Sosa knew that voice. Her childhood had been filled with playful screams, not this horror filled screech, but she knew the voice. Sosa raced from the woodstore out into the dark of the village, her feet pounding the familiar ground, guided by the sound of Orolo`s scream. Talon called her name, but she didn`t stop.

　　Others emerged into the humid night air, frightened, confused, shocked from their sleep. Some trembled, others huddled their children and lingered by the safety of their doorways. Sosa flew past them following the sound. It grew increasingly inhuman. Sosa began to think she was mistaken, there was no way quiet little Orolo, daughter of the weaver of purple-dyed cloth, could be making this sound.

　　Then Sosa found her friend.

　　Orolo was shuffling, all her limbs stiff. Sosa collided with her, wrapping her arms around flesh that felt strangely cold. The girl was trembling so much Sosa was surprised she could stand.

　　Orolo? Orolo! What is it?`

　　The inhuman wailing did not abate and rung in Sosa`s ears. Sosa shook her gently, but nothing happened. The girl just kept trying to walk so Sosa managed to steer her back in the direction of her hut.

　　There was no blood or sign of injury, but still she screamed, pausing only long enough to take breath.

　　What`s the matter with you girl?` An angry man blocked their way as others began to gather; they all looked frightened. He raised a hand to strike her, but Sosa leapt forwards, letting go of Orolo`s shoulders and caught the man`s wrist.

　　You touch her I`ll knock you down so hard you won`t get up.` Her face was next to his and he backed away, muttering. Still Orolo screamed and had begun to wander away.

　　Damn it.` Sosa grabbed her and turned her back. This time she tried to stifle the scream with her own hand, her ears were humming in harmony with it. It didn`t stop her. Sosa propelled her more quickly trying to take her home. If felt like the whole village had come out to stare at them. She tried to ignore them; it was that or try to explain to them all individually that she hadn`t done this. It didn`t matter. They didn`t matter. What mattered was her friend.

　　They turned the corner, almost back to the weaver`s hut and Orolo changed from pliable but trembling to stiff and resistant. It was the first time she had shown any awareness of what was around her, but now she raised a quivering hand and pointed with five shaking fingers towards the entrance to her own home. Her legs began to push backwards and the scream grew louder. Her arms flailed and she began to fight with Sosa in attempt to get free. Sosa`s ear went numb from the noise.

　　Sosa looked from her friend`s face to the doorway still covered by canvas. The harder Sosa pushed the more Orolo resisted, the more she fought back.

　　What is it?` Sosa had to scream just to try and be heard but she doubted her words got near Orolo`s ears.

　　What is all the noise?` came an elderly woman`s voice from behind, What are you doing? Do you have any idea how late it is? Some people are trying to sleep and you two are walking around screaming at each other.` Sosa ignored her. Surely the woman would see what was happening and stop. Somehow her voice droned through the screaming.

　　To the damn roots with you!` Sosa span, this time careful not to let go of Orolo, Shut up and get out of the way. If you can`t help, why are you even talking?` She was left with an overwhelming urge to kick out the old woman`s legs just to make her stop.

　　Well I`ve never been so&`

　　Move! Now!` Sosa screamed at her. She wasn`t exactly in the way, but Sosa just needed her to stop. Orolo was still staring at her own home and screaming, at least she had stopped flailing at Sosa, but it was only because Sosa had stopped dragging her forwards. Turning Orolo around so she was not looking at the hut didn`t help. Sosa dragged her away once more, and now the complaining woman was in the way.

　　I think you should stop this right now!`

　　Sosa reached out and clamped one had over the frightened and surprised woman`s mouth, leaning in to her face. This level of arrogance, she could only be one of the Elder council.

　　Shut up. Shut up and move or I will move you and it will hurt.` She looked shocked, far too shocked to actually move, so Sosa shoved her by the mouth and sent her stumbling backwards. She could hear Orolo`s throat being torn by the scream, but still she continued. One way or another the screaming would stop soon.

