The Missing piece

Chapter 9: Trust is a dangerous weapon

On the other side, the friends were on their way to the old women's house, going out from Leander's home and walking again through the endless desert or that was what it seemed like, in the horizon, they couldn't see a thing but sand while the heat of the sun above their sapped bodies was torching their skin. They were walking for days until their food was almost over, suddenly they noticed an oasis far away, for a moment they thought maybe someone who was living there could help them, they kept walking but a little bit more excited that time, even if the fatigue and hunger almost left them dead bodies on that scorched land. In that little oasis, they found an old woman, alone, but she didn't seem settled in. The friends approached her and one of them asked:

· Excuse me madam! Can you please help us, we need some water and food, we were walking for days in that desert, Shadow said

· Yes of course, here you go.

The old women gave them a bottle of water. They drank it all in just a few seconds, and finally felt like their soul has been back. They thought she was the women they have been looking for but since the beast told them she lived in the forest, that strange lady couldn't be the one, Anna felt like such quest couldn't be that easy, besides the suspicion she had about her, like there was something queer about her, something was wrong but she couldn't figure out what it was, so she thought why not using her magical power this time. When the woman was just about the get up, Anna offered her help since she seemed like struggling to stand up on her feet. The weird thing was that, every time Anna wanted to touch her hand, the women found a way to escape, like she already knew about her power but she didn't want Anna to know anything about her, especially her secret.

When the evening sun cast long shadows on the ground, and the pale crescent moon shone like a slivery claw in the night sky, the guys realized they needed a place to stay in for the night, luckily the old women let them stay there with her but they had no idea what she was planning for them.

· I bet you're so hungry right? The women said

· Yes madam we are starving. Adam answered her

· Well lucky you, I made a very special meal today for you guys.

She put the meal on the table and it was more satisfying for the eyes than the stomach, they didn't hesitated for a second to start eating and especially when there was such feast in front of them.

Anna's suspicion went higher when she saw that the woman wasn't eating with them, but mostly she was wondering when that women cooked all that stuff, did she know they were coming? She chased all her weird thoughts away and decided to focus on her meal; she had to eat and gain some energy for what left of the adventure, but she didn't know their suffering was about to began.

After they have eaten and shut down their hunger, they decided to have some rest and renew their energy. The next day they woke up a bit later but not in the same oasis, they found themselves restrained to chairs in a very odd cave, they tried to escape but they were tied so well, the knot didn't open for an inch; suddenly the same old women showed up, they were happy for a second because they thought finally there was someone who will free them but the truth was completely the opposite, she was the one who brought them there.

· She started laughing with a wicked tone; did you really thought it will be that easy, naïve kids! No it won't be, and you are not going anywhere.

· Madam, that's us, we were with you last night? And why you captured us? If there's a problem we can solve it here right now! Adam said with a diplomatic way.

· And why would I tell you all that? You don't deserve to know a thing, you are going to stay here for the rest of your life, and no one will remember you, NO ONE!

She kept laughing with the same wicked voice, and suddenly she changed from an old woman with a dying body to a gorgeous girl, a man can't take his eyes off her, her killing beauty and attractive body will leave anyone dazzled. Long blond hair, appealing curves, a prestigious appearance and charisma that will let anyone in front of her silent from the mind-blowing view. After the breathtaking makeover she disappeared and they were left there tied down, confused and scared. They were trying to escape for hours until they completely lost their energy, then they heard someone coming in, they start screaming for help, so that person could hear them, but it wasn't a person, it was a raccoon, they were a bit astonished, but the surprising thing was that, it approached them and easily freed them, then the raccoon started talking to shadow, since he was an animal he understood him; When they finished their conversation it ran away, and disappeared in a blink of an eye.

Anna and Adam seemed so confused then Anna asked:

· What was all that about Shadow? What that raccoon told you.

· Well he said that your mom sent him to help us and he was keeping an eye on us since we met that odd lady, that's all he told me.

· What did you just said? My...Mother... But how? She passed away!

That raccoon just increased her confusing and sadness but at least it helped them. After that awkward and frightening situation, they went out of that cave but once they were all out it disappeared and they found themselves in the same oasis, they had no clue what just happened but they decided to ignore it and move on, they have much important things to be concerned about, not just some weird raccoon and a gorgeous lady that almost left them there to perish. They continued in their way, the way to find the truth that will change them and everything. They took the map again to see where they were and to figure out which road to take. Unfortunately the map wasn't that helpful it just showed some places with no names on them. Adam, who was reading the map, noticed that there was some village near that oasis not far from where they were standing but what just happened to them increased some fear in their bodies, they didn't want to encounter another crazy person who wanted them dead.

Sometimes bad experiences make people afraid from taking the next leap and make new mistakes, dive into another experiences which is all normal. Fear is the most dangerous thing ever, it can either be your drive to do new things, to overcome the fear itself, or it can be your closest enemy that can never let you move on in your life, after all the choice is in your hands, it has always been, you can let fear be a friend who can left you up and help you get out of your comfort zone or an enemy who will destroy you and never let you enjoy the life you've been gifted.

The friends kept looking at each other trying to think of the next move and where to go, Adam said:

· We should go to this village to see if we can find some information or anyone that can help us.

· Wait! What if that woman was there? This time she will definitely kill us. Shadow said with frightened voice

· Yes Adam, Shadow is right. We can't take the risk again and go somewhere we don't know, I'm not sure if we can make it next time!

· Listen Anna I know you are afraid, so are you Shadow, but we have to go there we can't do anything from here unless we move on; I know it's risky and probably that witch will be there but if we didn't face her she will always win.

Anna felt something weird inside of hear a feeling she hadn't in a long time, somehow she managed to hide it but her eyes couldn't resist, they were sparkling from what Adam just said like the first time she met him, his words touched her heart again and changed her mind, although that didn't work for Shadow he was sensing the danger, he knew something bad was going to happen if they went to that village but it was the only choice they had if they wanted to solve that mystery. After that short discussion they decided to keep going and try to reach that village even if it seemed for them far away from that oasis.