Page 103 of Souls We Rip

The same yard I watched months ago stood before my eyes. The livestock was already asleep as I stepped into the vegetable garden, covered by thick snow and dirt.

In the months since I had met Ana, her family’s house turned into shambles, piss and dirt everywhere. The rooftop had holes in it, and the stables were almost falling on the animals that slept soundly in them.

There were broken windows here and there, the beauty of the house long gone.

From what I’ve gathered from my Mirror, Ana’s sister was still living with her parents, the wedding with her betrothed, Gavril, delayed by her family’s situation. He did try to take Angelica and her mother away, but Anghel, Ana’s father, threatened to burn every crop Gavril’s family owned.

“I saved him for nothing,” Ana whispered, standing in front of the main door, her muscles clenched and her tears melting the snow at her feet.

The dress she was wearing was wet at the seams, the dark cherry blossoms that decorated it hidden.

Her words haunted the space and my mind. My lungs stretched at the realisation that her sacrifice could be in vain.

“His blood runs through my veins, Tiberius! How can I take him?”

I knew that the moment she said who the ninth soul was.

“We will find another one, Ana! I missed some souls, too. There will be others to claim,” I tried to reassure her, but to no effect.

“We are running out of time, Tiberius! If we do not have the ninth soul by the middle of Undrea, then we won’t have time to get the last one…”

I knew that. But also, I was aware that she could not rip her father’s soul.

“Ana, let’s go home,” I pleaded, touching her arm lightly.

“Whenever I looked in the Mirror, I saw them smiling. My father was nowhere to be seen. Why is that?”

Her voice broke.

“I have no clear answer, inimă. It is possible that you did not see their smiles faltering, or tears falling on their cheeks?”

She shook her head. “I wanted to believe that I did them a service. I sacrificed myself because he was the only one who could support them with money, and in our country, there is not much a woman can do in these times.”

Ana took a few steps towards the stables, her shoulders shaking.

“Ana… you are bargaining with yourself now,” I whispered.

She whirled around, her cheeks sparkling from tears. I rushed to her, kissing her face, nose, eyes, and mouth, and pulled her into an embrace.

“I will be here if you need me, inimă.” I turned her around, her cloak brushing the snow at our feet. I just hoped she had the strength in her to do it.

Ana

The ninth soul

The snow stopped.

I dragged my empty feet and wet hair over my parents’ yard, Tiberius’s eyes following me as I drew circles in the snow with the scythe.

I was right. The Elk must have sent the images with my father, just to tease us. To see if I was able to take the life of the man who gave it to me. I crossed my hand over my eyes, pinching the skin.

My mind couldn’t focus on even one happy memory with my father.

I hoped that he would be better as he saw the Goat Man and lived to tell the story. My family most likely thought I died. Yet, I was alive in a way I never was before. No regret lingered for the pact with the man who found a way to kill the Elk, to grant us freedom.

My lips were chapped, covered by blood, as I looked at my mum’s face, before the kitchen window, wrapped in all sorts of wools and shawls to keep her warm.

I took a step towards the house; my arms were numb from squeezing the scythe.