Sergiu

    The music mingled with the smoke from the bonfires. Voices rang up towards the heavens, laughter and playful chatter sprang forth from the lips of every person there. Everyone except one, a young girl with red curls sat under a table with a young boy. They were smiling, the bud of a young love was beginning to show as the boy placed a tiny heart into her hand. It was carved out of stone and was joined by a tiny rope that went through it. The girl eagerly put it around her neck and she leaned forward and before her lips touched his cheek, a great thunder was heard in the distance. Then, screams followed the great rumbling. The bonfires were no longer bright, but haunting with the smoke dimming the light from the moon. A great chill was felt throughout the village as they heard more cries in the distance. It was not thunder the children heard, but hundreds of horses surrounding their village and closing in.

    The boy, who’s name was Sergiu, grabbed her hand and pulled her along. They rushed away from the horror of what was happening. Through Aurora’s eyes, you could see friends on the ground, dripping with blood, women running with their  babies in their arms and men trying hard to fight off the horsemen. Her first thought was to cling to Sergiu’s hand and never let go, then, she saw them. There must have been at least fifty horsemen, most of them had weapons and one had just thrown a spear that had caught a man in the chest. Though the man was not a friend of Aurora’s, her heart ached and she felt her stomach churn. One of the horsemen let out a horrifying yell and the others joined in. Their voices echoed and smoke blew across them, giving them ghostly appearances. To Aurora, they were ghosts, phantoms really, in green hoods, cutting down the living, possibly trying to steal lives to return to the earth, like in so many legends her father had told her about.

    The boy pulled her closer and looked around, the phantoms were closing in and they were going to be trapped. He looked around and then saw what he had been looking for. It was only a few yards away and they could get inside quickly and, hopefully, unseen. Aurora followed him, devotedly, as she always had in their games in the woods. The games served them well now. Sergiu pushed Aurora into the hut and looked around to see if anyone was around… no one seemed to be watching and why would anyone want to harm children?

    Sergiu ducked down into the supplies hut. “Aurora, they must be the slave traders our parents warned us about! Quickly now, hide inside that-” Before he could finish his sentence, a phantom entered the hut, he grabbed the boy, and shouted, “I found her!” No one heard him and before he could go out of the hut, Aurora hit him as hard as she could with a mixing ladle. He cried out in pain and released Sergiu. They ran out of the hut and tried to head for the hills, there, they could hide in the many caverns, like they had been taught should a raid ever take place. Sergiu was several paces ahead, but she knew he was watching her carefully through the corner of his eye. He had always cared for her and Aurora knew their friendship surpassed that of friends, but there was no words she could say now that would let him know. This was not the time or the place to let him know such things. Secretly, she told him good-bye, knowing what she was about to do may quite possibly be the last thing she would ever do.

    Aurora stopped and turned around. Her father were back there. She knew he wouldn’t run to the tunnels without her. Before she would hide, she needed to let him know that she was safe. Across the dirt she ran, even though she heard Sergiu’s distant cry for her to turn back, she knew her father might not survive unless he at least saw her. Her tiny legs could only carry her so quickly, and then, she saw a large man on a horse. The horse was a dark brown, with war dress on, it’s size was monstrous. Aurora had never seen a horse as large as the one staring her down now. The other phantoms had average horses, but this ghastly figure was a giant within himself.

    His hair was red, his eyes a piercing blue, his green cloak and horse proved he was a phantom and his sword was soiled with the blood of her people. She stopped in her tracks, too filled with anger and hatred to think. He looked straight at her, his heels dug into his horse and it began to race towards her, fear gripped her heart, but something inside of her told her she had the power to stop this vile man. Aurora’s feet dug into the ground, she prepared for him to charge, but as he rode, her fear got the best of her. She leaped to the side and ducked underneath a crudely fashioned tent. She whispered a quick pray for strength, then she charged out, knowing a horse that size could trample the small tent in an instant. She looked at where the horse had been, nothing but other horses running without the villainous owners.

    Suddenly a strong hand pulled her off the ground and threw her onto a horse. The horse began to run and she tried to steal a look at the phantom who was riding away with her, but the horse’s saddle was digging into her stomach and any additional motion was like being punched in the stomach. Each stride knocked the wind out of her. Before she could stop herself, a great cry came out of her. And then she saw him. Her father, his black hair and brown eyes was looking at her and he tried to rush to her rescue, but the evil phantom drove his horse over him, just knocking him to the ground and then the  phantom began to set pace with the others.
    Aurora, with tears and screams rushing out of her, saw her father grow smaller and smaller in the distance, as the red-haired thief joined his fellow bandits. Her father, did not get up from the ground and no one went to his aid. Everyone was either dead or had escaped to the secret places they were shown as soon as they could walk. Aurora reached her arm out to try to capture his essence, to try to will him to get up and move. Anything to let her know he was all right, but nothing happened, he only vanished as the last of the flames went out.

    The man spoke, his voice like that of which she imagined a god’s would resemble, “I have been waiting so long for you…” before she could say anything, another phantom rode up besides them and said, “We must hurry before day break. If we get back before sunrise, our foot prints will be erased by the incoming storm.” His words hit her like a thousand needles piercing into her chest. The storm would hide everything… her family would never find her! The man loosened his grip to steady the horse, Aurora took this moment to slither like a snake off the horse, and though ever bit of her body ached, she found the strength to stand and run. She had to get back to her home, even if they killed her first.

    A man grabbed her by the hair and lifted her off the ground as she screamed and clawed at his hand. The red-headed phantom grabbed her by the waist and yelled, “Don’t you ever touch her like that again!” The man grunted and quickly apologized. The girl fought against the man and he said, “Bring me a bag.” His men brought him a large burlap bag with several holes in it. He put Aurora into it and another man helped him strap the bag onto the horse. The whole time Aurora fought to get out. She had plenty of air, but it was uncomfortable and hot. It also smelled like sage, which was not exactly her favorite plant. Soon, exhaustion took over her mind and body and a fitful sleep kicked in.