"They tried to make me take drugs I didn't want. They claim it would help me grow and heal, but I know it was simply a big fat lie. I haven't felt any different since then."
Lynn couldn't believe the little girl ran away from home because she didn't want to take drugs, but she could totally relate. She also hates taking drugs, cause it smells and tastes awfully bitter.
"I hate drugs. It smells and it tastes awfully bitter." Amanda whined with a retch, and Lynn couldn't help but smile at the thought that someone actually thought like her. Amanda looked back at the boy who still had his head down.
"What about you? Why did you leave home?"
"I... also...don't want to..." his voice faded as Amanda was forced to strain her ear.
"Huh? What did you say?"
"I...also...don't wa..." his voice trailed off again, and Amanda's face wrung up in confusion.
"Why do you speak so low?"
"I'm sorry."
"You don't have to apologize," Amanda said and stared at the boy before adding. "Miss Freda do call me a chatterbox but it's the first time I'm meeting someone who speaks so little. The boys in the village are usually too loud and sometimes get told off by Miss Freda."
Lynn watched the boy fiddle with his fingers. He looked quieter than he was when she met him.
"I have to get going. Miss Freda wouldn't like me gone for too long. You should head home too." She said, and when he didn't give a reply, she turned to leave but stopped when she felt a pull on her cloth. She looked back and it was only for a moment, but she caught sight of his pouting face. But immediately their eyes met, he withdrew his hand and his eyes fell.
"C-can... you wait a little bit longer?" the boy said, sounding a bit louder.
"Why?"
"I don't know my way back home. I... I got lost"
"Do you want me to take you back? Where are you headed?"
"The palace."
"Oh, I know the way to the palace, I can take you there. But- why do you want to head to the palace, do
you live there?'
"N-No, I just came visiting." The boy said quickly, and Lynn couldn't help but feel he was lying.
"Oh, that explains why I never came across you in the palace before. Miss Freda tells me the palace is only for the royals." Amanda said and leaned in to whisper "Don't tell anyone, but she also says it's filled with scary people. You should be careful during your stay... although I feel it's another scary lie she tried to tell so I don't go running around in the palace. In all my time in the palace, I never came across a royal before but I still don't they're all that scary."
His head shot up at her words. "Do you stay in the palace?"
"No, I just come around with Miss Freda when her shift is on" Amanda explained with a smile.
"Oh," He said as he seemed to give something a thought.
"The king looks like the nicest one of them." Amanda continued but she failed to notice the scared look on the boy's face.
"Come on, let's go," She said and started to make her way down the hill as the boy followed suit. Amanda paused as she let out a cough, it started swiftly but then Lynn thought it was too strong for a girl her age.
"Are you okay?" the boy asked as the cough slowly subsidized. Amanda cleared her throat and gave him a reassuring smile with a nod.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Come on"
Lynn who wondered if they hadn't seen her the whole time tried to follow them and ask for her whereabouts but her voice seized. And then, an invisible force pulled her in and she found herself in a different area. The mowed lawn she stood on had a growing tree on it. She could make out the two kids crawling out of a barely noticeable hole.
"It's a good thing I have a secret passageway only I know about. I thought it would only be useful to me but who guessed it would come to help you out." Amanda said with a smile as she got up and gave the boy a hand. They dusted their clothes and Amanda looked at him. "Now they can't find out you sneaked out."
The boy looked at the stone-walled palace with high towers and small slit-like windows. He couldn't hide the fear in his eyes and Lynn wondered why he looked so sad.
"Want me to go with you?" Amanda asked and he looked back at her. She had noticed the look on his face "We'll apologize to your mom and let her know you hadn't meant to leave the palace. No adult can ignore an apology. So think about the result what if we have two times the apology... that's a score for you."
Amanda said and flashed him a genuinely warm smile. His head dropped and Amanda missed out on the little smile that curved up his lips. He shook his head and said.
"You don't have to." He looked back at the palace. "I don't want to take up any more of your time."
"I really don't care."
He looked back at her and went silent for a minute. Lynn watched him fiddle with his hand like he had something to say.
"Uh... is it... is it okay- if I come by the garden... sometimes?"
Amanda didn't say anything for a minute, then her face pulled up a confused look.
"Why would ask me that? I don't own the field,"
"No- not the field... I meant... you- I mean..." he bit his lips as he couldn't seem to find the right words to use.
"Of course, you can. Let me know when you drop by, I'll show you around the village during your stay here."
His head dropped again and he gave a shy nod. Lynn noticed how red his ears had gone and she wondered if he wasn't the cutest thing she'd ever seen.
"I have to head back now, bye," Amanda said and waved at him as she turned back and made her way back through the hole.
Lynn watched the boy leave and she saw him lift his hand a little as he muttered "Bye... and thank you"
He let out a sigh as he made his way through the stone-floored path that led to a turn around the palace. Lynn tried to follow him but her legs were stuck to the ground. She tried to shake it off but a rustling sound made her freeze. She looked back to see Amanda crawling in from the hole. She came into view and scanned the area most likely for the boy but she had just missed him.
