Page 78 of Souls We Rip

The moon was already atop the sky, the only light guiding us between murky trees. The gravestones above the lair of my master seemed to mock us, their soldiers deep in slumber.

Ana listened to me and nodded. We threaded through the forest, the thick mist hiding our legs. The whisperers were listening to every little sound, so we needed to keep our words to ourselves.

Once inside, I navigated her through the darkness of the Elk’s lair. She squeezed my hand several times. I just wanted to get her out of there and put her to safety.

I should have refused her. I should have insisted that she stay as far away as possible. Let her get her souls and join her family afterwards. Even though that meant for me not to stare into her eyes anymore. Or feel her perfume. She deserved much more than I had to give.

My feet stopped, and she bumped into my back. Turning around quickly, I’ve placed my hand over her lips. “Do not speak, do not shout,” I whispered, my lips grazing her ear. “If something goes wrong, run.”

I felt her head dip and her eyes on me. With that in mind, I walked to where I knew the Elk was residing.

As soon as I felt the heat of its chamber, I called to it. “Master,” I hissed, the voices of the whisperers creeping on me.

“Ah, what do I owe the pleasure, Goat? I’ve seen the progress of your acolyte. To say the least... intriguing. Somehow, you corrupted her.”

I swallowed the guilt I had, pushed my lungs.

The Elk’s laughter boomed off the walls, the other voices joining. “Except, she lost a soul.”

“A mishap, master,” I said, bowing.

“So be it.”

I couldn’t see a damn thing in the darkness, but its voice was right in front of me. And the whisperers were getting louder. Good. That meant Ana was still safe.

“Tell me, what can I do for you, my oldest friend?”

Friend?

I was not its friend, but its servant.

My focus was to my right, where Ana was waiting. Anything could trigger the whisperers.

“How did I become the Goat Man?”

The darkness was too much to handle in the silence, the voices finally stopping their murmur. I felt a light breeze on my left cheek as the Elk’s hooves circled me.

“Do you want honesty?”

The words bounced off the walls.

“Yes,” I whispered, my voice trembling. I closed my eyes, preparing myself.

“Let’s see if you do handle the story, with all its repercussions,” it laughed, the sound cruel to my ears. “There were a shepherd and a shepherdess, a long time ago, before you were born. Their sheep were the best in the land, their wool sought out by emperors, making the shepherds amass wealth. The shepherds had five children, the oldest being the greediest among them.”

I listened carefully to its words. The nape of my neck burned, and I knew a pair of icy blue eyes was on me. Listening. Waiting.

“The shepherds worked hard for their land,” the Elk continued. “They were selling sheep cheese, sheepskin hats and coats at fairs. Once they were old enough, their sheep would get turned into meat, sold every Saturday in the market.” My brows furrowed, not understanding where it was going with this. “They had five children.”

“As it is the custom in that land, the wealth would have been divided equally among all five. But the oldest son, as greedy as he was, did not want to share the wealth. And so, he started by killing his parents.” I heard the cruel smile in its voice. “One night, he took a scythe from the stables and killed two of their siblings, a brother and a sister.”

“His little sister ran to him for help, but he pushed the scythe’s blade into her chest, carving the small girl’s heart out,” he rambled on, and I had a feeling that I wouldn’t like the end of this. “The youngest brother was not at home, so the oldest waited and waited until flies came around his siblings’ bodies, eating them. When his brother appeared, they both fought, and unfortunately, the youngest brother won by killing the oldest.”

Unfortunately, the youngest brother won.

Dread filled me, images coming through my mind. Fights with my brother, my parents’ serene faces filling my mind, the laughter of my little sister, and how beautiful my older sister was in her Sunday dress.

Everything came back.