TARN & BECK (6 page)

“But what’s waiting for you back in Silvo?” Tarn asked Beck now, changing tact, and honestly, very curious.

It was foolish to hope that Beck might decide to go traveling with him. Beck probably had a better chance at life back in Silvo. He looked like a businessman, after all, bookish, smart, and suave. Why would he bother to risk his life on some foolhardy enterprise?

Beck hesitated, and shook his head. “Nothing much. Just a room, some memories, and a friend. No job or prospects to speak of. No hope for the future.”

That was just the strait that Tarn seemed to be in right now, an uncanny coincidence. Yet he couldn’t help feeling that there was more to it than that.

Tarn walked up to Beck, pointing out into the distance. “And what’s out there? What’s waiting in Dosile or any place else for you?”

Maybe he was pressing the matter too much. Maybe Beck would break, and decide to stay behind in Silvo, anyway.

Beck hesitated and turned around, face-to-face with Tarn now. “The future or some hope for the future, anyway. Far away from where I’ve been and who I’ve been.”

Why was he exposing so much of himself to Tarn, a complete stranger he barely knew? Beck wondered to himself. He never would have done such a thing before, son of a rat catcher that he was. What had changed in him these past couple of days?

That’s exactly the way I feel, too. Tarn thought this to himself, but he didn’t dare say it to Beck, not right now. It seemed too personal in some ways.

Beck stared up into Tarn’s eyes, perhaps sensing some similarity between them. “I want to make something of myself. I really do. Without any remorse or regret. No past or secrets haunting me. I want to be…an adventurer, I suppose.”

Tarn smiled down at Beck, for he had felt the same way at times. “An explorer? A fighter? A seeker of wonders? A marvel to behold? A trail-blazer? With thrills and adventure galore?”

Tarn waved his hand through the air, an exaggerated gesture like he could see it just now. And he could really see it for a moment, Tarn and Beck together, adventurers and explorers. It sounded like the perfect life for him with a friend by his side.

Beck shook his head, thinking Tarn was not taking him seriously. “Oh, you don’t understand. You don’t know what it’s like.”

Beck turned away, but Tarn grabbed hold of his arm, solemn. “I do know what it’s like, and it’s not as fun as you think. It can get pretty lonesome sometimes.”

Beck turned back to Tarn, hesitant. He could see that loneliness in Tarn’s eyes, just the same as it was in his eyes, sometimes.

“I just want to travel, that’s all. Get away from home.” Beck said, trying to be reasonable on an irrational matter. “Escape for a while. I don’t know how long I will be gone for. Maybe forever. But would you like to come with me?”

The last part slipped out without Beck even thinking about it, without realizing that he would say such a thing. But as soon as he said it, Beck didn’t regret it. Not one bit, which surprised him all the more.

He actually wanted to travel with this stranger, with this completely incredible, mysterious person Beck had just met. He might come to regret it later, of course, and curse and rue the day the words had slipped out of his mouth. But just now, just then, he didn’t regret it, not even a tiny bit. He was ready to go with this man.

Tarn looked up at Beck, surprised that he was convinced. “Are you serious? You barely know me. I don’t know you at all. Well, I did see your apartment when I was trying to track you down. And there was this woman--”

Beck stared at Tarn, somewhat shocked at what he was saying. “What? Never mind that.” Beck shook his head. “You said so yourself. You don’t know me and I don’t know you. And it can get pretty lonesome sometimes traveling on your own. So why don’t we stick together?”

Tarn gaped at Beck, then shook his head. “I’m confused.”

Beck threw his hands up, excited or trying to rile himself up. “It’ll be perfect! We’ll travel together to Dosile or wherever else. We don’t know each other, so we’ll ask questions and spark up conversation.”

“I suppose.” Tarn said.

Beck pointed at Tarn. “You have experience traveling, right? You used to be a rogue or bandit like Carroll, right? You two knew each other.”

Tarn sheepishly looked down. “Yeah, I used to travel a lot. And for a time, I was stuck with Carroll and his gang before I got away from that mess.”

Beck threw his hands up. “Then that’s perfect! You have the experience and know-how with traveling. I don’t have any experience whatsoever. But I’m smart, and good with money.”

Tarn was somewhat offended. “I’m smart and good with money, too.”

Beck held up his hand, trying to defuse the situation. “I know. I’m just trying to bolster myself up so that I will have something to contribute to this partnership.”

“Okay, okay.” Tarn said, somewhat mollified.

