Cowards Illusion

FRAGMENT 1

Maesha was young when he was taken. He had just seen his seventh frosting season pass. He was warm, and bundled, when suddenly he heard screaming. His mothers face, her soft, beautiful features were twisted in a look of horror. She turned, her radiant black waves flipping violently around her.

“Run!” she told him, pushing him towards the strange forest.

“Demon!” he heard shouted numerous times.

A word he had never heard before. It suddenly dawned on him that these strangers were calling them that. His people. He didn't understand. His people were not demons.

And in that moment of pondering, that moment of hesitation, he was thrown down onto the ground, a boot threatening to crush his throat. He turned, just in time to see his mother gutted like a mountain deer. He thrashed then, not caring that he couldn't breath. He wanted to be near her.

They were simply traveling, passing through. His mother and a handful of others. Others who he saw splayed open and unbreathing.

That had been the first time he had seen Halden. The man that had only moments ago been crushing his throat, now picked him up and dragged him forward by his tunic.