Hell's Eyes

BRIANNA SHAFFERY

herbalist had instructed them to do during the training courses he’d offered for those inclined to learn a bit of medicine. Finding both breath and an erratic pulse, Elsie sat back on her heels, finding that her own breath came a little easier now that she knew Mr. Noblémyn was at least still alive. Debating if she should leave him alone in order to get help, Elsie finally broke her hesitation and stepped over him. Rushing toward the door, she hastily fumbled to undo the vari ous locks he’d installed over the past several weeks and burst through the door. Glancing toward the center of town, Elsie shouted for help, hoping someone was near enough to answer her call. “What’s the matter, Miss Hyacinth?” the postmaster puffed, nearly falling forward at the abrupt stop to his momentum. “I-it’s Mr. Noblémyn! He’s fallen!” she gushed, trying desperately to explain that their neighbor was injured but finding that she hadn’t the slightest idea what had happened or when the accident had occurred. “Calm yourself, Miss Hyacinth. I’ll fetch Mr. Basil. Just stay here with Mr. Noblémyn and see that he doesn’t move should he wake. We don’t know the extent of his injuries,” the postmaster said, gripping her shoulders and holding her gaze with a steady certainty that instantly calmed her. No matter how delirious she seemed to him or how odd Mr. Noblémyn had been acting these last several weeks, the postmaster knew time was of the essence and dropped his sack of letters at Miss Hyacinth’s feet, rushing off for Halberry Herbary just as he said he would. Watching him dash off for the center of town, Elsie, took a breath and then another, her chest rising and falling with each deep inhalation she forced into her lungs. What was she to do? A low groan made Elsie’s heart jump. “Mr. Noblémyn?” she asked, hurrying back into the house and the

14