Emma

Chapter Five

A/N: Reading over this chapter, I noticed a lot of parts that I could develop more into extra scenes that would add a bit of conflict in the story. That'll only happen in the second draft, though. ;) Don't let that put you off though. If you enjoyed this chapter, make sure to vote and comment! :)

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The day soon ended with Emma and Scarlett talking about several things in succession. Whether it was their serious predictions on why they were sent to the desert or whether it was informing one another of the latest news, they had something to talk about. Finally, at the point just before sunset Emma heard a crackling from behind her. Obviously there was a wall behind her but she predicted that it was coming from outside. The pair stepped out and the sound revealed itself to be a glowing fire.

Every villager was sat upon one of three logs arranged in a triangle around the blaze. As she sat down on the edge of one, Scarlett seated beside her, she watched Lorja get up and greet her. “Ah! It’s lovely to see you here, Scarlett and Anna,” he said cheerfully as he returned to his seat. Emma contemplated correcting him but then decided that it would be a waste of her time. As this was going on in her mind, the man took some raw scorpion out of a rather large snakeskin bag. An arrow was still embedded in its centre. She heard Scarlett squeal with disgust as the arrow was yanked out of its place, blood dripping out of the opening.

After Lorja placed it on a stick and held it over a fire, he announced, “I’m sure you’ve all noticed by now the new arrivals, Scarlett and Anna.” Lorja had yet again mispronounced her name. “Emma,” she muttered, becoming rather tired of the constant corrections.

“Ah yes, Emma and Scarlett. Would you like to tell us all why and how you have found us?”

“Well…” Scarlett started off, leaving Emma with a slightly wary look on her face. “I don’t know why we’re in the middle of this burning desert, but I do know that I found you all when I was just wandering around. It was completely at random; it just so happened that I found Emma, my best friend nearby.”

“And Emma, how did you find us?”

“Again, it was completely at random. Anyway, I had something to give to you but my bag was stolen so it’s gone. It was a letter and I found it within a cave, I think-”

“A cave?” Lorja repeated, looking interested. “What sort of cave?”

“It had lots of challenges in it. I hated it, but when I came to the end of the cave I found a letter addressed to you. I think it was from Bedra? I can’t remember the name.”

“Do you mean Bedru?” he asked anxiously. Emma nodded before noticing tears in the corner of his eyes. She wasn’t sure if they were of happiness or sadness but she soon found out as he spoke further.

“Bedru was my son. I had sent him off to look for his brother, Rebni because he hadn’t returned and-” Lorja then broke down into sobs, one between every couple of words that he managed to get out. “We were afraid that he was dead so we decided that Bedru was the best person to look for him. Is he…” A long pause followed until he managed to utter the final word. “…dead?”

“It – it said on the letter,” Emma mumbled. “Apparently he had been killed by wolves-”

“Wolves?” Lorja questioned, almost speaking to himself at this point. “Is that why Rebni was so eager to get into that cave?” He glanced at the villagers before turning his view back to Emma and a rather confused Scarlett. “Did you manage to kill the wolves?”

“I didn’t kill all of them, but I managed to end the life of one or two of them,” she replied, smiling slightly. The scorpion was now perfectly cooked but Lorja didn’t seem to notice; he was too busy grinning to himself.