The Fall of the World - 2 (standard:adventure, 435 words) [2/3] show all parts
Author: LadyofMistyFog	Added: Mar 31 2003	Views/Reads: 2709/2	Part vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Shadow begins her voyage into the dark world that is now her home.

Shadow's progress down the hill was a slow one, for she had to edge
around the tall skeletal remains of trees and dodge the scratchy 
branches.  A lone crow sat on one branch, watchin her with beady eyes.  
It gave a caw of protest when she came closer, finally taking flight 
into the sky.  The skeleton trees gave way to life as a forest began to 
edge in upon the decay.  Shadow strode confidently towards it, knowing 
in the dark woods, she would be safe. 

Once in  the woods, she headed east, away from the sun, towards a series
of caves that she knew were in mountains.  If there were any other 
survivors from her area, they would be there and perhaps she could find 
help. 

The going was rough, the ground uneven and overgrown, rebellious twigs
snatching hungrily at her clothes and hair.  With an amazing amount of 
patience, she ignored them, continuing on towards her goal.  Perhaps, 
she would make it by sundown, if not, she would have to travel by the 
light of the moon and all sorts of creatures came out then. 

As if to punctuate the point, something rustled in the underbrush to her
left.  Immediately, she stopped, her heart pounding and her mouth dry.  
Perhaps it was something friendly, but more than likely, it was not.  
She held her breath, knowing that it was already too late to try to 
pretend she wasn't there.  Nothing moved in the woods around her and 
her visitor, including them.  Finally, she could no longer hold her 
breath and she let it out slowly, praying that it wasn't too audible. 

The underbrush didn't move again and she wondered if perhaps, it had
only been a passing animal.  So, she started moving again, but the 
brush beside her began to move also and she halted.  She didn't have 
all the time in the world to play this game of stop and go so she 
strode over.  Grimacing and preparing for the worse, she pulled apart 
the tall grass.  A child of maybe seven, cowered in the plants, her 
face smudged with dirt and tears, her clothes little but rags. 

'Holy cow, you scared me.  Where's your family?' she asked but the
little girl didn't answer, just stared at her.  Then a smile lit her 
lips and she clapped her hands in delight.  For a moment, her dark blue 
eyes held Shadow's then slid over her shoulder.  All of a sudden, 
Shadow understood and turned to face whomever was behind her, but 
something caught her in the side of the head, and darkness enveloped 
her. 


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