Shadows - S Robinson (classic reads TXT) 📗

new man and it was going to take Anan a while to get used to it. “I’ve been thinking…….” Started Anan but was cut short by Mags “before you start I want to make a few things perfectly clear” staring both boys down, so Anan took a seat “Hann you are my son and I love you, Anan you are my nephew and I love you like a son” both the young men were smiling but neither was sure where to look “but if I find out that either of you have been fighting again, with each other,or any of the other boys, I swear, as god as my witness I will knock you BOTH black and blue” her temper seemed to flare for a moment and both the boys flinched at her tone and sat back in their chairs “you are men and I am a lady so what is the chance in that you may ask”
“I know where you sleep and I would sit on your shoulders whilst you slept and make you both extremely sorry you crossed me” this threat had the desired effect as both of them were horrified. They both knew that look enough to know that Mags was not lying or exaggerating, that if they messed up again there was going to be trouble.

After they had both shovelled down some bread and fruit they left the house and headed down to the forge. Anan talked frantically of his design for the make shift craft and what they would both be doing that day. As they rounded the corner was dragging another bag of apples through the street. Anan felt sick, he had helped before and the thought of the spiders made his skin crawl. Hann could see the look on his face “Anan, you go on, I will take these back for and I will meet you there shortly............you can brew though” and with a smile and a wink he ran over and hauled the bag of apples onto his shoulder and carried them away to house. Relief washed over him. It was such a medial task however the thought of what had happened the last time shuddered through him, he knew he was to face much worse than a spider bite but the thought of little legs crawling over his hands almost tickled his skin. When he arrived at the forge he was shocked to find Brock & Fran , Hann's henchman stood by the door. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth and more aware of his surroundings made his way forward. Both the other boys were quite larger than Anan but they didn't scare him anymore. Mags words were ringing in his ears and he unclenched his fists and tried to calm down. “morning” he said as he drew level with the lads “bit early for ya innit Anan, you wet the bed” Anan just ignored them and picked up some wood he had left outside from the night before, the both began to chuckle and stepped in front of the door and pushed Anan backwards “I said did you wet the bed” still nothing Anan was not going to give them the satisfaction
“I think he's gone deaf as well as mute” again they began to laugh and pushed him again and Anan stepped back a few feet and stumbled to his knees but refrained from retaliating.
“Morning lads you having fun?” Hann appeared behind them both, he had a big smirk on his face and Anan's heart sank. So it was all a set up. He felt stupid for being taking in by Hann, he thought he had made a friend when really all he had done was let his guard down and now he was going to pay for it. Hann moved between both the boys and stepped up to Anan. “smash him Hann” and Hann's eyes just gleamed, the hatred was back and all Anan could do was wait for the first blow he was grounded and defenceless, but unexpectedly the blow never came and Hann reached out his arm and let Anan up. “what you doing Hann you........” the sentence was never finished Hann spun on his heel and grabbed both lads by the throat and pinned them to the forge door.
“From now on Anan does not get touched by you pair or anyone else” the lads were trying to prise his fingers from their throats but to no avail, “I said he doesn't get touched anymore” and they both nodded. Hann let them go and they both fell to their knees coughing and spluttering. Hann pushed open the door and gestured to Anan who quickly entered not quite believing what he had just seen. They worked in silence for a while, Hann seemed to be angry with everything he touched. He slammed wood to the floor, threw the metal braces across the room when they wouldn't fasten and swore a lot when he hit himself with the hammer.
“Thanks Hann” it was all he could think of saying to his new friend. “ they shouldn't be doing that to you Anan...........I should never have done that to you. I will change Anan and so will they. I cant imagine how you lived your life the way you have, buts its my job now to make sure it changes” that was all he said, it had a finality about it and they both just carried on working. As midday approached they had moulded all the braces they would need and the logs had been prepared for tying together. The idea was to tie the logs together using the metal braces to form a raft then coat the entire base with a special glue made from various oils and tree sap to hopefully make it waterproof. They would then use old Folip's stomachs filled with air as bags to reduce the impact when the craft hit the water and to give it buoyancy in the water. They were going to have to drop the small ship from about thirty feet up, which if not connected correctly would fall apart on impact. They had also concluded the sail for the ship would have to be made and lowered to the craft separately as this would be damaged if it was dropped off the side of the cliff and with the amount of Folip hide they were using they only had one shot at this. Whining that he was hungry Hann went to get them both some lunch. Anan decided it was a good time for a break as well so when Hann left he sat outside in the sun took a huge mouthful of water and lay back with his hands behind his head and began to doze.
He was a beast roaming the forest, he could feel the solid beat of his heart through his chest. His large padded feet making no sound as they pounded the leafy forest floor. He was chasing something. This dream seemed to real and his body began to stir, then a women appeared in front of him “I am sorry” was all she said and Anan or was it the beast that bellowed and leapt forward, the shock of it woke Anan immediately. Was that a dream? Was it a memory? He couldn't decide. It was

