Uh, my bed is really uncomfortable, and my head has one hell of a headache. Why is there so much light in my bedroom? The harsh, intrusive morning light was seeping into my bedroom. I do remember closing the curtains. Or maybe not with all the packing. I bring my hands up to touch my head. I really need medicine before the flight today. Blinking away the haze of sleep. I try to open my eyes.
As my vision gradually cleared, the ceiling above me appeared more azure than the usual dull grey of my bedroom. A sense of confusion began to creep in, and I blinked several times, hoping to dispel the disorienting fog that enveloped my senses. It was then that I realised I wasn't staring at a ceiling; I was gazing up at the vast expanse of the sky. I looked around. realising I was lying in an open field. I groaned while trying to sit up, a sharp ache coursing through my body as I pushed myself upright.
What is going on? This must be some kind of joke. I thought standing up.
The first thing that struck me was the desolation that surrounding me. The field or land, I found myself in is scorched and barren, as if some cataclysmic event had swept through, leaving nothing but destruction in its wake. You could see the once-lush grass was reduced to brittle, lifeless stalks.
The bright sky overhead offered no answers, and a sense of unease settled over me, overshadowing my throbbing headache. I looked around, doing a 360, but all I could see is vast expanse of barren land stretching out in every direction.
Panic started sinking in as I tried to make sense of my surroundings. My heart started racing and my thoughts were a jumbled mess. Where was I? How had I ended up here? The last thing I remember is preparing for the vacation, packing my bags and puting it beside the door. Then it hit me like a tonne of bricks. Where was Keith? Where was Mom? The fear of their absence threatened to consume me. I looked around but could not see anyone.
No, not again. I knew I had to wrestle control back from the impending panic attack. I'd read about techniques for managing panic, and now was the time to employ them. Slowly, I lowered myself to the ground, my fingers brushing against the cool, brown-black soil beneath me.
"Count three things, Alex," I muttered to myself. "What do you see?"
One: the cold soil beneath my fingertips Two: my own trembling form, dressed in the jeans, t-shirt, and light jacket I had laid out the night before. Three: the expansive sky above, vast and endless. With each observation, my breathing grew more controlled, and my grip on reality tightened.
"Okay, now let's see where I am," I whispered to myself.
I shifted my gaze to the left, where distant mountains punctuated the horizon. Maybe this was Austria, and I had suffered a concussion or something during our trip. I tried to push aside the nagging doubts and turned my head to the right, where a column of dark smoke spiralled into the sky, a troubling sight on the distant horizon. Behind me, the sun hung low, either rising or setting, though I couldn't quite discern which.
I started looking around to see if I could find someone or something, because surely I could not be all alone. Someone must have been with me. After just moving 10 feet ahead, I saw my travel backpack lying there. I rush towards it with relief.
Unzipping the bag, my fingers fumbled with anticipation. My gaze fell on my phone, cradled safely inside. It was a familiar lifeline to the world I knew, a connection to the rest of the world before awakening in this desolate field. I powered it on and felt a glimmer of hope when I saw it still had 90% battery life. But my excitement quickly waned when I realised there were no signals.
Desperation clawed at me as I attempted to contact the emergency helpline with shaking fingers. But all my efforts were met with a frustrating silence. The lack of response sent a chill down my spine.
Swiping through the phone's gallery in search of any clues or anything that might spark recognition. My heart sank when I stumbled upon the last picture I had taken—a selfie of her, mom and Keith. In the photo, they were all smiles, heading out of their home. Anxiety again built inside me, as I did not remember taking it. I checked my notes and screenshots, but nothing. So something must have happened on her way. Where are they?
Pushing aside the disheartening feeling, I continued to rummage through the bag, hoping to find something useful. I found a chocolate bar, a pack of gum, a set of headphones, her passport, and a few other essentials she had packed for the trip. Furstration was growing inside her, and none of those things could help her. Though the items were mundane, they offered a semblance of comfort and a sense of normalcy.
I have to do something; I can't sit and wait for someone to come. Again, looking around at the flat ground of dead plants, I tried looking one more time for something, anything. I heard, an echo of my father's words, which I had repeated again and again in the last year. Look ahead, little warrior.
With renewed determination, I closed my bag and slung it back over my shoulder. I couldn't afford to dwell on her situation any longer. Instead, she focused on the thin wisp of smoke in the distance. It was her only lead—the promise of potential civilization. Please do not be a forest fire. I started to walk in the direction of the smoke.
