The Broken Ones

Chapter 6:2 -Guidance

The next few days Soi kept to himself, he didn’t talk or ask any questions. Most of the time he stayed in the guestroom and rested. During dinner he sat quiet and ate very little. He looked sick, his skin was pale and there were dark shadows under his eyes. Jagger snorted at the very sight of him and turned the other way.
-Pathetic, she said loudly and turned her chin up.
Mack and Ana, on the other hand, tried to make Soi talk and eat and breath. After three days Ana had had enough of his closure. She dragged Soi out in the sun and into Mack’s kitchen garden.
-I get why you’re afraid of mountains but that was a long time ago and it wasn’t your fault your dad died.
Soi met her eyes for the first time since his coma. Ana thought his black eyes looked like endless holes without life and he looked both scared and angry. She shuddered.
-How did you…
-You talk in your sleep, she lied. –Anyway, it wasn’t your fault. So don’t take the blame for it and don’t look so damn miserable.
Soi lowered his head and looked vulnerable, which upset Ana.
-And you know what, you lied to me! You said that this wasn’t going to be a problem and then you pass out when we’re being chased by monsters! How’s that not being a problem!
-I’m sorry, Soi murmured.
-If it wasn’t for Mack we’d be dead now!
-He saved us? Soi looked up.
-Well, it wasn’t your sleeping act that killed the monsters! Ana yelled at him and marched off.
Mack’s red head appeared from the kitchen door.
-I heard she’s yelling at you now, thought it would be good to step in. Where’s she?
-She left.
-Oh, well then, seems you’ll manage her just fine.
Mack withdrew his head. Soi followed him into the kitchen.
Both Mack and Jagger were excellent cooks and their garden provided everything they needed to produce a delicious meal. It had wide variety of herbs, vegetables and roots. And their kitchen, though it was tiny, had various knifes, both big and small ones, normal and strange looking forks, other useful tools, pans, pots, kettles and saucepans, cup and plates. The cottage kitchen was its own little restaurant without the paying guests. Mack had worked as a chef at the inn in the nearby village but he had been replaced by his own daughter who was equally talent as her father. From dawn to dusk Jagger worked at the inn and the cottage kitchen was Mack’s to use as he liked. But most of the time Jagger occupied that kitchen as well. If not every little teaspoon was in their right position Jagger immediately let her dad know what she thought of the mess of her kitchen. The only place left for Mack was the kitchen garden, which he kept neat and clear of weed and pestering insects.
Now Mack stood by the worktop and kneaded sticky dough into a fine loaf.
-I heard you saved us. How did you know where to find us?
-Others would say thank you, Mack smiled.
Soi was ashamed.
-I’m sorry. Thank you.
-It’s okay. I know you’re influenced by Ana.
Mack laughed heartily and Soi smiled back at him.
-Must be.
Mack continued to knead in silence and Soi watched the process, oddly at peace. Mack put the loaf on a baking plate and opened the oven and put it in. Then he began with the next dough.
-To answer your question, you could say I have a sixth sense about such things. For example, tomorrow it’ll rain. And a week ago I felt Ana was approaching in a hurry, and as I know Ana very well I assumed she was in some sort of danger.
-This sixth sense, is it because of your injury.
-Probably, yes. I’ve had it for years for so long that I don’t remember how it was before the accident.
Soi watched Mack as he stood calm in the kitchen, standing on just one leg and Soi felt embarrassed.
-Does it hurt?
-No. Actually it was a relief to get rid of the leg. You see, a long time ago, when I was young, I worked on a ship out on the ocean. I got a cut, a small cut just beneath my right knee, when were out at sea but it healed well, or so I thought. A week later my leg ached so much that I couldn’t stand on it and I had a high fever. It turns out that the small cut was infected. If I hadn’t amputated I would be dead now.
-But…
-No, it’s not something I regret.
Soi eyes widened and Mack smiled gently at him.
-I wouldn’t have met Jagger’s mother if it wasn’t for my missing leg. But that’s another story. I think the bread is done now, can you take it out for me?
Soi did as he was asked while he was thinking that if they had had a dark little bottle on that ship when the infection had been discovered they could have saved Mack’s leg and life. But then again as Mack had said he wouldn’t have met Jagger’s mum and he hadn’t saved Ana and him. The rest of the afternoon he spent together with Mack in that cottage kitchen baking and cooking. When Jagger got back from her working shift at the inn dinner was ready and Mack and Soi sat and enjoyed their each other’s company. She brushed back her short red hair and watched the two with an irritated look.
-Where’s Ana?
-I think she’s still out. Would you tell her that dinner is ready, darling?
-Sure, she said and disappeared outside.
The dinner was strange, both girls were distressingly quiet. Mack and Soi tried to maintain a conversation but were constantly interrupted by the awkward mood, Ana’s snores at the end of every comment Soi made and Jagger’s deadly glares over the table, all that was directed only at Soi. Soi could understand why Ana was mad, or at least he thought so, but why Jagger seemed to hate him he really couldn’t figure out.
-Jagger, will you bring in some tea and cheese? Mack asked his daughter.
-Is cheese really necessary?
She kept her gaze locked on Soi who begun feeling uneasy.
-Jagger, we have to treat our guests while they stay under our roof, Mack coaxed her.
She rose from her chair with a snort and turned her head with a jerk. Soi rose from his chair as well and bowed his head a little.
-I think I need to return to bed now. Thank you, Mack, for this day.

Soi was about to fall asleep when Ana knocked on the door and stepped inside. She had a remorseful look on her face.
-I’m sorry I lost my temper earlier today, she spoke with a soft voice.
-It’s alright, I can understand why.
She tipped to the bed and seated herself on the edge.
-You seem better, somehow.
-I had a good talk with Mack today. It helped, even though it had nothing to do with my dad.
-Good, that’s good.
She kept her head lowered and fiddled with a button on her trousers. There was something bothering her, that much Soi could read from her body language. But he waited patiently for her to speak first. Suddenly she lifted her head and looked at him with her cold grey eyes.
-I… when you were out, when you were unconscious, I… I fed you with some of that water you have in the small bottle.
Soi straightened his back and looked serious at Ana. She fiddled even more with that button.
-I was worried that you wouldn’t wake up, at all, so I, I just…
-It’s fine, Ana, Soi said and Ana looked up hopefully but met his grim face. –Don’t ever do that again.
-I… I’m sorry. I know it’s your responsible as the Spring Saviour and that I shouldn’t have…
-What did you say? Soi was appalled.
Ana closed her mouth tightly and lowered her eyes yet again.
-Where did you hear that?
When Ana didn’t immediately answer him he grabbed her shoulders and tried to meet her eyes.
-Where, Ana?!
-I’m sorry.
-For what?!
-I intruded on your mind while you were unconscious.
Soi squeezed her shoulders harder without noticing until she whimpered. He released her and stood up, not really sure what to do.
-I…, Ana begun.
-How could you!
-I was worried!
Soi just stared at her. Then he turned his back on her.
-Leave, he said at least. –I need to think.
Ana’s eyes begun to tear, but she stood up and left the room. Soi could hear how she run out from the cottage, but he couldn’t follow her. He felt betrayed and hurt. She knew every little thing about him and had even then lied to him.

To be continued...
By J.L.Frick