Synthetic Magic

Home sweet home

I latched onto the tree near my window breathing heavily for a moment. I made my way down the tree slowly before running as far away from my house as I could.

The graceful marble homes of the elite eventually giving way to the simpler wooden houses of the lower class.

I sat on the ground heavily before falling deep into thought. I could live in the forest foraging for nuts and berries once I run out of money for food or should I live in the forest first and lay low in case my parents are looking for me?

A small part of me wished they would look for me. "Maybe if they thought they lost me they would miss me and daddy and mommy would love me again." I thought to myself.

I decided to head to the forest first. After walking for two hours I finally made it to the edge of the forest my little legs aching from the exercise.

"Hey, girly isn't it a little bit past your bedtime." A voice rasped behind me.

I whirled around to see a man with matted brown hair and a sinister yellow toothed smile looking down at me. I opened my mouth to scream just as one of his filthy hands shot out to cover my mouth and the other grabbed my waist holding me tight against his chest.

I struggled as he dragged me into the forest fear causing my heart to pound in my chest.

"Been a long time since a little girl like you wandered my way" he whispered in my ear spittle from his lips landing on my cheek he chuckled as I flinched pulling me deeper and deeper into the forest.

After a few minutes I realized struggling was useless he was too big and I was small. I was powerless.

Suddenly he thrust me to the ground causing me to cry out in pain.

"You can scream if you want now no one's going to hear you out here" he grinned down at me.

I began to scramble backward trying to put as much distance as I could between me and the evil man before me.

"Help!" I screamed as he lept towards me.

I closed my eyes waiting for his heavy disgusting body to land on top of mine. But the pressure never came.

I opened my eyes slowly seeing only the darkness of the night before me. Suddenly a loud crack sounded behind me causing me to frantically scramble to my feet and quickly turn around.

My eyes widened at seeing not my attacker's horrible face but a woman in a deep blue cloak her face shrouded in darkness and my attacker lying unmoving at her feet blood trickling down his temple.

"What is your name child," the mysterious woman asked her voice steady and smooth. I hesitated for a moment before responding

"B-Bella Nordin."

I didn't want to be Seraphina Beladin anymore weak and unwanted I wanted to be someone new.

"Well Bella Nordin lets get you cleaned up and out of this cold it's quite chilly tonight" She spoke before turning and walking deeper into the woods.

Grabbing my satchel from the ground I quickly followed after my protector.

"So Bella Nordin how old are you?" she questioned looking forward her face still shrouded in darkness.

"Ten" I responded "It's my birthday today. " I inform her. 

"Not a great way to spend a birthday" the woman stated blandly.

We were silent for the rest of the walk the crunch of the autumn leaves under our feet the only sound interrupting the serenity of the night.

After nearly an hour I was exhausted and beginning to wonder if this woman had only saved me from that awful man to kill me herself bringing me even farther into the forest so no one could find my body.