Cailín (Lass) (Anam Céile Chronicles) (29 page)

A
fter
wandering through the unfamiliar territory fer some time, surprised I be to
discover that I be on an island foreign to me. 

‘Twas
most definitely
not
me Éire.  The cold of that place be stark, frigid. 
Still, though me skin was bare under the improvised cloak, nonetheless the cold
felt unexpectedly refreshing upon me excessively hot flesh.  Instead of the
unrelenting cold affecting me as one would expect, freezing to me, I watched in
astonishment as the heat of me flesh seemed to only repel it, melting it in a
span around me.  ‘Twas as though me skin be steaming from the inside. 

And
though, at first glance this place appeared to be desolate and silent, I found
me ears were ringing from all the sounds, everything suddenly so much more
distinct than I had ever experienced before.  Somewhere in the distance I heard
the calling of birds, the sound of the ice all about as it settled and cracked,
and slight more vaguely, the fizzing sound as it melted all around me.  And
then, I heard other sounds of things that were well beyond vision.

I
squinted at the exaggerated brilliance of the midday sunlight glaring in me
unexpectedly highly receptive— thus sensitive— eyes.  Everything appeared so
bizarrely and clearly defined, as though only now be I viewing the world fer
the first.  Me eyes could see every ice crystal which comprised the snow upon
the ground, the individual shapes of the snowflakes which fluttered all about
me.  Things felt so near, even though I easily discerned they were rather far
away. 

Though
I be among a landscape of seemingly naught but white, I could detect many
various shades of white.  And where there be a dash of colour other than the so
prevalent white, ‘twas more vivid than any I had seen before then.  The sky,
fer one, was the bluest ever I had seen it in me life, immediately bringing me
mind back to me Donovan.  Where once I had seen it simply as a continuous flow
of the same tone, I now could plainly detect the fluctuating shades,
consistencies and textures of which ‘twas actually composed.
 

As I
breathed in, the concentrated intensity of the surrounding smells assaulting me
nostrils.  Some were odours, some aromas.  I marveled that the ice actually had
a distinct scent of its own, as well as the air itself.  As I inhaled them, I
could taste and differentiate each and every distinct scent in me throat. 

Then
the tastes made me acutely aware of the extreme hunger of me stomach.  Severe
hunger as
never
I had felt before.  I smelt and tasted particles of
molecules from things that even I could not see, including the salt of the sea;
though, how far away ‘twas, I could not be certain.

Within
me body, I began to felt a clustre of cravings developing, confusing me with
the resulting restless they elicited within me, not having any prior experience
with what they were and how to begin to fulfill them.  Desperately I wished to
shake them off, the way in which they gripped me insides, every fibre of me
with their insistent needs.  I only sensed no way there be to actually be
purged of them, only their effectual driving of me to feed them constantly.

Perplexing
me further, me mind ‘twas spinning, the barrage of stimulants scattering me
concentration.  Me mind, as though on overdrive, comprehended so many things
all at once; yet still somehow, I did not become overstimulated.

Upon
inhaling, I discovered the air ‘twas harder to breathe.  Not certain I be were
it the frigid air or something else.  Perhaps in me angst me lungs had seized. 
Even so, slowly I felt some unknown force kicking in.  Though not me breath it
be.  Instead ‘twas actually as if me lungs were suddenly indifferent to the air
I pulled in with me inhalations.

Rather,
‘twas as though there be some other process, as if I literally be absorbing the
air about me through me very flesh before it could make its way into me lungs. 
Well,
not
the air, actually.  Nevertheless, I could not understand what
‘twas that be happening to me!

Not
able to identify it just yet, I sensed ‘twas something infinitely more
significant than that.  Recurrently, I felt the tingling upon the surface of me
skin as slowly it penetrated me, the tingle flowing its way through me entire
body, relatively similar to what I had felt when I drank the blood or when
Voljidaar be near me.  Gradually though, me breathing came easier again,
something imperceptibly seeming to show me how to harmonize it with this
newfound, yet unsought vigour.

As the
violet night fell about me, me eyes were as receptive to the dark as they had
been to the light— perhaps more so, fer the welcome absence of the blinding
brilliance— ‘twas as though a nocturnal beast I be. 

Even
after all the excitement of the day, I had not grown the least bit tired.  Instead,
I felt a sense of insistent restlessness within, as though I be racing toward
something significant about to happen— or perhaps, already had happened.  I did
not know, rather mystifying it all be. 

And
then, still me body held the lingering effects of the barrage of intense sexual
stimulation of that day, as though still it be waiting fer the finale which I
resolved it would not receive. 

At
least not until I be reunited with me Donovan, that is.
 
And
then, certain I be it matters not how he’ll try to protest, I feel as though I
will take him inside me instantly and transport us both to the ethereal places
I have been awarded mere glimpses of . . .  Perhaps there we will remain together
forever, fer from what little I have seen, ‘tis a place I should never care to
depart once I do arrive!

The
vivacious energy I had felt earlier in the day coming from the sun be in some
way different now in the dark.  Nevertheless be no mistaking, a definite energy
still there be. 

In
everything, there be a distinct energy: I felt it emanating to me from the fluttering
snow, one of peace; then from the ice, which be more dormant, as though
trapped; then also did I from the rain, which be a sort of relieving and cleansing
energy.

Although
tired I be not, I searched fer somewhere safe to attempt to slumber and figure
out what I would do.  I knew I must attain some rest fer the unidentified
length of journey which lay ahead of me. 

Fer
quite some time I wandered, though nothing suitable could I find, not a tree
there be anywhere in sight, nor a cave or anything that might offer me
shelter.  Finally, I made do with digging out a place in the snow in which to
obscure meself. 

