*Chapter One*
WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOUR ENTIRE LIFE WAS A LIE? Sarah never knew how much her life would change that day. That Monday she was just walking home from a usual day of school. She was chewing on her bubble gum, which was the same tint of color her hair was.
Sarah was the only person on the entire street. It was eerily silent except for the sound of her shoes thumping on the cement. Then a whistling howl came from nowhere. She had a cold premonition. But Sarah kept walking, anyway. It's just your overactive imagination, she told herself sternly, and the howling ceased just as she calmed down. She thought she heard footsteps from behind. Sarah swiveled around to face her tail, but nobody was there. It's just your imagination, Sarah. "Hello?" she said aloud, then she hesitated. "You better show your face if you're there!" she hissed, holding her backpack at the ready.
"You're smart. I can see why Lady Gisela wanted you," came a cool drawl from behind her. She whisked around once again to face a tall boy with dark hair and a black hooded cloak with a single symbol embroidered on it- an eye. He pulled out a strange object- a crystal in the shape of a stick. "It's time for you to find out your destiny," he said slickly as he held the crystal up at an angle to refract the sun. All Sarah knew was that after the sunlight hit the crystal, light enfolded around her and she closed her eyes and wished this nightmare over.
Here and in the now, Sarah was in a small cave-like enclosure. It was barren and appeared to be abandoned. Sarah shifted her gaze around the entire space, noticing the same boy that kidnapped her holding her backpack. He tosses it on the ground roughly. "Hey!" she protested. "I have valuables in there!" Like my phone and extra bubble gum. He just disregarded her and leaned against the cave's walls in a pretty leisurely way for such an uncomfortable place. He took out a small square mirror and whispered something unintelligible into it. "She's awake," he said. To whom, Sarah had absolutely no idea.
A tall woman in heels stepped into the room- if you can even call it a room, Sarah thought. She also wore the same cloak with the same weird logo. I am going crazy. I must be insane. What kind of dream is this? Sarah told herself. "What do you want?" Sarah said with a long sigh. She tried to subtly wiggle out of the ropes, but they were too tightly bound. She noticed red welts on her wrists from rope burn.
The woman's face transformed into a simper as she walked over to Sarah, her demeanor cold and wintry. "I am Lady Gisela. Welcome to the Neverseen."
Sarah glared at the strange woman- Lady Gisela, she was called- as she untied Sarah's ropes. Wait. Why'd she undo my ropes? pondered Sarah. "Alvar. Good job," Lady Gisela says as she took an appraising look at Sarah. "Yes. She is Karcey, no doubt about it." Karcey? What?
"My name is Sarah," she said coolly.
Lady Gisela's face revealed no emotions. Put simply, it looked as hard as steel. Uncrackable. "Perhaps." What does she mean by that? My name is Sarah. Always has been, always will be, Sarah thought to herself. Lady Gisela gestured to a small, partially caved in entrance.
"I'm not going anywhere!" Sarah griped, glaring daggers at Lady Gisela.
Lady Gisela did that snide simper of hers again. "We'll see. I don't think you want to stay in here, though."
"I'd prefer to stay here over any place you want me to go," Sarah said testily.
Though this cave does look dank and threatening… No. Wherever these strangers want to bring me, it's probably bad. I shouldn't cooperate. But then again, what chances of escape do you have in an enclosed cave? Slim to none. The chances could be better somewhere else... But there's always a risk…
"I can see you're starting to take in consideration the consequences of staying here," Lady Gisela says.
"Fine. I'll follow you. Wherever that tiny tunnel leads, it better be more decent than this cave," Sarah reluctantly yielded.
Sarah carefully crawled out of the tunnel and saw gray walls surrounding her from every angle. No sunlight reached inside. Instead, there were merely several lamps lit on the walls. Sarah blinked. It's another cave. Great. Except in this one there are apparently some bunk beds crammed in, she thought bitterly. Not much difference, to be honest.
Rotten shavings of what was probably left over from food are strewn all over the floor. What a nice welcome.
But then again, who would expect five-star luxury accommodations from their kidnappers? Not Sarah. She let her shoulders slump down as she tried to guess the chances of escaping from here. Probably just the same as the other cave. "What is the Neverseen?" Sarah asked, inwardly gasping when she noticed some jagged-looking throwing stars and some frazzled ropes hung up on the walls. And she also observed that one of the bunks had some weird dark and shadowy substance on it.
"You'll find out," Alvar promised Sarah as he disdainfully glanced down at the moldy food leftovers scattered throughout the room.
Lady Gisela glared at Alvar with a look of disgust etched in every line of her face. "Make sure she doesn't escape."
Alvar gave the slightest nod to indicate that he heard, although he did it deliberately. "So, Karcey, this is the Neverseen." His voice was slick and cool, but Sarah thought she heard a hint of regret laced through his words. Again, KARCEY? My name is Sarah. Seriously!
Lady Gisela exited the room with her hand slipped into her pocket. Sarah thought she saw a faint shimmery glow coming from it. It looked like a crystal. Like the one Alvar had. But what do they do? Sarah noticed Alvar was jotting something down on some paper, so she snuck to the tunnel and saw Lady Gisela pushing through some dirt. Like, literally crawling through what should be solid walls. Sarah did the same and came out into some small clearing. Her chance at escape! All she had to do was wait until she went and got far off and then Sarah could get away! Sarah saw her pull a crystal out of her pocket- her theory was correct! She held it up at a specific slant- just like Alvar did- and the sun caught the crystal's refraction. A second later, right when Sarah blinked, Lady Gisela was gone. She just… vanished.
It was her chance at getting away! But, wait, where was she, anyway? Shouldn't I get one of those light stick thingies to transport myself far? If I just run, I won't get far. No, I have to get one off Alvar. It's the only way.
