Correst

By Rachel Gay

Luke Toft always did his best to ignore his daughter Aito's stories of another world and the country in it called Tanil. He thought they were just make-believe, all from her imagination and a book he's starting to wish she'd never found.
So when he sees his daughter disappear before his eyes and finds a definitely not human half-breed in his backyard who claims that she's been pulled back into Tanil, Luke thinks he might be going crazy.
Madness would almost make more sense than finding himself in the world of his daughter's stories, pretending to be a soldier and trying to fit in in a world where humans no longer exist. All the while he's just trying to find the person behind his daughter's disappearance, a feat that seems impossible with people from all over Tanil and its northern neighbor Rorin gathering together to create a treaty that will decide the fate of two countries.
Luke has to move fast though, because the longer he stays in Tanil the more people take notice of this new recruit. He's not the only one searching for Aito, and with the treaty on the line more than a few people are looking for any useful piece they can get, or for the perfect wrench in the works.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rachel Gay
• Release date: Jul 30, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476093451

Rachel Gay

Rachel Gay is an Alabama native living in New York (the state, not the city), an avid reader, and a bit of a nerd who is fascinated by anything and everything. Her work includes Tanil and its sequels Correst and Rorin, as well as the web serial The Last Inn.

Book preview

CORREST

By Rachel Gay

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2012 Rachel Gay

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Contents

Chapter 1: Of Doctor, Daughter, and Book

Chapter 2: Of Nuthouses, Dressing the Part, and Trouble

Chapter 3: Of Waiters, Disturbing Looks, and Missing Pieces

Chapter 4: Of Trees, Declarations, and Messengers

Chapter 5: Of Unwanted Invitations, Many Worlds, and Waiting

Chapter 6: Of the Problem with Notes, Training, and a Toy Soldier

Chapter 7: Of the Seranu Movement, Footprints, and Free-falling

Chapter 8: Of the Wyrm, Fear of Bane, and Some Thief

Chapter 9: Of Bargaining, Quiet Voices, and the Downside of Feeling

Chapter 10: Of Splinter Mouths, Mailin Songs, and Maria

Chapter 1: Of Doctor, Daughter, and Book

He shoved the drawer shut and began going through the next one. He could have kicked himself for oversleeping like this. Sure, he’d come in late, but he couldn’t even remember the last time that he had slept through the alarm clock’s incessant beeping.

Dad? A small voice came from the doorway.

What is it, Aidan? he asked, finally locating a clean pair of matching socks just when he’d started to wonder if anyone would really notice if one sock was black while the other was brown.

He didn’t turn around, too busy trying to put on socks and straighten his striped tie at the same time, so he missed the wince that crossed his daughter’s face. He might have been vaguely aware that most people called her Aito, but it had never occurred to him that was because she didn’t like the name Aidan very much. This might have had something to do with more than one substitute teacher saying they thought only boys had that name, or the time she’d been placed in a boys’ P.E. class.

You haven’t forgotten about tomorrow, have you? she asked.

For the merest split of a second he froze, his hurry forgotten.

The meeting with my teacher, Aito explained, more than a little reproachful.

Of course I haven’t forgotten, he said, giving his tie one last tug and pushing his glasses back up where they would stay for about a minute before they began the slow descent back down his nose. I’ve already taken off work.

A good thing, too, as he now saw that Aito was wearing a threadbare t-shirt and paint-splattered blue jeans. He could get a head start on the laundry tomorrow before he had to meet with Aito’s teacher after school.

What is it about – good Lord, is that the time? He grabbed his bag and his cell phone, adding, I’ll be working late again, if you want you can call for some takeout and have them put it on my account like usual.

But—

I’ve got to go, bye, I love you, he said and gave Aito a quick peck on the forehead before making a dash out of the room, down the stairs, and through the front door without looking back.

Bye Dad, Aito said with a sigh.

***

What are you still doing here?

I’m just checking some patient records, Aito’s dad said, ignoring the nurse’s tone and her disapproving stare.

