Stranger Spirits

A Piece of Me for a Piece of You [Chapter Five Part Ten]

About midday we stopped to give the horses a rest. Alfred moved them to a secure area in the shade so they could relax while the drank and ate. Atticus got off the carriage first and assisted me. Though I was still wobbly I had significantly more mobility.

"Wait right here." I leaned against the carriage and waited for him. A couple of minutes later he came back holding a branch almost as tall as myself. "Use this as a walking stick." I nodded as he handed it to me. I firmly gripped the base and poked it against the ground. It successful pushed into the ground. "Try walking to me." He took a couple of steps back giving us distance.

"Alright. Let's do this!" I adjusted myself as I speared the ground leveraging most of my weight onto it. "Okay, here goes nothing!" I slowly lifted my left foot up and inched forward. Next was my right foot's turn. With a little more effort I was able to get closer to Atticus.

It took me a couple of minutes but I plodded over to him. "So I guess walking long distances is not in the cards yet?"

"Nope."

"Looks like he can in a couple more days!" Alfred stepped over to us. "I'm glad to see you two made up after what transpired earlier."

"We didn't mean to cause you any worry, sir!" Atticus apologized.

"He prefers to go by his name." I corrected Atticus. "You think I can be walking like normal soon?"

"Indeed." Alfred clasped his hands and stepped towards us. "You can probably be walking actively by the time we reach Sincostan.

"That's amazing!"

"Atticus, I remember you telling me in the past that you can catch fish. There's a river about a ten-minute walk from here. Can you catch us some yummy redfish while I make a small fire? I can make a fire and cook it." Alfred turned towards me. "These fish taste splendid when charred!"

"I'll make sure to get some. I just need to get some supplies first."

"Sounds good." Alfred focused on me again. "While he does that I'll help you go to where I'm going to build a fire." Alfred hooked his arm around my waist and guided me to an open area. "Vaughn."

"Yes, Alfred?"

"What were you saying earlier about processing dreams? At first, I thought it was about just your average teenage hormone induced dreams but from the way you reacted, it sounded a lot more serious."

What am I supposed to say?! I can't just tell Alfred what the dream was REALLY about! "Well," I cleared my throat. "That's a good question!" I tried to buy myself some more time to think of a decent answer. "Do you remember how I told you that I have personal business to attend to in Ilcryst?"

"Yes?"

"Well, I have been receiving messages in the form of dreams by a force that I don't know of telling me to go there."

"Oh," He paused. "Well...that's something?"

"I mean, I know it sounds ludicrous but it's the truth. Atticus is traveling along with me so I can get to Ilcryst safely.

"Does Atticus have these dreams too?"

"Not yet."

"That's peculiar." Alfred picked himself up and walked away. He came back with some fire prep tools and began to make a campfire.

"You weren't always from Crestfall, were you, Alfred."

"Correct, I am actually from Sincostan. That's why I have such a vast network of colleagues from that area."

"Interesting," I mused. "How come you moved from Sincostan? It looks like you have a pretty well-rounded life there."

Alfred slumped down and sat beside me. "My wife and I separated." Leaning back and holding himself up with one hand he casually rested his other hand on his stomach. "We realized after we married that we shared different philosophies on life."

"Maybe you could have talked about it or compromised?"

"No," His tone deepened. "The matter is rather quite personal to me. She either accepted it or she didn't." He sighed and looked at me; his expression, especially his eyes, looked jaded. "I never saw my sweet Amy again after that day. My sweet Amy. I left the city that bore so many memories of her and fled to Crestfall. There, I found that my talent for medicinal herbs was needed."

I placed my hand on his shoulder. "You don't need a lover to give you happiness. Having a purpose, and one as noble as healing the wounded can bring you fulfillment."

"That may be true, but a life of purpose is not a content one if you go about it alone."

I shook his shoulder lightly. "Then go find a new love. There's an entire world of people out there."

"Yeah," He mused giving me a lopsided smile and a twinkle in his eye. "I just might."

"Alright!" I slapped his back. "I'll go get this fire started, you finish prepping camp!"

"O-okay." Alfred said in a slightly shaken tone as he stood up and trotted back to the wagon. By nightfall Atticus, Alfred, and I were all happily munching on the regional fish. We spoke a little and by the end of the night, Atticus and I retreated into our tent while Alfred slept in the wagon.

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Hey everyone! I'm posting a day earlier because I'll be doing a 20 hour service event known as KnightThon for the Children's Miracle Network. All proceeds will go to Arnold Palmer's Hospital in Orlando, Florida!

If you are interested in donating any funds that would be awesome! Just google KnightThon, go onto their site, dontate to a team, choose Alpha Phi Omega (my fraternity) and then pick my name Ryan!

Otherwise, turn up anyway cause this is the last scene for chapter five!

-Ryan