sure to pray for their health and happiness tonight. They deserve better than this.

"Vaughn?"

"Yes, Atticus?" We both stopped walking to face each other.

"Can I make a suggestion?"

"Of course, just know that my ego bruises easily!" I chuckled softly and abruptly stopped to just smile. "Go ahead Atticus, I respect your opinion."

Not replying he took off his pack, got on his knee, and shuffled through his possessions to pull out the wooden talisman that he had shown me a while back. "I think you should carry the talisman so it can protect you." He explained. "I know we've been in these lands for a while but I was cleansed before I left Spendule...and you weren't. It makes me feel better if you held onto it."

"Oh." Cheeks heating up I tried to divert his attention. "Well if you're having trouble carrying everything in that bag of yours you should just say so." I took the heavy trinket from him. "Thank you, Atticus."

"We have to protect each other you know."

"Yes," I kept my head down, allowing my face to be covered, as I put the item in my pack. I must have been making an embarrassing expression. "Well!" I shot up and turned away from him. "Let's move onward!" I began moving ahead to hear his heavy footsteps following behind. I haven't had another dream about Atticus since the entire inn incident. It was probably just a fluke. I mean, we were in the same bed and I was worried about him before I went to sleep. That must be why! There's nothing more to it!

Some time must have passed by because the sun was already descending from its highest point. Not being aware of my surroundings I bumped into Atticus's back. "Hey-" Atticus shushed me. "Vaughn," He whispered. "Something is near us." We suddenly hear a ruffle in the bushes a couple of paces before us. "Stay here."

He inched towards the bush and it laid still. The moments Atticus took as he cautiously moved towards the noise. He peered into the bush and didn't say anything.

"Atticus, what is it?"

He picked himself off and dusted his knees. "It was just a rock, how peculiar." He turned to me and his eyes widened. "VAUGHN! WATCH OUT!" I turned around and before I could react I felt the hard smack of a wooden paddle against my left ear knocking me to the ground. My vision faded away as I felt deafening ripples of sounds of scuffling and shouting.

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Chapter five definitely started off with a bang! Hope y'all are liking everything so far! Give the update a star, comment if you'd like, and definitely subscribe so you can know when the next update comes up!

-Ryan