Disclaimer: I do not own Tenkuu no Escaflowne, or any characters, plots, etc. of said anime. But everyone else in this story is mine! Mwu ha ha ha! Also, I'm too lazy to write a disclaimer for any other chapters of this story, so this one goes for the whole thing.
Chapter 1: Run, Little Girl
I ran so fast I could hear the cold wind whistling past my ears. I looked up at the phantom moon as I ran; I could barely see it through the thick tree branches but I could tell it was half full. Sick to my stomach, I frantically searched for Alastelle, the brightest star. Suddenly, my foot caught on a rock and I felt myself falling. Before I could do anything about it I was face down on the ground and gasping for breath. In less than five seconds I was up and running again. I cursed silently to myself as I spit out dirt and felt blood trickling down my ankle. I hadn't seen Alastelle.
Looking ahead of me - now was no time for stargazing - I ran. Every shadow chased me; every tree mocked my flight. I was running on fear and fear alone. If it hadn't been for that I would have been done already. I could hardly breathe. My legs were like heavy stones, my lungs were filled with fire, even my arms hurt with the movement of each stride. I tried to ignore the throbbing pain that came from beneath the bandage on my stomach. I knew I was dying, but that didn't matter. If they wanted me back they would have to take my cold, dead carcass. I fell again.
Moon and stars and trees swirled into a mad jumble as I rolled down the hill. I couldn't tell how long I fell, but by the time I reached the bottom leaves were stuck all over me and I was covered in dirt. My breath was erratic and I shuddered uncontrollably. I choked on something bitter. Everything hurt twice as bad. I pushed myself up on one arm but collapsed in an instant. I couldn't go on.
I did a terrible thing then, something I hadn't done for a long time, something that I had sworn never to do again; I cried.
I sobbed and cried until I threw up. Then I kept crying, even though each sob rattled my bones and made me pray for the end. I lay there in the dark, my own puke in my hair and on my face and hand, cursing my own weakness. And right then and right there, as I moaned and looked at that wicked half moon, I swore another thing. I swore revenge.
Before I had prayed for the end, but now I grabbed for life. I would live, oh yes, I would live. I sucked in one long, shuddering breath of the frigid night air. I felt a sharp pain in my stomach. I struggled to roll onto my back, wincing at the crackling of leaves. I put my hand to the bandage on my stomach. It was heavy and wet; I didn't have to look to know that my fingers were red. Oh yes, I would live. And my hands would be red again.
Chapter 1: Run, Little Girl
I ran so fast I could hear the cold wind whistling past my ears. I looked up at the phantom moon as I ran; I could barely see it through the thick tree branches but I could tell it was half full. Sick to my stomach, I frantically searched for Alastelle, the brightest star. Suddenly, my foot caught on a rock and I felt myself falling. Before I could do anything about it I was face down on the ground and gasping for breath. In less than five seconds I was up and running again. I cursed silently to myself as I spit out dirt and felt blood trickling down my ankle. I hadn't seen Alastelle.
Looking ahead of me - now was no time for stargazing - I ran. Every shadow chased me; every tree mocked my flight. I was running on fear and fear alone. If it hadn't been for that I would have been done already. I could hardly breathe. My legs were like heavy stones, my lungs were filled with fire, even my arms hurt with the movement of each stride. I tried to ignore the throbbing pain that came from beneath the bandage on my stomach. I knew I was dying, but that didn't matter. If they wanted me back they would have to take my cold, dead carcass. I fell again.
Moon and stars and trees swirled into a mad jumble as I rolled down the hill. I couldn't tell how long I fell, but by the time I reached the bottom leaves were stuck all over me and I was covered in dirt. My breath was erratic and I shuddered uncontrollably. I choked on something bitter. Everything hurt twice as bad. I pushed myself up on one arm but collapsed in an instant. I couldn't go on.
I did a terrible thing then, something I hadn't done for a long time, something that I had sworn never to do again; I cried.
I sobbed and cried until I threw up. Then I kept crying, even though each sob rattled my bones and made me pray for the end. I lay there in the dark, my own puke in my hair and on my face and hand, cursing my own weakness. And right then and right there, as I moaned and looked at that wicked half moon, I swore another thing. I swore revenge.
Before I had prayed for the end, but now I grabbed for life. I would live, oh yes, I would live. I sucked in one long, shuddering breath of the frigid night air. I felt a sharp pain in my stomach. I struggled to roll onto my back, wincing at the crackling of leaves. I put my hand to the bandage on my stomach. It was heavy and wet; I didn't have to look to know that my fingers were red. Oh yes, I would live. And my hands would be red again.