Beck pointed at Tarn again. “As soon as we reach civilization, I’m going to find a way to earn us some money, and pay you back for your help. Maybe get a job with an accounting firm or somewhere.”

Tarn nodded in understanding. “Oh, so that’s what you meant by being good with money. You’re an accountant?”

Beck shrugged. “Yeah, sort of. I used to be a clerk with the Lavonya firm back in Silvo.”

“Oh! That’s prestigious!” Tarn said.

“Eh, sort of. See?” Beck said, excited. “We’re talking to each other, making conversation. By the time we reach Dosile or wherever else, we should know each other well enough to decide if we want to keep traveling together.”

Tarn nodded, contemplating the situation. “I see. So it’s like a trial basis for a partnership or a traveling crew.”

“Exactly!” Beck cried.

“But you have got to understand something as well, Beck.” Tarn said, turning and facing him. “Not everything goes according to plan. Sometimes we will face desperate situations where we will have to run or fight for our lives.”

“I can certainly believe that after what we just went through.” Beck said.

Tarn turned and walked away from Beck. “Sometimes we will have to take odd jobs or perform tasks to earn money or achieve some goal. Sometimes we might starve or beg for help.”

“Eww.” Beck said, imaging such a horrible thing.

He had never starved or begged before, not when his father Cedric and Cecily had always been there for him. They had earned enough money to support themselves and him before he got a job, and earned such money, too. He didn’t know what it was like to be truly starving, but he knew it wasn’t good.

Epilogue:

Start of a Journey

Meanwhile, Cecily stood at the pub counter, polishing a glass and trying to work as she always did. But her mind kept wandering back to Beck, wondering where he was now, who might have tried to break into his apartment, and why that other man had been looking for him.

She hoped that he was all right, that he wasn’t in any trouble, but she knew that there was no guarantee in life. She missed him terribly already and feared the worst, that he might wind up gone and missing like his father Cedric, probably dead.

Cecily felt like collapsing and crying, but she couldn’t do that here in public, not in front of customers. She couldn’t afford to lose this job.

In that moment, Nutmeg wearily entered the pub and walked up to the counter, not expecting anything. Nutmeg had been going around from business to business all over Willow Street, looking for Tarn.

She had been by the Duke Boardinghouse earlier looking for him, and the landlord had told her about what happened there at Beck’s apartment, how a man fitting Tarn’s description had also looked at the apartment before he left, apparently going after Beck to Dosile.

Dosile, of all the places, Nutmeg had been frustrated to hear that. Surely Tarn wouldn’t go running off like that—but no, he would. Nutmeg knew Tarn well enough to know that he had already left the city.

But part of her wanted to make sure that there was nothing else here that could have made Tarn decide to stay and not go. So Nutmeg had been going around, asking questions of all the shopkeepers and store owners on Willow Street, if they knew anything about Tarn.

Cecily looked up at Nutmeg, who tiredly began her spiel again. “Hi, I’m looking for a friend of mine. A tall, thin, stubbly, brown-haired man, who answers to the name of Tarn, looking for a man named Beck.”

Grim and staggered, Cecily reached out and grabbed Nutmeg’s arm, startling Nutmeg, who didn’t know what to think. The woman looked like she had seen a ghost, or was a dead person brought back to life, grabbing onto the living.

“I think I met him. He was looking for Beck, who’s gone to Dosile. We really need to talk. What is going on here? Why is Beck in trouble?” Cecily asked, urgent.

Nutmeg hesitated, worried about telling this strange woman anything too revealing. So many terrible things had been happening today and Carroll’s bandits had attacked her.

Yet this woman seemed to know Beck and was concerned about him. Maybe she was his mother or someone close to him. So she decided to confess the truth a little and see what happened.

“I’m not entirely certain, but it concerns a magical gold coin from Bretha.” Nutmeg said.

Cecily gaped at Nutmeg, shocked. “Oh, Cedric, what have you wrought upon that poor boy?” She murmured, confusing Nutmeg, who didn’t know what Cecily was talking about.

Years ago, Cedric had carried his bags along the wharf of Silvo’s harbor toward a ship docked in the distance when Cecily, having heard that he was leaving, ran up to him. She had come across the city, trying to stop him, hoping that it wasn’t too late. Her heart pounded all of the way before she caught up with him.

“Cedric! Cedric, where are you going?” Cecily cried.

Cedric stopped and turned around, dropping his bags and facing Cecily as she exclaimed, “Don’t you dare leave me with that boy! He’s only twelve! He doesn’t understand what’s going on here.”