To me
frustration, the greater part of that night, I suffered from dreadful
insomnia.  When at last— ‘twas likely more than halfway through the night— able
I be to find sleep, constant disruptive dreams I did have, and unfortunately,
they were more frighteningly vivid in every way imaginable than any ever I had
had formerly.

The
next morning as I trekked out to find me way, I discovered further still that I
could absorb energy from every tree, plant, rock, and mountain; in addition to
the water, air, and the sun.  Also, from animals or people; however, I
comprehended there be the risk of harming or even killing them by
unintentionally absorbing too much of their essence.  Additionally, I quickly
discerned that more likely were they to possess many negative energies, which I
knew would not be beneficial. 

Each
living thing I discovered to offer a very different type of energy.  I learnt
that even stones have different types of energies from one another, each
benefitting a different part of me.  When I soaked up the energy from one rock,
I would be granted peace of mind, whilst yet another seemed to offer me
vitality of body.

I moved
along slowly, marveling at these nigh inconceivable discoveries. 

When
the sun be near high in the sky, I smelt the scent I recognised to be of
water.  Though surprised I be when ‘twas actually many kilometres until I
reached it.
  And once I did, I stood in awe at its utter beauty as
though never before had I seen any such thing! 
The whispering of the
water as the sun shone intensely upon it, the ambiguous steam rising from it as
the heat of the sun met the cold of the water, affecting it to glisten with a
brilliant radiance, generating zillions of twinkling forms, each one entirely
separate and unique in their splendour. 

Along
the edge of the dazzling shore I strolled ‘til to a port I came.  Before upon
it I be, the scents and energies of the humans were causing me to feel rather
anxious.  Unfortunately, I could not read the signs to decipher either where I be
or where they were destined. 

Fortuitously,
I heard someone onboard one of them shouting about being bound fer Ireland.  I
speedily made me way around to the far side of the stern where the restless
masses of people were not congregated and decided to see whether I could manage
a replay of the incredible leap I had accomplished the previous day from the
castle.

Fer a
moment I stood, attempting to fully hone me concentration as I gathered every
muscle in me body and focused upon me chosen destination some ten metres above—
at least triple the distance I had leapt yesterday.  Me knees bent slightly
into a crouch, and then I sprang up and out toward the side of the ship, hoping
at minimum to reach the edge so that I may grasp hold and pull meself over. 

Instead,
I soared well beyond the edge and onto the deck, once again surprising meself
by alighting upon me feet effortlessly as a leaf drifting to the ground below. 
Me eyes broad, I quickly glanced about to be certain no one had witnessed me
impossible feat, below me breath cursing the vibrancy of me red hair, always
certain to attract me unwanted attention as ‘twas. 

To me
incredulity, not a single person appeared to be looking me way.  So then, just
as the passengers were streaming aboard the ship, I quickly crept below deck to
the orlop, locating a nice little obscure niche in the stokehold where I could
hide. 

Near to
me hiding place, I fast acquired some dirty men’s work scraps to put on, as
well as some blankets to cover with if anyone were to venture down there fer
supplies.  I prayed no one would discover me and I would be able to remain
there uneventfully clandestine until the ship landed on the coast of me Éire
some proposed weeks later. 

During
those weeks that I be aboard that vessel, I consumed scarcely enough to keep me
alive.  As time passed and me badgering hunger got the best of me, I became
bolder and started sneaking out in the night to forage fer food.  However, I
had to be very careful, needing to be certain there be not a chance I would
cross paths with anyone on board.  Fer now, each time I be in vicinity of a
human, I felt magnetically drawn to them, me body desiring to have them in ways
that were most difficult fer me to comprehend.

Late
one evening, I smelt the strong scent of food— fresh cooked food, rather than
scraps of waste— down below deck where I hid.  Luring me in the state of near
starvation I be in, I ventured out from me hiding niche in the stokehold to
locate it. 

I
had
to have it. 

Shortly,
I had found that which I sought.  And holding that magnificent scent of hot
food be a boatswain, stolen away from the main deck to eat his hearty meal in
solitude.  Speedily he be consuming it.  I could not allow him take another
bite of
me
food!  Sans any sort of a plan, I dashed up and seized the
bowl of food from his hands.  Naturally, this did not go down without protest
from him— surprised as he be to have some slight young woman pilfer his food
from him. 

When he
came toward me grumbling something about a damned female, without a thought I crouched
and sprang upon him, going straight fer his throat.  After guzzling every last
drop of his life essence into me, surprised I be by how effortless it had been
to overpower this man much larger than meself.  Fer the time being, I stashed
his body at the opposite end of where I stayed, and then returned to the scene
to retrieve me gain. 

The
food I consumed ravenously, yet still I be left needing more from me extended
deprivation.  Striving to be contented with that which I had obtained— the most
I had consumed since I had been onboard the ship— to me resting place I
returned. 

With me
belly almost filled fer once, fast asleep I did fall.

Interrupting
me state of deep sleep, unexpectedly I experienced a strange urgent feeling
accompanied by body heat.  In me hazy transition to waking, I discerned ‘twas
close. 

I
opened me eyes. 

Two men
there were hovering over me.  I knew at once they were not there with any
intention of coming to me aid; no such concerns had they of me welfare. 

To the
contrary, I immediately sensed the carnal ruthlessness that compelled them. 

Due to
me haziness, unfortunately I did not move quickly enough, fer one of them had
seized me hands firmly whilst the other cast me sheltering blanket aside,
relocating himself further down. 

I knew
precisely what ‘twas they had envisioned.  Nevertheless, I did not attempt to
scream, fer fear it would only attract more of the same, rather than anyone
seeking to offer rescue.