Deep Secrets

Chapter 1

Pain. All I could feel was pain. My bones feeling as if they were welded together with cement. Streaks of agony running in my veins. Glued together, I managed to pry my eyelids open. The shock of bright light burnt my eyes and I flinched. Daring again to open them, I slowly took in my surroundings. Early dawn sunlight streaming through trees as I lay on what seemed a forest floor. I felt for my hands but got nothing. Nor could I feel my feet. The movement shocked more pain into my system awaking my body. My muscles slowly shifted though immensely aching. I wiggled my toes and fingers counting all 20 of them to be there and intact. I breathed a sigh of relief. I suddenly realised I had no idea. No idea where I was. Who I was. I struggled to recall. When two things hit me causing me to fall back down again in surprise. My name. Thalia. I knew that. And I was in danger. I scrambled up as quick as I could. My human sense couldn't sense anything. Maybe I had forgotten why. Maybe this feeling of danger is what lead me here. I followed my instinct and started looking for a way out of this dense green environment. Picking up my soiled feet, I staggered forwards not thinking about where.

I must've been walking for an hour at least before my muscles started failing again. And then. Suddenly. I saw a faint light in the distance. So faint that I could've missed it so easily that I just happened to look in the right direction. I almost chuckled to myself thinking how cliche this was. Yet knowing the cliche ending I gathered all the remaining energy I had and with my hope motivating me, I pushed onwards to the growing light. As I approached, a dark, looming castle like building started to emerge before me. The light formed into windows that I saw now to be hundreds of. I broke through the tangling fingers of the trees and almost stumbled right back into their clutches. Before me, shadowing a vast area, stood a castle tremendous in size and elegance. The turrets reached to the sky and the walls held an atmosphere of guaranteed safety for the ones within. Warm, inviting glows shone through the windows making me sigh in anticipation. I quickly searched for a door. I found one almost immediately. A large wooden door stood proudly 20 metres from me. Stumbling towards it, I took the large brass ring in my hand and with a breathe of hope I knocked as loudly as I could. I stood there shaking and shivering. However no one answered. By now I could hardly stand any more and all I could think of was how I didn't want to die yet. In desperation I finally decided to try and enter. Slowly placing my stiff hands on the door I managed to push the large door ajar. I slipped through the gap and into the building.

I clasped my hands over my mouth in shock. I found myself standing in a large hall of great beauty. The walls were covered in magnificent tapestries. The floor was made of exquisite wood and in the middle hung a dazzling chandelier. And at the end of the hall was a grand staircase, like the ones you see in the movies. My eyes widened in awe. Whoever lived here must be of great wealth. I hesitatingly crept forwards suddenly feeling belittled in my rags. I found my thoughts suddenly ridiculous, I had been so close to death and now I'm thinking what I look like? I whacked my head. Idiot. I looked up again. Softly I called out hello. Again I was greeted by a deafening silence. Suddenly I felt my blood rushing in my eyes and the room swayed sickenly. Losing my footing I fell hard onto the floor and felt my eyes close heavily into blackness.