　　Sit down. Sit down here, you have to stop, Orolo, please you have to stop.` Her own nerves were jumping, the screaming was getting into her head just like the dark had done. She could no longer think, and her muscles were starting twitch with the noise. She was trembling, there was nothing but the screaming and it went on and on and& She had to get it to stop, she had to.

　　She pushed at Orolo, trying to make her sit on the ground, but the girl resisted. Other villagers were following, just watching, but none of them were helping.

　　Some angry younger woman came out of the dark. Did you push my mmawe over? You horrible little child, I ought to take you to your parents and have you&`

　　Sosa let go of Orolo and flew at the woman, her mind and quivering muscles now full only of the screaming. She grabbed her by the shoulders and dug her fingertips hard into the muscles and bone she found there until the woman cried out. Then Sosa just screamed right into the woman`s face. She pushed, as hard as she could and sent her tumbling backwards into the dust. In her mind she saw herself stepping forward the three steps it would take to stand over the woman, kneeling over her and using nothing but her fists to make the stupid woman stop.

　　What is wrong with me? Sosa thought. She turned back to Orolo who was once more trying to escape.

　　Sosa pulled her back roughly, this time knocking her down and once Orolo was on the floor, Sosa wrapped her arms around the girl and just held her. Trying and failing to keep the screaming mouth away from her ear.

　　Will someone help me, what is wrong with you all? Are you all stupid?` she screamed. Orolo would just not stop. Finally Sosa sat up. She looked down at her friend.

　　Then she hit her. It was probably harder than she wanted, but it did the job.

　　Orolo stared up at her, the first time she had really reacted to Sosa`s presence other than to fight her. There was betrayal in the look, but at least Orolo had finally seen her. Then she burst into tears. For the first time, Sosa could work out the damage to her own ears. On one side it was like water had yet to drain out while the other seemed to only be ringing. Somewhere between the two Sosa could still hear screaming.

　　She knelt down and held Orolo close, but the girl became frantic. Hands clubbed at her body and face, nails began to catch in her skin. Orolo was not looking she was just flailing, just hurting. Sosa felt like an unwanted stinging-bug. She caught both Orolo`s wrists and pulled her onto her side so Sosa could lie behind her, and hold her wrists across her body. without getting hit. Orolo fought but realising she could not break free, she lay in Sosa`s embrace and cried.

　　Sosa just breathed and held her friend.

　　It`s okay, it`s okay,` Sosa whispered into her ear, but she didn`t know if that was true at all. Sosa repeated the words over and over. If anyone dared to shout at her again and set off poor Orolo, she would kill them.

　　Then Kala was there. Her hands hovered uncertainly, but Sosa gave her mother a shake of the head. She felt less like the whole village was watching her. Pawe? she mouthed, and Kala nodded in the direction of the weaver`s hut.

　　Typical, Sosa thought with a smile. He`d battle through the deadly forest to avenge her brother, but he`d leave a screaming teenage girl for his wife and daughter to deal with. He`d gone looking for Orolo`s mother, the one person not awakened by her daughter`s screams.

　　All at once, Orolo just stopped and slumped against Sosa as if the last of her strength had finally burned out.

　　Sosa tucked the girl into her side. There, that`s it.` She hadn`t feinted, she was still breathing and her eyes were still open, but she just curled limply into Sosa`s body. Sosa held her just as tightly in case she started again, but drew her in and held her tightly. You`re safe now,` she whispered, you`re okay.` Sosa hoped this was true. Whatever had frightened Orolo might still be here. Or, perhaps it was only nightmares that plagued the girl.

　　People were pressing forwards and Sosa could hear them muttering questions.

　　Orolo? Can you hear me?` She needed to ask, if only so they could see the girl was unresponsive. You`re safe. Squeeze my hand if you can hear me.` Sosa slipped her hand underneath where Orolo clutched at herself. The hand pressed down on hers. Not sure if that was a squeeze, Sosa risked pushing. If the girl wasn`t hearing her, she could hardly upset her further. Did you have a bad dream?` she whispered, not really wanting anyone else to hear what she was saying now. Did you see something?` She cuddled her like she had once cuddled Halo after bad dreams. The girl nodded.

