Free The Tessellation Saga. Book Two. 'The One' by D. J. Ridgway Page B

irregularity in the wall
itself. As he held it, it became warm, almost burning hot, forcing
the images of his parents and sister from his mind. Turning he
found himself looking at carvings of wooden leaves and vines
curling around the deep smooth crossbeams, the vines climbing
higher and higher into the rafters, the supports themselves seeming
to grow from the earth like trees.
    Looking about
him, Jayson suddenly realised the whole barn was covered in the
carvings, each stall seemed as if it had grown into place rather
than been built from rough timber. He ran his hands along the walls
in surprise, lovingly feeling each ridge and groove in the wood and
smiling as he came across an elaborately carved frog sitting
watching him from an equally exquisite leaf. He marvelled at the
intricacies of the knife work and smiled with delight as he
discovered more tiny insects and animals hidden amongst the wooden
stalls and beams. I wonder how I didn’t notice earlier? He
thought as he continued to discover more and more wonders.
    The horses
snorted gently, the air full of the smells of warm straw and wood
and for him, the barn seemed alive, comforting somehow. Jayson had
not known so much peace and love since his family had been lost to
him. Leaning forward, his forehead against what seemed to be the
bole of a tree he at last felt free, free from the guilt he carried
over his family’s death and at last knowing in his heart they were
together on their journey and they wanted him to forgive himself.
Taking a long deep breath, he walked out of the barn to find his
comrades.
    ‘You, Jayse,
see to it, tie ‘em up’ called the corporal as the three remaining
men hurried after Sergeant Hollins as he walked briskly into the
wood.
    Jayson looked
at his senior man disappearing into the trees and then to the old
folk lying cold and bloody on the hard ground.
    ‘Mam,’ he said
to the old woman, ‘yer shouldn’t be lying on the floor like that,
you’ll catch yer death. Here, let me help yer get up,’ he said,
smiling kindly.
    ‘There’s
anovver of ‘em in the ‘ouse,’ whispered Gideon senior fearfully as
he watched Jayson helping his wife, suspicion evident in his eyes.
Jayson took the old woman into the house and returned to help the
old man and as Jayson placed his arms around him, Gideon suddenly
relaxed and knew with a deep certainty that this man was a
friend.
    ‘I’ll deal with
the intruder’s body sir,’ Jayson said quietly, ‘Duggan must have
fallen down the stairs, his neck is broken,’ he added.
     
     

Chapter
8
Gideon’s Relapse
     
     
    Gideon’s head
felt fit to burst and as he walked it seemed to be getting worse,
the pain was unlike anything he had ever experienced. Pressure
seemed to be building behind his eyes making it difficult for him
to see, he was cold and hot at the same time and once again his
skin felt too small for his body. His skin itched unbearably with
the fabric of his clothes just exacerbating the problem.
    ‘Come on Gid
lad, we’ll soon be ‘ome ter yer gran’s ‘ouse,’ his father said, as
he hurried his son back over the slight rise and approached the
gully that separated his father’s land from the wood. He was
worried sick, Gideon had never had a day’s illness in his life and
since leaving home; he had suffered sickness, headaches, nausea and
now this. He wanted to consult Sonal who usually knew what to do in
unusual situations.
    ‘Da, I’m
gonna…,’ Gideon turned away from his father, bent double and threw
up, coughing and spluttering as the contents of his stomach vented
upon the leafy ground, Jed turned and leaned over his son his hand
gently resting on his back.
    ‘It’s not far
now boy, yer’ll be al…’ Jed fell, his unconscious form falling
heavily and hitting the ground as Gideon threw up again, the vomit
missing his father by inches. Exhausted, Gideon dropped to his
knees beside him.
    ‘Da…, Da,’ he
cried as he blindly shook the unconscious man through