Between Cruel Crowns

Chapter 1: Gwen's Arrival

I woke up to a blinding light. I struggled to open my eyes. A car's headlights had awoken me. I found myself wet and shivering on the side of a backroad. What was I doing outside? What, from the bottom of my heart, The Fuck?

It seemed to be mid-morning. I felt the chill from the wind. There was a mist in the air, making my surroundings foggy. It was cloudy and lightly drizzling, but at least I was laying in wet grass and not mud. On one side of me was the street and on my other side, a few feet away, was a dense treeline.

Trembling, I sat up and examined myself. I was dressed in a ratty T-shirt and jeans. I didn't even have shoes, just socks. These weren't even the ratty pajamas and socks I went to sleep in. My whole body hurt like I was beaten and left for dead. The rain only served to exasperate the ache in my bones. It looked like I was thrown out and left on the side of the road by the ditch like garbage. The only sounds besides the occasional passing car were crickets and my labored breathing.

My last memory was going to sleep in my cozy bed at my apartment in college, so what was I doing on the side of the road and feeling like I got hit by a car? What was going on? I looked around to survey my surroundings. Nothing looked familiar and there wasn't a street sign either. Cars regularly passed on the road before me, but they were all indifferent to my plight. I checked my pockets for my phone or cards. They were empty. I didn't even have a crumpled receipt or lint. I felt panic well up within me. I stood up and spun around. I didn't even know what I was looking for. Did I sleepwalk? But these weren't the pajamas I remember wearing. Was I kidnapped and drugged? I went over every possibility in my mind.

I debated whether to wave down a car for a ride or to borrow their phone but decided against it. There were too many murderers and criminals in the world. I picked a direction at random and started to walk alongside the road, shivering and rubbing my arms to keep warm against the light rain. The road seemed endless and the trees on the side of me were especially menacing.

Suddenly, I heard rustling within the treeline ahead of me. I paused. What looked to be a jack-o-lantern hopped out. I blinked. Did someone attach deer antlers to a jackrabbit? Who would do something so cruel?

I continued my journey. After a while, I saw the glow of a gas station sign. Maybe I could call someone from there. I quickened my pace in hope.

When I entered the warmth of the gas station, I felt my body visibly relax. The smell of stale coffee welcomed me. It was deserted except for a tired-looking attendant. She had a name tag. On it, was the name Tracy. Seeing me approach, her dull expression of disinterest turned into slight concern as her eyes widened and her eyebrows drew together. I must have looked rough. Tracy spoke softly with a tinge of worry, "What's your name, sweetheart?"

In as stable voice as I could manage, I answered, "Gwendolyn. Excuse me, I'm a bit confused right now. Where are we?"

The corners of her mouth turned downwards. "This is the Fuel Mile gas station. We're in the town of Rubick, province of Sunry."

Her answer didn't make sense. Maybe we were in a town called Robick, but provinces? Sunry? Confusion clouded my thoughts as I tried to reconcile this information with what I knew of my own country, composed only of states. Was this a joke? I waited for her to laugh, but she appeared to be serious. Maybe she had mental issues. I let it go.

"Can you please call someone for me?"

She nodded and picked up an old corded phone beside the cash register. "Sure, what's the number?"

I gave her my mother's number. She dialed the number and handed me the phone. It didn't even ring before a robotic voice said the number was not in service. I furrowed my eyebrows. Maybe the cashier typed in the numbers wrong. I asked her to redial, repeating the number. There was the same message. Screw these shitty phone companies.