Merlin 3:53 Hexewell

Merlin 3:53 Hexewell

The sky passes along making time for all things, the weak pastures dried by late summer, exhausted by the first of shrinking daylight hours, the patience of lowland grasses bides the time between dense summer fogs and passing storm. In a passing sun the poisoned water turns the satiated into insatiable, drink sickly water thickly with hex and vex and the taste of salted seas; each of the snakes not raised in the bucket from the well do begin to rot, all rife with gestating eggs. Ana boils her water as she has because it is the way of most fire witches and is obvious. Merlin sits with his feet in the window, half drunk, half drinking, half asleep peering and knives in his hands of sleeves. /

By third day, those who drink are infected with this snake fever, which feverish turn pale and sweat, avoiding large noises and growing blind, fill of their own stomachs remain catatonic, hungered they attack those whom sleep as it infects thru wounds and blood. Merlin sits window footed, propped against the wall by whiskey and sleep, but Nick returns with skin like a sack of milk and eyelids red with the veins in his eyes running black and distressed.

Nick: (whisper) Merlin…, …, Merlin! Come outside.
Merlin: Just come inside before you make an unjust scene.
Nick: (whisper) It’s probably better if you exit for the child.

Merlin reaches forward and pushes aside the curtain, with the sun in his eyes he leans forward until so to can be seen Nick’s face, a pallor deep of fever, a swaggered stance akin to reapers, standing on the weaker leg, by shock and awe he sees a stare unseen that gives him fear.

Merlin: What do they want?
Nick: What do, who, want?
Merlin: What?
Nick: Look on me, hammered shit, take me into the woods and kill me – without touching me, of course.
Merlin: (above whisper) Just tell me how many before they see you.
Nick: Walk me out, I don’t want my… ‘reawakening’ to harm her or the baby.

In the trees Nick slits his own throat, his blood nearing gray and slow to spill, the manna stolen reawakening burns the earth accursed ever close to his skin, the grass wilts to ash and sinks into the dirt as it cracks desiccated, the earth creaks and a nearby tree makes death from root and splits open with a single hammering snap sending red leaves to the floor from an otherwise green tree. Merlin watches nature twist as Nick upsurges to feet, startled offers a rag.

Merlin: It would seem we're both sober. Did you see the devil who cursed you?
Nick: No, it would be in the blood, I’m going to burn my clothes, perhaps even myself again.
Merlin: Sounds madness-horrible.
Nick: It isn’t fun, and I can't remember it to describe it other than septic flesh.
Merlin: So, blood then water…...?
Nick: Such I believe, come, let us warn her and prepare to leave.
Merlin: It may be too late to move again.
Nick: When I rebirth I hunger, but this hunger is less than the illness, we are not safe again.
Merlin: I fear splitting may be the only way that you both do not share the bounty on my head.
Nick: We’ll have to ask her.
Merlin: 20?
Nick: 15 at least. /

Their separation and departure are denied with mordancy and a slew of almost twenty profanities unwritten and gradually into those as of yet unheard as they are counted. In decision, tonight they all will drink of water boiled. /

On the fifth day Ophidian the snake soul demon, walks the streets dressed as a beggar, acting of a crier shouting of end times, but finagles the cursed on the innocent, opening doors to danger and closing windows for escape. By will of mind he takes wills to live from the ill and the wounded, those who drink concoctions are ired and volatile, the ill begin infecting the healthy as a plague. /

Varin and Bella become betwixt be-cloaked. Their sleepless comforts becomes a shared destination. The rain fills mud puddle empty footsteps, the worms take life from still water and thrive in the rain. Varin takes ill from the plague waters held in his hands, she absorbs the toxin from him and her powers strengthen, she is free to drink corrupt water without self-peril. /

By the seventh day the people check the eyes of whom they meet, searching for clouded pupils and dry shedding skin around the face and neck. The wells are sealed by wooden planks and iron plates and buckets arranged beneath awnings in case of rain. Bella discovers that healing anyone who has been sick for longer than a day, dies when she tries to cure them.

/ch