Chapter 2
From Falling
10 minutes later, wow he sure must be fast she thinks to herself as her chest heaves forcing the air in and out of her lungs the dampness in her clothing making the already hard task for the teen impossible. As she runs she is looking everywhere for where she must have dropped the basket where is it she is saying to herself as she starts slowing out of habit as she nears the top "there it is" she finally says, but out loud this time. Then a random thought crossed her mind "I didn't go that close to the edge the whole time I was up here" now she is moving very slowly toward the basket this situation making her so nervous but if she doesn't come back with that basket her mother would be so upset "dad gave that to her" she thinks to herself to give her courage. After taking a quick look around to make sure no one was trying to sneak up on her she advances on the unmoving basket.
A twig snaps behind her, she spins around looking for the source of the sound seeing nothing she focus her attention on the ground and finds the twig the ends are sticking up as if something was still putting pressure on the dry frail thing a gasp escapes her lips she freezes not daring to move or even breath as she continues to watch that one spot the twig remains still un moving unknown to her the invisible thing has already moved away from that spot. After about five minutes she musters enough of the broken courage to continue but much more alert than before. The thing that stands there waiting to push her off the cliff thinks to its self "I has to be more careful her senses are sharp" the s's extended like a snake. Two steps away from the edge she reaches for the basket and the thing prepares to give the final push to throw her over the edge.
"JESSICA!" the all too familiar voice of her younger brother Aric is loud in the midday air the sudden cri distracting him from completing his grisly duty for just a second but the girl was quick, not wanting her brother to see her close to the edge she had snatched the basket and taken a few steps back to seam as thou she was looking at the beautiful white scene of the forest below.
"JESS-" his cry suddenly stops as he spots her "there you are I told mom you went to get a pail of water and she said to me that she would need a few and sent me to help you get them but when I got out side and didn't see you -after all I'm all cleaned up- I got worried and ran as fast as I could" he was talking fast and just rambling now trying to hide how truly worried he had been that I had took so long
"Ssshh its ok I'm fine"
The invisible thing behind her whispers "a few moments later and you would not have been, lucky girl" an sneer of open hatred on his face planning these things takes so long the first time imagine having to do it twice! "I guess it's time for plan b" I'll have to be fast their father can't be here when it happens, it'll be bad deliciously terrible. He watches as the two siblings make their way down the long path.
Plan B was to use the boy to lure her outside in the middle of the night as if he is going for a secret walk but accidently wakes her, he wasn't acutely going to use the boy he would disguise himself as the boy, only one problem with his plan the boy always had night mares and woke up in the middle of the night to find his sister. He looks down into the pouch he carried on his belt in which a tiny vile of dream sand was hidden away he would have to use it to complete his mission; drat it's so hard to come by too. Oh well he will be rewarded once the child is dead.
It is midnight at the inn, as he seeks out the little boy who is sleeping restlessly. He opens the tiny vile and sprinkles the contents over the unaware boy. This is his job but he can't help but feel bad for the little child that is about to lose one of the most important people in his life he whispers to the small child "I am truly sorry" before moving on to complete his task.
She wakes up with a jolt timidly looking around to find the source of the sound that woken her. She sees her little brother trying to sneak out their squeaky front door "Aric" she whispers to try to stop him but he doesn't hear her so she quickly puts on her little bit long pants, tunic, skirt and short cloak forgoing her boots for a refreshing walk bare foot in the snow.
Her little brother's tracks were easy to follow because of the fresh layer of white snow on the moonlit earth. "Why would he go up here?" She asks herself, breath showing in the cool night air as she continues to follow her brother's foot prints up to the spot where they pick the winterberries then the tracks stop.
Nothing there they are just gone and she is close to the edge fearing the worst "ARIC!" she screams and runs the few feet to the edge stopping and looking down over holding her hair with both hands tears streaming down her cheeks as he searches the ground below for any sign of him she is openly sobbing now and falls to her knees face in her hands.
"I'm sorry dear one" he says knowing she can't hear him he prepares to push on her slight frame.
"Who's there?" her head coming up to look around in all directions then she places a hand in the snow and turns slightly to see behind her the other wiping tears from her cheeks. The man kneeling behind her shocks her out of her saddened state, she jumps and accidentally moves closer to the edge stopping herself "Who are yo-"she was about to question when his hands come down on her back and push gently but with enough force to send her over the edge "AAAHHH!" Is her cry, as she starts to fall.
Author's note: hope you like this chapter its a little short I'll make the next one a bit longer.