Free Talisman of El by Alecia Stone

answered Richmond.
    Charlie glanced at him, but Richmond wasn’t looking at the man. Following his gaze, Charlie saw a large rucksack on the floor beside the bucket.
    ‘May I borrow it?’ the man asked.
    The trio exchanged wary glances.
    ‘I’ll give it back,’ the man said. ‘I would just like to warm up a bit.’
    Charlie hesitated a moment and then went over to the bucket. Rummaging through Richmond’s bag, he pulled out a kitchen lighter which he used to set the wood alight. He returned to the others and joined them in their staring game. ‘Thank you.’ The man studied the three of them with curiosity. ‘Why did you come back?’
    ‘You sounded like you were in pain,’ Charlie answered. The man looked surprised. ‘You came back to check on me? You realise I could be dangerous.’
    ‘If you were, you wouldn’t be telling us,’ Charlie pointed out.
    The man looked directly at him, a twinkle of amusement in his eyes. ‘Fair point.’
    ‘What are you doing here?’ Alex enquired.
    ‘Well, I was trying to sleep,’ the man replied.
    ‘But this is my house,’ said Richmond. ‘I found it first.’ The man studied Richmond, his face creased with concern, and then his gaze drifted around the desolate shack. ‘You live here?’
    Richmond nodded.
    The man grimaced and squeezed his eyes shut, his face twisted in pain as he hunched forward. A small groan escaped his throat.
    ‘Are you okay?’ Alex asked.
    The man sat up and rested his head against the wall behind him. He opened his eyes and let out a laboured sigh. ‘No,’ he choked out. ‘I am certainly not okay.’
    ‘Are you ill?’ Richmond asked.
    ‘No. I’m just old.’
    The trio looked at one another in bewilderment. ‘I’m sorry I hit you,’ Alex said.
    ‘That was you? That’s quite an arm you got there.’ The man took the blanket off himself and staggered to his feet.
    Dressed in black trousers, a long black coat that seemed two sizes too large, and shoes so shiny they could pass for mirrors, he was a far cry from a pauper. When he straightened up, the trio stepped back.
    ‘I said I was sorry,’ Alex said, her voice cracked. The man looked at her. His face, framed by thick greying hair, looked weary and seemed prematurely lined, but his olive-green eyes were alight. ‘I accept your apology.’ He went over to the fire bucket and knelt down beside it, warming his hands up. He started laughing. ‘Beaten by a girl,’ he said, more to himself than to the trio. ‘Story of my life.’ His laughter turned into a wheezing cough.
    ‘I didn’t hurt you, did I?’ Charlie heard the worry in Alex’s voice. She made a move towards the man, but he grabbed hold of her and pulled her back. ‘I only hit you ’cause I thought you were hurting Charlie. If I’d known you were old, I wouldn’t have …’ Alex paused for one beat, and then the rest of the words came out in a rush. ‘I didn’t mean old old. My parents said I should respect the elderly’ – her eyes opened wide with a strange side-splitting horror – ‘but you’re obviously not old enough to be an elderly –’
    Charlie gave her hand a gentle squeeze, and she stopped, lowering her head.
    ‘You were looking out for your friend,’ the man said. ‘I understand.’
    Alex raised her head. ‘But just so you know. I don’t go around beating people up. This was a first.’
    The man smiled. He got up, walked back over to the bed, and sat down.
    ‘Why were you screaming?’ Richmond enquired. The man looked at the window. ‘I’m going through some changes.’ He raked his hair out of his face, and for a split second, an eerie feeling crept over Charlie. It was a familiar feeling, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.
    ‘What changes?’ Alex asked.
    The man looked at her. ‘The kind you wouldn’t believe.’ ‘Try us,’ said Charlie.
    The man averted his gaze from them again. After a moment, he glanced back at them, and a speculative look came into his eyes. ‘How old