Either this was a hallucination or I was in an upside down bouncing desert?

Was I still dreaming? Are dreams supposed to be painful? I had woken up (had I?) from an inky blackness to a continuous sound roaring in my ear drums, my back feeling like it was breaking as I was arched like a bow across something, and a hammer hammering my brain as I stared at the flat crème colored, upside down bouncing sand plain.

I closed my eyes and willed my stomach to behave. OK. Focus. Remember what your psychiatrist said. I took three deep breaths and opened my eyes. The hammer lessened and my brain began to function… a bit. I looked down, my head hitting something and saw hooves. Source of sound: check. Wait, hooves, desert? Everything crashed down on me like a pile of bricks!

I was lying across my back on a horse and riding through the desert! Wait. Where are the settlements? Last time I checked since my sister and I had run away from our parents I was staying in a village with houses made of sandstone. And second, how can I ride a horse while slung across it?

I went to investigate, when I realized I couldn't move both my hands and legs as they were restrained by some kind of rope. My heart quickened. This was not good.

It was then when the boot came down two inches from my hand.

"Faster, faster," yelled a rough voice. "We have to get the goods to the store before dawn!" I looked up and saw a huge man covered in brown scarves and with two daggers on his jacket hit the beast with its rein.

My heart raced. Hallucination or not, I was out of here!

Fast as lightning I snapped up and bit the reins with my teeth and fell back down. The man screamed in surprise and the horse whinnied, before its head was yanked down with me. Loosing its balance it screeched before its leg got caught with the other and it fell to the ground.

My back hit the sand, as the horse did a barrel roll across the desert. Pain pulsed from my shoulder and my mouth filled with sand, when the horse's weight came down on me, before rolling back. I screamed in agony at the ligament I had definitely torn in my arm.

As soon as my vision cleared I looked up and saw the horse's black fur, inches from my face. It was then when I noticed the blood seeping from the kidnapper next to me. Apparently he didn't let go of his reins and went tumbling along with me.

I felt no remorse seeing my kidnapper lying dead next to me having been crushed by his own horse. I grabbed one of his knives and began hacking my way through the ropes. Why my arm? I hissed, doing the job with one hand.

Suddenly, I heard something approach us. More horses and men came. Judging by their voices there were two or three of them. "I knew we should've killed Steve, before! Look at what he did to our merchandise!" yelled little Mr. Angry. "At least the other merchandise is fine."

I froze as they approached. Other merchandise… So they kidnapped my sister as well. Mr. Monotone replied. "Let's move the horse and find out."

I had already cut the ropes that tied my hands, my injured arm useless. My kidnappers moved the horse and I continued to act like I was dead. The two kidnappers appeared to believe my act, which was helped by the fast that I was covered in blood. They were muscular. One had an axe and the other a knife. They immediately turned their attention to Steve's dead body and began searching his pockets.

I gripped the knife as they turned they're backs on me. Knife guy was the closest, and with my undamaged arm I slashed his Achilles heel. He howled in pain and fell to the ground. The other guy looked at me like he had seen a ghost.

I raised my legs to 90 degrees and using lateral stress, pushed my legs down while trying to move my legs apart. Pressure was exerted on the cross section of the rope splitting them apart.

RIPPP! Went the rope.

It was then when he went to move, he raised the axe in the air, however, I was faster and with my free legs I kicked him in the shins. The axe, at the time, was above and behind his head causing him to fall backward.

Jumping to my feet, knife guy was screaming, and I ripped the knife from his hand and then aimed it at the fallen axe guy before he would move to attack. My other arm hung by my side. He was going to pay for the damage all right.

"You won't do it!" he hissed. "Your lame and when you wimp out I'm going to break your bones like sticks."

I chuckled and pointed the knife at him. "I'd be careful if I were you." I said. "After all I'm a diagnosed schizophrenic. I have a difficulty telling what is true or fals—"

"AHHHH!" interrupted knife guy.

My mouth fell. "Excuse me for a second." Without warning, I did a sidekick to his throat. He gurgled before falling to the ground. His throat crushed.

I then pressed the knife closer to axe guy. "So tell me. Who sent you after me and I might spare your life!"

I pressed the knife against his jugular. He hissed. "Three seconds. 3. 2." He glared at me, his mouth twisted in a snarl. "1." I let the knife fly. He howled in pain. "You… you… monster… my hand!" he snarled.

I looked at the knife I threw at his left hand. The knife hit its mark and prevented him from picking up that rock. I kicked the rock away and looked down. I kicked him in the head as he tried to remove the knife with his other hand. He spit blood and I smiled. "Aww, did I break your hand?" I asked, sweetly.

He hissed in pain. I twisted the knife and he hollered. "I guess I did." I pulled out the knife and he screamed. I looked up and stared at him. "So tell me! Who sent you after me!"

He spat at my face. I ignored it. "Your. parents," he snarled. "You got a huge bounty on your head, your psychotic princess! She's going to catch you… and when they do they will lock you up!"

My face remained cool. "Too bad you won't be able to see it." I looked up and saw the three headed man standing next to me. He was now oozing blood. I wondered why my hallucinations were getting so violent. "G-bye," I yelled. I had turned to walk away, when he screamed. Predictable. I sidestepped when he ran after me. He was mad with anger and like a bull plowed forward. Nonchalantly, I raised the knife and threw just as he was going to turn. Chest shot. He screamed before sagged to the ground and fell down.

I looked at the scene. Three dead, a three headed man. I really wasn't sure if this was real or not. However, I knew one thing I could leave no survivors I was taught that lesson by my real father, not my blood one, the one I should've had

Suddenly, I heard a loud snick and a grunt. I looked back and saw a blond haired eight year old girl. In her hand a bloody knife and the guy I thought I had killed was finally dead. "You're getting sloppy!"

Oh shoot. My baby sister. She was so young and she was learning from my bad habits. I grabbed the knife from her hand and threw it to the ground. "You aren't the one who's supposed to kill, people, Sasha! I am, the crazy one! You're the smart one," I yelled. She glared at me defiantly. Then I repeated the same old thing. "I left because I want you to do great things!"

"He was going to kill you! Besides it's no fun sitting at the side lines. I could've helped." she muttered. I rolled my eyes. As defiant as ever, before her eyes softened. "You're hurt!" I flinched when that fleshwound resurfaced. I was scared, the arm wasn't responding at all. If I couldn't fight I would be useless and Sasha would have to defend for herself.

"Fine one slip," I said ignoring her comment. "No more killing, promise? We're leaving. Change your clothes. You got blood on you."

I changed into the kidnapper's sand desert clothing with difficulty. I didn't let it show. My left arm was injured, but it would heal. It needed to. I hoisted my sister on the white hourse and I mounted the brown one as we set out on our long journey. A visit doctor would be our next stop, when I heard someone yell, "KATARA! WE'VE ALREADY PASSED THIS ROAD!"

Change of plans.