The Boy from the Sea Ch. 05

The villagers weren't happy, but they were satisfied enough. One thing a small town loves is gossip, so the ten or so villagers that had met him at the docks went to spread rumors to their friends, and with each telling of the strange boy, something was added or omitted. Some hinted that Chris was fucking the boy. They had no real evidence, but they wanted to spice their stories up. Others insinuated that he was holding the strange boy against his will, while yet others became convinced that the boy was a witch of some sort. Not a benevolent witch like the Spaewife, but something far more frightening.

Later on, Chris would regret not staying longer in the village, introducing Adriel and convincing people of his harmlessness, or tricking them into believing he was human. If Christopher had done that, maybe things would have been different in the end.

But at that time, he was stressed and harassed and terrified of the Merlee. He wanted to hurry up to the house to see his best friend and sister-in-law and niece. After that, he wanted to go to bed with his new lover, and learn new things. So while the two of them walked to their house, and the whole night after, the town hissed and buzzed and whispered with secrets and lies. Malicious things that could burn like fire or poison.

Or sunlight.