The Company of Myes

“If I am mad, it is mercy! May the gods pity the man who in his callousness can remain sane to the hideous end!” ― H.P. Lovecraft, The Temple

I.          The Company of Myes
         Had held them once like brothers!
I produced fine men, hard workers who had never left my side. Yet now, so shrunk in this hallowed stone vault do I realize and mourn the inevitable truth that I have been had by fellow soldiers. Eternal Adria guide me, for my rage has all but settled into mourn! Now, as a still grey-skin I cannot perform much, outside of merely thinking. So think I shall, about that dreaded night my regiment scattered and abandoned, only to have the company of Myton, Maerin, and myself.
         We spent the day collaborating what they saw. Hardly human and the worst was that I could not see for most of the encounter. One was foul enough to have blinded me with some acidic saliva. I sheltered myself, hands overhead, screaming for assistance by any other. It was then Myton and Maerin who came to assist me, half of my vision was back as they fended off the rest of the invaders.
         I first asked how many, and they responded too many to count. It stunned me; Myton said that instead of fighting us, the things had chased after the deserters instead. His suspicion though, is that they will be back. Then I had asked of which army did they hail from, neither Myton nor Maerin responded. Instead of pressing I asked what the enemy looked like.
         That is when my trust in my brothers began to dissolve, not immediately, only because I gave them the benefit that they were but exhausted by the encounter. How Myton vividly portrayed the enemies, as insects.
         Insects? I asked with a laugh, I can split a cricket in two with hardly any effort, how could those men been insects? But Myton was all the serious with Maerin trying to support. Called them both lunes, truly and only but because the tale was of lunacy. I told them to just drop the story all together, the Superior Command wouldn't hear of a cricket attack and nor would I. We then gathered as many supplies we could carry, and began our march back to Patria. Though I will admit, it was more walk than march.
         Patria, how beautiful your city walls were. Do not crumble under the shame of almost an entire regiment’s cowardice. I remained true.
         It was then I spotted something on our way. It hung from a tree in a disturbed and much tortured manner. I had Myton climb upon my shoulders and fetch what I assumed a satchel thrown into the higher top. It took him a moment to reach it, and let out a nasty and most ear piercing screech. He grabbed the satchel and threw it to the ground where it landed with a crackling thud. Then Maerin joined him in his lunacy contest of screams to where the birds and the forest came alive with noise. I silenced Maerin with a quick strike to his head, and waited for Myton to climb down.
         Why had you thrown a fellow soldier out of the tree? Said he didn't mean for it, but the thing was in the tree as well and almost had lost his grip if he didn't decide to hang onto the branch. I scolded him, but even I had shuddered at the sight of Odelious, whose neck wore a collapsed and loose chunk of skin, over a large and gruesome hole. Myton was convinced more than ever, and had me try and look into the tree tops. But it was then Maerin who began to chase away, swatting and cursing, screaming for help and for us to follow. I decided against playing with Myton and followed Maerin. I tagged him down by the river bed and tackled him to his knees. I noted heavy scratch marks around his face and a soft knot under his chin.
         Maerin! You are to act as a solider immediately, swallow this childish fear of bugs and focus on the task at hand. Not on some crazed tales brought by Myton.
         I believed that had calmed him down enough, at least enough for him to clean off his face and sat quietly by the bank, watching his own reflection with dull interest. Myton came next, where I severely beaten him for his obnoxious trickery and made him set camp for the night. Perfectly clear, it was that we were to make no more progress home until we had some rest.
         He continued fidgeting and talking low to himself as if I wouldn't hear him. I had, but chose to ignore him. That is, until he began to make short screams at shadows that danced around the fire. Taking much of my patience away, any belief in his story had completely evaporated. I confronted my brother, and said to him that if he does not stop with this tiresome madness, I will beat him to an inch of his life and leave him stranded a mile from camp.
         I hadn't meant to offend him, but that is what happens when a solider loses touch with their surroundings. He ran, deep into darkened trees and laughing wolves who I hoped will greet him. I told Maerin to sleep and I will watch over him till I found sleep as well. Soon the forest was in peace, Maerin slept for some time and a weight began to shift, as I found myself nodding off.
         I awoke to the rustling of branches, and in truth was intimidated at first until I thought it was only Myton returning to fetch his things.
         You scoundrel and thief! I barked into the darkness.Thought you can steal your possessions back? All I heard was a clicking noise from branches around, I stood up and listened close to the wind and drew my knife. Then a snap, as if a bow had been shot and ensnared my throat. I wailed from the pain, and let loose my blade to find it floating as I attempted to rip my assailants arrow from my jugular. But, my stomach began to burn and my body floundered. I closed my eyes, to open to Myton swinging a torch, and trying to set me ablaze! He must have withdrawn the arrow from me; I tried to speak but only spat out blood. He seemed in pain, far more than me and as I noticed my stomach was scorched and fleshy. I tried to scratch at his face but he laid me down slowly. My strength depleted completely, and as I entered the deep sleep, I heard the cries of both my brothers.

