The Thriving Town of Little Wick
The small town of Little Wick laid just outside of the city Dunsgate. Its remains are still visible to passersby, traveling into the city. Before the town lay in ruins, it truly did thrive. The people who lived there were no noble men. However, their customs were similar to those of the others who lived in the Oserian Plains. The villagers lived off their livestock and traded much of the meats and skins from the cattle that they raised. The men were very protective of their families, and spent a lot of time in the tavern in the middle of Little Wick with their friends. Like many women in their culture, the women often stayed at home and took care of the children. Little Wick’s small size meant that it would only hold a dozen families, meaning that everyone knew everyone else. Children ran around freely, watched by others in the town when they were not with their parents. Little Wick was a sanctuary for those who lived there.
The Great Death of Little Wick
In the year 965 at, there was a plague that had begun to spread to the ends of all Esna. This plague not only killed almost all breathing organisms that it came in contact with but also destroyed economies across the nation. The entirety of the trading in Little Wick was halted in fear of spreading the plague. The small town began to starve as their livestock and coin grew scarce. They survived for the first major hit of the plague. No one had seemed to come down with the horrific disease, and for a while, after everything seemed to get back to normal, everything was almost okay. In the year 967 at, the spreading death, thought to have vanished, had come out of hiding. All information gathered about the fall of this town is recorded in journal entries from a little girl named Anna. The journal was found in the arms of a boney corpse that had laid in a bed of a crumbling home.
The Entries
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Today Mummy gave me some pretty flowers to plant in our garden. They are called Ascus. Everyone has been stayin’ inside for most days now. Everyone is scared of somethin’ but mummy and da won’t tell me what for. Today was the first time I had gone outside in awhile actually. I planted the flowers and went back inside. My friends Julia and Max and myself pass notes through our parents whenever they leave the house for their meetin’s. The big people are actin’ pretty strange if you ask me. Max is sayin’ that his da is tellin’ him of some illness. But I feel fine.
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Still inside all day. Nothin’ to do but write. So here I am. Mummy is makin’ supper. Some sort of stew with that cattle meat. Max sent me a letter today. His da is worried we might run out of cattle before winter is all done. His da is one of the main cattle keepers in town. I think he is worried every winter so Max says don’t worry. Except there was somethin’ weird. In Max’s letter he says somethin’ is wrong with one of the cows. It is swellin’ or somethin’ in its legs. I don’t know what that’s about. Supper is ready!
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Letters from Max aren’t comin’ as much as they have been before. Da isn’t leaving the house as much either. Julia has been quiet for a few days now too. Mummy has put sheets over the windows, and the house is dark mostly. She’s also mixin’ some gross stuff now. No more meat for awhile she says. All we got is some bread and vegetable broth. It’s rather yucky.
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Da is in his room with mummy now. I thought mummy was cryin’. My brother and I aren’t allowed to see da neither. I think somethin’ is wrong.
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I haven’t seen da in days. I looked outside today and it was so quiet. I could barely see the cows in the fields with the fog everywhere. But if I squinted a bit I could see somethin’, but it was no cow. It looked like a rock. Mummy came to make us food today, like everyday, and she handed brother and I bowls. Her fingers were really puffy and big and she wore a blanket over her head like a nun lady. I thought maybe she was cold. But then she looked at me and her eyes were all red. I screamed and spilled some of my food on my dress. Mummy started to cry and she went back to her room with da. It was really strange.
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I haven’t hugged my mummy or my da in weeks. I missed them. Brother and I were told to stay in our room until told otherwise, but I was sad and scared. So I waited until my brother fell asleep and snuck to see them. I tiptoed to their door and creaked it open. I saw mummy and da in their bed under the covers. I called them but they didn’t answer. I stood there for awhile and called them several times again. Suddenly the sheets started to move. Mummy was rollin’ over. The covers fell down from her head and it revealed somethin’ from a nightmare. Her face was covered in white lookin’ rocks and one of her eyes was completely gone. I was in terror but I didn’t scream. I was frozen in a cold stare with a sad lookin’ face that resembled my mummy. I asked her why she was dressed up all scary and went to give her a hug. She couldn’t move her arms barely at all. After huggin’ her and da she began to cry. I didn’t know what for.
The Aftermath
The death began in the cattle, and it is believed that it spread to the town folk through consumption of the cattle meats. The dead were buried for the most part, and others burned in the rubble and ashes of their partially burnt homes. The town was forgotten not long after the Great Death took the lives of those to remember it. The town still lies in its place with only the graves and rubble to keep its memory in the thoughts of whoever happens to pass it.
By Angie Snow/snowgirl000 #4277
