Secret Of The Crest (16 page)

   ‘Your friend is very lucky his wounds are only on the surface. The boar that hit him was a young one. Usually, boars don’t like coming in contact with humans and if forced they will defend themselves. They will stand their ground and become aggressive ripping their tusks into the enemy,’ Marina continued. ‘The boar must have been distracted otherwise he would have finished what he started.’

   ‘You’re saying that this wasn’t done by that monster we saw out there?’ Dimitri said.

   ‘Of course not!  He would have been ripped up had it been a ghoul. What made the boar take off and leave its target without finishing it off is another story.’

   Gregor went to the front desk and dialed.

   ‘Was it you?’

   ‘I must admit I was starving but the boar had made its move and I don’t like sharing!’ Giorgio said laughing. ‘Then I caught its attention and it came at me. Well you can imagine how that went. It was a feast!’ 

   ‘Thanks for your help’ said Gregor.

   ‘I didn’t help you, I was out to eat. Don’t flatter yourself, Gregor. I wouldn’t help you even at death!’

   ‘Thanks anyway. You helped save the hunter even if it was unwillingly.’ Gregor hung up. 

   Dimitri came out of the back room and sat in the lounge. One by one so did the other hunters. 

   ‘Tomorrow, we leave this place! Pack your gear tonight and until we get back home we should think of a way to best tell Mikhail’s family.’

   ‘No need to put yourselves in that difficult position,’ informed Gregor. ‘I will inform his family after the sheriff comes to get all the facts and let’s me release the news of the man’s death. I called him earlier to report the slaughter and he will be around at latest by morning.’

   ‘Thank you Gregor.’

   ‘Dimitri, take your friends and go to your rooms and rest. We will inform you as soon as your friend comes to.’

   The men went up to their rooms and Gregor took a seat in the armchair he loved so much.

   “
Who can it be? We can’t go through this again!
” he thought to himself.

   He looked at his watch. It showed half past three a.m. and he was meeting with the Rebecca and the others at seven. He wasn’t going to cancel in fear of making everyone panic. It would be their last excursion before leaving on Sunday. Why ruin it for all of them? Besides, they would be safe with Gregor escorting them. Gregor changed position in the armchair and had soon after fallen asleep. 

Chapter Seven

   A streak of light came in through the very small window in the storage room, blinding Mano as he tried to open his eyes. He looked up and around not knowing where he was. While trying to sit up he felt a sharp pain under his ribcage. He reached to touch the bandaged bruise and started to recall what had happened to him. Mano then let out a sigh of relief and thanked God he was still alive. As he tried to get up off the bed he heard Mrs. Marina’s voice.

   ‘I wouldn’t do that just yet. Let me change your gauze, we don’t want it to get infected.’

   ‘You did this? Thank you!’ He sat back on the bed. ‘I was foolish to think that I was an expert and quick enough to shoot down a charging boar. I only started hunting recently and I was fooled by it’s size. It was the smallest one I have seen.’

   Marina changed his bandages and asked him, ‘Do you have a family?’

   ‘I do, not my own but I live with my mother and my two brothers.’

   ‘Take your bags, your friends and go back to your families who need you alive. What you did last night was very careless. You could have been killed! Now that I am done with your bandage you can get up and slowly come into the diner. I will bring you something to eat and inform your friends you have awakened.’

   Mano sat patiently waiting for breakfast to come since he hadn’t eaten since the day before. Instead his friends showed first.

   ‘You’re finally conscious!’ Spiro told him.

   ‘Glad to see you too!’ came the reply. ‘I’ll tell you guys all about it after we eat something.’

   The men all sat down and ordered breakfast.

   ‘Where’s Mikhail? Still sleeping?’

   Dimitri took initiative, silenced the others and looked at his friend.

   ‘Mano, you were very fortunate yesterday. You came very close to losing your life. Mikhail was not as fortunate as you, though. He was attacked viciously and died.’ The man turned away and wiped his tears.

   ‘He died at the tusks of a boar?’

   ‘No, he was probably attacked by a ghoul. We all thought they were a part of stories but they are real.’

   ‘We’re all in pieces about what happened to Mikhail but we are also grateful that you are alive and well and we are leaving after breakfast’ added Vaggo.

   ‘What about his body? What will we do about that?’ Mano asked.

   ‘The authorities are taking care of it. He was mauled and they will probably send him in a closed casket’ Vaggo answered. 

   Mano was silent. He didn’t touch his food. 

   ‘Tell us what happened to you?’ asked Dimitri.

   ‘I was down on my knees targeting a pack of baby boars. I thought that I had at least two of them. I hadn’t realized that one was at the right of me until I heard it charge. I turned the rifle on it but I wasn’t quick enough. I was knocked down by its tusk and by the time I got back up it was charging again. Then I heard something behind me but I didn’t get a chance to see what it was. The boar passed right by me and followed whatever it was into the woods behind me. I don’t remember anything after that. I must have passed out. The next thing I remember was waking up in that back room.’

   The time had gone by quickly and the girls came down to the lounge area. Rebecca saw Gregor sleeping in the armchair like a baby. She went over to him. She covered him with her jacket and he immediately woke up.

   ‘Long night, lover? Good morning!’

   ‘Is it already seven?’

   ‘Not quite. We’re catching some breakfast, go ahead and sleep a little more.’

   ‘No, I’m up now. I’ll wash up and join you in a bit.’

   ‘Oh, here comes sleepy Sam too!’

   ‘Hey, you know I hate waking up this early in the morning and by the way that’s all we’ve been doing since we came here. You’re lucky I’m even coming!’

