Book 1: Chapter 14

“Betsy!” Cyil ran up and bear hugged the unprepared Betsy.

“Hey, hey we’re in broad daylight. How about we go somewhere more private?” Betsy did not know why the man was suddenly overcome with such fervour and could only attribute it to her sex appeal.

Completely ignoring Betsy’s offer, Cyil continued to hug Betsy.

Now, it was Betsy’s turn to get worried. Is there something wrong with this guy? How can he be so shameless? All I did was introduced mysefl and he’s already... But, I really don’t mind since he’s so handsome.

After a while, Cyil reluctantly released Betsy and stood back to look at her.

“Betsy, do you remember me?” Cyil asked directly.

“You, I have never seen you before.” Betsy tried her best to remember but she haven’t even seen a man as handsome as the one in front of her. Not ever. “Who are you, exactly?”

“I’m Cyil, your friend!” Staring at her with hopeful eyes, Cyil hoped Betsy would be surprised and happy to see him again.

“Cyil Cintu?! No. No way. You’re not Cyil!” Betsy refused to believe that the man in front of her was Cyil, because Cyil was dead-- that’s what Cyil’s mother had told her.

“Yes, I am Cyil! Betsy, I really am Cyil. I am not dead. Do you remember when you used to call me a monkey because I could climb trees really well. And we would call you little piggy because you ate more than us boys! And our best friends are Mundo and Sigesar! We would do everything together….” As Cyil rambled on, a complicated look appeared on Betsy’s face, as if she was deciding whether this man was really actually Cyil or not.

With Cyil’s sudden outburst of emotions, a small crowd had slowly collected and stood around to watch the scene, whispering about how the man would be Betsy’s next victim.

Noticing the wandering eyes and hushed voices, Betsy said, “Stop stop. Let’s go talk somewhere more private. Tell me everything then.”

Cyil didn’t understand Betsy’s need for privacy but he agreed anyways. Following her down a few alleys to the edge of the town, Cyil continued his one sided chat unbeknownst that Baccaus was no longer in sight.

When Betsy finally stopped, Cyil noticed that they were standing in front a worn down hut made of decaying logs. The hut was run-down but it had been taken care of well.

Standing in front of the door, Betsy turned around to face Cyil, quieting him down. “Are you really Cyil...” Betsy asked herself before quickly continuing and not giving Cyil a chance to respond. “The Cyil I remember was a scrawny boy who was always dirty. He was not too smart but he could always make me smile. Cyil always dreamed of becoming a strong warrior like his father who never returned from the war. Cyil loved his mother and friends….”

Seeing the melancholic look in Betsy’s eyes as she talked about him, Cyil knew not to interrupt.

“So ‘Cyil’, if you really are him. Whose house is this?” Betsy pointed to the hut behind her.

“That’s my home! Is mom in there?” Cyil strained his neck to peek through the old window pane but the glass was too faded to make anything out.

Hearing the man answer so merrily, Betsy really wanted to believed that the man in front of her was Cyil. Even if his whole appearance had changed, his cheerful attitude and clear gray eyes would still remain the same. Yet, Betsy and everyone else had already mourned the loss of Cyil two years ago when a soldier riding on a horse brought that dreadful news.

That day, the rider delivered the news to Cyil’s mother and left the very same day. Afterwards, it was as if Cyil’s mother had become mentally deranged. She no longer spoke to anyone and always mumbled to herself. She no longer worked, bathed, or dressed properly.

This broke all the villager’s hearts. The once vibrant and always smiling woman had fallen into depravity. At first, everyone helped her out but as time passed people began to care less and less. The only ones who continued to take care of her was Betsy and Mundo’s families.

Sigesar’s family did not permit him to go near Cyil’s mother, in fear that she might make him crazy, too. Thus as Sigesar grew up he gradually became his own person and grew apart from Betsy and Mundo.

Then, half a year ago, Cyil’s mother disappeared. Just like that she up and vanished. Betsy remembered that she was brushing Cyil’s mother’s hair, as she usually did every morning when Cyil’s mother said, “Those memories I sealed away. I shouldn’t have. Perhaps then I could have saved him… I have to be going now. Back to my other home. The one I’ve long ran away from. Thank you Betsy. Your family and Mundo’s have done so much for me.”

Betsy dropped the wooden hairbrush; she wasn’t sure if she had heard correctly. “Aunty aunty! Have your mind returned? How are you feeling? Please tell me you’re okay!”

Cyil’s mother smiled and her dull eyes regained focus and glittered with strength. Betsy remembered those eyes and just as she was about to shout for joy she felt a spell of dizziness overtake her.

When Betsy woke, all she saw was the wooden brush and an empty stool. Frantic and excited Betsy searched all around for Cyil’s mother but could not find her. She told the news to her family and Mundo, but they were still skeptical. Soon the whole town knew about how Betsy had killed the crazy woman.

The rumors began with the thought that Betsy was tired of taking care of the woman and decided to end her. Others stated that Betsy was afflicted with the same mental illness from being in such close contact and that she killed the woman because of that. Rumors flew and grew wild with no one accepting Betsy’s side of the story.

Everyone began to shun Betsy, as if she had done a great harm to the crazy woman they did not even care about. This reputation also carried over to Betsy’s family, which caused Betsy’s parents to lose their jobs. No one would play with Betsy’s little brother and they called him names such as, “demon” or “dark one in disguised”.

Of course, the one most affected by all of this was Betsy. She decided that for the sake of her family she would leave them. Betsy’s parents did not say anything when she told them the news. Even after steeling her heart, their silence still hurt her beyond words.

After she left, Betsy didn’t know where to go so she went to sleep in the ‘cursed’ hut where Cyil and his mother used to live.

Mundo was the only one to visit her, bringing her food and talking to her. That was when Betsy told Mundo she was planning on leaving Fayburn to travel all over Nakrul and that she needed help.

When Mundo heard Betsy’s plan he was shocked and sadden that Betsy would even think of doing such things like scamming; but seeing the pleading look in her eyes Mundo gave in and decided to help Betsy scam travellers for money.

After a few months of scamming people, the two had a total of 2 gold 6 silvers and 12 coppers! It was a fortune. Betsy was planning to leave Fayburn in another week or so when a handsome young man caught her eye. And so the following events ensued.

“Betsy…” Cyil stepped forward but stopped himself when he saw her flinch.

“Please. Even if you are Cyil. Please say you’re not. The Cyil I remember is a little kid who died two years ago.” At this point there were tears in Betsy’s eyes.

Hearing these words saddened Cyil and tears began to form in his eyes. Cyil did not understand why Betsy would not be happy that he is not dead. He could not comprehend how much could change in five years.

“Betsy, do you not miss me? I missed you and Mundo and Sigesar and my mom very much!”

“Your mother!” Snapping out of her thought process, Betsy remembered the pile of letters she had found when she ‘moved-into’ the house.

“I don’t really know if you are Cyil, but you don’t seem like a bad person so let’s go inside and talk.” Betsy offered and opened the door.

“Okay! I wonder what mom will say when she sees me!” Cyil instantly brightened up again. Turning around to invite Baccaus inside, Cyil found that his grandpa was nowhere to be found.

“Are you coming in?” Betsy stared at the dazed man.

“Coming. Coming.” Cyil looked around one more time then went inside the empty hut.