Chapter 11 Fina And Nina In A Land Of Scortched Basalt

It had become slightly more of a neutral temperature -- not quite scorching, yet still was not a very cool temperature to make it more bearable. But Nina was determined to follow the sound of the voice, as Fina had no choice to follow her -- as even if there was no way for them to reach home, she felt she had to be with her always. She was family, and there was nothing escaping this fact. Fina and Nina reached the mountain pass. They had walked to it before, after making their farewell wishes to their care taker. Why would anyone just out and out let them go, when she was assigned to keep them -- did she simply give up? Either way what has happened has happened, she did not like the lady much anyway. And her soup she made was bad. As they walked along the slopes, they could see a further distance than they otherwise would have if they were down along the plains of death below.

Their clogs of wood began to hurt Fina’s feet. She wondered if they hurt Fina too, but they had to ignore this moment displeasure. Though Fina was still bitter with Nina. “How much further do we need to go, haven’t you found the source of the voice yet?” Fina said. Then realized, what if Nina had heard this voice from a dream. What it had never really happened. What if everything she heard was not real? But she had a certain gut feeling, that made her feel as if there was something to it. Nina wanted to have a rest for once, but when she did it was near the slopping trail. The old lady had advised to go around the mountains, but Nina did not listen. To her the straight away from to go straight through it. Big mistake.

Fina and Nina began to here a particular rumble. They danced a danced of fear of death, of rats and lice covering their hair. It was a feeling they could share. Fina and Nina were forced into action, when they heard the sound of an explosion. Fina did not have the confidence in Nina, so she picked her up quickly. The ash from the mountains of the netherworld began to fall quickly, Fina wondered if she would make it on time. She ran and ran through the mountains, and then found herself near a dead end. And sooner than she knew it, ash began to poor in her direction. But something was happening to Nina, that saved them both. When the ash began to poor down, she formed a barrier.

She then began to sprout skeleton like wings, and then they flew into the sky. Eventually they flew to the rhythm of ash that felt like it was coming in their direction from the wind. Fina felt a certain thump in her heart, and it simply would not go away. But she had to stay strong. “I need you to follow my instructions, first simply relax. I know where the direction to the next settlement.” Nina said. Fina understood, though she resented the fact that she had to take instruction from a girl her two years junoir. But she had no choice right now. They flew quickly through the air, and it was this moment -- that gave Fina a sense of fear -- and Nina a sense of new adrenaline. She then flew into the flatlands below. They were scorched and dead, beheaded dog skeletons littered the floor below.

Nina flapped, Fina glided below.

They landed.

Fina and Nina walked through the forest of death, and they world they traveled through looked as if it were dying. It felt similar to being on a different planet, except it was not -- at least in the traditional sense. They ran quickly through the chard dirt, through a land that looked like the aftermath of a nuclear war. There was smoke and smog, they choked like hell. They coughed their coughs. They felt a certain type of breathing, that kick started their travel. Whatever the sound was, was coming closer. It sounded like some strange sort of wolf like entity, and they smelled nothing burnt burning and smoke. Nina tripped, and Fina was suppose to retrieve her. But when she did ... they were surrounded by flaming skeleton wolves, ... but they were not quite wolves. The sound of bones cracking, the dogs rose up and howled with agony. Sharp points ascended from their back, they each one was flapping their skeleton wings.

Nina had a life or death response. Nina pushed Fina off of her, and then rose her hands up. Portions of the ground began to rise up into the sky. And then she broke them apart turning the stones into something like daggers. She used her mind, ... to toss them forward. The skeletons yelped the sound of gremlin eggs hatching, and then they all fell down. Fina thought:

One of the dogs rose up again.

Nina pelt-ed it under a stone. Or was not the fights with dogs, that made them begin to pass out. Or the hot weather, they weathered. But the vile air and wind, they came from the north. Yet the settlement was this way, and they had to go over there. This was where the skeleton mans voice Nina heard came from. Fina picked her up when she fell asleep, and then quickly ran to the next settlement. But even she began to pass out, and woke up in another cottage.

When Fina walked through the gate holding Nina, she was about to pass out. She felt like she could hardly breath. It was one thing after another, from the being taken to this world, being adopted by an old crone that had no love for her and Nina, nearly covered in the ash of mountains, and being chased by wolves. And all this time, it has been Nina. Although she resented the fact that Nina took charge, after all before when they got lost in the cart, it was her -- who sold her soul to the owl. But now she felt nothing but soul less. She developed a headache, as she walked to the door of a cottage in the village. As her vision was about to pass out, she saw the face of a skeleton man. She had long flowing grey hair, which faded into the darkness.

And she dreamed she heard the skeleton woman’s voice, there was also a violins sound, Fina rejoices. It was the only pleasant song she has heard, in all this time: Good night, little girls of the living world, good night. Don’t think you can come home, No chance in sight. Self Inspire a new hope, and have a good night sleep tonight. hen another dream of Nina.

"Mommy, do you still love me?" Fina's voice said.

"Of course honey, why do you ask? Bernina's voice said.

"So many times I'm put to task."

"That’s called tough love, get used to it."

"Why can’t I get a lollipop mommy?"

"You can if you don’t want your binoculars."

"Why can’t I have that, and something yummy?"

Fina woke up beside Nina, who was sleeping beside her in an old sleeping bag. Both of them had gas masks on, and slowly she began to feel like their energy was recovering over time. Fina slowly got up, when to go check on Nina. She was soundly asleep. And then she walked into the kitchen, and the old woman from before was cooking a pot of soup. “You have awoken, dear child.” the skeleton woman said. Her voice was different from some of the other voices, she has heard before. It sounded sweet, more silent. More like the sound of vioins in the night.

“Where am I?” Fina said.

“This is home.” the skeleton said.

“Home?”

“Are you hungry?” the skeleton woman said, and then placed her pot she had cooked over the non-electric stove top. “You need your energy.” Then she went back into her study, got herself a book. And then she heard a male skeleton mans voice.

“Maricia!” the skeleton man said.

“Yes! Do you need something?” Maricia said.

“Come look quick, it’s the sky.”

Fina would find out, she could not have come at a worse time. “Dear child, why have you come. Where have you come from?” she said, after she exited her study.

“The fruit cap skeleton man ...”

“He took you here?” And then she hummed: We need air, everyone here in the sands of grey. Everyone needs air. Every chance to breath. Do you want to breath sulfuric share? Alays a want to breath. Inglorious days are coming, of ... restricted air to breath.

We need air."

The grim reaper started to restrict the flow of breathable air in the world of death, ever sense he has overthrown his dear father.” Maricia said. And then she poured some sort for Fina, but was sure to leave enough for when Nina was awake. “This may not look appetizing, but you will need energy -- and this is all we have left, we need to go get more.” she continued. Then walked outside to talk with her husband Horacio, who was still watching the sky -- watching the fog. Fina goes back to bed to check on her sister Nina, who is still sleeping soundly and snoring. She was the sole cause of the very little noise that was there.

Eventually Nina’s eyes slowly opened. Fina stared at her sister. “Did you get up before me again.” Nina said. Fina thought thats so much bull shit and you know it. But at this point she was beyond caring.

“Let’s get out of this home, this place gives me the creeps.”

“The sky is falling, the sky is falling.” Horacio was heard outside again. And then wind was beginning to become louder. “Might want to stay inside.” he said through the window. Then went back to monitor the weather signs, signs of when to move.

“Sure that’s a good idea?” Nina said.

“Your the one that said --” Fina said.

“But it can wait, we need a plan.”

“Let’s go out, when they get food.”