Title: From A Distance Chapter 7
Characters: Chandir/Wryn/Enoch
Series: Another Life
Oh God, they’d found him. Enoch curled tighter into a ball. He knew it was futile, they would see him huddled in the corner. The four boys that were after him were older than he was. They were thin and starving too, but they had rage to lend them strength. The knocking continuing and Enoch knew the door wouldn’t hold much longer. His only hope was that they wouldn’t beat him to death. Although, he wondered why he still wanted to live. There was nothing left.
He cried out as a hand touched his shoulder. Then suddenly he was awake and sitting on Chandir’s lap. He was safe. He was warm. No one would use their fists on him for seeing things that no one else could see. Enoch shuddered and tried to draw in air.
“Shhh, agape, shh. I’ve got you. You are safe.” Chandir held him tight, murmuring words of comfort. “It was a dream. A bad dream.”
Enoch twisted in the large man’s grasp. He wrapped his arms around Chandir’s neck and burrowed deeper in his embrace. It was a bad dream, yet they both knew it was also a memory. Slowly, the vision of the boys breaking down the door and beating him faded away. Chandir’s arms never failed to chase away his demons.
Hearing a noise, he glanced up. There in the doorway stood Wryn with Misham behind him. Misham’s eyes reflected the fear and hurt that Enoch had felt. Taking a deep breath, Enoch let go of Chandir.
“I’m good now.” He bit his lip to stop the apology that threatened to spill out. He didn’t want to hear the lecture from Chandir and Wryn. Especially in front of Misham. He’d heard the ‘do not apologize for that which you cannot control’ so many times he could recite it by memory.
“Enoch, Misham stopped by to visit with you,” Wryn said.
Enoch turned and met Chandir’s eyes. The dominant must have seen that he really was alright as he nodded and let him go.
“We can talk in here,” Misham said.
“I need to get up and stretch my legs.” Enoch stood up. He had been exhausted for the last few weeks. The people on Earth had started their journey again and he’d felt every bit of Rona’s weariness. Chandir and Wryn had increased his resting times to napping during the day. His time working with Misham had suffered.
Misham’s eyebrows lowered. “No, no. Let’s sit on the bed together.”
Enoch watched as Misham’s face tensed. It finally dawned on him that Misham wanted privacy for whatever he had to say. “Um. Yes. We can do that.” He’d never been good at subterfuge.
Chandir must have mistaken his stuttering for embarrassment. “Everyone has dreams that leave them unsettled. Do not let it rule over you the rest of the day.”
“A visit with Misham might chase away any lingering memories,” Wryn replied. “We’ll be right out here if you need us.”
Misham stepped aside as Chandir walked past him. When the door shut behind the two men, he hurried over to Enoch. “I’ve found something.”
Enoch held his breath. He and Misham had been searching for something that would tell them about the people on Earth. The people that Enoch kept having visions of. He just hadn’t had the energy to keep working. But it seemed that Misham had continued without him.
“You know who they are?” Enoch asked. If he could be sure that they weren’t left on Earth, then he might rest easier.
Misham shook his head. “No. I still can’t find any mention of them. But I found a map. It was tucked behind some books. It was lodged in one of the shelves.” He reached into a pocket on his tunic and brought out a discolored piece of leather.
Once it was spread out, Enoch could see the map. He saw symbols that represented the forest and the mountains. He saw lines that appeared to be trails. Several of the lines were drawn in blue which Enoch assumed to be rivers. The map was fascinating, but he didn’t know how that helped them. It was a map of their nation. Nothing to do with Earth.
At Enoch’s puzzled look, Misham pointed at a symbol. “See this? It means library.”
Taking another look, Enoch saw the mark that Misham pointed at, but it wasn’t the library that they’d been working at. His eyes skipped over the map until it found the same mark. There, that was the library he knew.
“See this mark above it? Roughly translated it means secret or hidden. It’s a hidden library. A hidden place that might hold more books of Historians. We might find the answers you are looking for.”
Misham’s excitement was contagious. Enoch could feel his heart starting to race. Could it be? Could it be the answers he was looking for? Quickly, he looked and found his winter boots. It was early in the day yet and the snow had stopped the day before. If he could convince his two dominants that he was well rested, he and Misham could try and find this hidden library.
Lacing up his boots, Enoch looked at Misham. The other submissive had already folded the map. He was putting it in his pocket when he met Enoch’s eyes.
“I told Elden that we might work late.”
“Let’s go persuade Chandir and Wryn that I’m fine.” With a determined look, Enoch strode to the kitchen. Chandir was standing at the counter chopping dried herbs while Wryn was seated in a chair darning a sock. He wanted to phrase his request as politely as he could. Inhaling quietly, Enoch asked, “May I go with Misham for a bit? The sun is shining and I would dress warmly.”
Chandir turned and looked at him. Enoch stood still and let his dom’s eyes roam over his body.
“A walk might be just the thing. The fresh air may clear away the cobwebs of yesterday,” Wryn said. He turned to Chandir. “A few hours will not hurt him.”
When Chandir nodded his consent, Enoch walked over to him. “Thank you, agape. For everything.” He grunted as he was swept into Chandir’s arms once again. The kiss the dominant gave him stole his breath away. Then he was released with a hardy swat to his butt. “Do not wear yourself out. That is our job.”
Enoch grinned. His two men definitely did wear him out and he enjoyed every moment of it. Turning he ran into Wryn.
“Take care you don't wear yourself out.” Wryn kissed him just as passionately as Chandir had. Breaking off the kiss, Wryn helped him into the heavy wool coat. When Enoch was bundled up, Wryn held out a satchel. “Some food and drink. I expect it to be eaten before you come home.”
Enoch lifted the strap over his head and let the bag settle at his hip. “Between Misham and I, it will be eaten.” Enoch knew that Wryn would have thought of his friend and packed enough. Misham hadn’t been starved like Enoch, but his body worked overtime due to his empathy. Misham was just as thin as he was.
Stepping outside, Enoch felt a rush of anticipation. Something was going to happen. He could feel it in his soul. “Open the map. Let’s see where we need to go.”
*****Earth******
The wind was much colder as they started out again. Each morning, the group collected their supplies and followed her. Rona knew they were getting impatient. They wanted to settle and learn about this planet. But she kept pushing them. She didn’t understand the burning need inside her. She just knew that there was something out there. Waiting for them. She felt a rush of anticipation. Maybe today they would find it.
TBC
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