The Shadow Chapter 5.

Chapter Five.

Aidan’s Travels.

Aidan knew that he had no choice but to go. He had always helped the people of the town and now they needed him more than ever. Still, the thought of going out into the country was not a pleasant one. The open sky felt too big, too bright, too exposed. He would have preferred to wait until dark, when the shadows were deep enough to hide in. But if he had to go with the girl, and she had already left, then he had to go immediately.

He took a knapsack from the hook where he kept it. It was one of the few things he had taken from the room where he had lived with his Nan. He packed the things he thought he would need on a journey, slung it over his shoulder and left.

Emma had not got very far. She had a stone in her shoe and she was sitting by the side of the road. She saw Aidan walking towards her. She did not recognise him and was a bit worried that he had been sent to take her back. He stopped and looked down at her.

"Well?" Emma asked as she stood up.

Aidan scratched his head. He had been so unhappy at being out in the open that he had not thought at all of what he was going to say to this girl. He did not even know her name.

"Do you know what has happened at the Garden Party?"

"No!" said Emma. "And I am not going back there either." She started to walk away.

"I am not here to take you back," said Aidan, going after her. "Calizone has put a dreadful spell on the town. No-one can get into the town or out, except you and I."

Emma stopped.

Aidan hurried on, "She said that I had to go with you to find a way to break the spell."

Emma frowned. "I do not understand any of this. Just who are you to begin with?"

"We have met before," said Aidan. "Three times in fact, though you did not see me. I said ‘I am good at finding things and returning them to their rightful place.’ You were lost. Oh, and my name is Aidan by the way. The townspeople call me The Shadow. And please can we get going. I do not like being out in the open like this."

Emma nodded. "I suppose so. You can tell me about Calizone and the Spell as we go. My name is Emma."

"Pleased to meet you," said Aidan, as his Nan had taught him to say when introduced to someone.

They set off along the road. Aidan explained about the Spell and what he had to do to break it. He did not mention the cloth, preferring to keep that part of his quest to himself for the moment.

Emma told him that she was going back to a place called Birch House, but she did not say why, and she was very careful to keep her scarred face hidden.

After a few miles they were overtaken by a man driving a cart. He stopped and offered them a ride. They were very grateful as the road was very dusty.

"Nice to have someone to chat to," said the man, and proceeded to do just that. He commented on the weather, the fields they passed through, the horse, the birds in the sky, in fact almost anything which caught his attention. Emma soon realised that all she needed to do was say "Yes" or "No" at the right time and the man was perfectly happy.

Aidan just sat on the cart and worried about ‘the awful place’ and where it was and what he would find there. Every bump in the road made his stomach twist. Every open field made him feel smaller. He kept glancing behind them, half-expecting the curse to reach out and drag him back.

Eventually they came to a crossroads. They had to leave the carter there as his road was off to the left and theirs was straight on. By now it was late afternoon and there was still a fair distance to go.

"There is a Farm just up the road," said the carter. "The Powells own it. Nice couple. Tell them Simon the Carter sent you and I am sure they will put you up for the night."

They thanked him and watched as he drove off. "Chatty type," commented Aidan.

They walked in silence until they reached the Farm as Simon had said.

"Please don’t tell them who I am," said Aidan. "I mean not The Shadow. You can tell them my real name."

Emma nodded. As Simon had said, the Powells were very friendly and offered a room to Emma.

Aidan asked if he could sleep in the Barn. He found the idea of being indoors rather disturbing.

The Powells had often visited Barford to sell at the Market and knew the town well. They were fascinated and horrified by Calizone’s spell.

"Mind, I am glad you told us about it," remarked Mr. Powell. "I was planning to take some Cheese to the Market this week."

"Yes and I have some eggs to sell too," added Mrs. Powell. "We will have to go to Rosbridge instead. It is a lot further and not as good a Market. You have saved us a wasted journey."

After Supper, Emma excused herself and went to bed. Aidan took the blanket offered by Mrs. Powell and went off to the Barn. He made up a comfortable bed in the straw and lay down.

However, he found he could not sleep. He got up and went out into the farmyard. He was more used to sleeping during the day and wandering the shadows at night. He felt more at ease now that he could walk about unseen.

Eventually he was tired enough and walked back to the Barn. As he went in the moonlight glinted on something lying in the mud by the door. He picked it up. It was a nice little brooch. He put it in his pocket and went to bed.

Next morning Mr. Powell woke Aidan and invited him in to the Farmhouse for breakfast. While they ate, Aidan noticed that Mrs. Powell’s hand kept straying to her shoulder as if she was looking for something. He remembered the brooch.

"I found this by the Barn," Aidan said and took the trinket from his pocket and gave it to Mrs. Powell.

"My brooch," she cried. "That was the first thing Mr. Powell ever bought for me in Barford. I was so upset when I lost it." She would have flung her arms around Aidan’s neck if he had not backed away quickly.

Mr. Powell looked as pleased as his wife.

"Emma here tells me you are headed for Birch Hall. I deliver milk and eggs there, usually tomorrow, but I can go early. Save you from having to walk all that way."

Aidan and Emma were only too pleased to accept. Mrs. Powell insisted on making them some food for the journey.