　　See something?` Sosa asked again.

　　A nod.

　　Don`t ask what, she`ll start screaming again, Sosa thought. Where?` she asked instead.

　　The girl this time whispered something, just one word. Home.`

　　Sosa gave a nod and another squeeze. Then remembered&

　　Pawe! Warn Pawe, there could be something in her hut!`

　　Kala`s eyes grew wide and ran. Sosa wanted to go too, but no one would care for the girl if she left her.

　　She stared, confused and angry at the gathering. Why were they all so useless? Had she really changed so much that she no longer felt they were like her?

　　Sosa let go finally of the girls wrists and just held her, listening to the night. The distant bodaki cried and squabbled in the trees, but if there was another sound, another cry, anything that came from the hut, then she`d have to drop Orolo and run.

　　Listening carefully, she risked probing further. Orolo, you`re with me, you`re safe now, I`ll keep you safe. What did you see? Can you tell me? It`s important.`

　　The girl began to shake and Sosa braced herself for screaming but it was only sobbing. It came in uncontrollable shudders and Orolo was crawling into Sosa like a tiny frightened child would do with its mother.

　　It wasn`t just sobs but words. It came. Dark, the dark, the dark!` She grew louder, hysteria rising once more, threatening to return the screams, but now she lifted her head away from Sosa`s comfort and stared into Sosa`s eyes. In the black of the night, Sosa saw nothing reflected in her eyes. Just for a moment, there was not enough light even to show the whites.

　　Orolo stared into Sosa`s eyes as if she were opening herself up for Sosa to look inside. She stopped crying, stopped speaking and just let Sosa look.

　　Oh my&` Sosa began, but the girl clamped her fingers painfully into the flesh of Sosa`s arms.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

　　In me,` she whispered to Sosa who expected the screams to return but they didn`t. Orolo pushed, not to push Sosa away, but to move herself. She crawled back, just out of Sosa`s reach and held her hands to her head, cradling it as if in pain.

　　She`d already done the damage before Sosa realised. Nails clawed hard down her face, scraping up small rolls of skin and leaving eight bloodied trails from her forehead to her eyes. She didn`t scream or whimper, she just tore.

　　Sosa saw bloodied flesh glistening black in the night and lunged forwards to grab her wrists pulling them away as Orolo reached back up her face to start a new set of lines.

　　Orolo let her, but as Sosa watched, blood trickled from a scrape and into her eye. The girl never blinked. She just leaned closer to Sosa`s face.

　　In me,` she said again. Then her arms jerked hard, tore from Sosa`s grasp and reached again for her own face. As Sosa wrestled for control, Orolo struck her with surprising strength and send Sosa tumbling back where she could only watch, helpless, as Orolo once more turned the nails on herself. This time she kept going.

　　In me.`

　　She carved new lines to her chin and then down her chest, digging harshly into soft skin. Black fluid ran from welts that trailed after her fingers. A nail ripped through a nipple and blood flicked outwards. Sosa lurched forwards, this time grabbing wrists and using her weight to throw Orolo backwards and onto the floor.

　　In me.`

　　Sosa fought to pin her, trying to take away any leverage. Orolo had never been strong, the only heavy work she`d done was carrying her mother`s wares to the market, but the thing that now snarled and fought for control of her own body, trapped between Sosa`s legs, thrashed and kicked and struggled with the force of someone who worked a hearth every day.

　　In me.`

　　Orolo managed to break free with one hand and slammed her thumb into her own eye socket.

　　In me.` It was not a scream, not even a yell. It was a low conversational tone as if Orolo was not fighting her best friend or clawing her own face open.

　　Sosa fought to grip blood smeared hands. The girl fought, and flailed in great thudding slaps that would leave bruises, before returning to claw out whatever was stuck like a thorn in her mind.