II. The Fall of Myton
         Oh brothers say it so?
         I am not the monster painted out before this court. Recall the night with speed, and please hear with more open heart than mind for I.... As well, Myes troupe had dispersed under enemy scrimmage. The situation at hand is though, they weren't quite like us. Please do not make folly from misery! It was not my fault. I had tried to tell Myes of the things. They looked like large bugs, crickets almost, who stood on two legs and, and several arms which hung low to the ground.
         Do I entertain you? Do you perceive this as some sort of joke? Please, they ambushed us, though I am not sure for what. We were returning from our training and it was decided that Myes would lead. Some of the men were unhappy, but none spoke of mutiny or cowardly desertion! Those fiends! Under the minimalist distress had run and were hung in those trees. You saw, you've counted twenty-two dead.
         Patrian Court why treat me with such hate, my brother took a splashing of one of the things, "blood" to the eyes and was blinded momentarily. I tried as well as Maerin to convince him what they were. But he would have nothing of it. Insulted my character and what I saw as nothing more than vivid imagination, brought on by exhaustion from battle. Then how can two people share the same... Maerin is anything but mad. If anything I was mad, mad at my brother for deserting my opinion, like the scourge done to us.
         We talked about it, asked us where they hail. How can you tell what those things hailed from, they were of no kingdom I could identify, alien in body and in tactics to be honest.
         He called us lunes and went on about how he could slice a cricket in two, I pitied him.... No, not out for murder. I would never... Do not dare say I... Yes, well alright.
         He had us march back to Patria to report the ambush, collected all of what we could then began. A few hours had passed and all I could hear was a faint crackling noise, perhaps even a buzzing in the distance. I thought of telling him but held my words under the belief that he would laugh it off. That is when we saw the first body. My brother mistook it as a satchel, perhaps his blindness was still in effect, even if a little, for both I and Maerin could clearly see the dead body who hung from the higher portion. He had me climb his shoulders and up the tree.
         It was, without hesitation of mind or doubt, a moment in which will never leave the very trenches of my mind. The sap of the tree caked around my knuckles as I climbed however it struck me that the scene lacked a certain smell, perhaps blood? I was not sure, but I got to him.
         His name was Odelious, a fine wrestler, traitor none the less. I secured my arm around him and began my descent but from the corner of my eye I caught something that appeared to be a large apple. As I looked it showed to be one of the things hanging upside down and starring at me with its jaws.
         Oh Adria, those sickening things with pincers on both sides, how I wish my mind could calm and never think of such horrid imaginings again. I let go of him and held to the tree, then began to scurry down the branches. It gave chase, with every branch I cleared he had two. Then as I felt the final branch my brother was not there to catch me and so I fell. Grabbing for me, I continued to crawl backwards on the ground. Myes had not noticed my fall, and soon began to interrogate why I threw Odelious down. I argued that it was in the tree and tried to make him look but soon Maerin began to scream and swat around his ears and face. He ran towards the bridge where Myes tackled him and washed his face in the river to calm him. I felt so sorry for Maerin but still ran as well, knowing the thing was still behind us.
         Then he’d beaten me, calling me an obnoxious trickster of many fantastic fallacies. I accepted the beating and the punishment to make the camp, perhaps, perhaps my brother was right. But still that would not explain Maerin's face unless Myes had done it by accident while damn near drowning him.
         I saw it several times, even more throughout the night but what had bothered me was it’s... I'm sorry, it is just so... Right. It merely stood, watching me set camp, start fire. The basics every soldier and perhaps any civilian know. I never turned my back to it, and several times I whispered to it. To see if perhaps it understood what I was saying. I tried throwing rocks at it as well but gave up when my brothers... which was even more off... Well you see I was completely alone and disarmed as well, my brother had taken my knife and went off with it to hunt some game with Maerin. To perhaps take their minds off of the situation... I have no idea why. To my complete distraction towards the thing, I hadn't noticed them leaving... Excuse me? I'm sorry it's just out of place. Yes I understand and am not trying to confuse the court.
         They returned empty handed and we sat around the fire till it went dark. I tried to continue mouthing words towards the thing, but soon lost track of where it was. Then I thought I saw several of them, perhaps three in separate places. Maybe it was the same one, and that it in truth, was faster than man. I screamed though, from what I thought was one trying to grab me into the forest.
         Then Myes threatened to beat me and leave me for dead with those things, no, he hadn't admitted to seeing them then. No, I merely thought if he had, those things would surely have me for a meal.
         So I ran. I am not sure exactly how long I ran and the entire way I felt them, hungry and chirping or clicking in my ears with those bug like mouths. Please, understand that what I did was not desertion! I was only trying to survive. Yes, I ran well till it was dark, tired and hungry I stopped to make a fire. I thought then perhaps the things had nothing out for me, seeing as how they hadn't... or it hadn't... or whatever the case, that it didn't try anything when I was alone. I started the fire and sat down close to it. Soon I fell asleep but for only a moment.
         I heard my brother screaming at them, or perhaps he thought it was me. I must've run for so long, ended up running in a circle. I picked up a good chunk of wood and made a torch from it. I headed towards the noise and to my surprise I wasn't far from them. Where was my fire? I am not sure, perhaps south, away from the bridge and off to the left of the path I'd assume. I saw it, and saw Maerin huddled in on himself struck with paralysis and fear. I swung at it with the fire and it hissed at me jumping back into the forest. My brother collapsed, I dropped the torch to hold him.
         He looked at me with so much fury. I cried as I laid him to rest, with him trying to scratch at my face, perhaps thinking I was the one who killed him.