You know that’s not what I meant, the nurse, a short black woman by the name of Vicki, said. Not that he was fooled by her diminutive size; she pulled in a lot of hours in the E.R., and more than once security had been called in to deal with a troublesome patient only to find that she had already defused the situation. Don’t you know what time it is?

Yes, he said, tapping on the counter while he waited for the requested file to be found. The place around them was full of nurses, doctors, patients, all kinds of people going this way and that, and he wondered why he had been singled out. I signed up for a long shift—

That’s the third time this week. Who’s watching Aito while you’re here? Vicki asked. Most of the older nurses remembered Aito from when the two had first moved to the area six years ago, back when the hospital daycare was where she spent her days while Dad worked.

She’s used to being at home alone, he said, trying not to back down from Vicki’s tone.

You say that like it’s a good thing, the nurse pointed out. "When was the last time you took off for vacation or not worked through the weekend?"

Never, another nurse answered as he passed by, pushing a trolley.

The luckless father looked up and around. What? Where did he – oh, never mind. And just so you know, I have taken tomorrow off.

To meet with Aito’s teacher, Vicki finished. Toft, that doesn’t count and you know it.

What is this, an intervention for working? Dr. Toft scoffed and leaned over the counter to see if the receptionist was hiding behind it.

It won’t have to be if you can take a hint, Vicki said. Just take some time off, real time off, not this ‘when I have to’ stuff. We can survive without you, you know.

Dr. Toft didn’t answer, so the nurse asked, What is it with you? Most people would be glad to take a day off to spend time with their kid, especially around here. You scared to go home or something?

What? No, of course not, Dr. Toft said.

Prove it then, Vicki said. Get someone else to take care of your patients, they’ll understand, and go home. Take a couple of days for yourself. You might need it after that meeting with the teacher tomorrow.

***

Aito’s teacher was Mrs. Augustine, according to the sign outside her classroom. The woman seemed to exude strictness from her clothes, which wouldn’t have looked out of place on a prison warden and were wrinkle-free despite having spent an entire day with a class full of children, to her desk where the papers were stacked in impossibly straight piles and such items as pens and staplers were placed at right angles. Even the posters on the walls seemed somewhat intimidating to him, but that may have just been a normal reaction to the sight of grammar rules.

Mrs. Augustine stood up to meet Dr. Toft and after the precursory greetings directed him to one of the student desks. He took the seat carefully, well aware that after some time sitting in this desk it would become a dull form of torture.

Thank you for coming, Mr. Toft, Mrs. Augustine said, sitting down and brushing away an imaginary mote of dust from her desk. I am sorry to call you away from work like this, but when you did not show up for Parent’s Day…

Er, it’s ‘Doctor,’ and I didn’t think that Parent’s Day was compulsory, Dr. Toft said, trying to resist the urge to slide down in his chair. Mrs. Augustine’s stare was unnerving, to say the least. She could have taught snakes how to do it.

For some of the other teachers, perhaps it’s not, Mrs. Augustine replied. However, I stated in the syllabus that went home on the first day of school that I always intend to keep a close rapport with all of my parents.

Dr. Toft made no move to reply. He tried to remember seeing anything like that, but so many papers had come home in the first weeks of school, all demanding his signature. Surely he wasn’t expected to read over every little note that came home. Not to mention that was months ago. How could anyone be expected to remember something like that? He missed Aito’s last teacher, Mrs…Well, whatever her name was, she sent notes home just about every day leading up to an event, like the school field trip. Now there was someone who knew how to get a point across.

She gave a little sigh and said, I would have let it slide if it had not seemed important to discuss a…tendency I have seen in your daughter lately.

Tendency? Dr. Toft asked.

"Some time ago, Aidan started to tell…stories. Whenever I gave out a writing assignment, she would always go to the same subject. This lack of creativity is nothing that I have not seen before, but I overheard her telling the same sort of stories to the other students, usually when we had to have recess inside because of the rain. Even in her drawings, I often find these creatures that she has invented, and they have even started to show up in the drawings of the other children."

