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Unseen eyes feasted on the sight. Whispers were carried along the wind into waiting ears. A rushing stream gently crashed onto rocks as the current pulled it towards the lake. Trees created a dappled canopy as the last rays shone weakly. Through the dipping branches of the ethereal wood, a huddle of soldiers sat around a fire. They had created refuge in the forest as they fled from the rebellion forming in the city. The kingdom's emblem was printed clearly onto their uniforms and the soldiers had hoped they the trees shadowed their identities.
"Find her." Two red eyes glinted hungrily in the moonlight. The hounds were getting impatient as they paced around the bare forest floor. "Find her and bring her back dead."
The only sound of the forest now was the breath that caught in her chest. The tall, sloping mountains of her city was now enveloped in flames as the rebellion drew longer into the night. She ran towards the valley but her foot caught a loose rock and down she fell into a world of darkness.
It swallowed her like a sinkhole, black was everywhere she looked and she could feel her limbs getting heavy as all her strength was drained into the abyss.
As if waking from a dream, Agnes felt light headed like she was detached from her body. Something tugged at her mind; a pinprick of light so quick it disappeared the moment she tried to grab it. Pushing herself out of bed, she surveyed her surroundings. Agnes knew she had walked through these corridors and rooms before but when? She wandered through the spidery halls until she got to the door. It was made of polished oak and blocked out every bit of sun from outside. Pushing it open, she squinted into the busy street as people moved along the pavements.
The white suburban houses were lined against each other with neatly trimmed gardens in front of their porches. It was all too natural for Agnes. She had always been an outsider, she felt like she belonged somewhere else. Again, the pinprick of light shone in her mind and she tried to grapple it but it slipped away into the depths of her memories.
As Agnes turned away from the door, she could hear gasps and mutters from behind her. A man in a long trench coat shuffled up the street as if having a limp. When he reaches Agnes's front door he suddenly stopped. Slowly he turned around and stared straight at her.
That night as stars speckled the night sky, Agnes heard a muffled voice. She treaded softly throught the corridors and pulled open the curtains. The new neighbour was looking at a mirror and muttering as if talking to someone. She cupped her ear against the window and caught the last words. "I found her."
"Find her." Two red eyes glinted hungrily in the moonlight. The hounds were getting impatient as they paced around the bare forest floor. "Find her and bring her back dead."
The only sound of the forest now was the breath that caught in her chest. The tall, sloping mountains of her city was now enveloped in flames as the rebellion drew longer into the night. She ran towards the valley but her foot caught a loose rock and down she fell into a world of darkness.
It swallowed her like a sinkhole, black was everywhere she looked and she could feel her limbs getting heavy as all her strength was drained into the abyss.
As if waking from a dream, Agnes felt light headed like she was detached from her body. Something tugged at her mind; a pinprick of light so quick it disappeared the moment she tried to grab it. Pushing herself out of bed, she surveyed her surroundings. Agnes knew she had walked through these corridors and rooms before but when? She wandered through the spidery halls until she got to the door. It was made of polished oak and blocked out every bit of sun from outside. Pushing it open, she squinted into the busy street as people moved along the pavements.
The white suburban houses were lined against each other with neatly trimmed gardens in front of their porches. It was all too natural for Agnes. She had always been an outsider, she felt like she belonged somewhere else. Again, the pinprick of light shone in her mind and she tried to grapple it but it slipped away into the depths of her memories.
As Agnes turned away from the door, she could hear gasps and mutters from behind her. A man in a long trench coat shuffled up the street as if having a limp. When he reaches Agnes's front door he suddenly stopped. Slowly he turned around and stared straight at her.
That night as stars speckled the night sky, Agnes heard a muffled voice. She treaded softly throught the corridors and pulled open the curtains. The new neighbour was looking at a mirror and muttering as if talking to someone. She cupped her ear against the window and caught the last words. "I found her."