a dream like but felt too familiar. He knew the women's face but had no idea where he could have possibly seen her before. Yet he felt saddened by it, why would that beast attack her, it was his dream and he couldn't understand it and that concerned him.
Suddenly he felt wet and he shot up, Ericou was stood over him laughing he had just upturned an entire jug of water over him “your supposed to be working, you can sleep when your dead” feeling a bit hard done too Anan stood up and wiped the excess water from his face “what you do that for, that water was freezing” Ericou was still laughing “well you aint got time to rest lad, you got a day maybe two at best to get ready and get gone” Anan must have looked confused so Ericou continued “ the shadows have started to congregate on the other side and with the weather the way it is the orange sun will be on us sooner than we first thought, when the sun breaks you need to be long gone” Anan gulped, he hadn't realised it would come around that quickly. He started to show Ericou the progress he and Hann had made but Ericou looked sceptical “so let me get this straight your planning on sailing this around this earth with Hann, bringing it to land and going by foot to the Evergreens, with little food, no battle experience and no Dago” Anan nodded, when the older man put it like that it did seem rather far fetched. “I know this will work Ericou, you have always told me to go gut first and that is what I am doing. The raft works better than a small ship, its faster and easier to manoeuvre. It will be easier to fish from so the food we take will be for the long walk. Dago has no way of getting to the craft once its in the water and who needs battle experience, I got Hann plus.....” Anan picked up his tomahawk from the bench spun a hundred and eighty degrees and launched the small axe, it flew through the air impaling itself in a water butt on the other side of the room
“ impressive Anan but you could hardly of missed a stationary target of that size” Anan grinned to himself
“ I was not aiming at the barrel”, Ericou looked confused and went over to collect the blade, he couldn't believe his eyes the blade had hit a fly in mid air and impaled it against the barrel. As he drew the blade out the fly fell into two pieces. “ I see you have been practising” Ericou seemed impressed and was smiling “everyday for the last ten years” Ericou just nodded and seemed very pleased with himself. He handed the axe back to Anan who then sheathed it in his belt and went to leave as he reached the doorway he looked over his shoulder and said “ you are obviously very accomplished with that axe Anan have you thought about taking two” Anan gestured to the table where two more axes were lay, both as magnificent as the other “then there is no more I can teach you, you make me proud Anan” and he left and Anan swore he could see a tear in his teachers eyes. Having that type of compliment from a man as heroic in stature as Ericou, Anan's heart felt lighter. To gain his masters approval proved to him he was taking the right course of action. Anan attacked his work with gusto and by the time Hann arrived back with lunch Anan had already braced and coated the small raft.
“ hahaha you that ready to leave are you Anan” looking amazed at how much work Anan had produced in such a short time. “ I just spoke with Ericou who says we need to be leaving by the morning at the latest” all the colour seemed to drain from Hann's face “er...the morning....but I”