   ‘Yeah, yeah, we know you and early hours don’t like each other’ Cassandra added. ‘Now hush and go order our coffee like the gentleman you are.’

   Sam gave them his silly little grin and went to order the coffee. Shortly after, the girls followed. The hunters met the girl’s at the entrance of the diner. They were preparing to leave.  Mano and Cassandra’s eyes met. They stared at each other for a long moment. They all sat to order breakfast and while they waited they planned the day over their first cup of coffee.

   ‘After this fishing excursion I really don’t feel like doing anything else’ Cassandra said. ‘I just want to lay back and relax a little before we leave tomorrow.’

   ‘You know what, love? All these bloody adventures, dangerous or not, haven’t let us find peace for two minutes’ Rebecca said.

   Gregor walked in with coffee in hand all perky from showering. Everyone could tell he hadn’t slept well.

   ‘Perhaps we shouldn’t go today, love. You haven’t gotten enough shuteye.’

   ‘A promise is a promise so we’re going!’  Gregor replied.

   Cassandra asked to be excused so that she could run upstairs and get her bag. Coming back out of her room she saw Mano taking his luggage out of the room and placing it in the corridor. She realized he and his companions were checking out. Mano looked up and saw her staring. It made her feel awkwardness.

   ‘Hello, I am Mano.’

   ‘Good morning, I’m Cassandra. I see you’re checking out.’

   ‘Yes, unfortunately something came up and our trip was cut short. Originally we were to depart on Wednesday.’

   ‘It’s too bad your plans changed, it’s beautiful out here don’t you think?’

   ‘It sure is! Where are you from?’

   ‘I’m from England and you?’

   ‘I am a native only not from these parts. I am from the island of Crete. I would like to stay but all my friends are leaving now. It would have been nice to get to know you.’

   ‘Well we are not leaving until Sunday, you’re welcome to stay and come along with us. We’d be glad to have you in our company.’

   ‘Maybe I will. Are you sure your friends wont mind?’

   ‘I can guarantee they won’t!’

   ‘We’ll be in the dining room. We’re leaving for a fishing excursion in about a half an hour. Let me know what you decide.’

   ‘Okay, in a while, Cassandra!’

   Cassandra smiled and went down the stairs. Mano took out the rest of the bags from the room and checked to see if he had forgotten anything. He went down the stairs where he met with the others who were checking out. They had given the details that were needed for the deceased’s remains. Coming down the stairs he saw all of their faces which expressed their need to leave as soon as possible. They were more then ready to go.

   Mano took a deep breath, went over to Dimitri and said, ‘These are his bags, his family will want them. I will not be coming with you. I will be staying for a while longer.’

   ‘Are you crazy?’ said Pano. ‘Didn’t you see what that thing did to Mikhail? You can’t be serious?’

   ‘I did not see him and I am fortunate that I didn’t. I don’t think that I can console his family. I haven’t been out to the site where he died and I feel that I need to stay. I’m sorry but I have made up my mind. I’m going to stay.’ Mano had spoken the truth about his feelings and they just happened to coincide with his need to get to know Cassandra better. These were the two things that made him decide to stay.

   ‘It’s final then?’ asked Dimitri.

   ‘Yes, I will see you all back home. Have a good trip back.’

   They all gave him an embrace and walked out the door. Dimitri turned back and looked at the inn’s owner.

   ‘Mrs. Marina, thank you for your hospitality. Tell Gregor good luck with his hunt. And thank him too!’

   ‘You are welcome, always. Sorry for your unfortunate episode and my sincere condolences my boy. Be well and watch the roads’ she said.  The men left.

   ‘Why didn’t they say goodbye to Gregor themselves?’ Fani asked. 

   Marina didn’t answer him. She was occupied listening to Gregor talking on the phone with the sheriff. He was explaining the details of yesterday’s horrid occurrences.  Marina wanted to draw Fani’s attention elsewhere.

   ‘Get the fishing gear sets prepared, today they are all going fishing.’

   ‘Yes, madam.’ Fani left to do as he was told.  

   Marina sat and watched Gregor pacing back and forth while speaking on the phone.

   ‘Yes, sheriff. It was by the huts. As soon as you go out there you will see for yourself. Whatever else you need to know just come by the in this afternoon. We’ll figure out the details then. I promised his friends we would take care of everything.’ Gregor hung up the phone having finished his conversation and started for the dining room.

   ‘Fani is getting the gear, Gregor.’ He passed his grandmother with a half real smile on his face.

   ‘Everybody ready? Mano? What are you still doing here? I thought you all left.’

   ‘I stayed behind for my own reasons. I hope none of you mind if I join in on your excursion. I need to take my mind off every thing that happened.’

   ‘You’re always welcome’ Gregor said.

   ‘Yes, if you ask me it would be nice to have another guy with us and even out the score. There are too many women in this group and bossy women!’ said Sam. 

   ‘Well, nobody asked you, love, so hush now!’ replied Rebecca.

   ‘See what I mean!’

   ‘Come on, sister, give the guy a break. He will be your brother in law soon’ added Sarah.

   ‘Come now, let’s get going it’s our last day of fun. Let’s not waste it rambling!’ said Cassandra.

   The friends began their day trip as they took the gear Fani gave them at the door and followed Gregor through the woods once more. In a very short while they were on the trail that led to the river. Cassandra and Mano walked side by side. She was quiet now and wondered what she was doing. It wasn’t like her to make hasty decisions or to open up to a total stranger like she had and intended to keep doing. She scolded herself.