Pillar of Shame

By Jack Mason

A boy wakes up in a snowy forest- afraid, confused, and with no memory of how he got there. Finding a group of other children nearby, he learns that there are others like him and they have built a small society in a nearby clearing.

 

As he adjusts to this life and learns the ways of these children, a single incident ignites con

• Language: English
• Publisher: Best Book Writers
• Release date: Jan 26, 2024
• ISBN: 9798869153487

Book preview

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to those who loved me and stood by me during life's storms and hard times. Thank you all!

CHAPTER 1

A chilled breeze could be felt as the sun began to set over the mountains. A ray of fading light pierced through the closed eyelids of a Boy, causing him to stir. He blinked groggily, feeling his head roll back. As the confused thoughts of his mind began to settle, he managed a single thought.

…What?

The thought gave way to the Boy noticing that his face was cold- one side nestled in a flurry of snow. As it began to ache, he sat up. He rubbed his cheek to bring back the warmth. He felt fear well up inside his chest as he looked around. He appeared to be in a snowy forest. He had no concept of where he was.

His chilled hands protested as he opened them and looked down at the light skin on the back of his hands, then rotated them the other way to view his fingers and palms. His hands were shaking.

Hello? he mumbled.

The coming dusk was silent, except for the shifting branches above twitching in the swirling wind.

Hel- hello? he called, louder this time.

The forest persisted in silence. The Boy climbed to his feet, shivering slightly in the wind. The sun had almost completely set, and he found the silence of the woods frightening.

Walking with muffled footsteps, the Boy stumbled upward though the grey trees. The snow began to pack at the top of his shoes, causing his ankles to burn. Trudging still onward though the forest corridor, the Boy felt his fear build with the cold.

Hello? he anxiously called out.

The forest remained silent. The Boy felt his heart race, and panic set in. He was lost. He was on his own. He felt in his gut that he was going to die.

The Boy managed to get to the top of a small incline before his feet slipped out from under him. As he crashed down to the ground, he felt the breath get knocked out of him as he hit branches and ice. Coughing, wheezing, and lungs stuttering with unwanted tears, the Boy looked out into the night and saw a glow seeping through the chill of the evening.

The twinkling light was soft and orange and wavy to the watering eyes of the Boy. He squinted and rolled his eyes back a bit to clear them. The glow was still there, a fair distance away. The endless trees had masked the shimmering light until he had fallen.

The Boy drew a raggedy, giddy breath. Was it people? He wanted more than anything for it to be people. Feeling a sense of elation, he slid a bit getting up and hobbled and leaned up against a nearby tree. Was it a house? A road? His steps quickened as he felt hope surge through his chest. He fell once more as his ankle twisted on a nearby root. His elation held against the numb pain and shock of the fall, and he resumed his gait. The glow grew in size, casting a soft orange and yellow light upon the rocks and trees in front of him.

It was a fire! It had to be fire. The Boy grinned through his numb cheeks and the snot running from his nostrils. He broke out into a run as the fire revealed a flattening path the rest of the way into the area. As he slowed to a walk, he saw shadows thrown about the trees by the fire's beautiful light. It was people. There were definitely people around the fire.

The shapes moved and turned as his footsteps crunched through the snow. He suddenly felt a bit self-conscious. He wiped his face with a sleeve.

H-hello? he said timidly to the people around the fire. His voice sounded low and strange to him.

The notes of the Boy’s voice drifted to the circle of forms easily enough. He saw the fire’s occupants all getting up and walking toward him. He felt trapped for a second but smiled to make a good impression. The Boy hoped against hope that these people could help.

Hey, kid! called a voice from the group. He blinked, not seeing the voice’s face in the dim light.

Whatcha you doing here? asked a different voice.

The Boy blinked. That…That couldn’t be right. The voices sounded like… kids. They couldn’t all be kids. Could they?

As the faces grew clear, the Boy saw that they were indeed the faces of about ten children, looking curiously at him. They all looked pleasant, if quite inquisitive.

