chapter 7: The runaway

I jumped onto the roof of the palace, trying to find a way down. It was really high above the ground, and I had to be careful or I would fall to my death. I walked slowly onto the roof, and then one of the tiles broke off the roof, making me nearly slip. I was startled there for a moment, then got back onto my feet. I climbed to the very top of the palace, holding onto its walls and any object that could give me support. I took my time, slowly climbing down the palace's walls until my feet finally touched the ground. It was rather chilly as the cool breeze swept my skin, making me shiver. Luckily, I had a fluffy sweater, that would surely keep me warm. I walked from the back of the huge yard, approaching the gate, only to know that it was closed and that I couldn't possibly open it without being caught by a guard.

I had to come up with a plan that would make me escape this prison without leaving any trace behind . Pondering about the cold night, I finally had an idea. I remembered that there was a way that I could escape the palace grounds. It was quite simple. The plan was to walk over to the palace's gatehouse and then exit from there. The gatehouse was basically a high, stacked wall with a gate surrounding the palace. I immediately walked over towards the gatehouse briskly. As soon as I approached the gate, I aimed for my lucky hairpin to pick the locks to the gatehouse as they were locked. After I opened the small gate successfully, I held onto my eagerness and ran straight up the stairs. I didn't seem to care to stop at all. All that I truly care about is running away from here. When I reached the very top of the building, I was already exhausted and worn out. I drank some water and wanted to rest, but I had no time for pleasure. I quickly shoved the water bottle into my bag and started skimming the gatehouse. I saw two guards sitting on a chair, both fast asleep. They looked as exhausted as I was, but silly for sleeping on the job. This time, I had to be extra quiet to not wake them up. I stepped lightly on my feet, flowing around like a leaf. However, there were too many controls for the gates and the entire palace.

There were many levers and switches, varying in different shapes, sizes, and colors. The switch for the main gate was the biggest, and it was just a rusty piece of junk. Sometimes I just grab the rusted lever and pull it as hard as I can. The muscles in my stomach were pulsing and so were the ones in my arm. I tried and tried, but I still failed to open the gate so I decided to improvise. I wanted to climb way out. Even though I was afraid of heights I still had to do it. I searched the rest of the room until I found an old wooden looking window. I approached the window with crowbar, planning to break through it or tear its rotten pieces apart. Like expected the material made with the window was rather dried and fragile. It was easy to break off. There was no need for the crowbar anymore, so I instantly tossed it aside. I took down each piece of the wooden window, laying them aside. After I decided to hide them behind some other random junk in the corner of the room in boxes. Then I returned to the window and attempt to push my body through. Luckily, my head went through easily, followed by the shoulders and waist. Except for my hips. By the time I was half way through, my hips were stopping me from exiting. I tried to pull myself out but I couldn't. Neither could I pull myself back in.

I felt disappointed and wanted to give up. I also wanted to cry for help but that would give away my plan. Had I still had the intention of fleeing from the palace. I sighed in distress and hung my body down. My hands were let loose and my braids were swaying through the cool night's wind. I was relaxed, while letting go of all my life's worries. Until I felt myself slipping over the concrete wall and falling through mid air. I was frightened and then I started to scream. My heart was rising now for sure as it seemed to be my ending. I closed my eyes as I approached my fate . I could feel myself floating down with my body waiting carrying me faster. Then there was it, a moment of silence, truth. I layed in thin air awaiting the slam of a lifetime. But instead there was a loud splash.

"Phew! What a relief!" I was lucky enough to fall into a pool of mud. Now this made me recount how many times I have siked death in row since the year. Anyways I got up being thankful and brushed the mud off of me. My bag was a mess, everything in my bag was a mess, and I was even a bigger mess. I got angry by this as not only am I a mess but my journal with all my investigation got soiled. I tried wiping it off, but the pages were becoming soft and I didn't want to make it worse so I placed it back inside my bag. Moving on, I continued walking down the steep little hill that leads away from the palace. I walked for ages and ages until I reached the foot of the hill. There was an intersection between the roads. One path lead to the town and the other lad to the forest of fate. I don't know why, but I had the strongest urge to go into the forest of fate rather than the town itself. Maybe it was because I have always heard so many great stories of the forest or maybe I was just curious to go inside. However I turned over to the right and started walking towards the path leading to the forest. As I entered the bushy aisle, I felt an overwhelming feeling overpowering me. I never knew if it was bad or good but I ignored it and continued walking. Inside the forest was dark, it was covered in trees, in bushes, and with weird looking plants and abnormal looking animals. I couldn't identify most of the plants in there as they looked almost magical to be real. Not only were they pretty. They had dark colours, with black, and grey tones. As for the animals they seemed pretty much normal to me, of course there were tons of Silver foxes roaming around and some curled up into a ball fast asleep. They looked as adorable as ever with their cute features and sleepy faces. Apart from Zorro's favourite animal the Silver fox, there were bats, owls, and moths. They lurked the forest and some were in disguise.

