In today’s episode we read Chapter 15 – Gateway - in which Lucas and Cormorant take a turn that will change the course of their lives, and Magpie’s, forever.
Brought to you by: Phaeton Starling Publishing and Things with Wings Productions.
The Skylark Bell official website - http://www.theskylarkbell.com
The Skylark Bell on Instagram: @theskylarkbell
Author/Producer: Melissa Oliveri - http://www.melissaoliveri.com
Join Melissa's Patreon for early access to podcast episodes, music downloads, and more: http://www.patreon.com/melissaoliveri
Melissa on Instagram: @the.mop.pod
Melissa on Twitter: @melissaoliveri
All music by Cannelle - http://www.cannellemusic.com
Cannelle on Instagram: @cannelle.music
FULL TRANSCRIPT:
Things with Wings Productions presents: Episode 15 of The Skylark Bell, Wingspan. I am your host, Melissa Oliveri.
In our previous episode, Lucas happened upon a small antique shop where he found an exact replica of the Skylark Bell.
In today’s episode we read Chapter 15 – Gateway - in which Lucas and Cormorant take a turn that will change the course of their lives, and Magpie’s, forever.
Now, it’s time to settle in… grab a blanket, and a warm drink… and let’s get started.
Cormorant’s hoof beats echo on the road. Lucas looks up at the ever-darkening sky, a small sense of worry starting to build in the pit of his stomach. How did he lose track of time like this? It was only early afternoon when he walked into the antique shop… at least he thought it was? Whatever the case, it is past dinnertime now and if he doesn’t hurry, he’s going to have to find his way home in the dark. They’ve reached the top of the cliff now, Goldcrest Manor rising regally to the left, steadfastly watching over the town below, and a thick wooded area stretching to the right. Lucas knows Carnifex House is directly on the other side of those woods, if he could cut through them, he might get back home before it is completely dark out.
Suddenly, a red deer comes racing out of the woods just a few paces ahead of them. It stops in its tracks, and turns toward them, staring. Cormorant stands at attention, ears pointed straight ahead, every muscle at the ready should the situation warrant a quick getaway. “Chevreuil,” thinks Lucas, conjuring an image of Manon in his mind and smiling. The deer breathes out heavily, two clouds of condensed air forming at its nostrils, then pivots and runs back into the woods. Lucas and Cormorant take a few cautious steps forward and Lucas sees a faint path leading into the woods where the deer disappeared from view. “Well, I’m going to chalk this up to fate, if it’s good enough for the ‘chevreuil’ it’s good enough for me!” he says to the horse, pulling on the reins to guide Cormorant onto the path. Cormorant seems uneasy at first, but he and Lucas have formed a strong bond over the past few months, and he always does what his rider asks. The large horse steps hesitantly into the woods. If it could talk, it would probably ask Lucas what he thinks the deer was running away from in the first place…
Lucas and Cormorant have only been in the woods a few minutes and Lucas already feels doubt rising from deep in the pit of his stomach. It’s darker in the woods, the canopy above them filtering out most of the light, and the path doesn’t go straight across toward Carnifex House, but rather winds its way around some of the larger trees. Lucas can hear the rising chorus of crickets and night creatures, and he can smell the earthy scent of dead leaves as a low-lying layer of fog rises from the ground, brought on by the cooler evening air.
A shudder runs through Lucas as he recalls the small boy on the beach earlier in the day. What were his exact words? You shouldn’t go into the woods? “It’s just a coincidence…” he says out loud, his voice sounding small among the ancient, towering trees surrounding him. Lucas glances behind him, wondering if they should turn around, but the path disappears from sight around the bend a few paces back. He decides to press on and he and Cormorant advance in silence, the only sound the shuffling of dead leaves and the gentle thud of Cormorant’s hooves on the dirt path. They’ve been walking for what feels like an eternity in the dimming light when Lucas hears the sound of chimes up ahead. Relief floods over him, they must be coming to the end of the woods and are probably approaching someone’s farm! With renewed energy he pushes Cormorant forward.
They come around a bend in the path and Lucas sees a tall arch made of branches and vines spanning over the path like a rainbow. It is more than large enough for he and Cormorant to walk under, but something deep inside tells him to proceed with caution. Lucas hears the chimes again and looks up. Tied to the top of the arch is a collection of trinkets, not unlike the ones at the antique shop; spoons, bells, windchimes, metal chains, precious stones and gems, all dangling from a variety of strings and ribbons, creating a strange symphony as they encounter one another when the breeze blows through. “How utterly bizarre!” whispers Lucas.
Noting that visibility has been greatly reduced in the time he and Cormorant have been walking through the woods he presses the horse to keep moving forward through the archway. Cormorant puts up a bit of a fuss but eventually concedes. As they pass through the arch, the wind picks up, making the noise of the tinkering objects above grow louder. The branches of the surrounding trees bend and stretch, their leaves creating a sound like the ocean. Lucas closes his eyes as the wind pushes up a cloud of dust from the path. He can still feel Cormorant’s body beneath him in the saddle, but he can no longer tell if they are moving or standing still. On the wind he can faintly hear a woman’s voice singing. Eyes still closed he strains to listen, and gradually the voice gets louder. It sounds surreal, mystical almost, not quite human. Lucas feels dizzy and disoriented, like his mind and body are separating, and his mind is being pulled toward the sound of the voice. He feels a sense of peace wash over him, and feels himself floating away on the sound waves, mesmerized.
The wind slowly fades away, taking the singing with it, and Lucas takes a moment to come to his senses. He notes that he is still on Cormorant’s back, and the horse is standing perfectly still. “What just happened?” he says to the horse, but Cormorant remains still and silent.
Lucas finally opens his eyes and sees a dusky sky above. They are no longer in the woods! He squints his eyes, still irritated from the dust, and notes that he and Cormorant are standing in a field next to a tall oak tree. In the distance he can see a road, and some houses. Something about the scene feels familiar to him but his mind still feels foggy.
Suddenly, a crow caws loudly from a tree branch above, startling Cormorant and sending the massive animal galloping forward. “Whoa, whoa, whoa!” shouts Lucas, holding on for dear life. He manages to quiet the horse after a few paces and pulls it to stop. They are now standing on a gravel road. Lucas catches his breath before hopping off Cormorant’s back. He leads the horse up a nearby driveway, hoping to find someone to point him in the direction of Carnifex House. Magpie will be beside herself with worry at this point!
Lucas walks a few paces alongside Cormorant before glancing up at the house ahead. He feels a mixture of confusion and horror wash over him as he realizes what he is looking at. Standing before him, washed in the last fading light of day, is Magpie’s old farmhouse in Pocket. Lucas stops in his tracks, his entire body trembling. He hears the ringing in his ears growing louder as he stands staring at the impossible scene before him. A man steps out the front door of the house and starts walking toward him, just as Lucas loses consciousness.
Thank you so much for listening. Join me next week for Wingspan chapter 16, Nightfall, where Magpie begins to worry after Lucas and Cormorant don’t return from their ride, and Manon provides some very unsettling information.
Before I go, I’d like to thank Phaeton Starling Publishing for this fantastically eerie story, as well as Cannelle for composing eerie, mood-setting music for this podcast.
If you are enjoying this story, please consider leaving a rating or a review, they’re both greatly appreciated. You can also support my work through a donation via your podcast provider or by subscribing to my Patreon where you get early access to episodes as well as MP3 downloads of the music, artwork, writing, recipes, and more! Checks the show notes for links.
Thank you.
