The young girl walked in the warm sand, her feet making small prints in the sand, as she walked along, she scanned the sand for any sign of the small crabs. She saw the hint of red under the sand, shoving her hand quickly into the sand she grabbed the thing and pulled.
It seem stuck so she pulled harder, it still didn't move so she pulled harder, then glanced in the direction it seemed to be coming from. She made a little squeal as she noticed the person laying face down, half buried in the sand. Grabbing a stick she poked at it, nothing moved she poked again still nothing.
"May be this person needs help?" she thought. She moved closer, then slowly turned her over, the girl's eyes were closed, but she was still breathing with shallow breaths. She had to get her off the beach before the dangers of the island got to her. She started pulling the girl to move her. She looked back, she hadn't moved her far. The poor girl was sprolled out, she almost laughed.
Grabbing her arm she pulled, but instantly dropping it and jumping back with a yelp, the dress glowed an even brighter red. She looked down at her hand it felt like a burn, she sighed it would be harder to get her off the beach, than she thought.
"Hey! I'm not going to hurt her" she said, the dress still glowed, I was just going to move her to a safer spot, its not safe here!" she said, the dress stopped glowing but stayed red, slowly putting out her hand and grabbing the girls arms she pulled.
Pulling and pushing she finally got her into the trees. She leaned her up against one of them, the movement made the girl cough up water, she turned her on her side to better help the water out.
Her breathing became more stable as she lay there, the young girl started building a lean-too out of sticks and large leaves, around the girl to hide her from the dangers of the island, then disappeared into the trees.
Lacey shivered as the sun shown on her eyes waking her, she coughed and groaned as she opened her eyes, "Where was she" she blinked, and tried to swallowed, her throat felt ruff and dry, she needed water, slowly getting up to a sitting position she looked around her. She was in a make shift shelter. She climbed out of the shelter and stood up on shaky legs and looked around her.
The forest was thick, big trees were all around her, with big roots coming out of the ground. She needed to find water or something to drink. She looked down at her soiled dress, she wasn't surprised to see it was yellow.
"this place is not safe!" A flash of sliver caught her eye, but when she looked around there was nothing. She took a step and then another slowly moving and climbing over the bigger of the roots, she had not gone far before she felt utterly exhausted and turned back, retuning to the makeshift leanto she lay back down and was asleep in seconds.
Lacey groaned her body not wanting to wake up as something cold was pressed to her lips, parting her lips the cold liquid felt good to her dry throat, but it was pulled away before she got enough.
Her eyes opened and she stared into a pare of big sliver eyes. The eyes stared just as hard at her as she did them.
The eyes pulled away as she turned to look over her shoulder, her hair was silver except for the pink strip running through it. Her hair swung with her movements.
Lacey watched the young girl as she went still as if listening for something. When she turned back she sighed in relief and picked up a bundle and handed it to Lacey.
"Here eat" she said, Lacey slowly sat up opening the fabric. Inside was a small fried biscuit looking thing, "Eat" she said again, with worry.
Lacey put it in her mouth, it was dry but tasted good. Eating it Lacey felt better, the girl handed her a bottle to drink, the water helped the dry biscuit go down. She handed the bottle back to the girl who took it and placed it in a small bag at her waist. She took the piece of fabric and stuffed it in too.
"We can't stay here much longer" she said, getting up, "Can you walk?" she asked. Lacey slowly got up and winced, "I think so" she crocked out, "Ok come, I have a safe place" she said jumping up and down. They moved slowly through the trees going deeper into the forest.
The girl stopped a couple times to listen, then they continued. Lacey was about to drop when the girl jumped and grabbed a tree branch, swinging up. Lacey looked up only to see big leaves.
The girl leaned down grabbing Lacey's arms, "Jump" she said, Lacey thought it was silly, but jumped as high as she could as the girl pulled. She scrambled up and got on the branch beside the young girl. They jumped and climbed higher into the tree.
Lacey saw what they were heading for. It was a small hut on a big branch that was the size of a room. They climbed onto the porch, dry plants and flowers hang from the roof. The girl opened the door and then walked into the small room.
There was a pile of leaves and grass for a bed and a flat stone. Lacey was not going to wonder how she got that up here, she was exhausted.
The girl pointed to the leaves and Lacey gratefully sank down on them. She looked around the hut, a ladder led open to who knows where. Lacey's eyes drooped, "I'm Silvia" the girl said, as she sat down at the stone and placed the bottle and piece of fabric on it. "Lacey!" Lacey said, Silvia looked at her, "Get some rest". Lacey layed down, the leaves were surprisingly soft.
