TAKEN
The night air blew against my face, jolting me from a restless sleep. Disoriented, I quickly sensed that I was moving far too fast, faster than I could run on my own. Panic rose within me as I realized I was cradled in someone's hand, not sprinting for the thrill or rushing home, but fleeing from something unknown. Shadows loomed around us, and the world blurred by in a whirlwind of colors and sounds, each heartbeat echoing my urgency. Who was holding me? And what were we escaping?
"How did we get to this?" you might ask. It's not hard to guess. Today was my birthday—my third, to be exact. My parents threw a grand princess party for my brother Duan and me with a lovely purple theme. While most princesses are draped in pink, I've always had a special fondness for purple, even at this young age. The decorations sparkled, and laughter filled the air, but I felt a strange pull amidst the joy—a whisper of something beyond the party that I couldn't quite grasp. Little did I know, this celebration would lead to an adventure I never anticipated.
We were in the middle of opening gifts when Mom rushed in, her face a mask of urgency. The sudden commotion startled Duan, and he burst into tears. I didn't cry, though—don't ask me why. I've always been this way. Dad says I was born mature, whatever that means. But at that moment, I could feel the tension in the air. Mom's expression was stressed, even as she tried to keep her cool. I sensed it immediately: something was very wrong. The joy of the party faded, replaced by an unsettling awareness that this day was about to take a turn I couldn't have imagined.
Aunt Bea signaled and quickly grabbed Duan, while Mom scooped me up and rushed us both into the storage room. They placed us on a little bed and then dashed off, leaving us in the dim light. Duan clung to me, and I gently patted his head to calm him down.
An hour passed, and as Duan began to doze off, I heard a faint noise outside the door—something trying to get in. I would have been thrilled if it was Mom returning, but an uneasy feeling settled in my stomach. Instinct kicked in. I pressed the small button behind me, sending Duan sliding out of sight just as the door creaked open. My heart raced as I held my breath, hoping whatever was outside wouldn't find us.
"Are you the only one here, honey?" a not-so-familiar face asked, her voice dripping with false sweetness.
I nodded, too scared to speak. I knew every face in this mansion, and these two were strangers.
"Come on, honey, let's go meet your mom," she coaxed, but I remained frozen, nodding again without moving.
I could see her growing impatient as she advanced slowly toward me. I stepped back, trying to stall, even as I sensed I was testing her patience. But I was determined to keep this up—until…
"I smell another child here. I think they're both here," the second unfamiliar face said, and a cold wave of dread washed over me.
Oh no, Duan! Panic surged through me. I ran to the first lady, grabbing her legs and screaming as loud as I could. Then, in an instant, everything went dark.
I jolted awake in the woods, disoriented and alone, the echoes of fear still clinging to me, In the tight grip of my captors, my heart raced in time with the pounding footsteps behind us. The realization hit me like a wave—my father's people had found out I was taken. The faint shouts of their voices and the sound of their boots slamming against the ground echoed in the distance, but I knew they would never reach me in time.
Up ahead, I saw it—a glowing circle of magic shimmering in the darkness. The swirling light flickered with a strange energy that seemed familiar. My breath caught in my throat as I remembered where I'd seen this before. It was teleportation magic. Only witches had the power to wield such ancient spells. My stomach twisted—this wasn't just a simple abduction; I was in the hands of a witch.
My body tensed with fear as I was dragged closer to the circle. I glanced behind me, my eyes searching desperately for Duan. Had they taken him too? Was he alright? A thousand questions stormed through my mind, but there was no time to dwell on any of them.
The circle grew brighter, its magic humming in the air, and I could feel the pull of it now. The witch's spell would take me far from everything I knew, far from my father's people, far from home. There was no escape. All I could do was hope—hope that Duan was safe.