Lana - Entry 22

I’m not sure what’s happening but I don’t like any of it. Sal and Henrick were fighting about something when they thought I wasn’t around. I had gone to check the snares and when I came back I could hear the two of them. They were definitely fighting even though they were talking in whispers. Their hushed fight went something like this:

First, Sal told Henrick, “Its not your decision to make. You shouldn’t even be here.” For a moment after hearing that I was thrilled, I thought Sal was going to kick him out.

But then Henrick said, “And what let you cut me out of the deal? That’s not going to happen.”

“Cut you out of the deal? What have you done anyway? Except show up here and make her nervous.”

“I gave you a second opinion on the girl, just like you asked. I’ve done my part and now I’m here to make sure you do yours.” I could see Sal’s face redden with rage at Henrick’s words but then he looked up and saw me standing there, rabbit in hand.

His mood changed instantly as he congratulated me on the rabbit, walked over and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. And their fight was over just like that. I trust Sal completely but I’m scared of Henrick. Whatever sort of deal the two of them have I hope its over soon so he can leave. For now, I’m going to stick really close to Sal.

Thank You For Reading

Sorry for interrupting Lana’s story! I just wanted to thank you all for reading. Being able to share my writing with you as the story develops means so much to me. Please feel free to leave comments. I’d love to know what you think. What do you like? What do you not like?

Thanks again for reading!

- Kathy

Lana - Entry 21

That horrible magician from the festival has somehow found us and won’t go away. He’s just awful and gives me the creeps every time I get anywhere near him. Sal doesn’t seem to mind, in fact, they know each other! Sal says they don’t know each other that well but they do seem to get along as if they’re old friends. I wish he would just leave and it could be Sal and me again. He looks at me the same way he did the flower right before he killed it. He’s so creepy!!!

Sal and I had stopped for dinner at a little pub. He said he was tried of eating rabbit (which was all we ate on the road because it was all we could catch) and that he wanted a real meal. I have to admit it sounded nice, although now I regret that decision.

It had been such a lovely night. The place was packed so Sal and I squeezed into two open spots at the bar. It was so cramped that our arms and legs touched. But it was nice, we laughed as we tried to eat being so close together. When we had finished he turned to me and asked if I had given any thought to what I would do when I wasn’t cursed anymore. I told him I had. That the only thing I had really dreamed about was being able to sleep in. He said that if I wanted, he’d like to show me the world but not at this whirled wind pace. He said that we could go to the coast and enjoy lazy days on the beach. I told him that I would love that, it sounded like a dream. He reached up and touched my cheek. He ran his thumb over my chin and I swear he was going to kiss me again…. And then that horrid man showed up.

There he was standing behind us, all happy and surprised to see Sal. He found a stool and pulled it up right there between us. Can you believe that?! He introduced himself to me as Henrick and shook my hand. I’m telling you I NEVER want him to touch me again. That simple handshake made my skin crawl. Something about him was just not right. His lips were too thin, his fingers too long, his voice too quiet, his stare too intense. Sal and Henrick started talking and I really couldn’t hear what either was saying, so like that I was out of the conversation.

I was relieved when Sal finally got up to leave but then Henrick said he would join us for a bit. He didn’t ask and Sal didn’t argue so what was I suppose to say. And just like that Henrick has invaded my life.

Lana - Entry 20

Well, we’re still searching for Sal’s miracle man, the man he thinks can help lift my curse. We’ve passed through a few small villages but Sal says he’s not there. Apparently being a miracle man is something Sal will be able to pickup on when he is “searching” the people. I’m not quite sure what else to call what Sal does. As we get near a village he closes his eyes, gets quiet for a moment and then can simply say how many people are there and where they are. It’s actually been a lot of fun! He tells me what he sees and then we go through the town – he is always right! It’s amazing. He doesn’t know how or why he has this gift, just that he can do what he can do. However, I am a little skeptical, if Madeline could hide me then maybe this miracle man could hid himself. Sal says that it’s very unlikely. He says that Madeline must have truly been great; when he talks about her I can hear in his voice a tone of respect and wonder. To me she was just a grumpy old woman but if Sal is this impressed she must have been something.

Sal explained that to make such an object, like the one Madeline made for me, it takes a huge amount of energy, and that it’s not simply making a coin with a few symbols. He said it can be rather easy to hid things but that it’s totally different to make something appear as if it wasn’t there. He tried to explain the difference to me but I just don’t think I’m smart enough to get it because I’m still rather confused on the difference.

Still no kiss but I just love being around him and listening to him. He knows so much about the world and he’s so confident. I don’t think there is anything he couldn’t do. I know he’ll be able to save me.

