Mesu circled the clearing, staying behind the tree line. A pile of ash and debris lay where her home once was. The sight brought tears to Mesu’s eyes. She was surprised there was any more in her. The last three days were filled with crying and blinking, reminding her that they were still sore. It didn’t help that her aunt had reacted the same way when Mesu finally let the words leave her mouth of the attack.
Her aunt pushed for Mesu to stay, but there was a slight glimmer of hope within her. That night, she had only seen shadows against the fire. There was a possibility that someone made it out alive. The remains of the house brought back vivid memories of that night.
She moved through the forest to the family gravesites. Relatives who had once tended the land were laid to rest there once they passed away. It was through a path in the woods to a smaller clearing. Mesu approached it and hoped there were no new plots dug out.
The area had been ravaged. A few of the graves had been dug up, and Mesu knew one of them was Enya’s, her adventuring great-grandmother. She plopped to the ground. Her relief of no new bodies or graves kept her paralyzed in the moment. She could feel her hands shake, and she thought back to the life she had taken. Did it really happen? She put her face in her hands and wept again.
———————————————————-
All she could feel was exhaustion. Mesu willed herself back up to a sitting position and took off her backpack. She picked out the knife from it. Her legs lifted her back to her feet steadily towards the graves. She expected something to jump out at her, but the noises of the forest were surprisingly soothing. Enya’s grave was the closest. Mesu could see that the ground was dug up to the point where they got to Enya’s coffin. It was pulled out of the ground like others around it. All the lids had been tossed aside. Enya’s was empty.
She walked over to the next one, a great aunt. There were the remains of a body inside. A rancid smell hit her nostrils and almost made her puke. She made her way to another and exited as quickly as she could back to Enya’s coffin. There was no smell from this one, which was appreciated. Mesu couldn’t stop the puzzled look that crossed her face.
The top of the box was torn up like someone or something had punched through. The rest of it was pristine. It was inlaid with cushions to hold a corpse softly. It was out of place, especially if it was meant to be empty. A floral pattern wrapped all the way around. It covered the inside completely. A seam signaled where the beginning and end of the image was. It had been lightly sewn together, and the stitching was clear after looking closer. Mesu found the end of the string and tugged a little. It gave way. She pulled hard.
The force of the pull almost made her fall over. String wavered in the wind as the fabric peeled away from her grip. Mesu pulled at the loose fabric of the coffin. A folded paper was tucked within the cushioning. She pulled it out and unfolded it. A gasp escaped her lips as she read it.
If you are reading this, you have either discovered one of my greatest secrets or stumbled upon this by accident. I hope it is the former as I had to say this before I left. Age and time are no longer concerns to me. The story, as most are, is true that I had found the Elixir of Life. I did drink from it. As long as I do not get myself killed, I may live forever. The secret of this should have died with Arlyn. I can’t imagine when you may have found this but know that wherever I am, I’m happy for you. Live out your life to the best you can.
Love,
Enya
Mesu turned it over and read it again. Questions bubbled up in her mind with no answers. She folded up the paper and tucked it away. That seems pointless, she thought. The whole family had believed that Enya had died of old age long ago. What made her feel like she needed to keep it a secret? It annoyed Mesu.
She sat down next to the empty coffin and looked it over. Was that the reason the grave was dug up? Could someone be looking for Enya’s body? Maybe it was just in hopes of treasure? The things that had attacked her family weren’t human, though. Mesu was not sure what they were. That would be another question she would need answers to.
The ground around where she sat was well-worn. Whoever did this took no care in hiding their tracks. The path went into the forest towards her former home and then off in the opposite direction. She took in a deep breath and processed all she had. Whatever it was that she killed, there were a lot more of them. Going after them wasn’t a good idea. Mesu still had money and could go back to live her life with her aunt or in a town, possibly have the family home rebuilt.
Another option popped into her head. What if I find Enya? It was pretty far-fetched and she had no idea where to start. The stories she was told always seemed to be of exotic places. All of them were nothing like she knew right now. Could she adventure off to them?
It was something she had entertained for a year or two. Her experiences on the farm hadn’t been ideal, and she always wanted more. This crazy idea started to take hold and make sense to her. A young girl like herself living alone in a town would be dangerous, and rebuilding the house would lead to a lonely life. Living with her aunt sounded too depressing. If she was going to do this, she would go opposite from the way her attackers went. It was decided. Mesu stood up and unfolded the paper. She straightened it out and looked it over again.
There were still no clues as to where she should start. Mesu grabbed her bag and examined the coffin once more. She moved to the others, taking in a deep breath before checking the caskets of the corpses. With her stomach unsettled and nothing more to take, she followed the path to the remains of the house.
She was less cautious as she approached. There appeared to be a few items that seemed not to be touched by fire as she walked through the destruction. The one she saw value in was an old short sword. It was another relic from Enya’s travels, but it looked to be of good quality. There was a story behind it, Mesu was sure. She practiced slicing through the air with it. The blade was heavy. Mesu decided she would not be stopping at her aunt’s house. This was a trip straight to a town and asking around. Her foot took a step, and then the other until she was walking away. Atop a hill, she looked back. Maybe one day I will be back, she thought. If fate was kind, maybe she would even grow old here. She walked on and cleared a tear from her eye.