Silvia watched as Lacey eyes closed, her breath came slow as she drifted to sleep, Silvia noticed the dress as it faded to blue. "interesting, I wonder why it changes colors" Silvia thought, "It's probably magic" she said. She remebered her parents had told her a little about magic when she was young, she stood up and with one more glance at Lacey.
She went up the ladder and to the small desk. Picking up her brush she ran it through her hair. She put the brush down and turned to the pile of leaves.
She sat down pulling out a bottle that was hidden by the pile and opened it. She dumped out the contents, the small neckles she put back in and then picked up the note and opened it reading it for the hundredth time.
"My Dear Silvia, I'm sorry it has to be like this, but you will be safe with your Grandfather and Grandmother, it's not safe for you here, none of us are safe here. I love you and hope we can meet again one day. Have a good life my daughter."
Your loving Mother
Star
Folding the note up again, she put it back in the bottle, with a heavy sigh she got up. Going down the ladder and over to the table she picked up the bottle. Looking over at Lacey who was sleeping, she left. Putting the bottle in her bag she jumped down on to the lower branch.
Leaning down she shoved her fingers down into a small crack, lifting a door revealing a secret hollowed out space. She grabbed one of the nicely placed spears and replacing the door, she stood up and finished going down the tree.
She jumped down to the ground landing on her feet, but instantly hid herself behind a small bush as she heard a loud growl that shook the ground and the trees. "I wouldn't wanna be them."
She thought as she slowly moved from behind the bush and started in the opposite direction then the noise. She jumped from root to root as she went, heading towards the steep mountain that shot high in the sky into the a sharp peak.
She moved fast as to not stay in one place for long or the monsters that came out in the day would see her. She had gotten better at being able to sense when one was near, and to hide from them. She had given up on trying to fight them after almost getting killed a couple times.
As she came to the steep rocks she made her way up them and soon was in a small cave in the rocks. It was no bigger then a hole in the rocks, the sound of running water made her smile.
She pulled out the bottle from her bag and dipped it into the small blue pool of water. After it was full she cupped her hands in the water bring it up to her mouth.
She drank deep then cupped her hands in the water again, this she splashed on her face. Pulling out a piece of cloth she dried her face.
Feeling refreshed she put them both back into her bag and moved out of the small hole in the rocks and headed back for her tree. When she was about half way there she heard a rustle in a bush and stood perfectly still and waited. Soon a small bunny darted out and stopped dead seeing her, she had her spear at the ready.
Silvia jumped and grabbed the branch and scrambled up, she put her spear away before going into the hut. She glanced at Lacey who was still sleeping, lit the fire in the hearth then went out side the hunt and took care of the bunny and put it on the fire to cook.
Then going higher up in the tree to a high branch walking up to the trunk she grabbed the knot and pulled the hidden door opening into a hallowed out tree.
Stuff lay on a table in the middle of the room. She walked in and up the stairs into an even bigger room but with a window into the top. She hung the bunny's hide up to dry then went back down and sat down on the bench up to the table.
She picked up the box and opened it. Looked inside and pulled out a necklace of sea shells, "Happy Birthday too me" Silvia said to the empty room. Slipping the neckles over her head, "9 years old." she giggled and then sighed.
"Silvia stay still" Star said, as she put the last band in to hold the braid, then grabbed a blanket, and rapped it around her small girl, Silvia's big eyes widening.
Star picked her daughter up and grabbing a bottle off the table. she left going into the dark night, running down the dark street towards the dock, "Take good care of her" she said kissing her small girl one last time before handing her to the man.
Silvia remembered sitting in the darkness when the storm hit, she watched in horror as the room filled with water, before being pulled out by the man.
Next thing she knew was waking up on a sandy beach. The sun beating down on her tiny form. After the man had disappeared. She had stumbled around the island for days scared out of her mind. The harsh island had made her stronger, not to mention the monsters that tried to eat her. She sighed.
Yes Lacey was older than her when she was first here, but she didn't want the older girl to go hungry for days or have to be eaten by monsters.
But her magic dress would attract them. Silvia shivered. There was no reason to sit there and fell sorry or sad it would do her no good. She would have to keep Lacey safe, she could tell that she was from the higher class or what she thought they might look like. The monsters could smell magic, Lacey would be in danger all the time on this island, Silvia sighed.