A Dreamer Caught In The Crossfire

Chapter 4

Jasmine had long given up on retracing her steps. Now she was just desperate to get somewhere safe. She had been walking for hours with Tabitha riding in the pocket of her torn cardigan. The drop in temperature and the occasional loud animal sound had done nothing to make her long walk easier.

The last time she had felt this alone was on the day of her grandmother's funeral. Her mother had locked her in the house while she attended the service. It was as if her mother did not want the world to know that she had a child.

Jasmine stopped dead in her tracks. A creature, what looked like a woman, rose up from the grass before her. The creature was covered in green grass with a body of branches and twigs and a wild bush for hair. It wasn't its appearance that frightened her though, it was the cold, murderous look that danced around in its eyes. Jasmine visibly trembled, her eyes unable to look away from the creature's pit like ones. The creature moved to step forward but hesitated. It looked at Jasmine with wide eyes before quickly fleeing  to the ground which it came from. Jasmine let out a breath which she did not know she was holding.

"It's just another hallucination. You've been lost in the cold for days without food and water, you're bound to be seeing things you shouldn't" she murmured to herself as reassurance.

She shook her hands as if shaking off the panic in her and continued her walk. Unusual things like that had plagued her journey ever since she started moving further east. Things like little people hopping through the branches and rocks with eyes that followed her had become usual things to see. It still did not make it any less disturbing.

She walked onward, avoiding the area where the creature appeared out of caution. She was a good two miles away when she heard another person's footsteps approaching her. Jasmine stilled and attentively listened to the crunching sounds that echoed through the trees. She turned around slowly, expecting to find another predator waiting for her but instead was greeted with the kind face of an elderly woman. She let out a deep sigh of relief before carefully approaching the woman.

"Um, excuse me?"

The woman took full notice of her presence and looked at her.

"Oh my, you look like you have quite the story to tell."

"It's quite a long story. Listen, I'm very lost right now and if you could give me directions to the nearest town I would be very grateful!"

The woman grinned at her and Jasmine began to slightly regret approaching her. She walked closer, eyeing Tabitha who was sticking out of Jasmine's pocket. Jasmine took a wary step backwards, lightly shielding Tabitha with her hand.

"How about we make a deal?" said the woman, "I'll help you in exchange for the little critter in your pocket."

Jasmine looked down at Tabitha and back to the woman. If she gave Tabitha away she might just make it out alive, but if she'd have no Tabitha to keep her company. She had grown so used to having Tabitha around even though it had only been a day since she found her. Half-heartedly, she declined.

"I'm sorry but there is no way I'm just going to give this "critter" to you..."

Jasmine did not really know how she expected the lady to look. Disappointed, angry maybe but not happy. The old woman smiled at her again.

"Okay fine, I see you are quite fond of it. I'll tell you what, tell me and interesting story and I'll have you walking in the direction of the nearest town in no time."

Jasmine tapped her chin in thought. It was an odd request but it was not like she had any other choice.

"Deal. I tell you a story and you get me out of here."