　　Please, stop, it`s okay, it`s gone now, it`s gone. Please, Orolo, please.` But Sosa knew it might not be gone. She still felt it in her. She worried she always would. The dark had slipped into her and her father out there, and they had brought just a little of it home. She felt it at night. How had it got into Orolo who had never been near the trees?

　　Had she brought it into the village? Had they both brought it back with them, and let it in where normally it could not go? Had they brought the darkness from the trees into this village and infected the people?

　　Her hands slipped as she fought for grip.

　　Help me with her!` she cried finally.

　　In me.` Orolo`s face was a mess. It would be okay once cleaned up and it would heal, but it was criss-crossed with lines. She would always wear these as scars.

　　Stop!` The cry came from behind the crowd, someone only just arrived. No one from the onlookers tried to help. None of them did a thing. Stop her!` Was that Elder Jode`s voice?

　　Sosa just managed to grasp both Orolo`s wrists, finding a spot where she could grip without sliding on the blood when someone grabbed her from behind. An arm reached around her neck and pulled tight over her throat, lifting her up and back. She choked, automatically letting go of Orolo and reaching for her own neck as her breath was cut off.

　　Without her hands at Orolo`s wrists, she was forced to watch as her friend returned to work, carving out another deep set of gouges from her face down her chest and onto her stomach. Blood streamed from the injuries. The girls` hands lifted and she started again.

　　Sosa pulled at the arm around her throat, but reached out with the other towards Orolo. She could not break free, she could not get back to stop what Orolo was doing.

　　In me,`

　　Stop! Please!` Sosa tried to gasp but the arm crushed against her windpipe and no air was coming in or out of her. Her own panic rose as her thumping heart demanded air. She could not get free, she could not help her friend. A cold feeling settled over her mind and the panic drifted away, her thoughts returned with a detached clarity, even through the panic, through the crushing of her windpipe.

　　She could not help Orolo until she got free.

　　Deal with this first, she thought with cool detachment

　　Her feet had been kicking blindly, but she dropped them to the floor, finding grip, orienting herself. She bent her knees letting her attacker take all her weight.

　　In me.` Orolo was covered in blood, her body glistened with it and still she dug.

　　Sosa`s weight rested on her windpipe, but she held onto her calm and felt her attacker begin to stagger as he tried to hold the her up. She pushed up hard, straightening her legs and driving her head backwards until it connected with something strong, solid and blunt.

　　A surprised grunt, and the arms holding her immediately let go. She gasped a breath, pushed away, trying to stay upright. She looked down and saw Orolo tilt her head back so she could claw at the soft skin of her own neck.

　　No, Orolo, please.` If she went straight to Orolo some fool would just grab her again so instead she turned, looked for the still reeling man who had held her and brought her knee hard up into his crotch, then again into his stomach, then turned back as others scrabbled to grab her.

　　Get off me! Look at her! She`s killing herself. Help me!` She managed to get to Orolo but there was nothing left to grip, every part of her was slippery with blood. Sosa fought with one arm as the other picked at a now destroyed eye and managed to sit on her chest. She pinned one arm under a knee and then reached for the other.

　　The girl bucked and Sosa felt herself sliding on the blood. Orolo lifted her legs to kick, thumping her knees into Sosa`s back. This time no one tried to lift her off, but Orolo was not stopping.

　　Someone knelt beside her, grabbed Orolo`s shoulders. It was Talon, Kala knelt at the other side. Together they turned the girl over, able to hold her hands behind her back and tie the wrists. It took all three to get the bind in place and it cut painfully into the skin of her arms as she struggled, but it was less damage than she had done by herself.

　　Orolo lay face down, earth rubbing into her wounds mixing with her blood.

　　In me,` she said.

　　Sosa sat back breathing hard and glaring angrily daring anyone else to touch her, to speak to her.

　　What`s wrong with you? What`s wrong with all of you?` Sosa felt tears build. She didn`t want to cry but it was the only way to let the tension, the pressure, out of her body.

　　Someone else was pushing their way through to the front of the crowd. Elder Jode`s face appeared, stern and righteous. Talon, will you get your daughter under control!`

　　Talon was already trying to rise. He was breathing hard and was covered in blood, not as well covered as Sosa who was smeared all over, but it lay thick on his arms and hands just from restraining her.

