The New Beginning

The Meeting

It was sometime in July, when the wind was blowing hot and dry. Annalise was sitting in ragged petticoats on the sidewalk. She had just been through hell in the previous three months. Her hair was knotted, her back was bleeding from the lashes and she was in pain from the burns spread chaotically around her body. The small, pale girl was shivering from a fever, but sweat was beading down her forehead. She honestly felt like she was dying. Everything suddenly went black as her eyes lulled into the back of her head. Annalise was defenseless. Luckily a homeless man picked her up and hid her in an alley. She laid there for hours, on the verge of death as her subconscious and her soul panicked. Her soul began calling out for anything to save the weak body and mind that was slowly dying. Annalise finally woke up. She was soaked in her sweat and she felt like she was dying, she could barely move and when she tried to speak no noise came out of her mouth. Her eyes started to close again, but the clack of heeled boots snapped her away from the light. A voice smooth, but harsh and almost demonic arose from the chaos of her dying mind. "Your soul seems desperate little lady." Annalise couldn't respond so all that came out was a moan of pain. The voice chuckled slightly. She was laying on the cobblestone that was cool on her heated skin, but only made her feel worse. She was studying the details of the dangerous looking hooker boots on this stranger. Annalise could feel herself slipping away. She reached for the boots as her soul begged the creature to save it. The owner of the boots bent down and took the dying girls hand. "All you need to do is ask." It was as if he was mocking her inability to speak. She used every bit of strength she had to say one word in her soft, desperate voice. "Help." With that one word, she couldn't even hold her eyes open, but she felt gloved hands scoop her up as her held fell limply over his arm.