The Warm waters in the Winter Winds

He left Isabelle’s house in disgrace that night. Her husband was home a night earlier than she cared or remembered to mention. Ian was left in a dire situation, it was mid-November, and in his rush to escape the husband’s wrath he had left his coat at Isabelle’s house. He looked back for a moment at the house. Staring at the giant flagpole that greeted anyone who visited or even passed by this house in West Baldwin. The Triskelion proudly displayed on a red background; the flag was flying easy with the early winter winds begging to pick up speed from the ever-strong Late Autumn winds. It was 22:00 and therefore pitch-black outside. Ian had to make the hour long walk from West Baldwin towards his house share in Little Switzerland. He could only wish that his house in Little Switzerland was anything close to this guy’s house. Isabella had driven them both to her house, with her car being worth more the house Ian was renting a room in. The husband’s car was more valuable than everything Ian had ever owned or earnt combined.

He knew the way back; he was to turn onto the A2 after the second river crossing over the river Glass. Coincidently, the road that ran toward the A1 road basically followed the river Glass. If only I had a boat, Ian thought to himself half heartly but also semi-seriously. The road was narrow, it could only fit one car at a time. He made sure to look out for any sudden flashes of light that would speed towards him either in front or behind him. He was using the torch on his phone to help guide him down the narrow road. He quickly looked at his phone and saw that he only had 29% battery life left. It could take perhaps 20 to 30 minutes to reach the A roads which were lit if he walked quickly. He could only hope that he could make it there before his phone’s battery ran out.

The river was close by, it would turn away from the road soon, he knew that much. It was a narrow river in itself, but he remembered from his childhood that it had an almost hidden depth to it. You couldn’t stand in the centre of the river, despite the river itself only being about the width of around 6ft. He remembered all of the stories from his childhood about the monsters that lurked in the rivers on this Island. Fanciful fairy tales to warn kids away from drowning in the deceivingly deep river.

As he walked down that narrow road, he heard a sort of echoing noise coming from the direction of the river. He couldn’t see what it could be as the trees that lined down the road blocked any view of what was beyond the road. Although, with such limited light it wasn’t as if he could see beyond the road even without the trees. But as he followed on down the road, he noticed a gap in the trees where a countryside pathway opened up. People wouldn’t usually hike this rout during the night, but Ian couldn’t think why anybody would hike this rout at any time. Having to walk down this road was terrifying. Suddenly, a light appeared behind him, forcing Ian to move towards what he soon found was a small gate. It was just a car that was passing down the road. He expected that maybe one or two cars would pass him eventually, but the sudden appearance of light did bring a brief shock to Ian. It was the same kind of car Isabelle’s husband owned.

The car had passed by, but the light seemed to remain. With his Phone’s torch shining bright he started to notice that there was smoke beyond the gate. How could a tree catch fire when its this cold? Ian thought to himself. He looked again beyond the gate and all of a sudden noticed some light resonating in the distance, maybe a hundred metres away down the pathway. Ian thought it would be best to get a move on down the road. If some trees had caught fire, it had nothing to do with him after all.

Suddenly, Ian heard a voice. “Are you alone?” the mysterious masculine voice echoed. Ian wondered for a second if he was going insane from the darkness. Then, he heard the same voice again. “I hope you’re alone” It willowed again. The voice was calm, but deep. It came from beyond the gate. Ian looked towards where the voice came from, shinning his light towards its direction. He could then make out a faint outline of someone standing by a fire. Ian wanted nothing to do with this, he was terrified beyond anything he could have hoped to have ever felt. He Started to run away back down the road again. But he was forced to stand still after he heard what this voice said next.

“Did you try to sleep with that man’s wife?” The voice asked, this time raising its tone. Ian felt a chill go down his spin. “What desire were you looking for in her?” The voice asked, “Help me and I’ll help you.” Ian knew what he was to do. Why did he stop running? Just keep going. “Ian!”

Ian stopped in his tracks and looked back towards the figure. “Come” The voice commanded. Ian this time complied; he opened the gate then followed the path. As the pathway ended, he came across a small lake. The river fed into this lake before continuing once again. There was no one here, the fire that was still burning strong, it sat on the opposite side of the lake. But the figure who was standing next to the fire had vanished. He noticed then the water starting to part, as if something was surfacing. He stood still.

A creature emerged from the water, something that was the size of a large horse. It had the head of a horse too, but along its neck where what appeared to be gills. It had wings like an angel on its back, but the horns of the devil on its head. To Ian, it looked like the body of a Chinese dragon with the head of a horse. To his surprise, It spoke.

