Carnival Souls

Bebinn's Fury

Owen scanned the booths once more.

Them.

His gaze alighted on a pair of what he assumed were women. Except they were over six feet tall, white as milk, and naked except for where vines crisscrossed over their bodies, barely saving their modesty. Ropes of ivy also grew from their heads, twisted and braided into dark curtains that nearly reached their ankles.They were laughing together, heads bent close in their shared joke, and though their eyes shone with an unsettling amber light, Owen figured they were his best bet.

He walked over to them, trying to appear confident and at ease. A feat he had never been able to pull off when it came to Emma. The one on the left, who was angled more in his direction, spotted him approaching. She tapped her companion who turned to appraise him.

"Hello," said Owen when he was within earshot. His palms had begun to sweat again.

"Hello there, sweet soul," said the one of the right. She gave him a smile that revealed sharp white teeth. Her voice was high and lilting, sweet in the way of birdsong.

"What's a young thing like you doing in a place like this?" asked the other.

"I don't know," replied Owen. "I'm not really sure how I got here. "

The two women looked at each other, mouths turned down, and returned their sympathetic glances to him.

"It's all right, sweet. It sometimes takes younger souls a while longer to accept their passing."

Owen's brow furrowed in confusion. Passing?

"Yes, it can be hard. They often don't see if coming. Such a shame," said the other.

They think I'm dead, Owen realized.

"No," he said aloud. "I don't think you understand..."

"We're not supposed to interfere with a soul's passing-"

"But perhaps we could make an exception this once..."

The one of the left reached out to take Owen's arm, the tendrils of vines sliding over his skin. Suddenly, the spirit gasped. Her amber eyes sparkled with curiosity.

"He's still alive, Fauna."

"Are you sure, Flora?"

"See for yourself."

The one called Fauna reached out and trailed her fingertips across Owen's cheek. Her skin was soft as rainwater.

"A human..." she said wonderingly. A dazed sort of look overcame her as though the information was hard to take in. Her vines made a rustling sound as their movement over her body quickened, tiny flowers shedding in a shower of petals to cover her bare feet. "A human..." she repeated.

"In its corporeal body-"

"In the Spirit World-"

"Zabaria was right."

Owen found it hard to follow the conversation as the two switched on and off. Not to mention, he had no idea what they were talking about. He shifted his weight nervously, looking over his shoulder to scan the crowd. It seemed they were being largely ignored by the other spirits.

"Listen," Owen interrupted, dropping his voice. "I need your help. I was kidnapped by Bebinn. Tricked. And I need to find a way home."

The two forest spirits didn't seem to hear him though as they turned toward each other with identical worried expressions.

"Should we take him to Zabaria?"

"And risk Bebinn's revenge?"

"What if we bring her here?"