The Mimic in Monsterland

“And that’s why kiddo, you had to change your socks after every hike. Poor bastard walked on three toes the rest of his life.“ The old man barked out a laugh. ”Johnson took it a step further, leaving a peg leg and eyepatch in the poor bastard’s foot locker. What a riot!” The old man continued his fit of laughter.

I just scratched the back of my head. “Geeze Gramps. That’s dark.” I said, awkwardly waving some smoke away from my face. We sat on the steps on the front porch of Gramp’s house. We just got back from one of our adventures, as he liked to call them, the day before. It was in the mountains this time around. Gramps regaled me with some of his war stories, puffing on his favorite pipe while we waited for my father to come and pick me up. I had school the next day. Yay me.

We barely made it back in time. The old fart yammered on about some special cave he knew about and had us take a detour to visit it. The cave was pretty impressive; it dug into the mountain a good couple hundred of feet. I’d never experienced that level of darkness. Just a complete void, not even a trace of light. That is until Gramps shined the flashlight in my eyes right when I least expected it. My retinas still hurt even now.

Gramps sipped up another mouthful of smoke from his pipe. “That’s soldiers' humor. Trust me when I say jokes like that help keep the real darkness at bay. Those little pranks and jokes were some of the only ways to help keep our sanity. We all saw some horrific things out there. Things I hope you never have to witness. Stuff that scars the soul.” He took another pull from the pipe, blowing the nasty acidic smoke into the air. “But who knows, the universe has a funny way of doing things.” He blew a smoke ring out this time. “Things you’re never ready for, no matter how much prep you give someone.” He shook his head. “Never mind.” His face grew somber as he took another pull.

I waved the smoke out of my face with both hands this time. “Sure old man, whatever you say. But you might want to put that crap out. Gran is coming back soon.”

A huge and dopey grin replaced the somber look. “Ah yes, my love. I will feel your touch soon.” My face twisted in disgust. “Ugh.”

Gran usually stayed with my parents when Gramps took me out. She’d have beaten him bloody if she found him with the pipe again. She detested the stuff, said it would be the death of him. Gramps didn’t really smoke that much, just when we got back from one of our trips. But even through all the vitriol, she never dared throw out that pipe. It was a gift from a war buddy who didn’t make it. Someone who Gramps never talked about. All my information about the man was from Gran who only said the man saved Gramp's life. I never got any details on how. Heck, I didn’t know the man’s name.

Gramps turned his head down the driveway. My gaze followed his. Just a barren driveway. Gramps coughed and then emptied the pipe into the bowl lying next to him. “Looks like they’re gonna be here soon. Here, throw this in the woods.” He handed me the bowl of charred tobacco. “Now where did I put the air freshener?”

I got up and started walking to the backside of the house. “Why bother, Gran always knows.” He grumbled something but me being a smart ass. Nothing new. I walked through the immaculate garden and up to the treeline that edged the backyard of my grandparent’s house. I walked a few steps in and found a clear dirt patch to drop the smoldering remains into. After emptying the bowl, I kicked more dirt on top of the pile to make sure it was sufficiently snuffed out. A rustle in a bush nearby caught my attention. I looked over and at it. It rustled again. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end. Whatever was making the rustling sounded large. At least larger than anything me or my siblings ever encountered playing in these woods.

It rustled again. I spun around, yet just as I was about to bolt out of there. “Baaa.” I paused my escape. “Baa…” Is that…Is that a sheep? I turned to the bush and walked around it. However instead of a white ball of fluff, a goat stood there trapped in the thornbush. “Are you stuck, little guy? Need some help?” I said in my best soothing voice. That however seemed to have the opposite effect. “BAAA!” It bleated out louder than ever. It pulled itself from the bush, tearing fur and flesh from its side before it was free. It ran behind a big oak tree. I chased after it.

I rounded the tree and froze. My eyes hovered at the base of the tree. There was no goat there. It was a man, a man whose torso was ripped to shreds. The man needed help but I couldn’t move. It felt like vines wrapped themselves around my feet. He turned to me, the light in his eyes dying out. “H-help me.”

“NO!” I shot up, arms stretched out. My eyes scanned my surroundings, actively trying to figure out where I was. Wooden walls, desk. Right, basement bedroom. I laid back down but got up upon feeling the strangely moist sheets. Must have sweat a bucket load. The bed was thoroughly drenched in sweat.

I threw my blanket off me and sat on the side of the bed. I rubbed my face with both hands, trying to recover from whatever the hell that dream was. Darksight was active and I looked down at the grayscale floor, and then down at the bucket of water. I splashed some of it on my face, trying to wake myself up some more, the lukewarm water didn’t really get the job done though. Now I was just even more wet and even more uncomfortable. And a bit disoriented from the fact that I had no clue what time it was. No windows. I had a feeling it was early, earlier than morning though. At least that's what my internal clock was telling me.

I closed my eyes And another vision of the bloodied battlefield entered my head. The chaos and confusion of it all. And the bloody teeth of a red wolf snarling at me. Before I knew it, I was sitting lying on the floor in log form. The thoughts and memories flew away as the form’s blank peace took over my psyche. I really need to use this form more often. Was the last thought I had before the nothingness crept in.

A knock on my door brought my mind back to the present. “Liam, breakfast is ready.” I didn’t answer right away, my mind still struggled against the grogginess from my rough wake up. I shifted out of the form and opened the door. The light from the candles and lamps hurt my eyes for a second. Once they adjusted I addressed who knocked.

