The sound of footsteps going down the creaky wooden staircase echoed through the strangely silent house of the Tristessens. Between the walls, pestilence and death hung in the air like a thick smog, choking everyone inside. The only disturbance to the stagnant, silent atmosphere was the occasional cough rattling through the lungs of the man, Galen, who seemed much older than he was, and his children moving about the house to care for him.
“Jackson, could you please get me the water? Bring it up here--quickly” Jillian called to her brother in a voice barely louder than a whisper. Despite the volume of her request, it carried easily through the house to her brother at the bottom of the stairs. Jackson knew that any attempt to care for their …show more content…
However, this was unnecessary because the rider stopped his horse just shy of where they had been standing. “Where are you two kids headed at this time of night?” He asked in a deep voice that chilled them to the bone.
“W-w-we’re going to V-Vivrent Hill” Jackson stuttered, shocked and a little scared of the man, whose face, although not truly skeletal up close, was still off-putting.
“Well. If that’s where you’re aiming for, I could certainly give you a lift...” He offered, and then added “My name is Aeron by the way.”
Jillian chimed in with, “Oh no, we couldn’t possibly!” This new stranger was certainly ominous, and accepting rides from ominous strangers was definitely not a smart move.
“Oh, are you sure? you could just hop in the back with the hay. You know Vivrent Hill is rather far from here.” Aeron said and as an afterthought he tacked on “It’s not safe for two youngsters to be wandering at this hour anyway.
Jackson looked up at Jillian, and they reached an agreement in that unspoken way siblings are sometimes capable of. “Fine. We really must hurry. Thank you, kind stranger” Jillian said tersely. Aeron nodded, preparing to ride. Then Jillian climbed into the back of the cart and offered her hand to Jackson. With a clatter of hooves upon the ground, they were
“Jackson, could you please get me the water? Bring it up here--quickly” Jillian called to her brother in a voice barely louder than a whisper. Despite the volume of her request, it carried easily through the house to her brother at the bottom of the stairs. Jackson knew that any attempt to care for their …show more content…
However, this was unnecessary because the rider stopped his horse just shy of where they had been standing. “Where are you two kids headed at this time of night?” He asked in a deep voice that chilled them to the bone.
“W-w-we’re going to V-Vivrent Hill” Jackson stuttered, shocked and a little scared of the man, whose face, although not truly skeletal up close, was still off-putting.
“Well. If that’s where you’re aiming for, I could certainly give you a lift...” He offered, and then added “My name is Aeron by the way.”
Jillian chimed in with, “Oh no, we couldn’t possibly!” This new stranger was certainly ominous, and accepting rides from ominous strangers was definitely not a smart move.
“Oh, are you sure? you could just hop in the back with the hay. You know Vivrent Hill is rather far from here.” Aeron said and as an afterthought he tacked on “It’s not safe for two youngsters to be wandering at this hour anyway.
Jackson looked up at Jillian, and they reached an agreement in that unspoken way siblings are sometimes capable of. “Fine. We really must hurry. Thank you, kind stranger” Jillian said tersely. Aeron nodded, preparing to ride. Then Jillian climbed into the back of the cart and offered her hand to Jackson. With a clatter of hooves upon the ground, they were