The Girls of Ohmer Chapter 3 Bad news indeed

The girls of Ohmer Chapter 3 Bad news indeed

Nina awoke with a start. It had been a late night and she had a restless bit of sleep, bothered by dreams of ripping skies and horrid cackles carried on thunderous bursts of oppressing wind. The last thing she remembered was the screams of her daughter.

Nina stretched and yawned. The journey back from the midwives house at the edge of the city had been uneventful but tiring nonetheless. The additional last minute trip to tie a blue ribbon around the doorknob at the cottage on the hill was unnessicary but she wanted the girls to know the good news about their new little brother as soon as they woke up this morning. The ribbon had been a preplanned sign, blue for a boy and sliver if it was a girl. Everyone in the family was hoping for a boy, accept for Vay who insisted it must be a girl.

Nina smiled at the thought of her new grandson and shook off the remnants of the nightmare as the midmorning sun beamed through her bedroom window.

She sat on the edge of the bed rubbing the sleep out of her eyes and thought about her plans for the day.

The first thing she wanted to do was see her granddaughters and talk about the new baby. They were her grandchildren but she was their great great great great greatest grandest grandmother. ( additional honors added by the children for doing the job so well) Nina didn't look old enough to be a grandparent, and truth be told she was much younger than her actual age.

Nina washed and dressed and was about to head out for the day when she heard the familiar barking of bear dog vampire outside her door.

She opened her front door just as the little dog was transforming back into girl form. Nina sneezed as. The cloud of fur tickled her nose.

"Achoo! What are you doing here hun?" She inquired " Is everything alright at home?"

Bear Dog Vampire took a deep breath and began" Nina you have to come quick Erika is crying and we don't know why she said that mom is in trouble and they took the baby too and she doesn't know about dad but she thinks they got him too!" Then she took a deep breath to continue. Thats when Nina placed a finger over her lips.

" Hold on little one. Your mom is fine. I just left her and the baby last night at the midwives house. your father stayed there so he could bring them back today. They are probably on their way right now."

She was trying to reassure the girl but the urgency in her eyes gave Nina pause to think. She began to feel that something may indeed be wrong.

Bear Dog Vampire insisted " Nina! You have to come NOW!"

"Alright child" Nina replied, the calmness in her voice betraying the feeling of dread that was quickly rising up inside her. " I was just about to saddle blue and head up there anyway."

They walked around to the back of the house to a large stable. Inside was a humongous blue ram. Most people in the land rode horses or donkeys, others rode more exotic beasts, but Nina was the only one around who rode a ram. It had been a gift from a prince who was passing through with his entourage. Upon seeing Nina, he immediately fell in love and asked for her hand in marriage. Even though she refused, he insisted that she keep the ram as a gift.

Blue was huge! Almost as big as a draft horse but much more muscular. He had iridescent blue hair that grew thick around his neck and short over his body. His head was crowned with gold horns curling back and around to sharp points. He was a wonder to behold.

Nina quickly saddled Blue and led Him into the yard. She made a quick clucking sound and Blue raised his left fore hoof, bending it back to form a perfect step so Nina could mount the saddle. Then Nina reached down and pulled Bear Dog Vampire up behind her.

" HA!" Nina shouted and the ram took off out of the yard. He was amazingly fast, raising a plume of dust all of the way out of the village and up the hill.

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Back in the cottage Erika sat hugging her knees and staring off into the distance. Vay was sitting next to her singing songs to try and cheer Erika.

" twinko twinko widow staa" It wasn't working. So when the door opened Vay felt a great sense of relief to see Nina come striding in.

Nina always makes things better. It's like she carries sunshine around everywhere she goes. It was just nice to be with Nina.

Nina went directly to the couch and sat next to Erika.

" Hey sweet one, are you OK? " she asked

Erika snapped out of her stupor and wrapped her arms around Nina. " Oh Nina thank goodness you're here!" She said " something awful has happened!"

" what in the world are you talking about?" Nina had an ever growing sense of dread since leaving her house. The memory of the nightmare persisted. " Your mother is fine and so is your new baby brother. They're probably on their way home as we speak."

" No Nina" Erika insisted " they've been taken!"

"How could you Know this?" Nina asked

" I had a horrible dream" she replied " I dreamed it in nevertime."

This shocked Nina. From what little she knew about nevertime, she was certain that it always gave good dreams. To have a bad dream in nevertime was something remarkable indeed.

Nina tried to remain calm. " Well I'll tell you what honey. I'll ride back toward the city and meet your parents along the way. Then I'll send you a message to let you know everything is alright."

"Thanks Nina!" Erika threw her arms around her grandmother and squeezed tight. Everything was better when Nina was there.

Nina stood and addressed Bear Dog Vampire. " go and get quackers. He can bring you my message."

Quackers was a messenger duck. Most people used pigeons or parrots these days, but the girls' father preferred ducks. They could fly longer distances and they could also rest on long overwater journeys.

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With Quackers secured in a basket behind the saddle, Nina said goodbye to the girls and streaked away in the direction of the city. The sure footed ram taking a direct route, jumping streams and fences, ascending rocky hilltops and charging down into valleys.

Nina didn't meet the family on the way to the city. When she arrived at the midwives house her heart sank with dread. The building was in ruins. The door was bashed in, windows had been broken, and smoke lingered from a fire that had not been out for long. She decided to investigate further.

Nina dismounted and entered the building through the shattered front door. Inside she saw one of the midwives, covered in soot and trying to clean up.

"What has happened here" Nina demanded " where is the Ohmer family?"

The midwife stared in shock and replied. "Demons my Lady. They showed up in the middle of the night and took the Ohmers. There was nothing that could be done I'm afraid." The midwife began to sob. She sat down and buried her head. In her hands.

Nina stepped back in shock. Demons had not been a problem for hundreds of years. But the unmistakable whiff of brimstone in the air left her no doubt, this was bad news indeed.