　　When her father struck the chief, he left a bloodied print on the old man`s face. Jode fell back cushioned by the clamouring crowd. Before he`d even landed, someone bowled into Talon and knocked him down, probably the same one who`d sought to rescue Orolo from Sosa`s presumed attack. Sosa still could not see which of the Elder`s new lackeys it was.

　　Talon and the man went down with a grunt. The crowd were tumbled as they failed to move out of the way. Sosa was on them both before they had chance to rise. She reached around the man`s neck, using the same trick that he had used on her. He was heavier, stronger, but she didn`t need to overpower him. Remembering her own panic, she pulled hard, her forearm against the man`s wind pipe and lifted with just enough pressure to bend his neck back and stop him breathing. Instead of trying to lift him, she just rolled, pulling him off her father and clamping herself to the man`s back. The man grappled and fought, managing to shake Sosa free, then the three of them were racing to find their feet.

　　The man faced Talon, but was trying to move so he could also see Sosa. That was why he never saw Kala hit him. She put her whole bodyweight behind her strike and planted an elbow hard into his chest, blasting the air from his body and sending him crumpling back into the crowd.

　　Others moved forward.

　　That`s enough!` Talon shouted. Move. All of you, out of the way. If you can`t help then get out of the way.`

　　No one moved, they all just stared, rows of eyes just watching. Talon rounded on the nearest and in a cry that rivalled that of the Orolo he bellowed, Move!` This time they stumbled back a few paces. He turned to the other side and they fell back without further command. They were still crowding in, but now there was space, for the squirming muttering girl, and the two fallen men.

　　You,` Talon jabbed a closed fist towards a man in the crowd, help the chief up and take him somewhere safe.` He turned to the man who had attacked him. And you, you idiot, do something useful. Grab the girl and carry her to Raela`s. Now.` The man still winded stood up, staggering and holding his bruised chest.

　　You hit the chief.`

　　I`ll smack anyone who gets in the way. Help the girl or get out of my sight and hope I forget what you`ve done.`

　　Talon and the man scooped up Orolo, still struggling in her binds, still muttering the same words. The helper he had enlisted touched the girls legs like he didn`t know what to do.

　　Oh give her to me,` Talon slung her over his shoulder and struggled towards the crowd who were too transfixed to realise they were in the way.

　　To the damn roots with you all, move!` Sosa yelled at them, plunging herself ahead of Talon and parting the crowd for him. Kala started to follow but Talon whispered something to her.

　　Kala looked grim, but nodded and left, flashing a quick reassuring look to Sosa and pushing her gently to go with her father. It was anything but reassuring, though Sosa appreciated the touch.

　　What happened in there?` Sosa asked.

　　Her mother.` Talon managed between laboured breaths. Your mmawe needs to stop anyone from going into the hut.`

　　Raela was already pouring some mixture into a half waternut shell and swirling it until it cooled. Put her down. Who did that to her face?`

　　She did it herself.` Sosa said as Talon lowered her. Orolo no longer struggled and had slipped back to delirium. One of us needs to stay. Raela will need help if she wakes up again. I, I should stay, but&` Sosa felt exhausted. She could not wrestle her friend again. She also could not bring herself to look at the lacerated and bleeding flesh. One eye was already swelling and would be closed.

　　Raela prepared lengths of clean cloth. You can stay with me and help.` Raela said to Talon. Go help your mother, girl. Sounds like there`s trouble.` Rala looked glad she had some excuse to not get involved.

　　Sosa,` Talon sounded worried. Be careful. Don`t let anyone touch you. And& don`t go in there.`

　　Sosa didn`t nod. Of course she was going to go in. Her mother would need help and she had to know what Orelo had been through.

　　Kala was doing her best to keep people away, but the crowd had taken on an excitable dangerous quality.

　　What has she done?`

　　Did the girl do it?`

　　&covered in blood, must have been&`

　　¬ safe. Something wrong with&`

　　Sosa strode up to the hut.

