Allies of Plaxas

Chapter the first: Bella

Sun filters through the thin curtains, causing me to blink.

I try to sit up, but there's restraints holding me down. I look around from my position lying down.

I have no idea where I am. People are wandering around my room, and when they spot that I'm awake they hurry over. One man, wearing doctor scrubs pushes me back down on the bed.

"W-where am I?" I ask.

"Miss, do you feel okay? You gave us quite a fright. You were very close to death. It's a good thing your grandmother found you when she did, otherwise you never would have survived!"

I look around, confused. Both my grandmothers have been dead for years, and they certainly weren't near me when....when whatever happened happened.

"She's confused," the doctor whispers to a nurse. "We may have to do some other treatments."

I give a small jolt of fear at this statement--treatments to me sounds like poking needles. I hate needles.

"Can-can I....see my grandmother?" I ask timidly.

"Certainly, ma'am. She's been visiting you every day since she brought you in," says the nurse.

A different nurse heads over to the door and beckons to someone outside. A lively-looking old woman bounds through the doors, hurrying over to me. "Kara, I missed you so much!" she clutches my face in her hand and kisses both my cheeks.

One thing is for sure--I have no idea who this lady is. But by some of her subtle movements, I don't think she knows who I am, either.

The lady turns to look at the doctor. "Can we have a bit of privacy, please? This is my granddaughter, after all."

"Yes, ma'am. We'll have to check in on her in fifteen minutes, but until then the two of you may talk alone." all of the doctors and nurses file out.

The old lady sits down in the chair beside my bed. She smiles warmly at me and says, "So. My name's Sophie. Who are you?"

I blink. "What-what happened? I....the last thing I remember is falling...."

"Yes. About that. I don't know exactly what happened with you, but I was gardening in my yard and suddenly....you fell from the sky. I don't know where you fell from, but you were alone, so I took it upon myself to help you."

"Why-why did you pretend that I was your granddaughter?"

"They trust you more with these things when you say you're family. But who are you? Where did you come from?" she asks.

I ignore her questions. There's so much more I need to know. "Where am I?"

"North Litterem, Kilerth."

I stare at her. I've never heard of those places, never in my life.

I'm hopelessly lost and I need to get home--my friends could be in danger.

"You're in a hurry to get somewhere. Now I normally wouldn't break the rules like this, but you're a different case. You don't belong here."

I look at her. "Why....how can you tell?"

"Your accent. And when I told you where we are, you looked like you've never heard of the place before," she explains.

"How are you going to help me?"

She reaches over and loosens the straps that hold me to the bed. She helps me stand up, balancing me for a minute before I regain feeling in my feet. I'm feeling surprisingly well, after having fallen from Plaxas to....here.

I turn to her and shake her hand. "I'm Bella." then I run out the door.