The desolation of the field slowly gave way to the edges of a brown and gold field. I cannot recognise what kind of plant it was. It came to my thighs, which made walking a little more difficult and made me afraid of any insects in them.
After walking for what felt like a hundred miles, I caught sight of the edges of a dense forest looming ahead. As I ventured further, the silhouette of a solitary house emerged through the trees. Smoke curled lazily from its chimney, a reassuring sign of life amidst the eerie silence that enveloped this place.
As I approached the house, my heart raced with a mixture of hope and trepidation.
I couldn't help but marvel at the beauty of the tranquil countryside. The setting sun cast a warm, amber glow across the landscape, and the gentle breeze whispered secrets through the crops.
However, as I drew closer to the cottage, a peculiar rustling sound in the field caught my attention. Initially, I dismissed it as the wind playing tricks on my senses, attributing it to exhaustion. But the rustling persisted, growing louder and more insistent with every step I took—an unsettling sensation I couldn't ignore. My heart quickened and my footsteps faltered as I scanned the sea of crops, searching for the source of the disturbance.
And then there it was.
There, just a few feet away from her, was an animal unlike anything I had ever seen before. It stood at about two feet tall, with round, piercing eyes that shone with an otherworldly brilliance. Its fur was an intricate mosaic of purple, grey, and black, creating mesmerising patterns that seemed to ripple and shift like smoke in the wind. It has very tiny legs, or are they feet only? I couldn't help but be captivated by the creature's appearance. I cocked my head, staring at it. It followed my head movement by doing the same. How is it that its body is shaped like an egg?
She tried to remain calm, telling herself it was probably just a wild animal that she didn't know about. It looked almost cute, with its curious eyes fixed on her.
Trying to remain calm, I extended my hand slowly, hoping not to spook it. But as my hand approached, the creature's demeanour shifted abruptly. Its previously innocent gaze transformed into a menacing glare, and it bared its tiny, razor-sharp teeth at me. Shocked and frightened, I withdrew my hand, stumbling backward.
The creature wasted no time. It began to circle me, its movements swift and eerily graceful, all while maintaining an odd four-legged stance. Panic surged through my veins, and the instinct to flee overwhelmed me. Without a second thought, I turned and sprinted towards the cottage, my heart pounding with fear. My breaths came in short gasps, and my pulse raced as I reached the cottage's wooden door.
I pounded on the door with desperation in every knock. I cried out for someone inside to open it.
After a few more seconds which felt like hours. The door of the cottage creaked open, revealing a stooping old woman with a scowl on her face. Her grey hair was tied back in a tight bun, and her piercing brown eyes seemed to bore into my soul.
"What is the matter with you, child?" the old woman asked gruffly, her voice dripping with annoyance.
I hesitated for a moment, my voice trembling slightly as I explained, "I was being chased by some kind of animal.". Looking back over, I found that no one was there. How could it be? where did it go?
The old woman's scowl deepened, and she shifted her gaze behind me, scanning the field with a hint of annoyance. However, there was nothing to be seen but the gentle swaying crops.
The old woman snorted, clearly unimpressed. "You expect me to believe that? You're probably just lost and can't find your way back home". With sarcasm dripping from her tone.
"I am not lying", I said defensively.
The woman again looked behind her and said, "Sure you are not."
I'm not sure what to make of that. Taking a step back, Alex felt a shiver run down her spine as the woman emerged from the doorway. Her attire was peculiar, resembling an abaya but with slits on the sides that fluttered in the breeze. The old woman's eyes, too, were unusual, though Alex couldn't quite pinpoint what made them so.
Turning around the woman's irritation was evident as she muttered, "Don't waste my time with your nonsense."
Before she could close the door, I blurted out, "I'm lost! Please, I don't know how to get back. If you could just point me in the right direction to a police station or something..."
The old woman scoffed incredulously. "Lost, really?" Her eyes flicked disapprovingly over my clothing. "You really expect me to believe that you came here and do not know where you are."
Panicking and not wanting to be seen as a potential threat, I quickly explained, "I was with a group, and we were visiting this area. Somehow, I got separated, and now I can't find my way back nor know where I am."
"You really expect me to believe that you came here and do not know where you are."
"Well, you see... I was surprised by my friends, and the tour guide didn't give me any maps. They told me to follow some directions, and now I am lost." Lies spewed out of my mouth. I do start feeling guilty.