"I forget to tell him to stay away from the field on Wednesdays. Mrs. parch comes over that day." Amanda said and Lynn guessed that was the real owner. Amanda looked around to see if anyone was in view then she ran off in the opposite direction the boy had gone. Lynn tried to call out to her but her voice refused to come out. She tried to follow behind Amanda when the same force that had pulled her the first time got her again. Now she was standing in front of Amanda who had a look of shock on her face as she stared inside a room.
Lynn wondered what she was staring at so intensely and when she moved closer to peer in, her eyes widened at the body sprawled out on the floor in a pool of blood. She gasped out at the sight of the body part someone's hand held as the blood dripped down to the ground. Her eyes traced upward and immediately she met the red pair of eyes that looked her way, her heart froze. She wheezed as an unknown fear gripped her. She slowly took shaky steps backward but her legs gave out and she shrieked as she fell back to the ground with her eyes still glued to him. The heart in his hand fell to the ground as it made a splash sound. He started to take gentle steps towards her and her ears rang out. Her lips had gone cold and the only warm thing she could feel was the liquid that fell down her face. He came to a stop in front of her and his hand slowly reached for her. The scene glitches, and she found herself in a different room as her heart was still recovering from the previous shock. She felt a dark presence behind her, and immediately she spun around, a hand grabbed her by the neck, and she choked. The piercing red pupils met her teary eyes as she gasped for air and scratched at the hand that tightened its grip around her neck. Her lungs squeezed up as she felt the strength in her body leave her. Her vision blurred but she caught the wicked smile that exposed his sharp fangs.
His low threatening growl pierced her ringing ears.
"You can't run from me."
His mouth spread open, and he struck for her neck.
"AH!!!" Lynn screamed as she shot up from her bed and her shaky hand flew to her neck. Her breathing wavered as she whimpered and gasped for air. The darkness of her room swallowed her up, and Lynn screamed in fear again, tears falling down her eyes. The door to her room flung open, and she flinched as the light came on. She looked to the door, and a sigh of relief filled her.
Her voice broke down, and she wailed. "Mom!"
"Oh my gosh, what's wrong?" her mom asked in a soft voice as she rushed over to Lynn's bed worriedly. Pulling her in for a hug, and her eyes widened. "My god! You're so cold!"
Lynn wouldn't stop shivering under her arms as she sobbed profusely. She held her mom tight as she felt the monster in her nightmare would come for her if she pulled away.
"It's okay. It's okay. Mommy's here. I've got you," Mrs. Wayne whispered as she kissed Lynn's forehead and kept rubbing Lynn's arm to get some heat into it. Mrs. Wayne didn't know what was making her so scared. She had never seen her daughter so shaken up. She slowly pulled back as she stared Lynn in the face. "Lynn? Lynn. It's okay, alright? It was just a dream, a nightmare, that's all... so breath."
Listening to the voice of her mom calmed her. She sniffed and softly sobbed with a nod as she tried to get her breathing under control. Her grip on her mom's hand softened, and slowly, she was left with soft gasps.
"Great. You're doing just fine." Mrs. Wayne said with a nod as she observed Lynn. A low sigh escaped her lips. "Let me get you something to drink..."
"...NO!" Lynn grabbed her and shook her head, "I-it's fine. I don't need anything. Don't go." Lynn said as she couldn't hide the fear in her eyes.
"Alright. I'll let your dad get that." She said and looked at the doorway where Mr. Wayne had been standing the whole time. He gave a slight nod as he made his way out.
"Come here, sweetheart," Mrs. Wayne said and wrapped Lynn in her arms again as she pulled the blanket over her and stroked her hair gently.
Lynn was starting to feel better. The chill in her body was gone, and she no longer felt the shiver in her hands... but she was still scared. She could still feel the hand that took hold of her neck. She couldn't remember who she had seen, but his presence had engraved itself in her. She was too scared to shut her eyes, to move, and now she was too scared to breathe. She felt her chest clench up as her eyes got teary.
A soft gush of wind blew in through the window. It gently brushed against Lynn's back, and the scent that followed through made her eyes flutter. Her senses perked up and she could feel the weight on her chest disappear. She recognized the wolf scent, and she wondered if it was a popular one or just that she had subconsciously searched for the scent. Her eyes slowly fell shut as she took in the aroma that made her inside warm. She hadn't realized how much relaxed she was feeling. Lynn didn't care if the scent was a popular one, because at the moment...
...it was the best she had ever known.
Mrs. Wayne felt Lynn relax in her arms, and the soft sound of her breathing told her Lynn had fallen asleep. She breathed a sigh of relief and stared out the window into the night.
The crescent moon wasn't enough to light up the path, but the figure that tried to hide its presence outside the window couldn't get past her.
A pleased smile crawled up her lips as she pressed her head against Lynn's and whispered.
"It's going to be okay, Lynn... trust me."