III. Dreams Held by the Mad Maerin
         Doctor, please.
The window burns, shut it so I may sleep. Indeed more, so my mind may dull and not remember those, those things of immortal horror. No! Do not convince me of mere fantasy, and that it was of Myton's doing. Long I have known Myton, for us three had shared the same cord, to insult his name is to attack me. Too weak doctor, leave me now. Yes, thank you.
         Blasted and wretched physician, if the Eternal Adria could explain please do so now and whisper it in my ears... What was the noise at my window? Now truly I am mad with this drug more so than my mind. I laugh, and yet there is no reason to my laughter. My eldest brother dead and the other is to be hung tomorrow. How wicked this past month has been. I... wish this month had never happened. Be damned Patria, and may every wall be blazoned with the blood of my brothers and I... in death. Damned. Par..

IV.          
         Maerin awoke to the sound of scraping, but before he could udder a noise, deep from the voided shadows of his room produced the familiar sulking figure he had perceived before. The same crackling body of oily circadian flesh, multiple limbs extended, overlapping the floor to grab Maerin by his throat and lift him from his bed. High-pitched wheezes escaped either Maerin or beast, but he knew soon the deep sleep would come. Before he went under, the things mandible wrapped around his throat and then, there came silence.
         In the morning the doctors found the body of Maerin up in the rafters of the lobby hall, after the custodian fainted from the sight of a corpse’s feet drooping low. What perplexed them was that his body had been dried out like a fig, and there was no blood around the nauseous crater that dug into half his neck. Still, they declared suicide from grief and madness.
         And so was the company of Myes.