After hearing that, her scowl deepened further, and she stepped out of the cottage.. I quickly moved aside to avoid a collision as she scanned the area, cursing someone named Philip for losing people.
After standing still for a few seconds, she turned backward and started moving towards the door.
"Guide will be here shortly; you wait outside." With those words, she slammed the door on my face.
Not knowing what to do now because there was no guide in the first place. Although there is a Philip person who arranges tours, what better way to find someone? Maybe I was with this person and hit my head or something while walking and no one knew I was left behind, which seemed a little farfetched because Mom or Keith must have known after a while I wasn't behind them.
With nothing to do, I sat beside the door because I was really tired and my feet were really hurting after walking five miles. I knew it was five because I checked my step tracker. Looking around, the cottage was surrounded by barbed wire. I laid my head on my knees, and before I knew it, sleep dragged me.
The sound of chirping birds abruptly woke me from my slumber, and I realised that the sun had already set. Checking my watch, I discovered that I had slept for a solid two hours. The weather had grown considerably cooler, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief that the strange creature hadn't returned during my nap. Glancing around, I noticed an herb garden situated beside the cottage, and beyond it lay a dense expanse of woods. The trees loomed tall, casting eerie shadows that sent shivers down my spine. I certainly didn't relish the idea of spending the night outside, especially with the unknown lurking in the darkness.
Taking a deep breath, I mustered the courage to knock on the cottage door once more. After a minute or so, the door creaked open again, revealing the same deep scowl on the old woman's face. It seemed that old people weren't always as nice as they were reputed to be.
"Why didn't you go?" the woman demanded, her voice filled with annoyance.
Not knowing what to tell her, I sticked with the truth this time. "No one came."
"That rattler," the woman said harshly. What kind of curse is that?
"If you don't mind, can I stay the night and use your phone to call someone?" I asked hesitantly.
"Phone?" She questioned,her brow furrowing.
Then it struck me that, of course, I am obviously in a rural area of some sort, and she might not even know what it is, but still.
"Yes, telephone or landline. I can call my family, the police, or some authorities." I rushed out.
The old woman stared at me for a few uncomfortable minutes, and I began to feel increasingly uneasy under her scrutiny.
Suddenly she said, "Follow me then," and turned and headed back inside the cottage, leaving the door ajar.
The moment Alex stepped inside the cottage, she couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder and unease. It seemed far larger on the inside than it appeared from the outside.
To the left, there was an open kitchen, though ancient, bore signs of age-old meals prepared. A cluttered dining table dominated the space, piled high with an assortment of trinkets and books.
On the right, in the heart of the room, a massive, ancient fireplace crackled with warmth and life, casting flickering shadows across the stone floor. Further in, heavy curtains hung.
Beside the kitchen, another door stood, its purpose concealed behind its weathered facade.
The old woman bustled about, returning from the kitchen with two plates of steaming food. She gestured for Alex to clear a space on the cluttered table, and Alex obliged, placing her bag beside the door.
As they ate in silence, the atmosphere grew thick with unspoken questions and the weight of the old woman's gaze, which bore into Alex like an unyielding riddle. The cottage seemed to hold its breath, as if it, too, were a silent observer of this peculiar meeting.
After the last bite, the old woman broke the silence. "what's with that strange attire of yours?"
Caught of guard, I didn't know what to say. So I just shrugged.
Not seeming phased by my response," What is your name?"
"Alexandra" I replied with mouthful. The soup was really delicious.
"Where you are from?"
"Uhh..Uzbekistan, although we live in England now"
"You are far from home child" She replied with a glint in her eyes.
Before she could ask her more other things which i had to lie. Because telling someone you can't remember where are you or you are not with someone is how you get kidnapped.
"What is your name?" I asked
"You can call me grandma Teri" She replied. You can see it on her face that she knew what I had done and had let me do it
"Grandma Teri, your food is delicious" I said setting my plate aside.
She laughed at that. I did not know with all the angry stares that she could even do that. "You would be the first"
Before I could ask what she meant. She told me to follow her.
She led me to a single bed concealed behind the heavy curtains, with a bathroom beside it. The Bedsheet was green in color. I started looking around.
Interrupting my curious exploring Grandma Teri informed me, "I've contacted the authorities. They'll be here tomorrow."
With a sense of both gratitude and doubt that when the woman called them, she was with her the whole time. Thanking the her, I got ready for bed. It was after a few more hours that sleep came to me.