　　Move out of the way. Get away from the door. You`re in the way. Just move!` Sosa`s patience had worn away.

　　The beginnings of morning shimmered across the sky. Maybe daylight would bring a refresh of sanity, but all these faces felt like something from a bad dream. They backed away from her. Sosa was still glinting with smears of Orolo`s blood.

　　Sosa planted herself beside her mother, blocking the entrance. Step. Back.` To her astonishment they did, but someone was already pushing through the crowd. Sosa knew that voice and was coming to despise it.

　　Where is your husband?` It was Jode.

　　Being useful.` Kala said and turned her attention to the two men who trailed after the Elder. It`s about time. You two, stand here and let no one in. No one. You hear?` She didn`t wait for acknowledgement. For a moment, Sosa saw something of Eleris in her mother Chief,` Kala said, you should come, but this isn`t pretty.` She turned to enter the hut and Sosa stepped aside. The two men glanced at Jode who nodded. The chief stayed while the two men took a step forwards.

　　As if she had been expecting it, Kala span around catching them both midstep.

　　Are you deaf, stupid, or just habitually useless? You heard what I told you, now do it. If you can`t manage that, find me someone capable enough that I don`t need to tell them everything twice.` Not only did the two men shrink back, but the crowd fell quiet and retreated a step as well. Kala glared at them all. Now move. The chief can`t walk though you. If watching the doorway is too complicated for you I`ll just ask my daughter to do it.`

　　She span and stormed inside, leaving Jode no real choice but to follow her.

　　Sosa let him in then stepped into the doorway to ensure no one else followed, then stepped backwards into the hut herself.

　　The weaver`s body, or something that used to be, lay mostly in the centre of the hut. It was torn open. Something had emptied her torso. It was still dark in the hut, but Sosa knew that the pools of glistening liquid would be red come daylight. The air was thick with the stench of metal and torn bowels.

　　She had a vision of Arella pouring, intestines first, down Gris` ladder. Elder Jode bent over and threw up at the side of the hut.

　　The girl,` he uttered at the men in the doorway, Get the girl.`

　　She didn`t do this, you idiot,` Sosa yelled at him. The only blood she`s covered in is her own!` She didn`t care any more for propriety. She hated every one of them. Every staring villager, every pompus Elder, every mindless thug.

　　How would you know whose blood it was?` Jode uttered wiping his mouth and staggering to the door.

　　Fury settled over Sosa and she grabbed his arm and pulled. He was old but not weak and he started to struggle, but she yanked so that he stumbled towards the body. Holding his hand she plunged both their arms into the cavity, now just an empty mess framed with splintered ribs. She dipped them like brushes into red paint and when she released it Jode pulled back his arm and stared at it, his eyes wide. He was thick with dripping gore from finger to elbow.

　　That is what whoever did this will look like.` Sosa continued to yell and flicked her own arm, splattering blood across the hut. And if you would use your authority to move the herd of morons outside, there might be a trail of blood that we could follow!`

　　Jode staggered back to the door, dazed and looking at his arm. The two guards he`d brought began to enter, making for Sosa, but the chief waved them off, nodding at the door.

　　They got the idea after a moment and returned to begin clearing a reluctant crowd.

　　Sosa went to Jode. Calmer now, she spoke. I`m sorry chief, but no little girl did this. This isn`t the work of Gris. Gris is gone.` She hoped this was true. This was something else.`

　　Jode nodded, still staring at what dripped from his arm and lay in strings between his fingers.

　　Yes,` he muttered. Yes. Something you and your father brought back when you went into the forest.` He stepped out into the night. Bring me the girl. This has to end. It has to end now. Bring the girl, bring Talon. They will keep coming until we appease them. I have spoken to Ale-ki and there is only one way.`

　　Sosa followed him out, her anger building. What are you talking about. I just told you, Orolo didn`t do this, this was&` It wasn`t until someone grabbed both her arms from behind that she realised the girl Jode had commanded be brought was not Orolo.

　　It was her.