They spent the rest of the night moving the furniture to the cavern. Pouring and layering anything flammable in the cursed cavern. Over every body they could find. It was a silent task, the mayor had the caretaker retrieve everything the man held dear from the cottage.

  At sunrise, the party with the mayor and caretaker found themselves waiting at the gates. People were waking up and starting to gather. Clearly interested by the sight of the party still alive after a night in the manor. The mayor turned to the people gathering and raised his hands.

  “I have much to say, bring your families and your neighbors to hear me.” He commanded. The villagers quickly turned and ran to do as they were told. In minutes the whole town was out. Waiting at the gates for the mayor to address them. The party helped the mayor tear up the brush and rip down the gates. The day wore long and the activity and anticipation of whatever was happening grew in the townspeople. The energy became a suffocating wall that loomed over them.

  Finally the mayor turned and addressed the people.

  “There has been discontent in our town. Rumors and hearsay. All whispered in the dark corners.” He said. “Now we have finally uncovered the snake in our midst. A cult came to us and has been harvesting our people like cattle. No, less than cattle, like mice! Like insects! And we believed it!” The wall of energy began to change, now growing in rage.

  “Now their plan has been seen and I will not stand for it, will you?” He yelled and the crowd screamed in response. “Then grab whatever flammable things you have and throw them flaming into the manor! Let’s burn this hell to the ground!” The crowd roared and ran off.

  “Burn it?” Jiit asked. “Are you sure?”

  “I am, it has to be done.” The mayor said. He walked to the fallen fence and ripped a torch sconce from the fence. He set it alight and held the torch up. Just as the people came with their own torches. Some homemade. The mayor walked right to the front of the porch. Pausing to look at the party and the caretaker. Then throwing the torch into the open door. He backed up quickly as the fire took fast. One by one the townspeople approached and threw their torches to the manor. Breaking windows, hitting walls. Sparks and flames grabbing at every inch and pulling more and more of the manor into the pyre. The mayor returned to the outside of the broken gate and let the natural order of things run its course. The mob screamed in delight at the glass in the house breaking or the manor slouched from the supports burning.

  “This was the right thing,” The caretaker said. He pat the mayor’s shoulder but the mayor remained stone faced as he watched it burn.

  “Are you okay?” Shaynen asked.

  “Don’t,” Jiit said, taking Shaynen’s arm and pulling him back.

  “We will be resting in the tavern, whenever you are ready.” Thunder said and motioned for the party to follow. Shaynen looked back to the mayor, the flames reflecting on his face. Jiit pulled his arm until Shaynen conceded and followed the rest of the party.

  “I don’t understand why we’re leaving.” Shaynen said. He crossed his arms and pouted. “He clearly needs someone there.”

  “Maybe so, but we aren’t the ones to do it.” Kilek said. Slowing down and giving Shaynen a pat on the shoulder.

  “Why not?” Shaynen insisted.

  “Just leave it be.” Kilek said. Shaynen frowned but didn’t say anything further. They walked through the empty town to the tavern. In the events going on there was no one inside, the barkeep had gone to add fuel to the fire.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  “Guess there’s nothing to do but wait.” Thunder sighed. “Let’s grab a table,”

  “Think we’ll find any?” Mayhem quipped as they looked at the empty seating area. Jiit and Kilek chuckled under their breath and Shaynen frowned harder to keep from smiling. Even Thunder cracked the smallest smile. They took a seat in the corner of the room where they lounged in anyway they could. Mayhem rested her head and arms on the table, Kilek sat on the floor against the wall. Thunder jumped onto a ceiling beam and lounged out over it. Jiit sat on the bench and laid out over it, leaning on the wall and slouching. The night had worn long and no one had gotten any sleep through it. Exhaustion took over quick and everyone but Shaynen fell asleep whether they meant to or not.

  Shaynen stood, his own eyes falling heavy and weariness dragging his bones. But he refused to sleep, or even sit. He knew if he took a moment to rest then exhaustion would take him and that would be the end of it. Instead he waited, tapping his foot, pacing. Anything to keep the fog of exhaustion away. Even trying to keep awake with any sort of exercise. Push-ups, pull-ups. It all reminded him of studying for exams back at the monastery. Long weeks of sleeplessness that left most students like zombies as they stumbled along to their classes. Ready to believe just about anything. He pulled his hair down and brushed it.

  Another set of exercises later, the tavern owner finally returned. He seemed surprised to walk in and see the sleeping party and Shaynen.

  “Hey, sorry for the intrusion. We were hoping to get a room to rest?” Shaynen said.

  “Of course. I mean. If we had any rooms to spare we would of course let you rest in one but this tavern is only that. A tavern.” The owner said apologetically.

  “I see, are there any inns in this town?” Shaynen asked.

  “Afraid not, we don’t tend to profit much from tourism.” The tavern owner said. Going back behind the bar. “But you are welcome to rest here as long as you need.”

  “Thank you, my-” Shaynen paused and looked back at the party. “My friends will probably rest for the rest of the day if not the night. We didn’t get much sleep last night.”

  “I heard,” the tavern keeper said.

  “Sorry, I have something to do.” Shaynen said before waving and leaving the tavern. The blaze of the manor was glowing through the buildings and the smoke traveled up into the early evening sky. Turning it darker than it already was and leaving a haze throughout the town. People were cheering and grabbing things from their homes and running to the manor and flinging it into the pyre. Children grabbed sticks and branches and did the same. Laughing as if it were all a fall festival and not a tragedy.

  Though, Shaynen mused, perhaps for most of the people it wasn’t a tragedy. The lost were those who came to investigate, not the townspeople themselves. All except the mayor. It made Shaynen’s already heavy heart ache more. He made his way back to the manor. The people moved around the mayor and former caretaker. Seemingly unaware of their presence. Shaynen walked up beside the pair, right next to the mayor.

  “Where’d the rest of you go?” The mayor asked.

  “They’re resting, it was a hard night.” Shaynen said.

  “I can imagine.” The mayor said.

  “I won’t pretend I know what it feels like.” Shaynen started, looking for the words. “But I do know what it feels like to lose a family. You don’t have to say anything, or whatever. But I’m here and I can understand.”

  “I appreciate that.” The mayor said. Still monotonous and not looking away from the manor. Shaynen watched the manor himself, just being present. The fire was hypnotic and several times he had to catch himself before he fell asleep on his feet.

  “Come on, let’s get you two off the street.” The caretaker said. The mayor turned with a dark glare, but the caretaker discreetly pointed and the mayor looked over at Shaynen yawning.

  “Right, take the boy in-”

  “I’m fine.” Shaynen said, “and my name is Shaynen. Not boy.”

  “Right, sorry. How about we sit? It’s getting dark.” The mayor said.

  “Fine.” Shaynen nodded. The three sat down at the fallen gates. The townspeople slowly stopped coming with things to burn. Instead watching the blaze until they left for the night altogether. Leaving just the mayor, the former caretaker, and Shaynen watching the fire. It burned long and hard until the stars were out to watch as well. Shaynen sat, keeping his eyes open as long as he was able. But slowly, without moving around, he began to nod. Began to sway and slowly, then all at once. He fell asleep.