Lana - Entry 19

Sal came to me this morning and said he thinks he knows of someone who can help. He says he’s never met the man, only heard of him. But he says if the rumors are true that this man can work miracles. He said he was hesitant to say anything because he didn’t want to get my hopes up but that after giving it a lot of thought he thinks its our best chance of fixing me. He actually said ‘our’, like he is thinking about an ‘us’, like we’re a team. Could he actually be thinking of us being more than just friends? He hasn’t kissed me again, although I’m dying for him to do it. He does take my hand often enough, which just makes my heart race. And I haven’t brought up the kiss yet; I just don’t want to ruin things. He’s being so nice.

Anyway, I’ve told him that I trust him and if he thinks that this guy is my best bet than I would try. So, we’ve stopped heading in the direction of Meraview and I’m letting Sal lead the way. He said it might take a while to find this man but joked about how we at least will make good time on the account that we have to keep moving.

Lana - Entry 18

I am in love with Sal. I am. I love him. He’s perfect and I’ve told him everything. He was so frustrated with me, angry almost. I just couldn’t take it anymore and I broke down. I sobbed and sobbed while telling him my whole story. I told him how I had looked at the paper, becoming cursed and how I had broken the circle of protection Madeline had made. I sobbed while I told him about how Madeline had given me the coin and how she had died for me. I told him about how I had to keep moving and how I knew when the wind picked up and started to fill with voices that I had been one place for too long. After I had told him everything he wrapped his arms around me and kissed me. Can you believe that?!! Oh, if only I had known I would have told him when we first met. I can still feel his arms around me and his lips on mine. I can’t think of anything else, I don’t want anything else but him. He gently brushed the hair off of my face and looked at me with those grey piercing eyes. He continued to stroke my face while he told me he was so sorry for what I had been going through and, he said that I should have told him sooner. All I wanted was for him to kiss me again, its all I wanted, just to feel his lips on mine again. But instead he took my hands and insisted that I sit. I asked him if he thought I was crazy. He laughed at me and said that this actually explains so much.

I could barely believe what he told me but he didn’t question my story and I will not question his. He said that he can see people, I mean without having to see them with his eyes. Its more like he can feel them. He can tell how many people are in a room without seeing into the room. He knows when people are coming down the road or if there are people nearby. He says its limited by distance but if he had met a person before he can find them later no matter how far away they were. He said that that was why he was so surprised when I came across him that first day on the road. That I was the first person, in a very long time, to have ever taken him by surprise, and that he had had a hard time believing that I was real. He said that it all made sense now because the coin had been hiding me. He asked if he could see it.

I will admit that I was a little reluctant to relinquish it. It made me nervous to have it pass out of my possession. I watched intently as he rubbed the markings with his thumb. I fought the urge to snatch it back as he looked at it. I have no idea where that impulse came from, its not like he was going to jump up and run away with it. He said that the “U” and the circle with 2 parallel lines were both symbols that represented keeping something hidden and then he simply handed it back.

 And now we’re getting along so well. He is no longer frustrated with our pace; in fact, he seems happier now than ever. I’ll never keep anything from him again!  

Lana - Entry 17

Its been a little rough. We’re constantly on the move and I still haven’t told Sal why. I can tell he’s getting cranky and tried. He wants to know what’s going on but hasn’t directly asked. Which, I have to admit, I’m relieved. I know I will have to explain myself eventually but I just haven’t figured out a good way to do that yet. Every way that I try and phrase it, it just sounds ridiculous. He’s never going to believe me, I wouldn’t. I mean I guess I could prove it to him but that’s far too dangerous.

I just don’t know what to do. Tell him the truth and have him think I’m crazy or keep putting it off and drive him away. Maybe I already have. Tonight when we stopped he just flopped down on the ground and covered his face with his shirt. He left me to make the fire and cook dinner. I shook him when it was ready and he grunted at me, grabbed the plate, ate and the tossed the plate on the ground and went back to sleep. We’ve only been on the move for three days now and it seems like he is already done. I don’t know what to do. He’ll probably leave me tomorrow, who knows.

Lana - Entry 16

Life is so beautiful and so harsh all at the same time. The festival has been great but the festival with Sal has been a dream come true. When he found out that I’d never been to a festival before he made it his mission to show me everything, and what wonders the world has produced! I use to think that Eve and Madeline were special but here I have witnessed spectacularly impossible feats. I have seen a woman that can bend as if she had no bones. There is a man that can breathe fire like a dragon and another man that can walk in the air on just a tiny piece of string. Just when I thought I had seen it all Sal took my hand and pulled me into a tent that I hadn’t even noticed was there until Sal pulled back the flap and I was surrounded by dim light.

Did I say he took my hand?!! It wasn’t like the light friendly touches he had shown me the first time we met, it was different somehow. He did it so naturally and yet so intentionally. I can still remember how his long smooth fingers felt wrapped around my skin and the heat from his palm pressed against mine. Ah, I never wanted him to let go of me!

