She could not get the sound of the heartbeat out of her head.
Lub-DUB, lub-DUB, lub-DUB.
It haunted Corr's mind and her dreams turned to nightmares that night. Her and Hāsta didn't spend much time exploring once the beating started. At first, it was almost like they could feel it inside their bodies and it was their own heart thudding in their chests. But then moments later, the heartbeat was much louder and it appeared to be from the berries somehow. Hāsta expressed her displeasure of the trip over and over and Corr finally agreed they needed to leave once this all started.
So, they had flown back, the sea creatures below churning in the water, waiting for their next meal. She saw them in her nightmare too - their fins and tentacles and sharp teeth. The whole place was like a portal to another world that seemed dreamlike and menacing at the same time. There was no way to explain it.
A couple days passed with the images and the sound continuing to haunt Corr's dreams. Finally, she rose one morning and headed back to the shore without a word. Hāsta didn't follow at first, but moments later, the crow joined the mare by her side with her usual grumbling. Someone had to look after the crazy witch, she had said to Corr.
Now the pair found themselves back on the island again, but it was vastly different. There was no sign of the ivy wall that covered the island and practically beckoned them to stay. The strange plants had all died and so had the berries. There were pearls littered across the bridge like pieces of lost treasure. The sand was white as snow and smooth-like with the waves calmly swaying back and forth over the shore.
Corr and Hāsta landed by the island's edge, taking in all the strange new sights. Birds flew overhead but they appeared to have unique mutations and abilities. Their song in itself was different and unlike anything either of them had ever heard before, even in Corr's homeland. She even had to turn back and make sure they hadn't entered another portal. It was hard to tell since there was just ocean and bridge, but at least everything out there looked the same.
"Well, you wanted to come back. Let's start exploring I suppose… but I don't like this one bit."
"I know, I know. I told you, we'll leave if it looks too suspicious, like we did last time."
"Yeah and look where it got us - right back at the same damn spot!"
"That's because I couldn't stop thinking about this place. There's a reason it appeared and I want to find out what that reason is."
"And it's going to get us killed."
"Not necessarily." Not if we're careful…
There was no telling what Corr had gotten them both into, but there was only one way to find out. The mare stepped forward, Hāsta perched on her shoulder.
Here goes.
"Speaking."
Lub-DUB, lub-DUB, lub-DUB.
It haunted Corr's mind and her dreams turned to nightmares that night. Her and Hāsta didn't spend much time exploring once the beating started. At first, it was almost like they could feel it inside their bodies and it was their own heart thudding in their chests. But then moments later, the heartbeat was much louder and it appeared to be from the berries somehow. Hāsta expressed her displeasure of the trip over and over and Corr finally agreed they needed to leave once this all started.
So, they had flown back, the sea creatures below churning in the water, waiting for their next meal. She saw them in her nightmare too - their fins and tentacles and sharp teeth. The whole place was like a portal to another world that seemed dreamlike and menacing at the same time. There was no way to explain it.
A couple days passed with the images and the sound continuing to haunt Corr's dreams. Finally, she rose one morning and headed back to the shore without a word. Hāsta didn't follow at first, but moments later, the crow joined the mare by her side with her usual grumbling. Someone had to look after the crazy witch, she had said to Corr.
Now the pair found themselves back on the island again, but it was vastly different. There was no sign of the ivy wall that covered the island and practically beckoned them to stay. The strange plants had all died and so had the berries. There were pearls littered across the bridge like pieces of lost treasure. The sand was white as snow and smooth-like with the waves calmly swaying back and forth over the shore.
Corr and Hāsta landed by the island's edge, taking in all the strange new sights. Birds flew overhead but they appeared to have unique mutations and abilities. Their song in itself was different and unlike anything either of them had ever heard before, even in Corr's homeland. She even had to turn back and make sure they hadn't entered another portal. It was hard to tell since there was just ocean and bridge, but at least everything out there looked the same.
"Well, you wanted to come back. Let's start exploring I suppose… but I don't like this one bit."
"I know, I know. I told you, we'll leave if it looks too suspicious, like we did last time."
"Yeah and look where it got us - right back at the same damn spot!"
"That's because I couldn't stop thinking about this place. There's a reason it appeared and I want to find out what that reason is."
"And it's going to get us killed."
"Not necessarily." Not if we're careful…
There was no telling what Corr had gotten them both into, but there was only one way to find out. The mare stepped forward, Hāsta perched on her shoulder.
Here goes.
