I began to run blindly into the freezing rain; I could hear loud thuds coming up behind me as I the icy rain sliced my bare skin.
"It's you." I breathed as I recognized the sound that was fast approaching.
I began to slow my pace as Christian's black stallion raced towards me. As I stroked it muzzle and stood behind him, shielding my body from the fierce rain, I noticed a small bag that hung on his saddle. I opened it slowly and gasped as I saw its contents.
My flute! And my clothes... the only thing that was missing was my black mask from the carnival. As I searched for it in the small bag, I found an object that never in my wildest dreams would I ever think of holding in my own hands...
"Christian's white mask..." I breathed as I fingered over the mysterious porcelain mask.
As I flipped it over, I noticed a small object of some sort, wrapped in cloth, lying in the mask. The wind began to gust insanely almost knocking the mask out of my hands.
It must wait... It must wait till this storm is finished... if it ever does...
I hesitantly climbed upon the stallion's back...
Would Christian care?
I did not have but a second to ponder this before I felt my body take action and soon the stallion's powerful muscles were hard at work as he raced blindly through the icy rain. He was like one of Cupid's arrows as he raced through the stormy night seeming as if he wasn't even bound to the earth for there was no resistance on his body from the wind or rain.
The sun did not rise as we raced off blindly into the unknown. I had no sense of direction or of anything else; I only felt each stride of the stallion as he pushed and pushed himself to near exhaustion and beyond. I felt his heart racing and sent mine as well... Within these thoughts Christian's face, his mask, and the voice were circling in the hurricane within my mind. My vision became blurred as I believe a glimmer of sunlight flittered over the horizon.
Where are we?
I felt the stallion continue to push himself as he raced down the sand dunes and into a small city I believe. He began to slow himself to a slow canter before finally coming to a halt in front of a small shop. I slipped off of my new stallion, which I had decided to call Cavaliere which is Italian for knight, and began to slowly walk towards a young woman who was staring intently at me with her solace brown eyes. Her black hair flowing past her slender shoulders and her skin was tan as the desert sand. She wore a black dress and a hood that covered most of her face.
"Excuse me." I inquired, "Can you tell me where I am?"
She stared at me intensely before calling to someone within her home I deduced.
"نجلت, زائرة غريبة هنا!" she cried.
She doesn't understand me... I believe is she is speaking Arabic... Perhaps... So this must mean... I am... in Egypt...
As soon as these thoughts swarmed into my mind, a man of about forty stepped out from the tarp doorway. His eyes were as brown as the young woman's and his face was almost consumed by a jet black beard. He wore a brown turban and his tan shirt and brown pants were dotted with holes.
"يكون هذا الواحدة?" he inquires as he stares at me warily, seeming as if he is sizing me up.
"نعم أب. هو يتكلّم لغة أنا لا أفهم." She replies.
"أنا أرى." He speaks acting as if she has told him everything about me.
"What language do you speak?" he bellows after a moment.
"English sir." I reply hesitantly.
"Ah an English woman, well I bid you welcome. You seem lost." He spoke as he whispered something to his daughter I believe.
"يذهب يجلب هذا إمرأة شراب." He whispered.
"نعم أب." She replied before dashing off into their home.
"Yes, I am a bit lost," I spoke, "Do you know of where I am sir?"
"Oh yes miss, you are in the exotic land of Egypt." He replied as I thought he might.
Wonderful! BLOODY PERFECT! I'm in a country that I know nothing of except from what I've read and I can't understand the language.
In the midst of my thoughts I notice that the young woman that I met earlier is now holding out a cup of water.
"Why thank you." I reply as I hesitantly take the cup from her slender hands.
I drank every drop of that delicious water; never had it tasted so good.
"Might I ask where I might be able to rest my horse?" I spoke after I drank the last drop.
"Ah yes... He is a beautiful Arabian stallion no? Well I think he will do just fine in the stable behind our home Miss." He spoke, his ragged face bending with a cheerful smile.
"Thank you." I reply, "I have but one more question."
"Please do go ahead miss." He said.
"Do you know of a place I might be able to stay? Just for the night?" I inquired.
"Why yes Miss. You may stay right here in our humble home. If it is not a problem... My daughter would love company, right Akira?" he spoke motioning for his daughter.
"Ah... yes." She replied, her voice soft and barely audible.
"If it is not any trouble, I would be honored to stay for a night." I spoke, bowing slightly.
"Excellent. Akira, please go make ready our home. Miss, shall I escort you and your magnificent horse to the stable."
"Oh yes please. My name sir is..." I began but was interrupted.
"Your name is Phantess no?" he inquired as he led the way around his stone-and-mud-plastered house.
"Yes... How did you...?" I inquired.
"You are well known Miss Phantess. That is one of the reasons why this street is now deserted... Have you noticed?" he spoke.
"No. I did not..." I replied as he opened a small stable door.
"Here you are Miss. He shall be well cared for." He spoke, his face cheerful.
"I thank thee." I replied as he led the way back to his home.
As I began to leave the stable, Cavaliere began to whinny and stomp about in his stable. As I walked back towards him, he turned and grabbed the small bag that was still on his saddle. Shocked, I took it from his mouth and stroked his mane.
"Thank you my tavares." I breathed before turning and walking towards the house where I would spend the night.
The sun shone and seemed to smile with a hint of intrigue as I entered the small home and it seemed to pear in after me as I shut the tarp door, shutting out the light.