Jared was starting feel a little uncomfortable. He felt very cut-off and alone. Despite the fact that he knew that their were other people nearby, he was slowing not being able to hear them. He shook his head, hoping it was just something in his ears. It didn't seem to help. Now even his own horses were muffling out. The only thing that was increasing in volume was the sound of the young woman's voice in his ear. While it started as incoherent muffles, it was becoming clearer.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Jared. Jaaared.</span><br/><br/>He looked around. There was no one within view. Not one that could be close enough to be that loud. He was starting to regret coming on this journey. There was no breeze through her. His sweat was trailing down his neck. There was something off about that voice. It was one from a dream or repressed memory. He couldn't name its bearer but he felt layers of emotion associated with it.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">What are you doing here, Jared? Don't you miss me?</span><br/><br/>He was startled to find that he almost answered her. He clamped his jar down and set it. He would not answer. She was not here. The Lore master had warned them. He'd be strong.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Ignoring me won't me me go away. Sweet Jared.</span><br/><br/>He narrowed his eyes and focused only on the forms of his horses in the darkness. She would not get to him. The frustrated disembodied voice let out a ghastly shriek. Jared's composure broke for just a few moments. He jumped and a whimper slipped out. The voice let out a wild cackle.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">You see, Jared?</span>The voice was almost purring in his ear.<span style="font-style: italic">I own you. I can do anything I want to you. If you won't give me what I want, then I'll find Aaron. Isn't his new bride Claire gorgeous? The baby, too. Wouldn't want anything to happen to them, do you?</span><br/><br/>Jared steeled up. That threat actually both terrified and infuriated him. How dare this thing threaten his family! He ground his teeth. It sounded extremely loud.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Am I enraging you?</span>The voice seemed far too happy with herself.<br/><br/>"Stop talking to me! I don't care what you have to say! You are nothing more than a figment of my mind!"<br/><br/>The voice let out a furious screech! Then, he could feel something fly up to his ear.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">You'll regret that, fool.</span><br/><br/>Suddenly, the voice was gone. It was so quiet. It was disturbingly quiet. He felt like he was in a forest that suddenly went silent in response to the presence of a predator. It was a fleeting but deeply haunting moment. Jared Burke was admittedly and unabashedly frozen with horror. Slowly the sounds around him were returning.<br/><br/>They must be passing in between zones. He was strangely lacking any sensual input at all. Then it hit him like a wall of stench. He could smell everything. The main thing he smelled were the horses and other animals. They were clearly not choosy about where they went to the bathroom. He had to bury his nose in his shirt. It was so bad that he couldn't breathe.<br/><br/>A whiff of something else caught his nose. He pulled his head out of his shirt. He sniffed the air skeptically. It was strange smell and it was getting stronger. It was sweet, metallic scent. He took a deep breath and gagged. It was blood! He recognized the smell from after battles. There must be pools of it around the wagon. It was making him feel sick. It was one thing to have it in small does but this was a lot of it. It was overwhelming his senses.  His stomach heaved and he lost his breakfast over the side of the wagon. That did not help the smell.<br/><br/>He remembered the voice's threat. Oh my god! What if the voice REALLY was a ghost and now she's killing his friends! All the blood around him was his friends' dying. He lifted his lantern.<br/><br/>"Lidia!" He could not hide the panic in his voice, "Lidia!!"