Twisted Fate

Chapter One: Viridi Domina

Viridi Domina means Green Woman in Latin

I ran as fast as I could, tripping over twigs, my shirt catching on low branches. I don't know what was chasing after me but I knew one thing: I wasn't going to stick around to find out. My chest was burning as I ran and my breath was ragged and uneven. What if I'm not fast enough? I thought. What if I don't make it out?! As these thoughts filled my mind, my legs started to slow down. I wanted to stop so badly. My chest was on fire now and every time I looked down, I felt like I was slowly falling forward. I was about to slow down and jog the rest of the way but then I heard a growl and my legs were working overtime at this point. Up ahead I saw cobweb and I ran straight through it.

As I was spitting cobweb out of my mouth, I saw light up ahead. I put in a last burst of speed as I came closer and closer to the exit. Behind me I heard growling and hissing but didn't look back. I just focused on the light and how much I wanted to escape from this forest. I emerged from the forest and didn't stop running until I reached the board house that was used as an orphanage. I looked over my shoulder to see if whatever was chasing me had followed me out of the forest. I collapsed on the floor, relieved that the only thing I saw was the entrance to the forest. As I was catching my breath I heard someone walking up to me, stomping as they made their way to me. I turned around and I immediately decided that it probably would be better to get eaten by whatever was chasing me instead of getting yelled at by . . . her.

"Where the Hell have you been?!" Margary grabbed my wrist and yanked me to my feet.

Margary was tall, lean woman. She had gray hair pulled back in a bun at the base of her neck. She had beady, little black eyes that glinted. She wore a black dress that had long sleeves, a high neck and went down to her knees. She looked sick since the time I first came here, her skin tinted green and large bags under her eyes. People who knew Margary said she was nice once upon a time but I don't believe that.

"I was . . .," I hesitated trying to come up with a lie but in the end, I decided to tell the truth, Margary would probably be mad either way. " in the forest and ---"

"Did we not tell you to never enter the forest?!" her grip around my wrist tightened. "Wait until Maria hears about this!"

She started to drag me and then we heard a voice which, once again, made me want to run back into the forest and get eaten by whatever was chasing me.

"Tell me about what?" Maria rounded the corner and stared at us with a perplexed look on her face.

Maria was very different from Margary in many ways. She had luscious honey blond hair that fell in ringlets down to her back. She wore a white dress decorated with multicolored flowers, mostly blue that matched the color of her sky blue eyes. Around her shoulders she wore a thin, white shawl. Nobody would ever make the connection that Margary was Maria's mother.

"Ah, Maria! You're just in time!" Margary's smile looked like a skeleton's grin. "Wait until you hear where," ---she pulled me in front of her--- "this on has been."

Maria looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "Dalya, where did you go?" She looked at me expectantly and I instantly felt bad.

"I was in the forest," I muttered the last part.

"Speak up!" Margary spat.

I remained quiet for a moment before repeating. "I said I was in the FOREST!" I said the last part louder this time.

Maria sighed before turning and giving Margary a smile. "I'll take care of this, Margary," Maria came over and placed both hand on my shoulders. "I'll make sure her punishment is fair and just." She said as she led me away.