8 Ch 1:3

Lolli did as she was told and stayed near the entrance. Eventually, she decided to just sit down to wait. Then, she thought she heard something besides her own breathing. Lolli got up and looked down the hall. Nothing. Then, there was a thud behind her. Lolli turned to see a fallen ceiling tile and a person.

Or, Lolli thought it was a person. They were covered in blue tinted bandages. Lolli started to approach them, but the person scrambled to their feet and ran." Jasmine, there's someone here!" Lolli screamed before chasing them. They both ran outside, neither faster than the other. Suddenly, the bandaged person stopped and Lolli ran into them.

Their scent was overpowering, like rotting fruit and meat. They were also terribly cold. and small. They weren't much taller than Lolli. Lolli could now see, as they turned around, that they were shivering. They had dark brown hair that was matted and went down to their shoulders. Bandages covered everything but their pale, blue eyes. They were glaring down at Lolli, but she didn't feel afraid." Excuse me, why did you fall from the ceiling?" Lolli asked.

"So pretty," they breathed out, slowly. Deeply.

"Do you like my hair?"

"Yes, so colorful... and cute."

"Thank you!" Lolli smiled at the stranger and she swore she heard a laugh.

"I must go now. Don't tell anyone you saw me, okay?"

"Wait, what's your name?"

"Iowa," the stranger said before patting Lolli on the head," Maybe I will see you again." Then, they ran away into the forest.

Lolli sat in the clearing for some time. She hadn't noticed she ran in front of the tree line. But now she wasn't sure how to get back. Eventually, she heard a group of footsteps approaching her. Jasmine was leading a group of people in knight's armor. She ran over and helped Lolli to her feet." What are you doing all the way out here? Did something happen?" Jasmine asked, but Lolli shook her head." Nothing has happened! I was just bored."

Jasmine decided to take Lolli's word. Jasmine took Lolli back to the castle while the knights continued to walk around. Crystal was also in the castle. She was having dinner in the dining hall. There was a long, clothed table, but Crystal was eating on the floor." Hi Crystal! We're back!" Lolli said. Crystal ignored her." Don't mind her. The search party must have scared her," Jasmine said.

For the rest of the day, Lolli went around the castle with Jasmine. Jasmine had shown her the kitchen, the library, the pool, and where Lolli would be staying for the night. Her room was beside Crystal's, she was told. It was mostly bare, but had a large bed in the middle of the left wall. On the opposite side of the large room, there was a large, blue orb floating a few feet off the ground." That thing controls the temperature of the room. Just in case you wanna be extra toasty or something," Jasmine explained. Lolli hurried over to her new bed, yawning. It was now dark, and she was ready to sleep. Lolli took Fluffy from her bag and got under the blue and pink sheets that matched her hair and eyes." Goodnight, Miss Jasmine!"

"Goodnight, kid!"