Chapter 2: Oddly Quiet

“Or could it be that the taskmasters are already in the village square?” Dodo asked. 

“That would be the best explanation then, they’ve been gone for two weeks now, I just hope they came with more bread this time?” Ginika said. He looked over his shoulders, this time hoping to catch Zahra’s eyes, but the girl seemed distracted.

The path to the village square had changed to a narrow sandy road which could take only two people abreast. From the light of the moon, the route snaked in the night and was lost somewhere ahead. Dodo and Zahra took the lead, leaving Ginika to follow their trail behind.

They have all grown with the same height. Still, recently, Ginika was feeling inferior because both girls had overtaken him with a few feet. And now they took the lead and let him follow behind as though they were some grown-up, who has a child pestering. 

“Do you ever wonder what is out there, I mean, beyond the walls?” Zahra asked. Ginika opened his mouth to answer, but the words got stuck in his throat when he realized that the question was not directed to him.

“I think about it every day” Dodo said, “But my mother told me that there is nothing out there that has life.” 

‘There she comes again,’ Ginika grumbled to himself. Dodo can hardly make two complete sentences without referring to her mother.

“She said the whole place is clustered with dust and sands, and a wild beast that can devour a hundred men at a go…”

‘You are either a fool or your mother is the best liar in the three kingdom.’ Ginika hissed silently, he wished he could shut his ears to the ranting of these girls. 

Something moved in the shadow, drawing his attention. He let his gaze dwell upon the tree on the right, hoping to catch a glimpse of what it was. There, sitting like a King on one of the treetops, was an Owl. His stomach knotted as the realization struck him. ‘Be wary of an owl, especially in the night.’ The voice of the village chief reminded from before.

“Zahra, Dodo, wait up,” He shouted and ran after the girls who hadn’t noticed his absence.

“What?” Dodo asked coldly as she and Zahra turned their attention to him.

“I think I know why the other children went away,” Ginika said, “They have been kidnapped by the children of the night”

“Oh, no, this is bad,” Dodo said and burst into hot laughter. Ginika felt bad when Zahra chuckled along with Dodo. He couldn’t believe that the girl would join Dodo in making fun of him.

“Out of my way you two.” he fumed and burst out from their midst, “I am going home.” tears blurred his eyes as he trotted down the path, why is it that nobody takes his words seriously?

The smell of smoke made Ginika froze. He wiped his eyes and lifted his head. That was when he saw the houses that were on fire.

“In the name of the Three Kingdoms!” Zahra and Dodo exclaimed when they caught up with him.    

The fire blazing the night chorused as they consumed the thatched roof and seemed to melt the wall made of clay.

It was a Harmattan fire. Nothing could stand on its way.

The bamboo trees used to roof the fifteen hut that was burning, hissed, and sang in harmony with the smoke as their helpless body waxed to nothing.

Tiny lines covered the tanned skin of Ginika, a testimony to the confusion that churned his stomach.

‘What had happened and who had done this?!’ He thought to himself, his expression with unmasked disbelief.

It was a taboo in the Kingdom to set houses on fire. Even bushes were burnt with utmost care for fear of destroying the cornfield of the taskmasters.

Or was it actually those vampires, who called themselves the children of the night?

Could it be that the villagers had finally revolted and had stood up to Fight those taskmasters?

Ginika bit his lower lips as the splendor of the yellow fire danced in his eyes. He knew the villagers would never Fight the taskmasters.

They had been oppressed so much that he doubts if they could even hurt a fly.

He didn’t blame them though, living in the shackles of slavery for almost a thousand years since they stopped counting, could break down the fierce spirit in any human being.

His eyes scanned the burning village. It looked empty and totally desolate.

“What is going on?” Zahra asked the question in Ginika’s head. The fear in her voice made Ginika want to pull her into his arms and comfort her.

He wished he could hold her soft body in his arms and take away the fears and anxiety.

But that, he knew, was like jumping off a high cliff, with the delusion that gravity would keep you afloat. The girl would rebuke him with insult and make fun of him afterward.

The best thing he could do for himself was to hold his peace and find out what is going on and who was responsible for the wildfire.

“I don’t know,” Dodo said. The smell of her body swerved in the air as she walked past Ginika, heading down the hill towards the burning village.

Ginika immediately held her elbow.

“Let go, Gini,” She protested, but the boy would not back down.

“Why do you want to jump into a situation you know nothing about? It is dangerous. Something might be out there!” Ginika said, almost asking if she was stupid.

He waited for the girl to make fun of his words but was surprised when she only gaze at him in silence, “Don’t be stubborn today and listen to me, please.”