8

she were forced to stay out on the road, it would be safer for her, so she decided to take the long way round, making her way towards the coast. After she had made several turns she found herself in front of the town again. It wasn't very large; just a few blocks, a couple of small houses, some shops, and several inns. From time to time someone would come out of one of the shops, but nobody seemed particularly interested in her, although she noticed that most of the men who emerged from the tavern appeared rather drunk and that they looked rather suspicious. She was grateful that nobody seemed to recognise her, although she really wished there were some decent clothes that she could wear, because she wouldn't look good in her ragged clothes.

As she wandered aimlessly around the town, she suddenly stopped dead in her tracks. The streets were completely empty, and the people who had usually populated them had long ago gone to bed. She sighed, closing her eyes in disappointment as she turned her face upwards, looking towards the sky as if expecting it to somehow give her an answer to why everything had suddenly changed so dramatically, as though the moon had decided to grant her wish. It didn't do her any favours though. She knew that she couldn't spend the night outside, and it didn't really matter whether she found shelter somewhere inside the village or outside. She couldn't sleep while knowing that her parents and siblings may be lying out there in the woods, unprotected. And as she had learned early in her life when she got older, if she couldn't sleep, she wouldn't be able to do anything about the nightmares that haunted her.

After a moment, she reluctantly made her way to a shop and sat down on one of the wooden benches, placing the backpack beside her. She sighed again, staring blankly in front of her, her hands clenching and unclenching on the edge of the bench, her fingers trembling slightly. She closed her eyes as she took in several deep breaths, trying desperately to control the urge to cry. She hadn't cried once for the past two days, but she was sure that she wouldn't be able to hold back her tears if she had to spend the entire night outside. Not tonight.

Not today.

***

Another day, another unsuccessful search.

The sun had already risen by now. Or rather, a bright and sunny morning. There was a slight breeze blowing across the open fields. The birds were singing happily. The smell of fresh grass and fresh flowers filled the air and the birds sang their hearts out. Everything seemed so peaceful. But as they slowly walked towards the next spot they had searched for a second time, the feeling slowly became unbearable. A terrible sensation, that caused their hearts to fill with sorrow and despair.

"It's not fair…," she uttered with a weak, tired voice.

"I know," he answered simply, his voice sounding like it came out of nowhere.

That's right, he was here again.

And she wanted nothing more than to tell him that she understood and that it was alright, that she didn't mind the pain, even when the pain was killing her inside. But she didn't dare to speak again. Instead, she just nodded her head and continued walking towards the next location of the search.