I'll be honest. I'm scared out of my wits, and completely lost. What is this place? How did I end up here? How will I get home? Is Captain Val Cath okay? Countless questions fill my head, and none have a good answer. I gaze around at the stone square and metal boxes, before deciding that I should get some sleep. It's getting late, and I've been through a lot. Besides, I'll be able to think about my situation better tomorrow. The question is where can I sleep?
I wander out of the strange square in search of an inn. There must be one somewhere. It's a huge city after all, the likes of which I have never seen in Alyncia before. It's filled with people, even at this late hour. I enter a wide street, with people coming and going from various shops and what I guess are taverns. There are more wheeled boxes in this street as well. Some are stationary, but others are moving swiftly down the road. And people are inside of them! Are the machines some kind of transportation devices? I continue walking and peer at the glowing signs of storefronts with curiosity. I pause outside of a particularly busy tavern. Inside, music is blaring, and I can hear lots of laughter. I step to the doorway, and am about to enter, when a scruffy man standing nearby holds out his hand. He has a beard and a moustache, and is wearing a strange glowing jacket.
"Scram, kid. You know you're not allowed in here. How old are you? Fifteen?" He laughs, and gestures for me to leave.
"Why can't I go in?" I ask angrily. "And what does my age have to do with anything?" He gives me an irritated look.
"Don't be stupid. Now go. I've got better things to do than babysit you." I glare at him, before turning and marching away. Who does he think he is? I know I sound petty, but I am pretty annoyed. I shake my head, and continue on my search for an inn.
People have been giving me strange looks. I'm not quite sure why. At least five people have paused upon seeing me. I think a man was going to say something, but thought better of it, and continued on his way. When another person stops to gawk, I decide to take my advantage.
"I'm sorry, do you know where I can find an inn?" I ask politely. She takes a step backwards.
"Are you talking to me, love?" I nod.
"I see. If you don't mind me asking, are you okay?" she asks next. I blink in confusion.
"Yeah, I'm fine, thank you. Why?"
"It's just ... you look a little strange." She gestures towards me, as if that will explain what she's going on about.
"Oh." I feel my cheeks going red, and decide to change the subject. "I'm looking for an inn for the night," I say quickly.
"What do you mean?" the woman asks.
"I have nowhere to go. I just need a place to stay."
"Where are your parents?"
"They live in Aurumhalla," I reply, "But about the inn—"
"Are they not worried about you?" the woman interrupts.
"No, I'm part of a guild, so they don't expect me to be at home." She stares at me.
"What on Earth is a guild?" she asks in bewilderment. I clench my fists. I'm getting very tired. I can't deal with this right now.
"You know, where mages practice magic! Now please just answer my question. I'm sorry if I'm being rude, but I need to sleep. I've had a really long day."
"Magic? Are you doing a dare or something?" The auburn haired woman is starting to get impatient. I sigh.
"It's ok, I can ask somebody else. Thanks anyway." I turn to leave, but the lady calls after me.
"I assume that by inn you mean a hotel. The nearest one is The Bryce Hotel, but it's very expensive, and I doubt they would let you in without a guardian." I feel disappointed, but grateful that the woman decided to help.
"Thank you." I smile at her, before moving away once more.
Well if an inn — or hotel, as the lady called it — is not an option, the only thing I can do is find some shelter and rest there.
I exit the busy street, and am now in a residential area, full of well maintained houses. Perfect. I push open the gate into a large two-storey home. I creep through the neat garden towards a small green shed, glancing at the house's windows from time to time to make sure I'm not being watched. I finally reach my destination, and pull open the door to peek inside. It looks pretty good. The room is full of pieces of junk: boxes, musical instruments, broken furniture. I grab an old mattress from the corner, and push it into the centre of the room. I lie down, and promptly fall fast asleep.
I jolt awake to the sound of a loud siren and blaring lights. I rub my eyes and sit up. A man in a navy uniform is standing above me. He pulls a pair of metal cuffs from his pocket, and ties my wrists together.
"You are under arrest for breaking and entering a residential home. The property's cameras caught you sneaking into this shed last night. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do can and will be used against you." Without another word, the man hauls me to my feet and out into the garden. He directs me to a box parked on the road. That is what is making the horrible noise. I struggle to break free, but he overwhelms me and pushes me inside. I land heavily on a seat. I feel tears pooling in the back of my eyes and blink them away. How did everything escalate so quickly?
Soon the box is moving. I gaze out my window listlessly, watching other boxes and cuboids moving past. They also seem to swerve out of the way of this one, and I realise that I must have been captured by important people. I don't know where they are taking me, but I know it can't be good. I'm about to ask the person directing the box, when we suddenly slam to a halt.
"Damn. Stupid animal," the man driving mutters. A strange four-legged creature is dashing across the road. It is small and quite furry, and slightly resembles a wolf pup. A girl with wavy golden blonde hair races after him. She wears a pair of denim shorts and a simple white t-shirt, and looks around my age. She is quite tall, and so has long strides. She reaches the creature with no difficulty.
I don't waste this opportunity. The guild taught me basic fighting skills for defensive purposes a few months ago. I feel very grateful for them now. I let out a feral cry, and swing my fist at the man sitting next to me. It connects directly with his nose. I hear a very satisfying crunch as blood spurts into the air. He snarls, and lunges at me. I kick him in the gut, sending him hurtling backwards. He smashes head first into the window, and goes straight out the other side. This forms a human sized hole for me to squeeze through. I am half way out when I feel a hand clamp onto my ankle. I scream as I am pulled back into the box, causing a large gash to form on my face in the process. I feel something wet and sticky trickling down my cheek. The driver slams me to the floor, and punches me in the stomach. I gasp for air, and curl into the fetal position. The driver leans over me.
"You'll regret that," he growls. His sour breath wafts into my nostrils. Taking a deep breath, I punch him right in the windpipe. His eyes almost pop out of his head! I kick him in the chest for good measure, before clambering through the hole in the window. The other man lies crumpled outside. I hope he is just unconscious. I step over his form, and scan the area around me. I don't know why, but I decide to follow the wavy haired girl as she continues down the street.