BY JOHN-PAUL COTE
Copyright is held by the author.
THE DOOR swung on its hinges as the snow blew in. Tosun Kon rushed to close it. The winter storm was the worst he had ever seen in his 40-some years. There was nothing out the window but snow. It would likely take more than a day to dig the farm out once it stopped. Hopefully, the animals would be safe in the corral and none would get out. But, if it was strong enough to blow the house door open then they may be scrambling once the storm dies down to find them.
An hour later, Kon’s wife, Shi, called out to him, nervously wiping her hands on an apron. They had been married for eighteen years and had four children. They had lost three others before the age of five. Life was harsh on the frontiers but they were free and had property of their own. Their son, Ked, was the oldest. At seventeen, he was already nearly the size of his father with broad shoulders. The youngest was four-year-old Little Lua. With red hair and freckles, she was her father’s favourite and made him smile.
“Kon, have you seen Lua?” Shi asked.
“No,” he replied, “have the others?”
“No one else has seen her or can find her.”
Kon’s mind immediately went to the door. The wind didn’t blow it in. Lua, what have you done?
”The door was open. I closed it thinking . . .”
Shi’s eyes opened wide as he spoke. “No, she couldn’t have. Why would she go outside?” She said, starting to panic. “Lua? Lua? LUA!” She called out.
Kon stared out the window. The snow continued to come down. It was not easing. And his daughter could be out there.
Kon dressed in his warm clothes, put on his coat, and boots, and grabbed the longest rope they had.
“What are you doing?” Shi asked.
“I am going outside to find her.”
“It’s a storm, Dad. How will you do that?”
Shi stood quietly by and didn’t try to stop him.
“I will tie the rope to myself and to the door. I will find my way back.”
Kon did as he said. He went outside, tied himself to the door, and searched for Lua. He was thankful to have his beard giving some protection against the wind. Snow quickly built on him and began to weigh him down as he slowly moved in his semi-circle, grasping at the ground, and calling out her name. That’s all he could do. With the wind and the snow, he was blind.
He did not know how long he had been out there. His hands and feet were numb. The wind and the ice crystals tore his face. Finally, he felt a tug on his rope. Exhaustion made him agree, and he followed his way back to the house. The agony of the thought of leaving her was devastating, but the search would have to wait until the storm broke. He hugged his wife and children, praying for Lua.
By morning, the storm had eased. The villagers were out and about seeing what the damage was. Soon, though, they were gathering a search party to find Little Lua. Lun Modav and Rulvas Dag stepped forward to join Kon and Ked. Modav was a master hunter and tracker. He was middle-aged like Kon but leaner. Dag was a farmer with an enormous frame like Kon. He was the youngest of the three, in his thirties. Since his father’s death, Kon had become a mentor to Dag.
“Modav. Dag. Thank you both,” Kon said.
“Think nothing of it,” Modav replied. “You have always helped us. Now it is time to help you.”
The four men dressed and packed for a search that might last days. They brought their rifles as well as their walking staves. It would be tough finding Lua with the snowfall. but it was said Modav could follow a deer across a rock surface as if he had seen it travel. There was always hope.
The wives and children hugged the men. Modav took the lead and they were off.
It wasn’t long before they made their first stop. Old Qor. The village shaman and healer. She was so old that no one ever remembered her as being anything other than old. Qor was just Qor. Living on the edge of the village, She always appreciated visitors.
“Ah, Tosun Kon,” Qor began. “You come visiting looking for your Little Lua, do you not?”
Kon was only a little surprised by Qor’s knowledge of Lua’s disappearance. Qor always seemed to know what was happening.
“Yes, she disappeared during the storm. We hope that you had seen her or you could use your magics to help us with our purpose.”
“I did not see Little Lua go by,” Qor said, puffing on a thin pipe. It accentuated Qor’s skeletal form. The hands moved with purpose, never missing a thing. “But I did hear the singing.”
“Singing? What singing?” Young Ked asked.
“Heh, heh, heh,” Qor laughed. “You’ve been remiss in telling the young master our stories, Kon.”
“They are just stories, Old Qor.”
“What stories?” Ked insisted.