“Come, join me here in the lake Ian. I’ll make everything true.” The creature said, in the voice that he had just heard a moment ago. Ian was speechless. “You understood me earlier did you not? I assume it is English spoken here still. I must say, it took me a while. The language here has changed so much in my time” The creature’s voice was neither demonic nor distorted, it spoke like any man would. As if it had a human tongue. “You people, you once called me cabbyl-ushtey, but I guess these days you would know me as waterhorse or Kelpie.”

Ian was still speechless. “Speak!” the creature demanded. Ian complied. “What’s happening?” Ian finally asked “The greatest day of your life. Your final day. I can put an end to your misery, and give you joy. Give me your body, and I’ll put your soul where you’ve always wanted it to be?” The creature offered, speaking in a calm voice as if he was negotiating a trade deal. “What do you mean?” Ian asked confused and flustered. “I take the bodies of peasants, took out their souls and put them into the bodies of nobility.” “I don’t understand!” Ian quizzed once again “You, with that woman. I noticed you, Ian. You didn’t see her face, her chest, her rear or what she had to say. You saw the rings on her fingers, the chains around her neck, the vehicle that escorted her and the food that she ate. I could give that to you Ian. I could make you like her.”

Ian didn’t know what to do. If he ran the creature, no… the cabbyl-ushtey, would surely chase him down. “You humans fascinate me still. That device in your hand” The cabbyl-ushtey continued, referring to the Phone Ian was carrying. “You stole omniscience from God, yet you’re all so ignorant still. You stole fire, and you burnt the world to the ground. You rejected nature’s plan yet you’re all slaves to it still. You know that humans weren’t made equal, and you hate that you’re one who was born unequal to those you wish to be equal with. I’ll make sure that you’re born equal.”

“There was someone standing there” Ian yelled, pointing towards the fire “what happened to him!” There was a brief silence after Ian spoke. The Cabbyl-Ushtey was silent, not speaking a word. Rather, just staring at Ian, his empty black eyes piercing into Ian’s soul.

“I’m here” A feminine voice echoed. A voice Ian recognised. Suddenly, just like that, the figure emerged from the darkness, and stood by the fire. Ian looked at this figure and recognised the woman it was Isabelle. “What is happening?” Ian demanded. “Listen to me Ian, I was a peasant once, collecting water from the Yangzi, alone. When a creature like this once approached me. He knew that I often went with my wife, but the Lord of our region had taken my wife as a concubine. He saw in me not anger or sorrow, but jealousy. I wanted to be the man with a thousand concubines, but I was just a peasant collecting the same water we would throw our sewage in. Look at me now Ian, this could be you, Ian. Offer your body, and never want again. Give him your soul, and you will never need to fear about heaven or hell ever again. You will escape it for eternity. I couldn’t believe it when I arrived here. Horses made of metal and birds that people rode across the oceans. I never even knew that this Island even existed. Now I’m here. If you run, he will only take your body. If you join him in the water, then you’ll never be Ian ever again, you will be someone worth so much more than Ian ever was.”

The Cabbyl-Ushtey then spoke. “Its unfortunate that you felt that you needed to help. Maybe you’ve developed sympathy. But I am fair and just. I offered you the truth, and I still offer you the truth.” “But…” Ian tried to speak but was cut off by the Cabbyl-Ushtey. “Do not speak no more! Let that be the last word Ian ever spoke. I know what you may now ask, and I will respond. When I give you new life, during that new life you must give us ten souls, whether that be you sacrificing ten people to us, or be you offering us ten people. Isabelle here is merely just using you as an offering. It’s the kind way, as with this offering I can give you a gift in return. If you fail to offer ten souls, then you will never get the chance to experience heaven ever again, only hell. Join me, and if you walk away now, you are still at forfeit. You're her sacrifice”

“Your coat Ian, I brought it with me” Isabelle spoke, holding Ian’s coat in her hands. "Drop everything you own, and own so much more”

Ian felt he had no choice but to comply. He dressed down naked on that horrid cold night and walked into the lake. The Cabbyl-Ushtey then dragged Ian below the water. It was warm.

Isabelle threw Ian’s coat, his clothes and all of his possessions onto the fire. A smile emerged onto her face. She made her way home to her empty house. She had a tally chart written on a blackboard hanging in her kitchen. She marked it nine. She took a knife from her kitchen draw. “Finally,” She said to herself.