The World Walkers: Taithmarin: Carys: Stepping onto Taithmarin

[k_a_webb]

Running, running, running… that’s what I remember doing before I found the door. A hunter had found the cave my pack was sheltering in and we’d had just enough warning to be able to escape. We all went in different directions, hoping that it would confuse the hunter enough that he wouldn’t come after any of us. I know he wasn’t behind me, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t chasing one of my pack mates, although I hoped he wasn’t. Especially when I nearly ran into a wall that I knew wouldn’t have been there if I was still on my world, but I wasn’t on my world, and I realised that quickly when I scented the air. I could smell something other. Something I had never smelt before and that was unusual. Knowing how everything smelt was a necessity, otherwise you might find yourself in danger.

Slowly I moved backwards, away from the wall I’d nearly crashed into, trying to work out what had happened. It was in a building, which was something that hadn’t happened since I was young, when Mother had managed to find ourselves a hidey hole within the walls of an old church. Even though I was still in use we’d been safe in there for over a year, before a hunter found us and took my younger sister with him, so we had no choice then but to find somewhere else. Two years after that Mother was captured when she was out looking for food, which was when I was left alone. My brother had disappeared not long after my sister’s loss, so we’d assumed he was gone too.

Then I found myself looking at him. Eramus, the brother I was certain I’d never see again, was standing in front of me, on another world, his horn whole. I didn’t know how to feel or what to say, because I’d mourned his loss. A part of me was furious with him for still being alive, then I was elated that I still had family, and I wished Mother could be there. Shaking my head I tried to find the words I needed to greet him, but they were still hiding from me, and from the look he gave me I think he understood what I was going through. He was probably feeling exactly the same, because he’d had no way of knowing the day would come when I’d step through the door.

Finally I crossed the space between us, put my head on his shoulder, and did my best to show him that I was happy to see him, even though I was angry at the same time. He returned the gesture. “I missed you, Carrie. How have you been?”

“Not good,” I answered honestly, not certain why he’d asked such a stupid question. “Mother died. I found myself a pack, because I had no other choice. My pack was found and I was running for my life when I found myself here. Where am I, Erasmus?”

Mirrored from K. A. Webb Writing.