ANUNDR: THE EXODUS by N. U JOSHUA Page A

outside and had gone in. She felt safe there, like she was in another world outside her troubles. She smiled and lay down to sleep. In the middle of the night, she heard his neighing pierce the night’s silence. She heard him shuffling and trying to escape where she had tied him. She wanted to go to him but the voice restrained her. She sat with her head between her legs, rocking herself and listening. He neighed one last time and dropped to the ground. She knew he was dead. She waited till morning to confirm her suspicions. The headless corpse of her horse lay where she had tied him, with a long arrow, sticking out of his side. The earth was wet and reddened with blood. She knelt down and stroked his body, a sense of fury welling up in her heart. Her hands trembled as they got to the arrow. The end of the arrow was wrapped with purple and white feathers. She got up and drew it out of his abdomen. She wiped the blood-stained arrow on the grass and put it in her leather bag. She didn’t know who or what the killer was but she knew she would kill whatever it was with the same arrow when she had the chance. She turned around and examined the white flowers. They had protected her but she didn’t know how. She plucked one of the flowers but it wilted when it left the plant. She sighed and flung it away, then she continued her journey for the next two days on foot.
    Darkness fell. Natalia trod faster as she remembered the incident. There was no moon that night, only stars and clouds scattered in the sky. She groped in the dark, trying to find her way. However, the further she went, the denser the forest became. She tripped over tree stumps and pits, making more noise than the creatures in the forest.
    Exhausted, she sat under a tree. She rested her back on it and closed her eyes. She knew she shouldn’t—even the voice told her she shouldn’t—but she couldn’t help it. All the noises went quiet. She heard an unfamiliar voice in the night. It was childlike, yet sinister,
    ‘Dark angel of the Eastern Sea,
    Thy beauty shines upon my tree.
    It is a hymn, it is a song
    Which I have sung for years long.’
    The voice was like a whisper and it was making her dizzy. She knew he was close and moving closer. Her hair stood at the ends but she couldn’t stand. She was too tired.
    The voice in her head said Natalia
    ‘Yes.’ she replied.
    Get up . She didn’t respond. Sleep was clouding her senses. She heard the voice again, this time more commanding, I said get up .
    She struggled to her feet, finding strength.
    Run! she heard. She ran as fast as she could, falling and getting up. She heard the being following her, jumping from the ground to the trees.
    She saw a light afar off. She turned around to look behind her. When she looked forward, she crashed into someone. They toppled to the ground.

CHAPTER 2 7
     
    ‘Forgive me.’ Natalia said, momentarily forgetting her hunter and helping the man to his feet. He had fallen head first to the ground. He held his head and tried to steady himself.
    ‘Steinn, what happened?’ came the squeaky voice of a man running towards them with a lantern.
    ‘This creature attacked me.’ Steinn said, drawing his sword and jumping away from her.
    ‘No, I didn’t. It was an accident.’ Natalia said, raising her hands in placation. The other man had reached them. From the light, she noticed he was a lean freckled-faced lad shorter than Steinn.
    ‘Nonsense. You were ready to eat me if I didn’t defend myself.’ said Steinn, brandishing his sword at her but his sword hand trembled.
    ‘Eat you?! I tried to help you up.’
    ‘Maybe she’s a Pontianak.’ said the lad, shining the lantern in her face.
    ‘Ponti what?’ asked Natalia, shielding her eyes with her hand.
    ‘You know, one of those witches who want to take our virtue.’
    ‘Biorn, I thought that’s the one that starts with an ‘‘S’’.’ said Steinn.
    ‘You never know, she might be both.’
    ‘What’s happening here?’