“The story of the winter sprites, young Tonsun. Pix, Nix, and Ro. They live in the snows and the winds. In the frosts and the frozen rivers and lakes. They are mostly harmless, according to them, but they are mischievous. During winter storms as we had, they will sing their songs, hoping to entice and enchant a young soul to come out to play with them. That was the song I heard.”
“Foolish, old stories will not help get my daughter back.”
“Perhaps so, Father Tonsun, but nonetheless, I will come with you just in case.”
“Old Qor,” Modav said, “thank you for your offer, but you would just slow us down and add to our burden.”
“Pshaw!” Qor answered. “I was walking in these forests and hills before your father was a thought in your grandfather’s mind, Modav. I will come. You will need me. If only for my warm spirits.”
Arguing proved to be fruitless, so Old Qor came along.
Again, they set off. The snow was knee-deep. Their breath quickly formed into mist in the crisp air. Frost formed on their beards. Their eyes suffered from the brightness of the snow despite wearing birch bark protectors. Kon thought of Lua and prepared himself for the worst. How could a little girl survive out here?
Modav found a trail. There were spots where the snow was slightly lower than the rest. Possibly indents from a small creature moving. They followed the tracks with haste, and before they knew it, it was midday. Old Qor had not slowed them down, but Qor was keeping up the rear. Ked walked with Qor, asking about the old stories. Qor, as usual, was more than happy to tell them. He asked questions about Qor clothing.
“What is the bag you have, Qor?”
‘This? Ah, yes. This is my seven-demon bag! It is nearly as old as me! Or maybe older. It is difficult to remember sometimes.”
“What is a seven demon bag?”
“Ah, my father and I were out gathering herbs one day when the seven demons of the wind set upon us!”
“I thought it was the seven demons of the water, Old Qor?” Kon asked as a taunt.
“Who is telling the story, Father Tonsun? You or me?” Qor replied. “Now, the seven demons were upon us. The seven demons are very strong and powerful beings! But they are also stupid. My father bet them they could not all fit into his bag. If he was wrong, the demons could take our souls. They agreed to the challenge and could all fit in the bag. My father then sewed up the bag and we have used it ever since. But someday they will find a way out to seek their revenge upon us all!”
“I think my wife, Chesera, made that for you,” Modav teased. Everyone laughed except Qor, who merely shook the bag.
Soon, the night crept in. The party would stop for a rest but move through the night. As darkness fell, the party could hear a lone wolf howl. It sounded not so distant. Modav and his rifle kept a keen eye out for the beast.
Throughout the night, the wind howled as well. That was a good sign, Old Qor said. Tomorrow would be an easier day with more gentle weather coming. Qor poured a drink from her bag for everyone.
“And what might be this?” Modav asked.
“It is my warming spirits,” Qor answered. “Drink and it will help with the cold and the ache.”
They each eyed the liquid. It was black. A little steam was rising from it. It smelled a bit sweet.
“Oh, cowards are you all!” Qor yelled. “Do you not trust me? Drink, fools, drink!”
They drank. It was a sweet mixture. It tasted like nothing they had tried before. Very quickly, the party felt a warmth fill their bodies and their spirits lift.
“Hm,” Kon said. “It is quite helpful. I do feel better. Thank you, Qor.”
Qor smiled and cackled a bit. So they kept moving.
Morning came and the sun was pushing through the clouds. A light snow fell and the wind had all but disappeared. After a quick breakfast, Modav took the lead and the party moved on.
“We had a visitor,” Modav said pointing to the ground. There were paw prints easily larger than a man’s hand.
“That must have been the grandfather of all wolves,” Dag said as he put his hand into one of the tracks.
“He’ll be out today, so keep close,” Modav replied.
“Grandfather wolf will not bother us,” Qor said. “He knows what we are looking for. He will find other, easier prey today.”
The clouds grew thick enough to block the sun as the day moved on. The snow picked up some, but it was still a warm day than before.
Then they heard the singing.
A sweet melody that was sung by angels, it seemed. There was even soft music that followed it made by the falling snow. Ahead, the party could see a small whirlwind of snow. It sparkled and shone all on its own. Inside there were three small creatures. They were no bigger than a whiskey jack and light blue. They were flying, twirling, and dancing about.
