Lone Survivor

Nightmares

“Mommy mommy! Tell me the story of Castella again!” A small girl beamed, jumping up and down excitedly as she was getting ready for bed, having changed into some comfortable cotton pajamas, teeth freshly brushed and hair combed. The room was small, decorated with stuffed teddy bears and small knick knacks. Sitting against the back of the room, tucked into the left corner, was a small bed, with green and brown thick blankets neatly made. Two freshly fluffed pillows sat against the frame of the bed, looking soft and comfortable to lay on.

“Well alright. Lay down and get comfortable for me, alright Savannah?” The mother, who had a soft spoken tone asked gently, trying to calm down her excited daughter as she bounced around the room happily. After getting Savannah calmed down and tucked into bed, the woman smiled gently, taking a seat on the edge of the bed beside her daughter. This woman had long dark green and brown dreads that reached the middle of her back, and she was at least six feet in height. Her skin tone was a light tan color, but from the loose silk gowns she wore her body was hidden away for the most part.

“Once upon a time, long, long ago, our tribe was nothing more than a small pack of humans, who hunted, trained, and farmed daily to sustain themselves. They lived in the brute desert, where the sand whipped their skin and the heat beat down on them every day. At night, temperatures so cold would emerge that tribesmen could see their sweat frost over. It was a torturous time for them to withstand. And with the drought, not much game and crops came in.” She took a moment to pause, looking to her daughter who had already untucked herself from the bed to sit up in awe and excitement of the story being told, her eyes having sparkled as she became more engrossed with the story.

“Until of course, one day, while they were out hunting, they came across a woman. A woman so beautiful, with luscious green locks, and dark tan skin. A woman so beautiful that all the men were charmed by her. She didn't even need to speak, as they were already rushing to aid her, to help her to her feet. Hunters wasted their own rations to save and protect her, before carrying her back to the village. When they arrived back at town, they brought her to the nursing shack, applying herbs to her wounds and getting her cleaned up. After tending to her wounds they left her to sleep, having to get back to work.” She smiled and chuckled softly as her daughter started bouncing in the bed, unable to contain herself.

“What happened next momma! Come on please tell me! Please please please!!!” Savannah begged desperately, not wanting to wait another night to hear the best part.

The mother chuckled softly and rolled her eyes gently. “Alright alright, I’ll continue.” She mused, before clearing her throat and running a gentle hand through her daughter's soft green locks.

“When the next morning arrived, the strange woman was gone, completely. Not a trace of her was found. They knew they were not hallucinating, because so many people saw and helped her when they found her. So they talked with the elder of the town, and then set off to go search. On their way out, however, a large explosion was heard inside the village, and everyone rushed to see what it was. Sand got sent flying everywhere, winds whipped up so harshly that it cut skin, and a storm was appearing. Yes, for the first time in all their lives, a storm had begun, as green lightning and heavy rain stormed down inside the desert town. It sounded like sandbags hitting the ground from how intense the rain was pounding into the earth, and the lightning boomed fiercely overhead, copying the sounds of two cymbals crashing together. Everyone was frightened, until they saw the woman emerge, the woman they saved from near death. She looked even more beautiful in the stormy weather, her beauty captivating everyone with her stern face, and tall elegance.”

Taking a small exhale, the mother sighs and smiles at her daughter, who had passed out, sleeping peacefully. She took a moment to tuck Savannah back into bed, before getting up and stretching tiredly with a yawn. “‘I am Castella, the woman you saved. I am the Goddess of Sphinx’s, glory to the soldiers who worship me.’ The mother finished the story with the line that started everything, before nodding her head and exiting the room, being tired and needing to rest as well. She stretched and yawned as she left her daughter alone to sleep.