FIRST—PREV—NEXT

Hope: “No I’m not going!”

 

N: “Times are changing and its no longer safe. You and your mother will leave for Decade Forest right now. You’ll be safe there. Please try to understand”.

 

Hope: “But I don’t want to go with Mom!”

 

N: “Heh, she’d have my head if she heard you say that. How about this, I’ll meet you there. And then, we can go on an adventure together!”

 

Hope: “No! I don’t want to go yet! Listen to me, please! Why won’t anyone listen to me?!”

(…)

 

Darcie: “HOPE! GET UP! NOW!”

 

Hope: “OW!”

 

Receiving a generous slap in the face made me realise how grave the situation was. Morpho and Pavo stood above me quaking, watching the doorway restlessly.

 

Darcie: “Screw this!”

 

Hope: “Darcie wait!“

And she was gone. I guess it slipped her mind that three out of five of us couldn't fly. I let out an exasperated sigh. This was not going the way it was supposed to go. I spent so much time planning that I failed to account for the unexpected. At that moment as chaos enveloped me, I was overcome by a wave of adrenaline.

 

Hope: “Morpho, follow Darcie. You’ll be safe in the air. When the time is right, Pavo and I will make a break for it. We’ll regroup when we’re safe”.

 

They gave each other a look and reluctantly agreed. We tiptoed to the doorway and waited for our eyes to adjust. In the near distance was a solid silhouette, and a pair of glowing red eyes pierced through the dense of smoke and ash. I was compelled to stare angrily back at it. You don’t scare me. I dealt with Darcie, you don’t know fear until you’ve met her.

 

Morpho: “See you on the other side”.

 

He said giving me a nudge and reluctantly flew away.

I looked at Pavo who looked equally as terrified as I did. 

It was now or never. I poked my head out from the doorway. The drumming of hooves grew louder and louder. Time to go!

Without a second to lose, we bolted.

Together we weaved to and fro grazing collapsed pillars of cobbled stone and burnt debris, leaving a cloud of dust in our wake. The wagon we ran past was obliterated into splinters. I risked a look over my shoulder. Clumps of blackened basalt and soot swirled all over it’s sickening husk-like shell. In the centre of its chest was a bewitchingly beautiful stone, its crimson magic swirled in an infinitive loop. 

We couldn’t stay ahead of it for long. For brief period, the pooka ran along side us, mocking our pathetic excuse of an escape. Its ear splitting neighing and grunting shook the forest floor. Suddenly, it vanished into the murkiness I turned to Pavo who was bent over in breathless agony. The desperate look in his eyes said it all. He dove for cover by a dried up well and held his hoof against his chest. I came to an abrupt halt. 

I had to make choice; do I leave him behind or join him?

I couldn’t stop now! We had to keep running! But… I thought of what if the tables had turned. There was no way he’d stay with me. I sensed the bitterness from the start and on top of that, I had no idea why. Did he…hate me? 

But facts remained the same.

Whether he or I liked it or not, he was a member of the team.

And in my book, no team member gets left behind.

 

Pavo: “W-What are you doing?”

 

Hope: “I’m tired of running”.

 

Pavo: “You could have gone without me”.

Hope: “I mean if you want me to leave… just say so!”

 

Pavo: “I… rather not be alone right now. Especially in a place like this”.

Hope: “Finally something we can agree on”.

Suddenly we were engulfed by a flash of bright light. We covered our ears as a thunderous boom followed, flying pieces of bark whizzed past. I feared the Earth had been ripped in two.

Pavo: “It was lightning. A stray bolt hit the tree and destroyed it!”

Hope: “Can lightning do that? I mean, can it just… come out of the blue? Is that even possible?”

Pavo: “You ask too many questions”.

Hope: “You could just say ‘I don’t know’. Anyway, I think the thunder may have scared it away. Now is our chance to catch up with the others and…”

 

It clicked. Why didn’t it click sooner?!

 

Pavo: “What has you perturbed now?”

 

Hope: “W-where’s Cara!?”

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Scorched Earth Blurb:

Under the guise of discovering new herbs, Hope and four others escape from their overworked life of Home Village, excited by the prospect of adventure. But when one of her crew goes missing, Hope refuses to return home without them. On their mystical journey they discover new locations, characters, cultures and make a very powerful enemy. Can they uncover Hibernia’s darkest secrets and save their friend in time? See their story here!

See full collection here!!!

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