A Light In The Dark (slow Updates)

Prologue

She jumped into the ice cold water and began swimming, leaving the green shore lake far behind her. Reaching the other side, she dragged herself onto dry land and whirled around, peering through the inky darkness at the flickering beam of light produced by a kerosene lamp which swung back and forth illuminating the small bushes and reeds which grew in random patches on the opposite bank.

She ran a hand through her bound hair and suddenly noticed the absence of her favourite cap. Spying it on the ground a feet away from her, she bent down to pick it up when she suddenly heard the distinct crack of a branch that disturbed the silence broken by the lapping of gentle waves along the shore. She whirled around, leaving her cap and began making her way through the trees bordering the vast lake, rippling and glistening with the light from the man on the moon.

Wayward branches caught at her drenched clothing, splattered with wet mud and dirt. She picked her way slowly through the fallen leaves and rubble, her clothes heavily weighing her down. Snagging her hair-tie, the boughs dragged it off her head but paying it no heed, she continued onward. The sudden sounds of leaves rustling and branches cracking sent a streak of awareness through her spine and she quickened her pace towards her destination.

Reaching the edge of the trees, she paused for a minute to gauge the scene in front of her. A treeless field bathed in silvery moonlight separated her from the next batch of trees. Keeping her eyes open for anything unexpected, she made a break for it, racing across the field as though the Hellhounds of Hades were nipping at her heels.

The man on the moon smiled wide, his light illuminating a mop of dark hair atop the runner's head and the brief outline of a lean figure beneath clothes a few sizes too large. A wind blew caressing the short locks like a mother's hand as she crossed the ashy green field and disappeared into the trees.

As she ran through the dense trees, she suddenly noticed a ray of incandescent light seeping through the tangle of branches and leaves towards her left. Her goal flashed in her mind and she quickly made her way through the thicket towards the light which seemed more luminous by the second. The sound of footfalls broke the silence and she ran faster. The image of a stone cottage lit up from inside by crackling flames in the fireplace kept her moving.

All of a sudden, the ground shook, the leaves rustled and a strong gale blew through the trees, shaking them to the tips of their roots. A split second later, the light flickered and exploded, engulfing everything it ignited. Protecting her eyes from the bright aureate light, she crammed her eyes shut and screamed at the sudden feeling of being pierced by a thousand needles at once.

"Elizabeth! Lass, you'd bet-!" A grunt cut off the voice.

The strident voice shouting her name pierced through her pain clouded mind. Fear raced through her blood and she wrapped her and around herself and dropped to the ground, knocking her head on a hard raised surface and curled into a ball. Then silence. She tried to scream, to shout back in answer, but she heard nothing. Only silence.

Silence and darkness, garnished with the foul odour of death...

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