Chapter One
"Are you sure you'll be alright these next two weeks alone?"
"Yes. I'm an adult too you know. I'll be alright," Linetta confirmed to her adoptive parents.
"If you need--"
"I know, I know," she interrupted, "Go before you miss your flight."
"If I didn't know better, I'd think you were kicking us out," her father said.
"No I'm not. I just don't want to hear how I ruined everything by making you miss your flight. Now go. I know you'll have much more fun off in the Bahamas then stuck here with me. Go! Look at the time! You're already late!" she practically shoved them out the door.
Once she had waved goodbye, she shut the door and leaned back against it. She sighed and smiled at the thought of the house finally being hers. For two whole weeks she was free of guardian supervision.
~~~
As she lay on the couch flipping through the endless channels, Linetta wanted to do something adventurous, something out of routine for once.
She switched off the television and walked to the glass patio door. The stars were out and it was a beautiful night.
Her decision made, she slipped the house key in her pocket and headed out, and left the sweatshirt she was wearing in the house.
~~~
The woods were dark except for the glittering of the stars and the shine of the moon through the treetops. All was quiet. Not even crickets were chirping on this peaceful summer night.
~~~
There was someone or something up ahead. It was coming towards her. She had been dismissing the thought for half an hour. Now she was certain whatever it was, it was trying to be extra quiet.
***
He was lost. Totally lost.
"What a disgrace. My father is going to be very ashamed of me. Elves don't get lost. I have never been lost in my life. This is--" He was cut off by a snapping twig that wasn't from his feet.
At least his exquisite elven hearing wasn't failing him. His eyes pierced the darkness. He could just make out the figure of a person. Was it a human? Or an elf? He dismissed the idea of it being an elf because of how loud the figure was, but he still wasn't sure. It looked like a twist of each.
He drew his bow and quickly stepped behind a tree. The stranger was walking slowly toward him and appeared to be unarmed. No chances would be taken.
***
There was silence. It was too quiet. Something wasn't right. She stopped. 'Should I turn back?' she asked herself. It was eleven o'clock already. It would be after two before she got back home. Yes, it would be best to turn back.
She turned around and found herself face to face with an arrow and a man's voice accompanied it.
"Don't move, stranger. Or you'll be dead before you can blink."
"Are you sure you'll be alright these next two weeks alone?"
"Yes. I'm an adult too you know. I'll be alright," Linetta confirmed to her adoptive parents.
"If you need--"
"I know, I know," she interrupted, "Go before you miss your flight."
"If I didn't know better, I'd think you were kicking us out," her father said.
"No I'm not. I just don't want to hear how I ruined everything by making you miss your flight. Now go. I know you'll have much more fun off in the Bahamas then stuck here with me. Go! Look at the time! You're already late!" she practically shoved them out the door.
Once she had waved goodbye, she shut the door and leaned back against it. She sighed and smiled at the thought of the house finally being hers. For two whole weeks she was free of guardian supervision.
~~~
As she lay on the couch flipping through the endless channels, Linetta wanted to do something adventurous, something out of routine for once.
She switched off the television and walked to the glass patio door. The stars were out and it was a beautiful night.
Her decision made, she slipped the house key in her pocket and headed out, and left the sweatshirt she was wearing in the house.
~~~
The woods were dark except for the glittering of the stars and the shine of the moon through the treetops. All was quiet. Not even crickets were chirping on this peaceful summer night.
~~~
There was someone or something up ahead. It was coming towards her. She had been dismissing the thought for half an hour. Now she was certain whatever it was, it was trying to be extra quiet.
***
He was lost. Totally lost.
"What a disgrace. My father is going to be very ashamed of me. Elves don't get lost. I have never been lost in my life. This is--" He was cut off by a snapping twig that wasn't from his feet.
At least his exquisite elven hearing wasn't failing him. His eyes pierced the darkness. He could just make out the figure of a person. Was it a human? Or an elf? He dismissed the idea of it being an elf because of how loud the figure was, but he still wasn't sure. It looked like a twist of each.
He drew his bow and quickly stepped behind a tree. The stranger was walking slowly toward him and appeared to be unarmed. No chances would be taken.
***
There was silence. It was too quiet. Something wasn't right. She stopped. 'Should I turn back?' she asked herself. It was eleven o'clock already. It would be after two before she got back home. Yes, it would be best to turn back.
She turned around and found herself face to face with an arrow and a man's voice accompanied it.
"Don't move, stranger. Or you'll be dead before you can blink."