I walked for minutes, observing the treacherous sight. Suddenly there was a loud rumble, it came from my stomach. Now I was hungry and had nothing to eat. The snacks that I drank were messed up because of the mud but I still had a bottle of grape juice left. I only needed something to eat. I dropped my bag behind me and started skimming the entire forest in search of fruits to eat. After All it's a foret so there must be some kind of vegetation here to eat. I walked through a path of plants that looked like a grape vineyard. I was elated at last. Even my stomach was celebrating this discovery. I stooped over closer to the sweet smell of the grapes. They were ripped, fat and juicy. I picked several grapes and packed them into the hem of my blouson peach dress. I walked over near an oak tree, where I sat down to eat my grapes and drink my juice. It was also the exact same place where I planned to stay. I grabbed the grapes two by two and threw them into my mouth. I was devouring the fruits like I have never seen fruits before.

The rage of hunger made me unaware of the fact that I was disturbing the creatures of the forest. I looked around me only to see that a flock of bats were surrounding me. "Aghhhh!" I yelled, throwing the grapes and my juice to the ground. I got up quickly just after grabbing my knapsack. I headed in the other direction and started running for my lives. I screamed for dear life but the vegetation of the forest was too thick for me to be heard. However I continued running and screaming away from the bats that kept following me. I was wondering why they got disturbed, but remembered that I threw all of my grape seeds recklessly in the air. I ran as fast as I could but they were fast flyers. I couldn't manage to run out of sight and I was getting exhausted from running. I looked back one last time only to see the bats approaching closer to me, flying almost inches away. Now for sure, I knew this must have been my ending. But maybe, perhaps it wasn't so after all. Like always, something is always there to my rescue. This time it was a thick white fog. Well I didn't really care if I would get lost and couldn't find my way out through the fog. As long as I am away from the bats, I was happy. My plan worked perfectly as expected since bats have sensitive vision and wont see through the fog. I was silly enough for thinking that it was the only reason. Though I was happy that I wasn't chased by bats anymore, I still felt uneasy. Something never sat well with me about what happened. I recall turning back to look at the bats as I cut through the fog . I remembered seeing a terrifying look on the bats faces as they immediately turned around. Then it hit me, bats are quite clever and if they couldnt see through the fog, they would have used their earring abilities to find me. This never only meant something dangerous is coming my way but it surely meant something mysterious.

There I stood alone in the darkness, surrounded by thick white fog. The fog started to become bright and shiny for some reason. I found it strange at first but after a while, I thought nothing much of it. Suddenly, there was a soft growling. It wasn't loud nor did it sound scary. It sounded like it was coming from far away. Then the growling grew closer and closer to me with loud echoes. I was getting even more scared of what holds around me. I started to panic with my eyes wondering and my body in a fighting stance. Though I was scared, I was prepared to fight whatsoever was after me. Then there was a sudden stillness as the growing stopped. It was just too quiet for anything to be normal. I suspected that whatsoever that wanted to hurt me was somewhere nearby. With my knees turned in and my fists shaking I looked keenly for the monster who awaits.

"Grrrr!" I was frightened by the loud roar as it was just right behind me. I began to tremble like a leaf and sweating like a pig. My heart was beating like Congo drums whilst tears started to roll down my face. I turned around only to see a huge shadow of a horrifying monster still with riased claws over me. I stood still in shock as my heart stopped beating. "Grrrr!" The creature roared again. This time, it flew out for beneath its hiding place. Horror made me step back a bit but there was a shower of relief over me, when I realized that it was only a baby Silver fox. "Phew", I sighed.

The baby looking fox came running along towards me. I stooped down closer to the fox, petting it's head. It seemed to love cuddles and was calm around me. But I wondered why it had to give me the shock of a life time if it was actually so sweet. Anyhow I picked up the baby fox into my arms and continued to cuddle it. Then there was a whisper in my ears. "Thyra, Thyra help me!" Now I became more questioned of what I heard. Then I remembered that I had heard this voice somewhere before but, I wasn't sure it was what I think it was. Curiously, I asked " Who's there? " what ever it was, it didn't answer my question. Then a strong wind gusted against me. I could feel the horror making me cold. So I grabbed the baby Silver fox pulling it in closer to me. With my trembling weak hands, I caressed the poor fox making it whine. Perhaps it was whining not because I squeezed its cheeks but, because it was just as scared as I am from the voice calling out beaneath the shadows of the thick fog. Then the voice spoke again, "Thyra!". I was curious of why it kept calling out to me and insisted for it to tell me who it was. In frustration, I asked keenly, " For the last time who are you? And why are you scaring me?" But I heard no answer. I hissed my teeth as the stillness continued. Then, I heard a twig breaking. Suddenly, there was a tight grip unto my hair. My eyes teared wide open as I was frightened. I turned around slowly to witness my ending for sure. I looked up to see a thick black smoke, that was too opaque to see through. There was also a hand, a muscular view hand that was holding onto my hair. This hand wasn't one that was strange but one that I was very familiar with. Then it's eyes appeared. These eyes were one of a despicable being. My eyes were widen at what floated before me. I wanted to say something or ask what are you? But I was dumb to shockness. Or maybe it was best to not say anything.

Then it spoked, " I am the mysterious one Thyra! I think you should know!" Before grabbing my hair tighter and pulling me through its smoke. I screamed, "Aghhhh!" Still I was left out of sight.