SHORT STORY - Lena and the Band of Assassins - Part 08

“Merciful God of Beauty.” Her aunt swore, voice terrified. “Child – what have you done?”

“I sent the spawn back to its father,” Lena whispered, mind still blank.

Aunt Falice got up, fumbling. The short plump woman looked like she just saw a ghost. She gaped at the newly formed corpse as she walked towards Lena. “Child,” she said kneeling in front of her. Lena was still lying on the ground, her face feeling like it could come off. “I know what they did to your mama is terrible but – “

“No aunt.” Lena said, head on stone floor, eyes closed. “mother died because we were weak. It was only a matter of time before this happened.”

“But darling you – “

“I won’t stand aside meekly and watch my entire people get slaughtered.” Lena said.

She got up and sat on a stool. She needed to breathe. In. Out. In. Out. Her aunt was still staring at the spot where Lena was just lying.

Lena just…killed someone. She wished she felt as confident as she sounded. The terror she felt when that man punched her at the end. The black void that was inside of her while she was running at him. The feeling of the knife biting into his skin. These things were a part of her now. And she knew they would follow her until the end.

And she would have to do it again. Three more times. A new feeling grabbed a hold of her – one that felt surreal.

Three more times…

“Aunt. Time is short.” Lena said. “What were you trying to tell me back there?”

Her aunt didn’t respond.

“Falice!” Lena shouted her aunt’s name. The other monsters would surely be back soon, there was no time for this!

Her aunt blinked, looking up at her. “Y-yes. They - “ she exhaled a sharp breath. “They did terrible things to me Lena. And yet I still cannot fathom what you just did. I – You are right, we are weak.”

“No. Longer.” Lena said, slamming her fist on her knee, startling her aunt. Lena knelt beside the woman, and grabbed both of her hands. “Aunt. We need to have a plan. We cannot let these monsters win.”

Her aunt looked exhausted. Her lips trembled something fierce. She nodded.

“Good,” Lena said. “Now, what don’t I understand?”

“The monsters,” she said, voice so soft Lena needed to strain to hear. “they thought me unimportant. While they were…torturing me, I overheard some things.”

“What?”

“I don’t know much,” her aunt said “but these monsters have codes that they must abide to. Lena, they cannot fully take control of the island. Not unless you sign that parchment.”

“That’s so odd,” Lena frowned.

“They also have a ship. They’re boarding everything of value that they’ve found on it. They don’t let anyone near, apart from their crew. And Lena…” Her voice grew foreboding. ”They’re all mute, the crew. That’s all I – all I – “

“It’s ok.” Lena tried to sound as comforting as possible. She knew she did an awful job at it.

“They believe in strange things.” Her aunt continued “Terrifying things. Things that make no sense.”

“So do we. Only their belief turned out more productive than our own.”

Her aunt was shaking. Lena knew how she felt. She knew what it was like to have your entire world view challenged, and destroyed. Regardless of that however, she needed all the help she could get if they were going to reclaim their home. Their existential crisis had to wait. Once the threat had been…eliminated, and they were fully and truly broken - they would pick up the pieces and start anew.

“They will be back,” her aunt croaked. “We – we need to – get rid of the body.”

Lena nodded and looked up at the storage room. “We’ll put him in there. It’s not the most secretive place but we won’t be able to carry him, let alone hide him sufficiently.”

Her aunt nodded.

“Aunt.” Lena pleaded. “I won’t be able to do this alone.”

“So many are dead, child.” The woman’s lips trembled. “We are not fighters. We – “

“I don’t care how pathetic we are at defending ourselves!” Lena said. Tone desperate. “I. I can’t do this alone.”

“I’ll see what I can do…” Her aunt said, voice barely a whimper.

“First thing’s firs we hide the body.”

“And then? What will we have to do then?”

“Then,” Lena said, tone growing devious. “you are going to run home, and get me some green mushroom extract.”