Loreli stood in front of the door. “Sorry, Loreli, give me a second and I will be right out.” She didn’t say anything back, she just stared at my chest for a second. A blush formed on her cheeks. I looked down and realized I was still shirtless. I closed the door slightly. “Sorry, let me get changed.”

“I-it's okay. Take your time.”

I threw on one of the new outfits on the desk and walked out my bedroom door and into the basement. But to my surprise, there wasn’t any food on any of the tables. The ladies weren’t around either. “Hmm. She said breakfast was ready.” I climbed up the stairs and into the shop area. I looked around and then at the window.

It was raining outside, pretty hard too. I meandered up to and then peered through the shop’s front window, watching the deluge taking place. Water drops pattered along the stone road. A few people walked hurriedly along the path wearing heavy coats, trying to get to their destinations as quickly as possible. I wondered if the merchants set up shop on these kinds of days. I couldn’t see the main road from the Warbler shop window since it was located in an alley.

I sighed as I watched the rain. “Well, there goes my exploration plans.” I really wanted to explore the city today, especially since Len gave me the day off. But walking around a big medievalesque fantasy city that I knew little about in the pouring rain did not sound particularly fun or fruitful.

A scent wafted around me. I sniffed and could make out meat. The glorious scent of cooked flesh. My stomach growled out, reminding me that I skipped dinner last night. I heard some giggling come from the direction of the other door behind the counter. The one I hadn’t been through yet that I assumed led to Mrs. Warbler’s room. I went behind the counter and just about knocked on the door. It swung open before I could. Mrs. Warbler grabbed my raised arm and led me in.

“Good morning dear. I see we couldn’t hide the food from you.” She laughed as she spoke. It wasn’t a bedroom like I thought it was. A small wooden table that could fit maybe six people around it was situated on the right side. The left side was the simple kitchen. A giant brick and stone stove sat next to one wall and on the other was a wooden counter and a couple of kitchen knives hung above it. Dull light poured through the window on the far left wall, but it didn’t have glass like the store’s did. Just some wooden doors and an awning to keep the rain out. Another door was across the room, which was either the actual bedroom or a living space.

After another whiff of food assaulted my nose, I found myself standing at the head of the table. Slabs of perfectly charred meat sat on a big plate in the middle. It took every ounce of willpower to force myself to not salivate, or launch myself at them and begin feasting. Loreli walked in from the other door, carrying some other food on a tray. More weird and odd colored vegetables I had no interest in.

She had a contented grin on her face, but it twisted into pain causing her to drop the food. I rushed over to her and caught the plate in one hand and allowed her to grab my other. She steadied herself. After a few sharp breaths, she gave me a pained smile.

“Sorry about that, he’s been playing quite the game of footsie with my bladder lately.” She rubbed her swollen belly. Mrs. Warbler rushed over to her and took over my position. I carried the plate over to the table as she helped Loreli sit down.

She looked at me and then the food. “Go on, you must be hungry after all that sleep and fighting. Don’t hold yourself back on our account.” And that single statement broke the damn. I wolfed down a few cuts of the meat. And after a quick “Ahem” from Mrs. Warbler, a side of vegetables as well. Still didn’t like them. They got stuck in my teeth constantly. They’re carnivore teeth dang it. I thought to myself. Not that I’d actually voice my opinion on the matter. You don’t complain to the hand that feeds you. That’s what my Gran always taught us.

Once my feeding frenzy ended I looked up. The two were eating like normal people, with silverware. They were halfway through their plates. I decided to make conversation instead of sitting there awkwardly.

“How far are you along?” I asked Loreli.

“It’s about eight months now I believe.” She answered. “Just about time for the Caretakers to come around.”

I tilted my head. “The what?” She returned my look of confusion with one of her own.

“Remember dear, he’s a F… he isn’t from around here. He wouldn’t know.” Mrs. Warbler spoke up, catching herself from saying Feral. It wouldn’t offend me in the slightest if she did, but it was a strange hang up nonetheless.

She turned towards me. “The Caretakers help with the process of birth. After eight months they come for the soon-to-be mothers.”

“What do they do? Do they stay here in the house? Am I getting kicked out soon?” I said playfully to the elderly woman, raising my hand to cover my mouth.

“No no, nothing like that. They come and take the expecting to the Capitol Building, where they will be taken care of and birth the child. Or perhaps children in this case. Twins are in our blood you know.” She said the last statement with her head pointed to Loreli.

“Oh come off it you daft woman,” Loreli said before munching on another spoonful of those nasty vegetables. “I would want to raise two without…” Her face turned melancholy. She took another bite of food, attempting to avoid ending that sentence.

“What do they do for that last month then?” I said, trying to change the obviously sore subject.

“They just take care of them, give them simple jobs and medicine that helps with the nutrition of the children. Other than that I can’t quite remember. It’s been so long since I had my Reggie.” Now this time her face grew gloomy. Way to go doofus. You made both of them sad. I scrambled in my head to look for another subject change. But before one could form, a knocking came from the shop’s front door. It didn’t sound aggressive.

Mrs. Warbler got up. “Lori, did you remember to flip the sign last night?”

“Yes.”

“Rude bunch then. We open when we open.” But she still left to see. She opened the door leading to the store. She paused. I couldn't see her face, so I wasn’t sure why she did. I got up from the table myself. I had a bad feeling.

Mrs. Warbler walked out into the store. Loreli got up from her spot as well and joined me as we walked into the store.

“Hello Gran. So good to see you.” A feminine voice came from the front of the shop. I turned to see the visitor. Panic flushed into my chest.

It was that green elf lady.