The Boy felt self-conscious with all of the stares. Someone stepped forward, smiling warmly. It was a dark-haired boy about his age, though he was much bigger. He had white teeth and dark eyes. The others seemed to be waiting for cues from this one. Maybe a leader?

Hey kid- you got a name?

The Boy felt a twinge of panic in his chest as he thought about the question. He wasn’t sure. He hadn’t really thought about it in the cold and the snow and his confusion. He couldn’t remember a name! Embarrassment warmed his cold cheeks.

Um… no, he replied shakily.

The figure in front of him smiled again. What was he smiling for? Was it funny? The Boy felt defensive and small. He didn’t care much for his embarrassment and the possible feeling of being mocked.

The dark-haired boy extended a friendly hand. Nice to meet you. I’m Ricus. Welcome to the forest.

CHAPTER 2

The Boy felt a wash of confusion as he looked into the dark, curious eyes of the person who introduced himself as Ricus. Something didn’t make sense. Why were there only children in this place? Why did that strike him as odd? Why couldn’t he remember his name?

He thought he should say something. The silence was growing, and he didn’t care to endure that extended moment any longer.

Hi, he managed to get out. The other children seemed to be pleased by this and nodded back or said their greetings. Ricus smiled at him again, then put a hand on his shoulder, guiding him to the fire.

I know you’re probably real scared right now. That’s ok. It’s going to be ok.

The Boy followed his lead and sat down by the fire. Everyone else sat as well. The warmth seeped slowly into his skin, tingling as it spread. With the heat of the flames boosting his spirits, the Boy found his words.

Where am I? Who are all of you?

He directed the questions to Ricus, who seemed to be speaking for everyone for the moment. Ricus seemed pleased that he was curious and vocal. Ricus grabbed a long stick from the fire and began idly playing with it as he spoke.

Like I said, I’m Ricus. We all live here. Well, we live close to here. We call this place the forest. We all came here at different times. No idea how we got here, but we all arrived just like you.

The Boy looked around at the inquisitive faces surrounding him at the fire. It was strange. He was a stranger in their midst, and yet these young forms seemed only to have acceptance in their eyes. Was this kind of welcome normal for everyone?

You all got here… like me? he said cautiously.

He glanced at the person on his right. The Boy looked back at him and also reached out his hand. He had a slight build with black hair and widely lidded eyes, and he looked pleased to see him.

My name’s Sagi. Everybody wakes up and can’t remember. It’s just the way it is. We find most people next to the Clearing before they wake up, but some end up in the forest. So, we go out to look most days. Better safe than sorry!

Though the fire felt comforting, and he was thrilled to have found someone who seemed so self-assured in the dark and snowy night, the Boy was more confused than ever. He didn’t like what they were saying about everyone so casually. He cleared his throat.

So, there’s more kids around? Um, people like you?

Ricus looked amused.

"People like us," he stated.

The Boy’s heart began to beat fast. They were saying that they all were lost and that this was normal for this place. Something that was expected.

There was something stirring in his chest that was fighting against this kind of normalcy. It was like a part of him thought it was absurd. Or even too impossible to take place.

He tried another thought out loud.

How do you leave?

This had an effect on the people around the fire. They stirred and chuckled. There was the laughter again. What could be so funny out in the cold forest?

Ricus put his stick back in the fire and clapped a hand on the Boy’s knee.

We don’t live too far away. We have food and warm places to sleep. Let us take you there, and we’ll try to tell you more. OK?

The Boy felt the urge to resist bubble up to the surface. The urge was then replaced by fear. What if he was trapped here? What if they left him? As much as he didn’t much care for the thought of venturing into the unknown, the thought of possibly returning to the snowy, silent forest was even less appealing.

All right, he said to the group with some trepidation.

Ricus got up to his feet, brushed off his pants, and smiled again.

Great! We can leave whenever you’re ready. I promise it’s not far.

The other people around the fire followed his lead, getting up and warming their hands or legs a bit more before moving. A couple of members of the group smothered the flames, using cupped hands to toss snow onto the crackling logs until the light and heat subsided.

