[Stacked] Diary of an Ooze Witch (Joseph de Steel) 2.5-2.6

2.5

We continued our trek through the Iron Pass in spite of Jeru’s protestations to the contrary. There was a light rain passing overhead and Jeru contended that something was not settling right with him while here, something I had dismissed as a hangover that continued to plague him in his waking hours. Even if he had been suffering something untoward, I believed it more prudent to get ourselves past the Iron Pass within the next day if we were going to arrive in Placedo on time. Jeru disagreed with me on this, but my mind was made up on this. He eventually stopped his protests and helped clean up camp, albeit at a slower rate than he normally does. That probably should have been my first real warning.

As we traveled several hours, I watched Jeru remain more silent than he normally is in my company. We were nearing the afternoon hours and the rain had still not stopped pouring down atop us. Jeru’s health seemed to dwindle before my eyes as his ailments lasted longer than any meager hangover could. It became obvious that the weather was not agreeing with his constitution, that he may have eaten something rotten. I felt shame well up inside of me as I realized my error in judgment. Keen on fixing things, I had pulled the wagon over and reevaluated my travel plans as I presided over my ailing friend.

Keeping him warm, I swaddled him in heavy blankets to preserve his body heat. My Mother had taught me some home remedies in my youth, remedies that I endeavored to use on Jeru to address his maladies. Unfortunately, most of them proved to be largely ineffective and failed to make a lasting impact on his health. Save for one remedy, that of heated chicken broth that showed some signs of helping Jeru’s upset stomach. It soon became evident that if we were to not aggravate his condition any further, further travel would have to be suspended for the time being. While I am averse to losing precious time in our travels, I would be at more of a loss if I was the cause of further complicating my friend’s condition.

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2.6

Spending another day camped out in the Iron Pass, I took care of Jeru’s health. Some needed bed rest was apparently enough to start to see the color return to his face. As his condition improved, so too did his need to talk. I humored him as I prepared some more chicken broth for him and found that he had already been looking into some things on my behalf. While we were at the “Swollen Clam,” he recounted some of their tales and rumors. While most of it was tripe and superstition, there was at least one yarn that he spun that caught my attention. While he was getting drunk at the tavern, he noticed one of the patrons seemed to guard one of their hands carefully. At first, Jeru thought that the patron was nursing an injury of some kind, but as the night carried on and he was able to get a clearer look at what the patron was keeping hidden, Jeru saw it: A lock of hair, wrapped neatly around the man’s knuckle. At first glance, it appeared innocuous enough, something almost beneath notice. But it was the way the patron guarded it, stealing brief moments to caress the lock when he had thought no one was looking at it that had given rise to Jeru’s suspicions. He attempted to question the patron on it, remarking on how withdrawn the man had been that he was now idly playing with someone’s hair instead of engaging the tavern in conversation.

The patron seemed scandalized by this, recoiling and almost hissing at my friend to stay away before retreating to a far corner of the tavern. At the time, Jeru thought nothing more of the man aside from his being some random lunatic. However, as he saw my attention hung on his words, he soon knew that it was of dire importance to me. I asked him if he knew anything more about this lunatic, but alas, what he had informed me was about the extent of his knowledge on the subject. Jeru apologized to me for not bringing it up earlier, that if he had known the lock of hair was something worth knowing about, he would have pressed the patron further. I waved him off, assuaging his concerns in the matter. While the information might have proven useful at the time, there was no need to regret what couldn’t have been helped. He still seemed contrite but also understanding. Regardless, I told him that what information he did procure actually proved beneficial. It gave more weight to my Brother’s madness not being simple chance but the work of something more insidious.

As I write this, the patter of light rain can be heard outside of my tent. As I stay with Jeru through the night, the sounds of light showers bring me back to nights spent in Steelbane as a child, with my Mother. She often sang to me on particularly stormy nights to soothe me to sleep. Even now, the drone of rain droplets cause me to drift toward sleep. Still, I make a point to stay with Jeru until he falls asleep. When he finally does so, I am free to make my plans for the rest of the trip. We should be able to make it out of the Iron Pass tomorrow, which gives us another day’s journey before we can make it to Placedo.

I am at once filled with anticipation and dread.