She was scared of being left alone as well with that boy Beck, who certainly didn’t like her. And she didn’t want Cedric to leave her at all.

He was still a handsome man, though middle age had caught up with him. He was quite a few years older than her, admittedly, but Cecily had still admired him when she first met him and grew to love him over the course of their relationship together.

She hoped that he loved her and she had felt his love in turn. It was enough for her to wish and believe that he might marry her. But now he was going away and leaving her and his son Beck, too. It was enough to drive her crazy, mad and sorrowful, too. She didn’t want him to go.

Cedric leaned forward and confronted Cecily, grasping her shoulder tenderly and softly as his other hand brushed her cheek. “And that’s the way it should be.” He told her. “He doesn’t understand and I don’t want him to understand that death follows in my wake. Now please let me go, Cecily.”

Cecily brushed off Cedric’s hand and shook her head. “No. Take us with you. At least let us have that together.” She insisted.

Cedric lowered his head. “No, it’s too dangerous for both of you. I might have to spend years traveling countless miles, all for some fruitless search. I don’t know how long it will take or what I might face. I can’t ask that of you or Beck.”

Cecily leaned in close and wrapped her arms around Cedric. “Then why not stay here? Please, Cedric, don’t risk it.”

Cedric and Cecily kissed before Cedric sighed. “I can’t risk staying here either. That would be too dangerous for all of us. I have got to go and find Bretha for myself. It’s the only way to save us.”

Cedric and Cecily parted then, the last time she ever saw him walking off to board the ship. Off to search for the lost civilization of Bretha, the source of those cursed gold coins.

Deep in the dark forest of the present, Greg leaned against a tree, panting in exhaustion and fear as he looked down at the gold coin clutched in his hands. Then he smiled and laughed with glee, seeing the glimmering glow on the coin’s surface.

Suddenly, Greg heard a screeching, rustling noise in the distance and ran off again, hoping to outpace his enemies. There were so many of them now, but they wouldn’t take the gold coin away from him. He would see to that.

From the trees in the distance, two dark figures emerged, Miranda and Carroll, now transformed into a vampire. A couple of Vampiric followed in their wake, on the prowl for the victim who had stolen their gold coin.

Miranda and Carroll smirked at each other, sensing their prey and the gold coin just ahead. Then Miranda walked on ahead to pick up the scent. Carroll’s smirk changed into a frown as he grimaced at Miranda and followed after her.

He did not want to part with her just yet, or that gold coin they were after, but he hated and despised her for what she had done to him. Someday, maybe very soon, once they had all of the coins back, he would take the gold coins and leave her. But not before destroying her, of course.

“Sometimes we will have to improvise, go somewhere or do something on the spur of a moment.” Tarn told Beck in a rosier part of the forest.

“Or maybe some goal or mission will become clear to us, a quest we must undertake or fulfill to the best of our abilities.” Tarn added.

“A quest? That does sound challenging.” Beck remarked.

“We may not stick together forever.” Tarn warned. “We may even get separated and hopelessly lost, desperate to reunite.” He looked down. “Or never wanting to see each other again, bitter enemies. We might even die.”

“I would hate for that to happen.” Beck remarked.

Tarn turned to face Beck. “But maybe someday we might become the dearest of friends. Or maybe even more than that. “

Beck smiled at Tarn, a little star-struck and smitten. “Well, crazier things have happened.” He said.

Tarn nodded and looked away, a dark shadow passing over his face. “We might someday have to slink back home, having lost everything. Given up hope.”

Tarn looked off in the distance at a shadowy, dream-like impression of a burned village where an eight-year-old boy, his younger self, wandered through the remains. “Mama? Papa? Papa!” Young Tarn had cried.

Tarn shook his head, his mind brought back to the present and Beck, though he was a little choked-up trying to act cheerful.

“You okay?” Beck asked, concerned.

“Or maybe we might find our future, hopes, and dreams out there.” Tarn said, turning back around and facing Beck. “We might never settle down again, traveling separately or together forever. Or maybe we will find another home.”

Beck stared at Tarn, still worried that Tarn seemed deeply affected by something, as Tarn walked up to Beck, serious, personal, and somewhat desolate.

“I don’t know where life will lead us, Beck. But maybe together, it will be an adventure worth taking. What do you say?” Tarn asked.

Beck grinned, a little excited. “Let’s do it.”

Beck grabbed Tarn’s hand and shook it as Tarn managed to smile at him in turn. They were partners now, fellow travelers and adventurers, Tarn and Beck.

The End

Of

THE CURSED COIN

More TARN & BECK to come