Chapter 6: Don't bring this up again.
He dropped to his knees, not even feeling the cold, and started clawing at the ground.
" Nnngh-!"
The dirt was half-frozen and it hurt, scraping his fingers raw, but he didn't care, sometimes some things just had to be done.
He just dug like a dog until the hole was deep enough. He couldn't bring himself to look at his face as he shoved it in and covered it up with a messy pile of snow and dirt. It wasn't a proper burial, honestly, it was more like hiding the evidence of the world's most bizarre crime...
Finally done, he struggled to catch his breath, the cold air felt even more chilly now that it was dark out.
He had no intention of running into any other supernatural phenomenon or creature, so he got up, gathered his wicket basket and syckle and ran all the way back to the village without stopping, his lungs burning like they were on fire.
Fortunately, the way back was ingrained in his mind like a muscle memory, nevertheless, that didn't stop some branches from smacking him in the face as he ran, but that did nothing to stop his sprint.
" Thank god, i made it." He felt relieved when he saw a torchlight up ahead.
"Hey! Who goes there!"
" State your business right now if you don't want any trouble." Adrian's relief was short lived when he heard a voice that stopped him in his tracks.
He watched as someone approached him from the dark with a torch in hand.
Turns out, it was Thomas, one of the guys on patrol, stepping out with a spear in hand. "Adrian? What are you doing out past curfew? You know the rules."
Adrian's mind went totally blank. "I, uh… I'm so sorry."
" I was looking for herbs in a cave and didn't know when it got so dark," he stammered out, the lie sounding pathetic even to him, it couldn't be helped, right now his mind was more rattled than calm.
" I promise it won't happen again."
Thomas looked him up and down, his eyes taking in the dirt, the wild look, the general state of disaster. "I'll let you off this time but don't you go doing something that stupid again, these forests aren't as safe as one would think." he grunted, but he finally moved aside.
' You have no idea." Adrian thought to himself ironically.
" Now hurry up and getting going, I'm sure your poor mother must be worried dearly because of this."
" Thank you." Adrian didn't need to be told twice. He bolted through the quiet village and practically fell through his own front door, slamming his back against it and sliding down to the floor. He hugged his shivering knees, trying to catch his breath, but everything time he closed his eyes, all he could see was the ghost image of his own pale, dead face in the snow. It was burned into the back of his eyelids.
" Why can't I just forget..." Adrian's teeth chartered in his mouth.
Just then, he heard a loud strained coughing sound, the sound came from his mom's room.
" No, I completely forgot about her." The sound yanked him right out of his own personal nightmare.
He scrambled to his feet and rushed in. The room always smelled kinda sick now. She was on her bed, shaking, her face all pale and slick with sweat. "Mom!" he said, rushing to her side.
He took her hand, his own still trembling. "It's okay, I'm here. You're gonna be fine." He ran out of the room and returned shortly with a cup of water, he held it for her while she took a few shaky sips. Her skin was burning up.
He left the room again to go get something, even though she technically wasn't his real mother, seeing her in pain felt as if something was tearing him up from the inside.
He didn't know whether it had something to do with his body or not but he didn't care. He grabbed the bundle of leftover herbs from his basket, his hands shaking as he dumped them into the little cooking pot.
' Come on, boil...'
' just boil already' he thought, glaring at the fire. The waiting was the absolute worst. Finally, the water turned a nasty green and smelled like bitter dirt. His memories told him that this should alleviate her pain somewhat.
He seived the herbs and poured it into a wooden bowl, sloshing some over the side because his hands wouldn't cooperate.
"Here, Mom, drink this," he said, helping her sit up a little. She took small, slow sips, and her breathing finally started to calm down a little.
She looked up at him, her eyes tired and full of this guilt he hated. "My sweet boy," she whispered, her voice all raspy. "I'm so sorry. I'm just a burden on you. I know you were out all day because of me."
"Stop it, Mom." he said, his throat feeling way too tight. "You're not a burden. Don't ever say that." He tugged the thin blanket up around her shoulders.
But she didn't stop. "Adrian, please. You need to think about your life. I might not have a lot of connections, but I know one in the city that could be of help. He'll take you in as an apprentice. You could be a blacksmith. Have a real future. Not… this." She waved a weak hand around the tiny, poor room.
" I don't want you wasting your life here in this village because of me... Being a herb gatherer–"
" Is good enough for me!" He cut her off.
A cold, hard knot twisted in his stomach. " Mom. I'm not leaving."
"But the money would be good," she insisted, her voice getting a little stronger with desperation. "You would have enough to get married..."
" And what's wrong with marrying someone from the village?" Adrian shot back, maybe a little too sharp. He couldn't leave. Not now.