challenged Triist, and Sedrew made clean getaway. He had an early morning ahead of him, and knew he would soon regret the night’s merriment and festivities.
It took both Friith and Triist to usher Ty from his stool and ferry him toward the door. After a drawn-out pause at the door, Friith finally waved Triist away to go watch out for Ty, knowing he couldn’t proceed on his own. As they came out among the night stars, Ty cocked his head up against Triist’s shoulder. He said in a mixed up drawl, “I’ve a mind to kiss you.” Triist rebuked him. “Mind yourself. I’ll not be a part of breaking Star’s heart.”
When they rounded a bend in the path, coming almost to the outer street, they froze in their tracks, staring into the shadows. Even Ty sensed something peculiar. His form straightened and he forgot about his sickness. They stood there gawking for a time, unsure what to do, their thoughts reeling.
Triist spoke first. “Who is that?”
“I’m not sure...” Ty said, moving closer. “I think it’s Rhyess.”
“Is he okay?”
“He’s just sleeping... Watch this!” Ty said mischievously. Ty staggered over to the figure—half walking, half crawling. He crept next to Rhyess’s ear and shouted, “Wake up!” giggling and turning to Triist. Rhyess didn’t flinch. “Wake up!” yelled Ty again, “Nap time’s over, got to get you to a bed. You are going to be one sorry person tomorrow, my friend. Come on sit up, here... there that’s better... Open those eyesees... There, how’s that?”
Triist came over and took Rhyess’s other arm, trying to help him to his feet. “Come on stand up now,” coaxed Ty. “Both feet... what’s that?... Aw, did you have to go and do that, too?”
“Ty,” began Triist calm and fully aware now, “Ty, that’s not... Oh, my,” she gasped touching her hand to a wet spot on the ground, “Ty! Ty put him down!”
“One more step,” laughed Ty.
“Ty, come on! Snap out of it!” screamed a panicked Triist. “Put him down!”
“No, we’re going home,” stated Ty sadly. “Come on, Rhyess. Open up your eyes... Rhyess... Rhyess...”
“He’s dead,” spoke a voice from the darkness. A form stepped toward the light, shifting uneasily. Triist saw a shimmer or sparkle as the figure came closer, “No,” she cried out, “Put it down! Put it down!” she wailed and shrieked.
Ty regained most of his numbed senses as adrenaline surged through him. “Put it down, and back away, slowly,” cautioned Ty. “Do it, now!”
“I... I...” stuttered the other, “I... didn’t mean to...”
Ty loomed up full on his feet. “Put the knife down and back away...” Ty kicked at the blade as it fell from the other’s hands and quickly lunged for it, fearing the other would grab it again. “Aehrone?” he queried. Ty positioned the blade precariously in his hand.
“Yes,” whimpered the other.
“Why?” inquired Ty and Triist simultaneously. “Why did you do it?”
“I... I... don’t know...” responded Aehrone, seeming confused.
Aehrone ambled backward, almost falling as Ty pressed forward. Ty’s expression was cold and angry. Triist followed him, close and cautious. “Ty,” she chided, “put the knife down. It is over.”
Ty only glowered. “Please Ty,” she begged. “Put it down and step away.”
Then a cacophony of many voices came, as a group of people burst out of a building ahead of them. The newcomers only saw the body and the weapon. Hands groped at Ty, forcing him to the ground. “Drop the knife!” shouted one voice louder and harsher than the others, “Or I’ll break your arm!”
“But...” Triist objected, though no one heeded her. “He didn’t...”
A heavy boot pressed down on Ty’s arm as the knife was pried from his
It took both Friith and Triist to usher Ty from his stool and ferry him toward the door. After a drawn-out pause at the door, Friith finally waved Triist away to go watch out for Ty, knowing he couldn’t proceed on his own. As they came out among the night stars, Ty cocked his head up against Triist’s shoulder. He said in a mixed up drawl, “I’ve a mind to kiss you.” Triist rebuked him. “Mind yourself. I’ll not be a part of breaking Star’s heart.”
When they rounded a bend in the path, coming almost to the outer street, they froze in their tracks, staring into the shadows. Even Ty sensed something peculiar. His form straightened and he forgot about his sickness. They stood there gawking for a time, unsure what to do, their thoughts reeling.
Triist spoke first. “Who is that?”
“I’m not sure...” Ty said, moving closer. “I think it’s Rhyess.”
“Is he okay?”
“He’s just sleeping... Watch this!” Ty said mischievously. Ty staggered over to the figure—half walking, half crawling. He crept next to Rhyess’s ear and shouted, “Wake up!” giggling and turning to Triist. Rhyess didn’t flinch. “Wake up!” yelled Ty again, “Nap time’s over, got to get you to a bed. You are going to be one sorry person tomorrow, my friend. Come on sit up, here... there that’s better... Open those eyesees... There, how’s that?”
Triist came over and took Rhyess’s other arm, trying to help him to his feet. “Come on stand up now,” coaxed Ty. “Both feet... what’s that?... Aw, did you have to go and do that, too?”
“Ty,” began Triist calm and fully aware now, “Ty, that’s not... Oh, my,” she gasped touching her hand to a wet spot on the ground, “Ty! Ty put him down!”
“One more step,” laughed Ty.
“Ty, come on! Snap out of it!” screamed a panicked Triist. “Put him down!”
“No, we’re going home,” stated Ty sadly. “Come on, Rhyess. Open up your eyes... Rhyess... Rhyess...”
“He’s dead,” spoke a voice from the darkness. A form stepped toward the light, shifting uneasily. Triist saw a shimmer or sparkle as the figure came closer, “No,” she cried out, “Put it down! Put it down!” she wailed and shrieked.
Ty regained most of his numbed senses as adrenaline surged through him. “Put it down, and back away, slowly,” cautioned Ty. “Do it, now!”
“I... I...” stuttered the other, “I... didn’t mean to...”
Ty loomed up full on his feet. “Put the knife down and back away...” Ty kicked at the blade as it fell from the other’s hands and quickly lunged for it, fearing the other would grab it again. “Aehrone?” he queried. Ty positioned the blade precariously in his hand.
“Yes,” whimpered the other.
“Why?” inquired Ty and Triist simultaneously. “Why did you do it?”
“I... I... don’t know...” responded Aehrone, seeming confused.
Aehrone ambled backward, almost falling as Ty pressed forward. Ty’s expression was cold and angry. Triist followed him, close and cautious. “Ty,” she chided, “put the knife down. It is over.”
Ty only glowered. “Please Ty,” she begged. “Put it down and step away.”
Then a cacophony of many voices came, as a group of people burst out of a building ahead of them. The newcomers only saw the body and the weapon. Hands groped at Ty, forcing him to the ground. “Drop the knife!” shouted one voice louder and harsher than the others, “Or I’ll break your arm!”
“But...” Triist objected, though no one heeded her. “He didn’t...”
A heavy boot pressed down on Ty’s arm as the knife was pried from his
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