CHASE

Chapter 32

PRESENT

     Stealthily, in the secrecy of the night, she leans against the windowsill. She feels the icy breeze gently rubbing her clear skin. Her eyelids droop and she inhales unhurriedly. She looks once more at the ground below her. With a feline impulse, she holds on to the branches of an old oak tree. The fog and darkness unite, blinding the entire path that was previously available. Around, dense trees appear that cover the skies. She hears her own heart beating. Anxiety floods her lungs. Desperate, she digs her nails into the peripheral layer of the trunk. Her own fluid is pumped out to dye her fingers. The trailing moonlight whispers to her through the tall branches. The clatter produced by the snapping of a dry branch echoed, startled her. A few meters away was a figure. A stranger of admirable stature. It was tall and wide. It symbolized strength and brutality. Around his face, golden hair fluttered like his beard. It seemed to her that this creature was snarling at her. She thus focused on the monstrous hands. Slender fingers and claws, sweepingly effective. In one leap, he seized her. He blocked her. As much as she tried to run away, nothing moved. She watched those red murderous eyes. Consciousness sank into a trance. She wanted to scream. However, the vocal cords were cornered by silence. The predator reveled in ostentatious growls displaying an unerring pair of fangs. He bent the victim and lacerated her neck.

     For the last eight years, this nightmare had taken care of all Eva's sleep. By habit, she no longer woke up with fears. However, she was looking for specialists who could explain to her the reason for this repeated nightmare. Or else, find a solution that would put an end to it. Although, she still hadn't figured out what could help her, she had hope. She wasn't willing to give up. Even though she was sure it was just a set of surreal images, she consulted the mirror every morning. Her hair remained the color of fire, her eyes green, her skin pale and youthful, flecked with freckles. Thin and healthy structure. And, above all, the neck intact.

     Eva has always had a rebellious soul. She often ran away from home. At sixteen she was abandoned by her parents. She had a little routine of seeking out the nightly comfort of the nearby forest spirit. The night that she was seriously injured in the middle of the trees after another escape, she was hospitalized for a few months. Since that day she has never contacted any relatives. Feeling too controlled by strangers during her teenage years, she organized a new plan to escape. She lived a month on the streets. However, she does not know the person in charge who released her from this environment. She never knew who handed her the black briefcase. She had fallen asleep at the train station and in the morning she came across that weird rectangular leather briefcase. Occupied with documents bearing her name and resources that allowed her to progress. She looked around, looked for signs of the presence of an individual. She didn't get any results. She sensed that in addition to being persecuted, they insisted on controlling her. Therefore, she created a false identity and walked away from her past. She got used to a nomadic life with simple rules. Her limit: not staying more than two months in the same residency.

     "Happy birthday to me."  She rolled her eyes at her reflection.  "Twenty-four years, huh?"

     After breakfast she packed her belongings in her backpack before heading out. It was yet another room she abandoned. She had been assiduously frequenting the libraries in the region. She was about to get the right coordinates of an ancient civilization. She had directions to an unpopulated place behind the five mountains. She wasn't afraid of what she might come across. Of course, she trained enough to defend herself. That's how she learned to grow up. Through the fight. She spent the entire afternoon buried in a pile of books. As the sun set, she settled herself on one of the park benches in the city park. She stayed there for a few hours. The sky was still a little dark as she headed to the public bathhouses to freshen up. At dawn, she scribbled on a sheet of paper. She gathered what she would need and stopped at the nearest stop. She climbed in as soon as the driver opened the bus doors. To distract herself, in the following long hours of travel, she pulled out her book of urban legends. After some weariness, she leaned her head back, leaning outwards. She reflected on the lingering nightmare. There was a purpose. A symbology. How could anyone dream the same dream for years?

     After three days of an extensive itinerary, she arrived at the village of the Five Mountains. Eva kept the general information. This place was also given a second title: "The Portal of the Mountains". Because access was facilitated here for those who, curiously, wanted to explore the mountainous terrain. With a total area of ​​ 1.77 mi² meters and a number below 1500 inhabitants.

     "Very good! The answer is close by."  She whispered to herself.

     Adjusted her backpack once more and continued with cautious steps. She spotted the cylindrical, granite-clad houses. The main streets were paved with gravel. She was reaching the territory and found that it did not cause any alarm. The peasants did not interrupt her tasks. They paid no attention to passersby.

     "Hello, I'm looking for..."  Eva wasn't heard.

     However, she persisted with those who took the same direction. She ended up concluding that they didn't understand her. However, these difficulties would be overcome. A young boy of about ten years old, who was scribbling on the floor with a stick he had found, was peering at her discreetly. Her uncle could help her, he was one of the few interpreters who lived there. So, he thought of a strategy so that she would follow him. What he intended to do was not the right idea, yet he intended to risk it. He examined the objects she owned and focused on the most exposed one in the back pocket of her pants. A small basic wallet. He walked, surreptitiously, calmly. When he reached the target he acted, brusquely. Pulling her wallet, he pushed her and started to run. He heard her scream and smiled in satisfaction because she took the bait and chased after him. For seconds he worried because in a few moments he was almost caught. What did not happen. For a tall, skinny stature, his long legs were a big advantage to get a good head start on the race. After a few run meters he went to break down the door of his uncle's house where, inside, he let himself fall gasping. Startled, the owner of the house rushed towards the entrance. The three looked at each other. Before Eva uttered a word, this one, she overheard the adult's discussion with the child. She didn't understand them, but she understood that there was a misunderstanding.

     "I'm sorry..."  As much as they didn't understand each other, she dared to express it causing the man to raise his head.

     "I can see why all this happened."  Eva was surprised that he answered in the same language.  "I ask you to forgive me. This boy is my nephew, Yure."  He pointed with a stern look.  "He meant to help you and he set up this whole show."  He returned the wallet.  "My name is Mergh."  He introduced himself.  "I'm an interpreter."

     "Eva."  She extended her hand to greet him.