And just what is it that she’s so interested in? Dr. Toft asked, wondering what the problem was, aside from the fact that his lower back was screaming at him already. He tried to move into a more comfortable position in the hard metal blue chair and almost fell out of it.

Some fairy tale world that she has made up, Mrs. Augustine replied, wrinkling her nose. All of the stories have something to do with the place, and she says these creatures she draws live there. Here, let me show you.

The teacher pulled open one of the drawers in the filing cabinet behind her and began flipping through the manila files until she found the correct one.

Here we are. Just look at that.

Dr. Toft took the file and began thumbing through it. There he found Aito’s grades, stories, and intermixed with them were the drawings that Mrs. Augustine had taken such offense at. The people that Aito had drawn were not human, or at least most of them did not seem to be. Some looked more like animals, with fur, tails, and the facial features that went with them, but at the same time they were people, different than the other animals that she had drawn. There were others that looked like elves with their extraordinarily long ears, and there were some that wore masks. A small knot started to form in his stomach as he began to see where this was going.

Then there were drawings of places, with what Dr. Toft thought of as very good detail for someone at Aito’s age. At least, the buildings were a bit more than square boxes with windows and doors tacked on, which was more than he could do without looking at something. He didn’t recognize any of them. He also noticed that some of the same people showed up, again and again, and later drawings had more detail and seemed better drawn, perhaps because of practice.

Now look at these, Mrs. Augustine said, pushing across three other drawings.

Dr. Toft pushed up his glasses to take a closer look, and they promptly slid back down again. These drawings all had different styles, and though the characters themselves had little in common, they were clearly of the same stock that populated the pictures he now held.

These were drawn by some of Aidan’s classmates, and there are more like them, Mrs. Augustine said. They started showing up about the same time Aidan started telling her stories to the others.

Mrs. Augustine studied a crayon drawing of one of the mask people with obvious distaste while Dr. Toft continued to flip through Aito’s folder. It was when he reached a drawing of a boy with white wings crouched down next to one of the monkey-like people that his fears were starting to confirm themselves.

This place that she’s always talking about, do you remember the name of it? he asked, attempting to sound casual.

Oh, something that starts with a ‘D’ or a ‘T,’ I can’t recall.

Tanil? Dr. Toft suggested.

That’s it! Mrs. Augustine gave the doctor a suspicious look. You have heard of it then?

Yes, Dr. Toft said with a sigh. More times than she, or even Aito could possibly know. She’s told me about it before. It all has to do with this book that used to belong to her mother, you see. After she read it, she kept going on and on about the place, and I humored her, but I don’t see how that would be a problem here.

The last part was directed toward the teacher as more of a question than a statement, and it was met with a strict stare.

I will not tolerate such silly distractions in my classroom, Mr. Toft. The children come here to learn real things, not indulge in some fantasy. At least, not on my time, and not here in my classroom. This little fad among the students, I do not want it to take away from their class time. I have tried speaking to Aidan about it, but she will not stop talking about it with the other students. One would actually think she believes this Danil place is real!

Aidan has a very good imagination, Dr. Toft admitted. The image of Aito sitting across the kitchen table from him, her face lit up for the first time in ages as she spoke flitted across his mind. He hadn’t had the heart to contradict her at the time, but then she kept trying to bring it back up again and again.

Well, that’s all fine, so long as she keeps it to herself. You do agree, don’t you, that learning is what school is all about?

Yes, that is important, Dr. Toft replied. But—

Good! So you will have a talk with your daughter then?

Just what do you expect me to say? Dr. Toft asked while he put the papers back into Aito’s folder. He passed it back to the teacher just in time to be met with another of Mrs. Augustine’s stares.

I expect you to explain to her what the difference is between reality and fantasy, Mr. Toft. I’m sure she will listen to you.

***

Dr. Toft eventually found Aito outside, by the swings with some of her friends in spite of the mud and puddles that pockmarked the school’s playground. He hesitated some distance away, unsure whether to go over or wait until she noticed him.

