Emerald (The Protector) - undergoing editing

Chapter 5

Sarah woke at first light to find Emerald already up. She rolled over, rubbing her eyes to try and help herself wake up. "What time is it?"

"About 5:30" came the whispered reply.

"Too early" Sarah groaned, pulling the covers over her head.

Emerald laughed, "C'mon sleepyhead, we still have a long way to go and the earlier we start the better."

Sarah mumbled something under her breath about the unfairness of it all, but she did pull herself out of the warm covers. She took a quick look out the window. "The dogs have gone, haven't they?"

Emerald nodded "They couldn't detect our scent so they have since moved on."

"But don't they have a really strong sense of smell?"

"Yes, but whilst we remain inside these walls they don't know we are here. The hut protects us."

"Can't they see the hut then?"

"No, they can't, the hut can only be seen when it is empty and only to those with good intentions."

"Gosh, I'm glad I didn't leave the hut last night then, I probably wouldn't have found it again."

"Oh, you would have, the hut would know that you had only left for a short period of time and it also knows that you are my friend, and I would still have been inside. You understand?"

Sarah outwardly nodded, but inwardly shook her head. It was all too confusing. God she missed her parents – she wondered how they were.

"Don't worry about your parents Sarah, they are perfectly fine."

"How did you know I was thinking about them?'

Suddenly Sarah heard Emerald's voice inside her head – I can still talk to you like this you know – might come in useful later on, and you can talk to me as well.

"Cool."

"Shall we eat?' Emerald asked pointing at where two plates of steaming hot pancakes waited for them.

"How did the pot know that was exactly what I was craving?"

"Told you it would reward you."

Sarah sighed "I just can't get my head around this - my brain is not processing - too much information."

She felt a hand squeeze her arm - "I know it is a lot for you to take in and, I have to say, you are taking it all remarkably well. Yesterday you had no idea that a doll your grandmother gave you was actually a real person, who came from a different world and has brought a whole of lot trouble with it. I'm really sorry."

Sarah looked at her new friends face and saw a hint of tears in the other girls eyes - immediately she drew her into a hug. "Oh Em, I can call you Em, Emerald is a lovely name, but it is such a mouthful, I am so sorry too. I know you, well actually I don't, but I do think that you didn't mean to drag me into all this, and, and I'll do all I can to help you, us get out of this situation, even though I'm really not sure what that is actually. Oh god, I'm rambling - I do that when I get a bit overwhelmed." She took a breath.

Emerald laughed and gave her shoulders a squeeze, "Of course you can call me Em - I would be honoured."

Sarah grinned - "Now, how about we eat before the pot decides it doesn't want to reward me and those pancakes disappear."