Here is another episode in Welsan's Story, courtesy of another Write For Ten prompt.
Today's prompt is the word: appetite.
This episode follows on from the last one, episode 14.
Gallows would keep very no-nonsense steins in his covert tavern/workshop. Of course.
Jada sipped absently at her Black Taggart, her mind
scrambling to piece together all the floating bits of information. There were
too many questions and not enough answers, she decided. I’ll have to delay my death a little longer, she realized with an
inward sigh. Can’t die until I know my
family is safe. Somehow, amid all the questions and disruptions of the past
two days, her death seemed to jeopardize her family more than her life
originally had. How had it come to this?
A dull ringing began in her ears, and her stomach clenched.
With slow recognition, Jada discovered she was incredibly light-headed. The
room swam in front of her, a kaleidoscope of noise and smells that made her
stomach churn.
Later she realized that she must have visibly paled,
for when Gallows turned to her next he gave a start, and got to his feet.
“How stupid of me,” he said. “I’m babbling about
soul-glasses and you’ve both come from who-knows-how-far. We’ll visit my
workshop later. First you eat.”
“Not me,” Jada squeaked. Her tankard seemed unbearably heavy
all of a sudden, so that she dropped it onto the table with a bang. Her hands
shook. Her heart felt as though it were hammering through her chest.
“Soup for her, if you don’t mind – and maybe a place to lie
down.” Welsan’s voice echoed through her mind. If her head hadn’t felt so
woolly, Jada would have thought he sounded…concerned.
That can’t be right. He’s here
to oversee my death, not save my life.
She tried to open her mouth to argue, to say that she wasn’t
hungry and not to bother; but the room hitched around her so violently she
closed it again. A roiling surge of nausea threatened to overwhelm her.
“She’s two days past her Departure Day.” Welsan’s voice was
even more echo-y now, and distant, as from deep within a tunnel. “If she
prepared properly for her Departure, then she hasn’t had anything but liquids
in almost two weeks.”
Gallows made some exclamation, but Jada never heard the
exact words. Her last conscious thought was of coarse hands catching her as she
toppled over, before all motion and sound dissolved into blackness.
* * * * *
Intrigued? If you liked this episode of Welsan's odyssey, you may visit his page to read more.
Questions? Comments? Let me know in the comments below!
And as always - thanks for reading!!
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