And Lua was their dance partner.
She smiled and laughed as she danced and spun in the snow. Such happiness. Such joy.
“Pix, Nix, and Ro,” Qor said in a whisper.
Kon called out to her but she did not hear. He called again. This time, they answered him.
“Go away!” One of the spirits said. “We want to play!”
“Yes, we like to dance in the snow!” Another said. “So you must go!”
“Play and play,” The other said. “We will get our way!”
“Yes, Daddy, we want to PLAY!” Lua said. “And play and play!”
Kon started forward. Qor grabbed his shoulder.
“You must be careful. Do not anger them. The spirits have very powerful magic.”
“They have my daughter,” Kon replied. “Their magic will not stop me.”
Kon yelled at them again and walked forward.
Modav aimed his rifle.
Dag and Ked brought their walking sticks with the heavy heads in front of them.
“LUA!” Kon demanded. “Give me Lua back or you will suffer the consequences!”
The winter spirits stopped their dance. They turned to the party. They smiled.
“Someone wants to stop our PLAY,” said one.
“And for that, they must PAY!” said another.
“Grind their bones, is what I SAY!” said the other.
The spirits flew towards the group when suddenly they grew. And they grew. And their teeth grew in their mouths and talons on their hands. Great muscles appeared on their bodies.
They roared as they went after the party.
Modav quickly let loose three shots.
Hit.
Hit.
Hit.
But none phased them.
Kon ran to meet the misshapen giants.
Ked and Dag froze. They had never seen such things before.
Qor stood back, hand on her bag.
Ked shook himself and ran, screaming as he went after the giants. Dag looked around him and ran towards the giants as well.
Modav fired again. Each was a hit. They ignored each of them as if they were flies.
Kon met his enemy and swung his staff. The head was a heavy ball, a knot from the tree hardened by fire. He hit the giant in the knee. The giant yelped and slapped at him.
Ked and Dag reached the monsters and swung their staffs as well. The giants smashed at them. Dag was hit and thrown. Ked held his ground.
The giants were so big that it was hard for Kon to miss but it seemed to have little effect. The giant brought his hand down, just missing Kon, but the power of the blow knocked him over.
And Lua sat laughing and throwing snow up in the air. Seeing her father and his friends dancing with her little friends was marvellous. Everyone was so happy.
The giant brought its hand down again and again, trying to crush Kon, but he was able to roll out of the way. But he was getting tired and the giant only needed to hit once, while Kon had to be quick every time.
The second giant grabbed Ked and squeezed. He yelled as he felt his ribs collapse in.
Modav ran forward with his staff.
And Lua laughed with such joy at the games being played.
Qor ran forward with her staff over her head, speaking in a language none of them had heard before.
The giants stopped and looked at Old Qor. The behemoths smiled.
“Qor!” one giant said. “Our friend Qor! We are so happy to see you. Where have you been?”
“Yes, Pix, Nix, and Ro. I have been waiting for you,” Qor replied. “It has been so many years for me and so few for you.”
The giants eased their attack on the party. They disappeared and revealed sprites again.
“Oh, you look as you always have,” Pix replied. “Have you come to play?”
“Yes, come let us go and play,” Nix sprite said.
“Oh, we are so happy to have you back!” Ro said.
“Yes, I will come. Just give me a moment to say goodbye.”
Qor turned and smiled. “You can take Little Lua with you now. No more will they come your way.”
Each of the party stared at Old Qor. Qor walked over to Ked. He was holding his sides and getting his breath back. Qor handed the seven-demon bag and staff to Ked.
“Here, these are for your sister when she is old enough. Both of you will know when that is.”
Qor turned their back and walked to Pix, Nix, and Ro. As Qor did, she began to transform into a young girl with brilliant red hair. She turned back, smiled, waved, and then continued with her friends into the woods, skipping and singing as they did.
***
John-Paul lives in St. Catharines, Ontario with his wife and two children. He’s been writing for years but only started submitting my work recently. This is his second published work, the first being “Nostalgia” in the Niagara-On-The-Lakes’ Writers Circle’s anthology Beginnings and Endings. He is a person of few words so he enjoys writing short stories and novellas the most.