The Boy looked back briefly at the path he had taken to the fire. It was already lost to him, as his eyes had gotten used to the firelight. The trees seemed to close in around, causing a feeling of insulation from the world. The gently falling white snow muffled the surroundings to the point of eeriness. He looked back at Ricus and the boy named Sagi.

I’m ready now. I can walk.

Ricus nodded, then began walking away. The others in the group followed. The Boy got up and stumbled a bit in the new dark before finding a place next to Sagi.

They walked into the forest in a rough line. The snow was uneven underfoot and crunched and gave at times. The others seemed to know where to find their footing, and the Boy felt awkward to be the only one getting caught a bit in it.

The initial blackness that surrounded him evened out the longer that the group was moving. As the Boy’s eyes adjusted to the dark, he could see the trees seeming to form a tunnel before him. Despite the cold, the trees and the darkness seemed to create a tunnel, and one could be easily convinced that they were actually inside of a grand structure.

The Boy had no bearing of time or space. He knew he was tired but didn’t know how long they were walking. But as they walked, his ears began picking up sounds in the night. There was talking in front of him. And then there was talking behind. And then… laughter?

He realized that the others in the group were chatting and joking. It was a pleasant sound after the fear and the dread of coming to a strange place. As his eyes adjusted more, he even saw a couple of shapes pushing each other playfully as they walked.

The noise seemed to give him strength. There was something about traveling with others that helped his levels of stamina to maintain. The Boy still was tired and knew it, but it was like being around the company of others was enough to make up for it. He didn’t know what anyone was talking about and didn’t understand the jokes being tossed around, but the Boy reveled in the positive energy that accompanied the march in the woods.

He decided to try talking to Sagi. He had seemed friendly enough.

Where are we going?

Sagi didn’t seem to mind the conversation and cheerfully replied.

We’re going to a place called the Clearing. That’s home for us.

The Boy felt a bit more confident. Maybe a friend?

Why do you call it that?

Sagi looked over and rolled his eyes a bit as he smirked.

Well, there’s a place up ahead where there’s a lake, and the trees don’t grow as much. It’s a clearing. So…yeah. That’s what we call it. I actually wasn’t asked my thoughts on it when it was named. It’s probably not the most original name.

The Boy felt a giggle coming on. He couldn’t think of anything else to say.

Oh. Um, I bet it’s really nice.

Sagi looked like he was about to say more, but a snowball crashed through the air and exploded on his chest. The improvised missile shot white flecks onto his neck and face.  After his initial yelp of surprise, he yelled in the general direction of the shot.

You better hope I don’t find you! I’m gonna beat you down!!

Mocking laughter was all that returned from the group ahead. Sagi shook his head and grinned despite his outburst at the group and the night. The Boy felt a sense of amusement that felt foreign to him.

His enjoyment of the moment was halted by the group stopping. He almost smacked into the person in front of him and had to take a moment to regain his balance.

The group filtered forward and seemed to be looking at something through a break in the trees. The Boy craned his neck to see. It looked like lights ahead. As he moved forward, the chatter seemed to get louder. As the lights came into view, he saw what looked like some kind of buildings interspersed with glowing fires. It looked warm and inviting. The view was limited in the night, but he could also see a large body of water that reflected the nearby firelight. The fires also exposed the trees around the area by throwing dancing shadows on them. The trees were a fair distance away from the lights and the structures, indicating to the observant person that the area surely wasn’t natural and had to have been made by someone with a purpose.

A figure next to the Boy grinned and poked him in the ribs, then asked the most important question of the evening.

Hungry?

CHAPTER 3

The sun peeked through a decorative embedded open frame the Boy was sleeping next to. He rolled a bit in protest. As he was drifting back off to sleep, he remembered where he was. The night hadn’t been a dream.

He rolled out his bed- a hard slab of wood covered with blankets and pillows. As he got dressed, he remembered what had happened after they marched to their destination. There were vague memories of fire, new faces to process, and eating a bit. The Boy didn’t really recall details — he must have crashed hard.

