Safe haven

As the days quickly passed, Aalia found herself in a constant battle against her ailing body, endlessly sipping on one medicinal concoction after another. Each dawn brought along a sense of dread, a heavy discomfort settling deep within her stomach. Each day began in a battle against rising nausea, a silent storm raging within her. 

After a gruelling three months of regimented medication, it appeared that a shadow of her former vitality was gently returning. The sparkle in her eyes, previously dulled by prolonged illness, began to flicker back to life. Her rosy complexion, once lost in pallor, was beginning to exhibit some healthy hues again. The grievous fatigue that once persistently clung to her like a relentless shadow was now gradually receding. 

"Aunt Lina, I'm going out for a walk", Aalia said to the middle-aged woman who was busy in the kitchen.

"Take care", she said.

"Alright", Aalia said and went out.

As her feet crossed the threshold, she found herself embraced by the brilliant sunlight that wrapped itself around the world outside. Unprepared, she instinctively lifted a hand, shielding her eyes from the sudden onslaught of golden brightness that seared through her pupils as her eyes struggled to adjust from the dim tranquillity of indoor seclusion.

Absorbed in her thoughts, she aimlessly walked around till she found a place that caught her attention. 

The plain expanse stretched out before me was an empty ground, bare except for one outstanding feature. Nestled at the heart of this vast openness was a lone shooting panel. A human shadow was standing amidst the land before the shooting panel. 

"Uncle David", Aalia went to the side and greeted the human shadow.

"Aalia, you're here again", David said.

"Again?" Aalia asked with confusion.

"I found you here that day", he casually said.

Still Aalia found her face heating up in embarrassment. She didn't remember anything of the day, yet she did remember the state she was in the forest.

"Aalia, are you keen in learn shooting?", David noticed her uneasiness and switched the topic.

"Can I?", she asked with a rare excitement. 

"Of course, you can. Come", he said and beckoned her. 

He patiently teached some techniques, as Aalia was always keen in learning she learnt it easily and executed at once. 

"Aalia, you're really something, I didn't expect you to be so sharp. When you're bored you can come and practice here. It will help you relax your foul mood", he said with a smile.

"Thank you, Uncle David,", Aalia said.

"It's past noon, let's go and grab something. Your aunt Lina will kill me for starving you.", David started nagging her as an elder as he started to walk.

"Alright", Aalia said and walked with David. 

As the clock ticked past noon, the sun sat smugly in the sky, its rays burning hot, turning the air dense and heavy. Aalia and David walked lightly under its watch; their footprints etched transiently on the dusty path. 

Having spent the last six months in the quaint village, she found herself wrapped in the embrace of its inhabitants' kindness. They had been more than nice to her; they had become her shield against solitude, caring for her in a manner that was as unexpected as it was comforting.

Before she even realized it, her mind had begun to perceive this as a sanctuary, a safe haven. The lingering fear and insecurities she once had, seemed to dissipate amongst the village's warmth. She was experiencing a newfound sense of security that instilled tranquillity within her, and she felt at peace.