Chapter 9 The Forest Night and the Burning Stones
The clock on Aarav's phone glowed 7 00 PM a useless piece of information in the thick fog of his insomnia. He jammed wireless buds into his ears cranked up a random song and drifted out of the hostel gate. Maybe movement would quiet the static in his head.
His feet carried him down the street a puppet to the beat in his ears. What is all this. The thought looped a broken record. The flower. The puppy. His own hands glowing with impossible mending. He was so deep in the maze of his own mind that the roar of passing traffic faded to a distant hum.
Then a new sound cut through the music a low guttural growl of an engine too close. He glanced back. A black SUV its grille twisted into the leering face of a horned demon was eating up the road behind him. It was not swerving. It was aiming.
Aarav lost in his thoughts was a deer in the demon's headlights.
The metal beast surged a final lunge.
A blur. Not light but a shadow moving faster than thought. A force slammed into Aarav's side yanking him off his feet. The world became a violent kaleidoscope of asphalt sky and crushing weight. He squeezed his eyes shut bracing for impact.
When the spinning stopped he was pinned. Not by metal but by warmth. He opened his eyes.
Molten gold.
Kiyan's eyes held his inches away. They were a maelstrom of fire and fear. Aarav could see his own terrified reflection swimming in their depths and beneath that something else a flicker of the same confusion that haunted him.
You Aarav choked out the air knocked from his lungs. How the car.
His gaze dropped. Kiyan's hands braced on either side of Aarav's head were scraped raw. Blood dark and slick welled from the gashes dripping onto the dusty ground.
Without a thought Aarav grabbed the hem of his own t shirt. A harsh rip echoed in the sudden quiet. He reached for Kiyan's wrist his fingers fumbling but determined. He pressed the torn cotton to the worst of the wounds winding it tight. The bleeding slowed then ceased under the pressure. Kiyan did not flinch. He just watched Aarav his breath coming in shallow hitches his whole frame trembling.
Aarav cupped Kiyan's injured hand between both of his own. A faint electric warmth like static from a golden sun pulsed from Kiyan's skin into his palms.
Are you okay Aarav whispered the words barely audible.
Kiyan lowered his gaze a barely perceptible nod his only answer.
Aarav tightened the makeshift bandage securing it with a firm knot. A sharp hiss escaped Kiyan's lips. Instinctively Aarav brought a finger to them shushing him gently.
Just a little sting Aarav murmured.
Their eyes locked again. Held. Aarav finished the knot. Another pained breath from Kiyan.
Sorry. Had to be done Mr Stranger. To stop the blood.
Kiyan turned his face away.
Should hold now. Come on we need to get out of here.
Aarav offered his hand. Kiyan looked at it then back at Aarav's face. Slowly he placed his bandaged hand in Aarav's and let himself be pulled up.
How do we get out of this darkness Aarav muttered fumbling for his phone. The screen was cracked but the torch function worked. Lucky this did not shatter or we would be stuck in this black hole.
He started walking Kiyan a silent shadow behind him.
Thanks by the way Aarav said over his shoulder the bravado in his voice thin. For the whole not getting flattened by a demon car thing. Seriously how do you keep showing up. Every time something tries to kill me you are just there. Are you some kind of Chhayajeev (a common ghost like entity) who knows my schedule.
He turned shining the phone's light directly into Kiyan's face. Yeah that is it. You just appear and vanish. Poof. Wait are you a Chhayodhbhav (a nightborn entity who drains age). Or a Nirvrut (a wandering lost soul).
Kiyan turned sharply and stalked off in the opposite direction.
Hey Kiyan. I was joking. Come on.
The forest swallowed them whole. The darkness was a physical thing cold and pressing. Then a sound a high yipping howl that sliced through the trees. A jackal.
Aarav's courage evaporated. He scrambled behind Kiyan clutching his shoulders. Kiyan that sound a leopard. It is going to eat us. We are dead. I am so scared.
Kiyan stopped. Without a word he crouched slightly. Aarav stared then understood. He climbed onto Kiyan's back wrapping his arms around his neck the phone torch held out like a meager sword.
Okay. There is some muscle on you after all. Let us go put that body to use.
Kiyan froze. Aarav immediately backtracked. Sorry. Sorry. Just kidding.
Kiyan resumed walking Aarav a jittery passenger. After what felt like an hour the beam of light caught the skeletal outline of a derelict hut.
Kiyan. Look. Shelter. Maybe there is help.
Inside it was a hollow shell of rotten wood and memories. Kiyan lowered Aarav to the ground. As if on cue the sky opened and a cold needling rain began to fall. Aarav shivered violently.
Kiyan looked at him then at the pile of dry kindling in the corner. He picked up two rough stones from the floor. Kneeling he struck them together once twice. On the third strike a shower of sparks erupted kissing the tinder. A tiny flame was born growing hungry until a small fire crackled to life.
Aarav's face lit up. Whoa. You can make fire from stones. Teach me.
He grabbed the stones striking them with clumsy enthusiasm. Nothing. Not a single spark. Kiyan it is not working.
Kiyan moved closer. He wrapped his own hands around Aarav's the stones held tight in their combined grip. He guided Aarav's movements firm precise strikes. Not Aarav's force but Kiyan's intention channeled through him.
Clack. Clack. Sparks flew brilliant and brief. The dry grass caught. Fire.
Aarav whooped jumping up. I did it. I did it. See. In a burst of pure unthinking elation he threw his arms around Kiyan a tight grateful hug.
He froze.
He stumbled back heat flooding his cheeks that had nothing to do with the fire. Sorry. I got a little carried away. That is all. Thanks. For the fire. I was really cold.
Kiyan just looked at him the firelight dancing in his unreadable eyes.
Exhaustion warm and heavy finally pulled Aarav down. He lay on a patch of dry grass his shivering slowly subsiding. Sleep dragged him under almost instantly.
Kiyan watched him for a long moment. Then he shrugged off his own coat and draped it carefully over Aarav's sleeping form. He moved to the far side of the hut his back against the wall and settled in to watch. Not the door. Not the forest. Aarav. All night he fed the fire ensuring the cold never touched him.
The first grey light of dawn was staining the sky when the sound of an engine cut through the forest's stillness. A black SUV rolled to a stop outside the hut. The demon mask on its grille grinned at the breaking day.
Kiyan saw it. He rose a silent phantom and stepped out of the hut.
And then a sound tore from him a raw agonized scream that shredded the morning's peace.
Aaaargh.
It echoed through the trees a declaration of war.
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