Turkey Dinner

Her eyes fluttered open, blurred staring at the ceiling of an unfamiliar room. Lazily she blinked her eyes once or twice before rubbing her eyes with her hands. She turned to the side, her whole body shrieking with pain upon movement.

She winced as she began to roll in the sheets of the bed she had been lying on. She surveyed the room as her seemingly conscious mind took hold of her. The one room seemed to be the full house-a cottage it seemed. A small table stood off to the right accompanied by a small wooden chair pushed in neatly. A large bright window accompanied the far wall, a bare, dull forest scene beyond the panels. A small set of cupboards lined the far right corner and on the wall in front of her was a bookshelf of many books. Above the bookshelf though was her point of interest.

A well painted oil of a man occupied the wall. His hair was short cut and silver like coins. His face was wrinkled but the soft smile on his aged lips was welcoming as well as his ice blue eyes. His angled jawline was prominent and out right as well as his defined down hooked nose. He appeared to be wise before age and of scholar status. Why she had been drawn to the painting, she couldn't tell. But it was distinguished nonetheless.

Ray rolled over, faster than before as her nerves clipped the feeling of pain. Every inch of her was tight as she began to swing her legs over the side of the bed. She nearly jumped to the heavens as a sharp growl rumbled through the room. She looked down quickly to meet the blood red eyes of a massive black wolf. Her teeth were bared fangs unlike a regular wolf and more like that of a vampire.

Ray scrambled for a weapon but was yet again without one. Her chest heaved breaths as she put her feet back on the bed.

The lightest, most cheery sound Ray could have hoped for, faced with a demonic dog. "Oh Kira, won't you be nice?"

Ray's eyes, wild with terror turned to the door she had failed to notice as a figure who had just walked in. He was tall and average, dressed nicely in a leather vest, billowing blouse, and trousers. His boots were made of deer leather. A long cloak covered his shoulders and swayed to inches above the ground. A bow and quiver accompanied his shoulders as well.

Ray looked up to search his face only to find a freckled face of a boy no more than perhaps nineteen years of age. His hair longer than most was snowy white and shaded silver that matched his eyes. They reminded her of the full moon illuminated in the summer sky. His smile alone, much like the picture was heartwarming.

The boy looked at Ray, the dimples on his cheeks showing as he smiled. "Oh good. You're awake," he chimed, his voice looming with an accent Ray had never heard one use before. It differed from those in the countryside.

Ray sat in silence, still confused about her whereabouts and who exactly this boy was. She nodded surveying the boy with addled eyes. "Who…are you?" she asked, alarmed at the sound of her voice.

The boy tilted his head giving a closed eye grin. "Oh! My name is Thane, Thane Lewis Fletcher. It's a pleasure!"

An odd feeling of acknowledgment met her. "Nice to meet you, too," she stated, her lips twitching into a wide smile.

"I was worried about you," Thane began again, poking his own cheek then sticking a pointer finger in the air with his witty remarks, "It's not every day one can run from a demonic soul such as that. You were quite lucky!"

Ray perked, "Demonic soul?"

Thane nodded, "Yes! I had been tracking it when you came about. Silly girl, rather naïve I see…," he sighed, still smiling.

Ray stared at the animated figure quixotically. Her mind buzzed with questions. "Why was the soul after me?" she asked.

Thane blinked slightly, "I'm not sure. I feel it was trying to make a connection with you. It appeared unstable. Perhaps its destiny is being altered?" he shrugged then rose to his heels all cheery again. "Can I get you anything? A morsel of bread perhaps?"

Ray shook her head, "No thank you. Can you answer more questions?"

Thane smiled, "I can…the real question is, will I," he answered, his arm swinging in the air before turning his heel and making his way across the room and to the cupboard.

Ray was a bit distressed at the reaction and carefully slid from the bed and avoided Kira at all costs as she glided across the wood floor toward Thane. The boy seemed fascinating in reality.

"Will you answer some questions for me?" she asked, clasping her hands behind her back.

"Certainly," Thane answered and began digging through the cupboard for a bit of things. No one could tell what though.

"First off, where am I?" Ray asked abruptly.

"You're at my house!" Thane answered.

Ray couldn't help but laugh a small bit and shake her head, "No, no, where is here?"

"Oh," Thane then reached his full arms within the cupboard only to pull out of it a long silver cleaving knife. Ray's eyes widened as her feet propelled backward away from him.

"What is he doing with that," she thought.

It was mere moments later the boy removed a second item from the cupboard. Its rich sent rolled of the roasted skin of the feasting dish he presented a king's worth of poultry, a turkey dinner.

"Why, you're in a dream!" Thane chimed turning to her with the richest feast held in his hands. He gently placed it on the table.

Ray could only grasp how odd this was rather than how possible it could be. She must be dreaming. How can one retrieve such a meal in reality? Her head spun with a whirl as her grasp slipped and she whined slightly. Her knees wobbled as an unrealistic panic beseeched her. Her head was dizzy the only smell breaching her senses was the smell of the bird in Thane's hands.

"Oh dear," Thane exclaimed and set the turkey aside. "Are you alright?"

Ray could barely nod for grasping this dream seemed impossible. The boy helped her back to the bed in the corner of the room and she sat slowly.

"I do suggest you take it easy. Your soul was being hindered only hours ago," Thane warned and smiled kindly.

Ray lay back down upon the soft blankets of the bed, clutching their comfort beneath her palm.

"This boy, Thane, who was he?" She regarded him as he prepared two plates of turkey dinner for the both of them. His gestures were lively with every lance he carved into the dead bird. He appeared hospitable and kind.

Thane approached the bedside with a plate spilling over of juicy, baked meat and handed it off to Ray to eat. She couldn't say no to such an offering. She devoured it, savoring every bite.

Thane chuckled, "You seem quite famished. A pleasure to make you a meal."

Ray stopped in the mitts of a bite then looked away, "Not a lot to eat where I come from. Thank you, though," she commented. "What do you mean by my soul was being hindered?" she asked with curiosity.

Thane tilted his head, "Well as I said before, that was a wandering demon. He's been wandering the woods for a while now and I've just caught the downwind of him. He's not very nice. You might want to be on the lookout."

Ray nodded then shook her head. "Demons, I don't quite understand it all…"

Thane smiled. "What is there to understand when understanding is irrelevant? I'm sure things will make sense eventually," he stated with a slight laugh.

"Eventually," she echoed and slid her eyes shut.

***

Ray's eyes slid open finding herself back in the room she and her companions were held captive in. She lay close to Jex's warm body as he slumbered. She turned around to find Nimer awake sitting up against the wall staring at her with intent.

"You're finally awake," he commented. His hair had fallen from his ponytail and lay about about his bare shoulders. "How is he?"

Ray sat up and leaned over Jex's body. She pressed her cheek against his to get a good gauge of his body temperature. Jex's skin felt boiling to the touch.

"He's burning up," she choked.

"Try and wake him up. He needs to be awake for when help arrives."

Ray's eyebrows knitted. "Help?"

Nimer only smirked, "You didn't think I wouldn't plan ahead now, did you?"