ORPHEUS

Chapter 1

It was a cold, moonless night. The stars were bright and twinkling. The wind was blowing wildly, stinging her delicate skin with its bite. The forest was alive with the whispers of the breeze, the leaves on branches rustling noisily and the little night critters scampering about in the darkness.
There she stood, a woman on a journey, her raven hair blowing wildly in the wind, leaning against the crumbling pile of stones that was the village boundry. Staring back at her old home, Katherine felt exhilarated. She was going to do it, nothing could stop her now. She was going to escape. She could not stay in this village any longer. She couldn't stand the pity and unwanted sympathy anymore, neither could she stand the hate and resentful comments. She had to get away from the dreary atmosphere and the suffocating environment.
And so with determination and a will of iron, Katherine started climbing over the four-foot wall that looked like it was going to tumble right on top of her. But with a brave heart she marched on. It was a rather tedious job, she did not have much upper-body strength and she found it a bit difficult heaving herself across the wobbly stones of the wall. It did not help that she was wearing a dress topped with a rather heavy cloak to protect her from the chill.
As she land on the ground, rather ungraciously, she felt it. Freedom. As well as the ache on her behind from the fall. She also hoped her cloak hadn't gotten too dirty or torn from the harsh landing. Finally she was free from that boring old village, with its boring people and boring everyday chores. She had escaped and she had never felt so excited all her life. This would be the adventure she had always longed for, her need to explore would finally be sated. After Katherine made sure that she still had her pouch on her, she took off in the darkness, strutting into the forest with courage and confidence she did not know she had. Leaving behind her home and all she ever knew for a chance at something better.
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This was a bad idea thought Katherine, as she ran through the thick forest, stumbling occasionally. She heard another twig snapping behind her, along with the rustling of leaves and howling of the wind. I'm going to die tonight. Was all she could think. She thoroughly regretted leaving the village, or atleast leaving at this time of day, or more accurately this time of night. She just thought it would be easier to slip away. She realised that she wasn't as courageous as she thought herself to be. She didn't even want to know what was chasing her, she just started running as she heard twigs snapping behind her, a while after she lost track of the trail that lead to the next village.

She knew she should have not used the shorter route, it was known to be more dangerous than the actual road, but Katherine being Katherine just had to go and do the most stupid and impulsive things known to man. She panicked, heart racing. Even though she had been constantly warned. Maybe that was actually pushed her to do what she did.
"Well its too late now- eek" she screeched as her foot stuck to one of the roots. She tripped and found herself sliding down a slope she certainly hadn't noticed. She felt the mud travel up calves, and the occasional tree branch swatting her, until she landed harshly on the bottom. Katherine felt light headed, dizzy. She gave herself a moment to restore her senses. She looked back up the slope in haste, making sure she that whatever that was following her didn't follow her down. She thought the coast clear and just as she turned around, she lost her breath.
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