My mind spun.
The islanders had welcomed me on to their island, kindly, but I could sense that I truly did not belong here. I ccontemplated this ss I washed my face in a small bowl back in the lovely white tent.
I heard a noise from outside. Expecting it to be Giselle, I told the person to come in.
The steps were not those of Giselle.
There stood the woman with the baby. The infant was now asleep in her arms, and she gave me a small smile. "May I talk to you?" She asked, her eyes darting nervously around. "Sure," I said. I dried my face and turned to look at her. She sat down and rested the child on her lap.
"Your name is Vent, correct?" she asked. I nodded.
"My name is Teesha,
and this is Ayla."
I squinted at the woman, and then it
dawned on me how strange her appearance was. She wore the same long
white robe that the other islanders wore, but instead of having the
healthy, tan flesh and the freckly arms of the others, she was pale.
Sickly looking. She had navy hair that was cropped short, and small
brown eyes that wouldn't fix on me. The baby was the exact opposite.
She had dark skin, dark as the richest chocolate and very light blue
hair. She looked happy and healthy, drooling on her mother's knee, as
her mother bit her lip, obviously nervous.
"I've come to tell you. You should leave." Her voice was hushed, and she sounded quite scared.
"This place... it isn't what it seems." And then, before I could say anything, she grabbed my hand and took me outside. The night air was cold, and I tried to say something, but she glared at me.
She dragged me to a huge tree. Teesha looked around a couple of times before grabbing a knob and opening a door. She pulled me into a dark, dark room. Teesha lit a lamp I guess I hadn't seen with her.
I gasped in horror.
Bones.
Human bones.
I shook.
"Don't kill me!" I pleaded, on my knees.
"Hush, Vent," admonished she.
"They eat people. Find people just like you and eat them. They would eat me, but I refuse to gain weight. I planned to leave, but then I got pregnant." She sighed, and stroked the small girl's cheek.
"It would be hard to leave with an infant."
I gaped at her.
"You must come with me, Vent. I have heard plans to boil you come morning. Come with me!" She clutched both my hands, dropping the lamp in the process. It shook and shook and then went out, leaving us in darkness.
I heard a scream.
Muffled voices.
I ran towards the door and opened it, a flood of moonlight showed me a horror.
Teesha lay on the ground, stabbed. Ayla was crying in the corner. I quickly ran in, grabbed the baby, and headed for the trees. The opposite direction of this strange, terrifying place.