Hello there! It has been a long time, hasn’t it?

The doctor turned around and found a large, full-figured woman standing behind him. After a brief moment he recognized her as one of the moms from the only Parent’s Day that he had attended. Now, if only he could remember who she actually was.

I’m Tess, Shane’s mom, she kindly explained upon seeing his consternation.

Oh, of course, he said, the name falling into place now. As to whose mom she was, that hardly needed explaining. Her auburn hair had probably once been the same vibrant shade as that of the boy standing near his daughter.

He smiled and said, It’s good to see you again.

Here he stumbled, wondering what else to say. Grasping at something to keep him from looking the complete fool, he quickly asked, How is Shane doing at school now?

Good, good. Not that he can stay out of trouble for more than a week still, mind you, but at least it’s not calls every other day like it used to be. That’s why I’m here today, Tess said, giving Dr. Toft a wink. How is your Aito doing? No trouble, I hope.

Catching the look he gave her, she said, It has been a long time since you’ve come around here, you know.

Just a little trouble with her teacher, Dr. Toft admitted. Aidan’s been telling stories, and Mrs. Augustine wants me to have a talk with her.

Stories? Oh, do you mean all of that Tanil stuff? Tess laughed and Dr. Toft’s face flushed red. Shane loves to talk about it too. Did you know he wanted to be a…oh, what was it, a tyron for Halloween? Where did Aito come up with all of it?

Dr. Toft mumbled something but was saved from a real answer when he realized that Aito had spotted them and was on her way over with the boy, Shane.

Well, it was good to see you, Tess said, smiling. Tell your Aito she’s welcome to come by anytime. I take Shane and that Lynn Parks to meet with their youth group on Saturdays, you know. Tell Aito if she’s interested I’d be glad to give her a ride too.

Will do, Dr. Toft said, wondering if one of the girls standing around the swings was Lynn. He vaguely remembered Aito’s friends coming by the house some nights, but they all looked the same to him.

After Aito had said goodbye to her friend, they went to Dr. Toft’s car. She waited impatiently while her father struggled with the key to unlock the doors, and once they were inside the car she finally asked the question she had been holding in.

What did Mrs. Augustine say?

Dr. Toft started the car and wondered how to begin.

Well, she mentioned Tanil, and she showed me your drawings.

Oh.

That was it. He could see that she was watching him, trying to see if she was in trouble.

She mentioned that you just started focusing on it a couple of weeks ago, he added, hoping to get some kind of response.

Yeah. I just started thinking about Tanil again, Aito said as she leaned back in her seat and started struggling with the belt. I think it’s because the tree is blooming again.

This response would have made little sense, had it not been for the conversation between the two that had started all of this Tanil stuff again. It was a little over a year ago he thought, when he had started to worry about Aito’s ragged appearance and constant sleeping. One night she’d finally broken down and told him about the book she had found in his room. Supposedly it had taken her to another world, and she spent the better part of an hour talking about all of the things she had seen there and, more importantly, the people.

It didn’t stop with the one trip, she’d said. It kept pulling her back into Tanil, and she didn’t know what to do or who to trust when she was there. She’d seemed so serious that her father had tried to humor her and give her advice, hoping that would be the end of it.

Then, a few days later, the tree appeared in the backyard. No, not appeared, he’d told himself. He’d just never noticed it until then, when he couldn’t find Aito. He’d gone out to the backyard again and found her there, dressed in strange clothes with her face beaming. For a moment…Well, it had been enough to shake him that when Aito told him all about her adventures in Tanil and how someone there had planted the tree he’d just nodded along without correcting her. How could someone in another world plant a tree in this one?

He realized now that he should have said something then, but it had seemed harmless enough. Kids played make believe all the time, and so it seemed natural enough that she would be excited after reading about the place in her mother’s book. He even tried going along with it, and eventually she stopped talking to him about Tanil. He hadn’t even seen the book since then and thought that was the end of it, until now.

"Well, Mrs. Augustine