1 Chapter 1

I awake in terror. My legs throb and my ears are ringing. As I inhale deeply through my dry and cracking lips, my surroundings come into view. I must have fainted at some point but everything is hazy. The sound of dogs barking in the distance is enough to pull me out of my semi-conscious state, ready to run. There is no sun in the sky, yet the night is lit with orange dots, getting bigger with every passing second.

I look around trying to get my bearings straight. What is all this? Where am I? And then I recall waking up from a dead sleep to a banging on the door. Then I remember my father's face as he appeared in the doorway of my bedroom yelling, "Quickly, Euroah! Don't worry about me! Just run!" That scene burns in my memory and I push myself off the ground.

How long have I been running? It seems like it's been days but I know that's impossible. Dear heavens, I'm so thirsty! Who are these men and why are they chasing me? What could they possibly want from my father or I? On that note, where in the world is my father? Where am I even going? So many questions flood my brain like raging waters but for now, all I know is that I have to keep running.

I don't know what will happen if these awful men catch me. They've got to have the wrong person. What reason could they have to bust into a humble little farm house in the middle of night? Especially one so far from the nearest city. It just doesn't make sense how they could have even stumbled upon us. Have they mistaken me for someone who's wronged them? There has to be some sort of misunderstanding!

For a split second, I consider surrendering and explaining to them that there's no way I could be the person they're looking for. That should clear things up! We can talk things over like grown folk. Once they realize they've made a mistake, they might leave me be and go after whoever it is they're really chasing. Right? No! What am I thinking? Get your head out of the clouds, Euroah! The look in my father's eyes told me he knew something I didn't. 'Just run!'

Already out of breath, I scan the horizon for a place to hide away. There's no way I can keep this up. I'm utterly exhausted and I haven't had any food or water since lunch. I'd fallen asleep while daydreaming on the fateful day my home was invaded. Pushing my body to the limit like this much longer will definitely cause me to pass out again. I know I've got to find a place to seek refuge. But where? There is nowhere to hide in this open field. I have to keep running!

Far off to my left, trees begin to appear. Maybe there's a cave, a tall tree to climb, anything to get me out of these terrible people's sights. If I can make it there, if I can just find somewhere to conceal myself, maybe these men will pass right by me and I can return home, back to safety, back to my father. Father always knows what to do!

I make a sharp turn for the forest and as I get closer to the tree line, a feeling of hope rushes over me! A chance to rest is so close I can taste it. This is it! I'm going to be okay! This thought barely finishes crossing my mind when I feel a steady thumping on the ground behind me. Though I tell myself not to look, desperately trying to convince myself that I don't want to know what the sound is coming from, I turn my head. At that exact moment, I'm grabbed by the shoulder of my tattered dress.

A man on horseback scoops me up and drapes me over his saddle, his hand now holding me by the throat. What now? How can I escape his grasp? As he slows the horse to a stop, I gather the courage to look up into his eyes. He can clearly see my terror and he smiles the most wicked, vile display of satisfaction I have ever seen on a person's lips.

"Let me go! I'm not who you think I am! You're mistaken!", I scream at the top of my lungs.

"Of course not. They never are.", he replies as his giant hand on my neck turns my head left and right and he looks me over thoroughly.

"Please don't kill me! I haven't done anything wrong! Please!", I beg.

The man lets out a boisterous laugh that bellows out of him and echoes through the night.His yellow, crooked teeth are illuminated by the torches carried by his equally ugly companions who have now caught up and stopped to watch the scene of me pleading for my life. He looks around at the rugged men and they all begin to laugh along with him. Then, his face changes to grimace as he leans in closer to me.

"You're gonna fetch a pretty penny, you are.", he says with a growl. "We'll get more than enough outta you to cover your uncle's debts."

What is he saying? I have no uncle. I knew this was all a huge mistake! But what is he talking about? How am I supposed to fetch a penny? With thoughts of all the horrible things that could await me in the near future, my heart begins beating out of my chest and panic takes over me. Without even thinking, I viciously bite his arm, in a futile attempt to get away. I fight against him with every drop of energy my body has left but it does me no good. I'm puny in comparison to him.

He simply grabs me by the hair and yanks my head back so hard I feel like it may no longer be connected to my neck. Merely annoyed by my weak show of defiance, he lifts his bitten arm and the last thing I see is his fist coming down at me. Thunder rolls in the back of my head and then all of existence turns black in the dark world around me. I see nothing, all is silent, and I feel no more pain.