Another Fantasy Story

“Wake up! Hide, run, fast!”
I was too sleepy to think clear, what did he just say?
“I’m not joking! Come on, stand up!” Hef took me by my shoulders and shook.
“Aww, easy, please I’m just waking up.” I pulled my shoulder out of his hands. “ What the hell is going on? It’s 3 in the morning for crying out loud. If you think I’m going to fix you door-” but Hef didn’t let me finish. “Shhh! Don’t talk, just hide under the floor. It’s a small place, but you will fit in it. I will explain later!” Like he asked, I hide in the small empty space under the floor. It smelled awful, like I don’t know, dead things? I obliged myself not to think about that. Nothing happened, until I heard a rough knock.
“Who’s there?” I heard Hef say.
“I’m Gillbert Heddingstone, the head of Kiroki.” This didn’t look so good. Maybe my aunt gave me up as missing person, or that vampire girl wants to kill me before I’ll kill her. She knows that I’m too strong for her and now she’s asking help from a human.
“Come on in,” I heard the door open. “I’m sorry about that, just the last couple of weeks everyone is asking for stories, and I don’t want it anymore.”
“I understand,” Gillbert answered quietly. “But that’s not why I came her.” And now it comes…
“Why did you came here for than?” asked Hef.
“I came here because I have to ask you to leave Kiroki, for good.” I couldn’t believe my ears. Hef? That nice grandpa-guy? Had to leave Kiroki?
“I’m sorry I don’t understand, why?” I could hear in Hef’s voice that he was shocked, too.
“You’re a man, without a family, without a job. You don’t have anything to live for. You are unfriendly to the rest of the citizens and you can’t do anything useful around here.”
“But I’m not even a thread! What did I do wrong? Why are you doing this to me? I’ve lost everything except for my home, this is where I belong!”
“I’m afraid you don’t belong here anymore, you should find another place to stay. You have ‘till tomorrow 12am to leave this house. Good luck, take care of yourself.” I felt awful, poor guy. He already lost everything, and now this?! Like I said, the outside world is cruel.
Hef lifted the wooden boards of me and walked away, sitting in an old chair. I stood up and just looked at him. It was really sad, Hef sat with his head between his hands and it looked like he was crying. Before I could say anything, he turned around to face me with his red wet eyes. “I’m sorry my son, but I can’t help you any further, you should go now.” I didn’t know what to say and just stood there, staring at him. “I’m serious, you have to go now.”
“N-n-no! I wont go, I’ll help you to find a new home!” He stared at me with pity, like I was a little helpless boy, I sounded like a little helpless boy who tried to save the world and thought he was a superhero.
“I have an idea! My aunt, who lives in Gruhek, has a farm.” I paused and took a deep breath. “I lived with her a couple of months ago, but I left her alone, and maybe you can live there for a while ‘till you find your own place.”
“I wont go to your aunt, I don’t want to bother other people, as a matter fact I’m ‘unfriendly to the rest of the citizens and can’t do anything useful around’” Hef said with a sad tone.
“Hef! Snap out of it! I wont take no for an answer, come lets go packing your stuff and I’ll show you the way to my aunt’s farm.” I sighed “Hef, I left her alone, after my sister died. I want her to have nice company.” To my surprise, Hef stood up and hugged me. I felt a little uncomfortable and I just lightly hugged him back. I mean, come on! Two guys hugging? It’s so gay! He let go of me and looked at me with a little smile on his face.
“You’re a great kid, I owe you a lot!” I smiled,
“As long as you will tell me stories, I’m happy.”
“You can count on that, boy.”
When we were done packing, we left the house. Hef looked one more time at his little cozy house and then walked away, walking into the Jorki forest.
Gruhek wasn’t far from here, but Hef would slow us down a bit, he’s not that fit anymore. I lost counting days after the 3th. Hef and I weren’t talking much, we couldn’t lose much time, because I had to find the assassin. After a while we got out of the Jorki forest and saw a few houses. Immediately I recognized my aunt’s farmhouse. When we came closer to the house, I could see a woman working on her field. I almost got tears in my eyes, I was so happy and relieved to see my aunt. She was still the hard working woman I knew. I whistled and she turned around. When I saw her face more clearly, I saw first relief, than love, and than anger.
“Someone here’s in trouble.” Hef whispered.
“I know.” I sighed. My aunt ran to me and hugged me.
“Uhm, please, aunt Mary, hold yourself. I-Can’t-Breath-e!”
“Well, I don’t care! How dare you to leave me alone?” pointing her finger towards me.
“Do you have any idea how worried I was? You never do that again! Do you understand that?” She yelled at me another 10 minutes, and then I thought she had said everything she wanted. But I was wrong, she opened her mouth again. Before she could start yelling again, I told her in a calming voice I was ok.
“Shh, don’t worry aunt Mary. But I have to leave again, tomorrow.” She opened her mouth to say something, but I cut her of.
“This is my friend Hef, he has been a good man for me, and he got kicked out of is house because they couldn’t use him in Kiroki.” I took a deep breath and started talking again. “I have to find the killer, aunt Mary. Please, let me go tomorrow. I can’t live with myself if I don’t do anything to take revenge.” I looked down to my feet, too scared to find out what she was thinking. She hugged me, again. But this time it was softer, and more comforting.
“We’ll talk about this later.” And she turned to face Hef.
“You probably know already who I am?” She asked him.
“Yes, ma’am. You don’t have to agree on this, I can find my own house if you want. But Nigel didn’t let me decide anything. I don’t want to bother you.”
“Oh, don’t start to apologize! You’re more than welcome in my house!” My aunt cheered. She turned around her back at us and started walking towards the house. Hef and I walked behind her, I was glad that I could do something for Hef after all the things he had been through.
Aunt Mary cooked us an amazing dinner, it was great to see her again. She and Hef became friends, I maybe hope that one day something more could happen between them, they both deserve it. But that was just a thought that I pushed away to the back of my head. When I’m going to leave tomorrow, there’s a possibility that I’ll never see aunt Mary and Hef again.
“Nigel? Are you okay?” Aunt Mary touched my shoulder for some comfort. I looked up and saw that she was worried.
“Nothing is wrong, Everything is alright.” I tried to smile at her, but it was just a tiny one.
“I have been thinking, Nigel, about tomorrow.” She twiddled with her dress and looked sad. She sighed and started to talk again.
“You know that I’m not an advocate of revenge. And I think you won’t take revenge, but I know you need to face the truth. Your sister was an amazing girl, and I want you to search for her killer, and try to find out what was going on.” I cleared my throat to say that I definitely want revenge, but my aunt cut me of.
“No, don’t say anything, don’t let me change my mind on this! You can leave tomorrow in the morning, I will make you some breakfast and be sure you have everything for your trip. Now, go to bed, It’s late and it’s going to be a rough day tomorrow.” I stood up and gave her a hug.
“Thanks aunt Mary, for everything. I really appreciate the things you do for me.” I said goodnight to Hef and went upstairs. I decided to take a look in Callandria’s room. I turned the light on and saw that the room was cleaned. There was no clue that Callandria was murdered here, but I knew better. I went to her bed and lay on it. It was soft and I could still smell her scent on her pillow. I curled up and held my knees very tight. The rest of that night I cried, I cried like a little baby. I felt so vulnerable, I really missed her. I needed her to comfort me, to tell me everything is going to be alright. With that thought I fell asleep.