He parted an animal skin flap that was serving as a door and blinked with the sudden rush of bright light. The sun shone brightly all over the snow on the ground, causing his eyes to tear before they adjusted. Once things dimmed a bit back into focus, The Boy saw a lake in front of him. It was frozen at the banks but revealed deep, clear blue water within.

His eyes also took stock of the fact that there were no trees around for a long way. They were farther off than he remembered the night before, encircling the encampment and the lake on the other side. New to his view were mountains. They thrust defiantly into the sky in all directions around him and glowed with an icy blue and white hue. The trees pressed up against them almost uniformly, as if they couldn’t grow past a certain point. The view was beautiful. It was also alien to the Boy and daunting and impressive. He couldn’t remember seeing anything like it.

As he looked around a bit more, he was aware of the fact that there were ten structures dotting behind his sleeping hut. They rose impressively up. Each was covered with scrollwork that was elaborate and beautiful. The buildings stood tall and stout. They had large slit openings in their sides that let in light, and each had a pretty circular arch serving as its doorway. Yet, for their beauty, the buildings were also crumbling and were very obviously old and had seen better days. Cracks and holes had been crudely patched with what looked like mud and dried grass.

While nine of the buildings were identical and scattered around in a circle, one stood at their head, which was much grander. The largest building was a few times larger than the others and had large steps that went up into the building arch. Circular wooden supports ran up the corners of the biggest structure. It seemed to be a place of ceremony and significance in the camp.

Perhaps most curious to the eyes of the Boy was a tall rectangular slab that was planted in the ground next to the Hall. It stood securely on a carved base. While the slab didn’t rise as high as the largest building, it captured the gaze immediately. It was mottled grey and was smoothed up until the very top part. The top of it looked like it had been chewed away by something, breaking up the perfect symmetry it had. Lines and curious marks were carved into it. Someone had put great care into building this place, but who?

There were also fires strewn within the compound, and figures walked among them. The Boy felt a sudden twinge of panic as he looked out on the faces in the compound and couldn’t find anyone he thought was familiar. He settled on doing a lap of the buildings and fires to see if he could find anyone. As he walked, he observed other kids coming from the trees with branches and logs. If one looked out to the lake, there were figures gathering water in buckets and hauling it back.

The more the Boy watched, the more amazed he became. There were dozens of figures bustling about the encampment, at least. His thoughts were promptly interrupted by a voice calling from his side.

Hey, kid! How’s it going'?

He turned to the sound and saw two people walking toward him, armfuls of branches in tow. One was a thin, short girl with dark skin and long braids. The other was a tall, redheaded boy who had regal features and icy blue eyes. Of the two, the girl had a pleasant look on her face, and the boy seemed to be looking right through him — sizing him up.

The girl who had called out spoke again as they got within easy speaking distance.

Hi! Remember me?

The Boy tried to recall if she looked familiar to him. Had they met the night before? He had been brought into the area and greeted by darkened forms clapping him on the shoulders and arms as he came in with the group that had found him in the forest. An alert and rested person wouldn’t have picked up too much, which was far more than he could say for his condition last night.

Sorry, he stammered. I don’t recall.

She smiled at him.

That’s OK! It was a long night. I was with you in the forest.

He felt a bit better. She seemed nice.

What was your name? he asked politely.

Oh — I’m Emy! she responded cheerfully. And this is Heto!

The Boy looked into Heto’s eyes. They were scanning him. They were so icy blue that they almost looked cruel when combined with his somber features. He immediately felt self-conscious and turned back to Emy.

Nice to meet you, Emy and Heto. I’m new here.

She looked like she understood. She nodded and smiled again. He immediately liked her.

Are you lost? she asked nicely. He nodded in reply.

A little bit. I’m not sure about where to go.

She walked past him toward the compound. Oh, OK! Just follow us in. We’ll show you to the Hall.

Heto wordlessly followed Emy after one more long look