He pulled me into the tent, small lamps flickered around the sides and a few folding chairs were set up around a low stage. Sal guided me to the seats right in front. Once we had taken our seats he leaned over and whispered that he didn’t want me to miss a thing. I couldn’t breathe, having his face that close to mine, his lips that close to my skin. I could feel his breath on my neck. I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t see. But then the black-eyed man came onto the stage. Something about him scared me, scared me to my core. How my body can shift so quickly from feeling in love with Sal (yes I said in love!) to being scared to death I have no idea. I wanted to run but it was as though I was glued to my chair. The man on stage with the black eyes started his show. He made things disappear and then reappear. He made things float in the air, he made metal objects bend with his mind. But it was his last act that terrified me. It seemed off, it wasn’t right, and I know that after everything I’ve talked about it should all have seemed off but behind everything he did I had a feeling like there was an explanation to it, something I just didn’t understand. I knew I didn’t understand it but something in my gut told me there was a reasonable explanation, until the last act.

He brought out a potted plant and placed it on a wooden table in front of him. It was a single stem with soft delicate leaves at the base. The stem reached into the air and at the tip was a single white lily. I have never seen a flower that looked so delicate, so fragile before in my life. The man leaned forward and whispered to the flower. He then stood back up and his black eyes looked straight at me and he smiled. I couldn’t move. He then leaned forward and softly blew on the petals. As I watched I saw the flower wither and die, and the man with the black eyes chuckled to himself.

I got up and ran. I ran out of the tent as fast as I could. I didn’t know what I was doing I just needed to get away. Suddenly I found myself back at Sal’s tent. I don’t know why but I was terrified, I knew I was shaking. Sal found me there and when he saw me he instantly wrapped his arms around me and I could feel myself start to cry. He told me he was sorry, that he didn’t mean to scare me, that it was just a trick, an illusion. I wasn’t really listening to what he was saying though because over my sobs I could hear the wind pick up outside. I had to leave and now! I thought because we had been moving so much that I would be ok but clearly not. I pulled away from him and said I had to go. He looked really confused but instantly said he would come with me. There hadn’t been time to argue, I could hear the voices whispering. I ran out of the tent and he followed.

Lana - Entry 15

There are so many wonderful things to talk about I don’t even know where to start. That’s not true, I do know where to start… with the most import thing. Sal is here! I think my luck is finally starting to look up. Can you believe that he is here! OK, let me back up and start at the beginning. I made it to the festival and its like nothing I’ve ever seen before. I could never have imagined this.

There are so many new things and smells and sights that I have never experienced. And there are so many people, so many people. I have to admit that at first I felt completely overwhelmed. I just went with the crowd and let them jostle me in whichever direction they were going. It was like I was paralyzed, except my feet kept moving. I’ve never been so close to so many people. I’ve never been touched by so many people over and over again. Shoulders would bump into me, other people’s hair ended up in my face and mouth, hands lightly touching my arms to get past me. I could feel the heat of their bodies. I’m not sure how long I spent like that and there was no stopping the flow of people even as the sun set and it got dark. Finally faces became individual people again and I started to notice how tried and hungry I was. And then all of a sudden, there he was! Sal, the picture of perfection, leaning there against a post just watching me. As soon as I saw him I know I smiled like an idiot. I just couldn’t help it. He was like a vision in the night.

I stumbled towards him and he laughed at me, I couldn’t help but laugh back. He asked if I had a place to stay and I told him I didn’t. He said I looked exhausted and that he had a tent where I could lay down. I protested at first but he said he wouldn’t be using it for awhile any way because he had business to do. He said that if I rested he’d show me around when I was ready.

Well, and here I am. And just can’t believe it. Somehow I just know every thing will be ok. Well, I can barely keep my eyes open. Good night.

Lana - Entry 14

You wont believe what’s happening. There are so many happy people; the road is littered with them. Men and women, young and old, they are filling carts and wagons, they’re on horseback and they’re walking. Some have bright banners or ribbons in their hair. Everyone is happy and laughing. The air seems to hum with excitement. I’ve never been around this many people before, around this much excitement and emotion.

I finally got up enough courage to ask someone what was going on. One particular man, driving a cart full of barrels being pulled by two stout looking grey donkeys, seemed particularly jolly. I remember noticing how the meaty fingers on one of his hands gripped the reins while his other waved at everyone he passed. I can still hear his booming voice shout greetings.

As he got closer to me he shouted a “Good Day” in my general direction. I seized the moment and shouted back at him, just as he was passing me, and asked him where everyone was going. He pulled on the reins so fast and completely stopped the poor donkeys dead in their tracks. The image of his huge form twisting around and him looming over me with a complete look of shock and surprise on his face will forever be ingrained in my memory.

He stared at me for an uncomfortable length of time before calling me ‘child’ and asking me if I didn’t know what was going on. I assured him that I wouldn’t have asked if I had known. He laughed at me, or with me, I’m not sure which. Either way, its not important because he said that everyone was going to the fall festival.

A festival, an honest to goodness festival! It’s like a dream come true. I’ve never been to a festival before but oh I can imagine the splendor of it all! I know Madeline wouldn’t approve but I have to go see what it is all about. My stomach is doing little flips I’m so excited. Maybe Sal will be there.