Chapter 16

Alex had given up on her attempt to get help. Her screams only led to her biting her cheek. She attempted to claw and scratch Koa but the guy was strong. He held her legs tight and her scratching and hitting didn't seem to have any effect. As a final desperate attempt to get free Alex dropped the green book. Instead of getting Koa to stop, some strangely dressed old guy on a bright yellow scooter picked up the book.

So now she put all her energy into holding her head still to prevent further injury. She felt like a sack of potatoes. 'At least I went with the dress pants instead of the skirt,' Alex thought. She had concluded that the old guy on the scooter was helping Koa since he continued to follow them.

At some point the road changed to gravel, then to dirt and finally forest floor. The yellow scooter had stopped following them around the time Alex was smacked in the face by a tree branch. Shortly after this Alex was dropped onto her butt.

"What the hell?" She complained as she climbed to her feet while rubbing her tender behind.

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing?" Alex turned and glared at Koa. Koa, for his part, paid little attention to Alex. Instead, his attention seemed to be focused on some ruins.

"Wait, why are we at the Old Mill?" Alex mumbled to herself. She watched Koa with curiosity as he approached the ruins with caution. 'What is this guy doing?' She thought to herself. It wasn't until she heard the sound of something coming toward her that she remembered her situation.

"Help! Help me! I've been kidnapped! " Alex turned toward the sound and yelled at the top of her lungs. Sure, they were in the woods. Yes, there was wildlife. However, any wildlife that heard her would be more inclined to run away. Therefore, it was better to yell at what might be a bear then to stay quiet and lose a chance to get help.

"Please come save me!" Alex continued to yell until the oddly dressed man who as riding the scooter broke through the clearing.

"Huff, huff... that was... a lot... of... running..." The older man leaned up against the nearest tree trying to catch his breath. Alex froze for only a second before running at the older man.

"Sorry!" She yelled as she plowed into the man, grabbing the book from his hands. She then took off into the woods as fast as she could.

When she thought about this moment afterword, she really had no reason to grab the book. In fact, if she had not grabbed the book she might have even gotten away, or so she thought. However, in that moment Alex wasn't really thinking. So she took off with the book into the woods that were made unfamiliar in the darkness.

Shortly after starting out, Alex came to a stop and listened. Nothing. No running feet, not crunching branches and leaves, nothing. 'Did they not follow me?' Alex let out a sigh as her body relaxed.

"That was a waste of energy." Alex froze. 'No way, it's not possible.' Alex looked up in the tree and saw two bright green eyes.

Koa jumped down in front of her. Anger was showing clearly on his face.

"Give me the book and the stone." He held his hand out waiting for her.

"No." Again her stubbornness took over and she held the book tightly to her chest.

"I don't have time for your games. Give them to me and you can go."

"I don't believe you." Alex responded.

Koa was about to say something when they were interrupted by voices. "Someone saw them run this way!"

Without hesitation Koa threw Alex over his shoulder and took off. "W-whieeee aarrre youuu doinggg thissss." Alex tried to question Koa as she bounced roughly against his back.

In no time at all Koa had returned to the Old Mill. This time he didn't stop running until he was in the centre.

"Adamend, are you ready?" Koa called out as he reached the centre.

Adamend appeared to be the name of the old man. He was placing crystals in a circle in the centre of the ruins.

"We are ready. Are we taking the girl? " Alex heard the old man speaking to Koa but since she was still playing the part of a potato sack, she couldn't actually see anything.

"It's easier."

Moments after Koa's response a strange light surrounded them. It swirled around Koa's feet in a kind of green-blue colour. Suddenly everything became really bright and Alex closed her eyes.