An Adventure Had Begun

Shondra lowered her head and hurried down the road, hugging her bundle from the store tight to her. The mud, still wet from yesterday's storm, felt cool on her bare feet and oozed up through her toes. As it began to darken, Shondra quickened her pace.

A glistening caught Shondra's eye and she glanced up, over to the cave, near her village but strictly off-limits to everybody. Shondra always seemed to be the only one who was curious about it. She felt … drawn to it.

When she mentioned that to Miss Halanders when she was eight, the woman looked startled and glanced towards Mr. Gundrin, the owner of the orphanage where Shondra was staying. Shondra could have sworn she heard Mr. Gundrin say, "Her parents." But nobody had spoken. After that, Shondra had never spoken of it again.

Shondra was caught up in the memory. If she hadn't been, then she'd have noticed the strange woman who was materializing out of thin air…

* * *

Shondra almost plowed into the woman because she wasn't paying attention. Flushed, Shondra murmured an embarrassed apology.

"Quite alright," laughed the woman. Looking at Shondra carefully, she said, "You need not apologize to me, Shondra."

At the sound of her name, Shondra's head snapped up and she stared the woman in the eyes, forgetting how impolite that was. "How did you know my name?" she whispered.

"I thought that it was you," exclaimed the woman, delighted. "I know your parents."

"My parents are dead!" protested Shondra.

"Oh the contrary," said the woman, chuckling, "They are quite, quite alive."

"Shondra shook her head weakly. "If they were alive, they'd come for me. They wouldn't have abandoned me!"

"Shondra," said the woman, all mirth gone from her expression, "Your parents don't come because they love you. They fear that the life they live would be too hard for you."

Shondra's eyes turned to fire. "They think that I'm just a weak little kid, is that it?"

"No, no, dear!" cried the woman, "Their life is hard for even the strongest of souls."

"I … " Shondra momentarily faltered, then regained her composure, "I want to meet them."

"You will, dear," said the woman. "Soon. Tomorrow, at noon, go to the Crystal Cave. You must trust me on this."

Shondra looked a little uncomfortable about this, since it was not somewhere she was allowed to go, but her curiosity got the better of her, and she agreed. Looking up and noticing how late it was, she hastily muttered a good-bye, and hurried off on her way again.

* * *

"Where were you?" were the first words out of Miss Halanders' mouth when Shondra came through the door of the orphanage, half of an hour late.

"I'm sorry," cried Shondra, "I was speaking to this woman and lost track of--"

"Wasting that woman's precious time, no doubt," snapped Miss Halanders, angrily. "You've been late too many times, Shondra!"

"But she--" Shondra visibly swallowed, trying to hold back tears. "She said that she knew my parents. She knew my name!"

Miss Halanders looked at Shondra, shocked.

"She said that I could meet my parents," continued Shondra, "That they're alive! If I could go to the Crystal Cave at noon tomorrow, then according to her, I can meet my parents. I know you'll think that this is rubbish-- but it's not. I have to try." Shondra looked up at Miss Halanders' face, eyes pleading.

Miss Halanders remained stern. "It's too dangerous. I've known people who have gone there. None ever came back."

Shondra was angry, but she simply nodded, and went up to get changed for dinner.

The next day, Miss Halanders didn't let Shondra leave at all. Somebody else performed any errand that was needed, and by eleven o'clock Shondra was very worried. She wouldn't meet her parents after all. Shondra wasn't simply worried; she was devastated.

Suddenly, Shondra got an idea. It was something that under normal circumstances, she'd never even think of.

"Can I be alone, please?" asked Shondra. She didn't have to fake her shaky, unsure tones.

Miss Halanders took pity on the girl, and let her go up to the sleeping room, which was, at the moment, empty. Once the door was closed, Shondra sprang into action. She opened up the window, and leaned out. It was a good ten feet to the ground, and although that Shondra was ready to do practically anything, she couldn't go anywhere with two broken legs.

Shondra pushed that window shut and sprang for the other one. There was a branch near enough to the window for Shondra to crawl onto. It would be a risk, but in this situation, Shondra was willing to take a chance or two.

Shondra swung both of her feet out of the window, and stretched her legs out until she could feel the branch. She pulled her entire self out, still leaning against the building. Using the wall for support, she leaned weight onto the branch. She grabbed another branch above her, and used it to steady her as she edged towards the tree's trunk. Getting there, she could see a clear way down. She scrambled down the tree as quickly as she could

She reached the ground and ran, her bare feet hurting from the pounding that they were getting. At that moment, however, Shondra couldn't have cared less.

Apparently Miss Halanders had checked the room, because behind her, she heard Miss Halanders yelling at her. But it was too late; Shondra was well on her way.

* * *

Shondra stumbled along the hill up to the cave. There was no trail because nobody ventured up to the frightening cave, so Shondra had to pick her own trail. This proved to be very hard work, but the young girl hardly noticed.

There was another thing she didn't notice. A woman, the same one who'd told Shondra to go to the cave. That woman, currently wearing a very smug, very evil smile.

Shondra finally reached the top of the hill. Looking up, she noticed that the sun was just about at its zenith; it was noon.

Shondra hesitantly approached the entrance of the cave. Something felt … wrong, somehow. Not like the cave had felt like before.

'Must just be that I'm nervous,' thought Shondra, trying to laugh the feeling off. It didn't work.

She got to the entrance of the cave, and closed her eyes momentarily. 'This is it,' the thought, and re-opened her eyes. She cautiously walked into the cave.

Once in there, Shondra was sure that something was wrong. She tried to run back out, but as she got to the entrance of the cave, there was some sort of invisible wall. Shondra couldn't pass it.

"What's going on?" She cried. She turned as she heard laughter, decidedly evil. It was that woman.

"My parents aren't alive." Shondra's voice was flat, "Are they?" It wasn't a question.

The woman chuckled. "There, actually, I was telling the truth. They're alive. But," she said, "they are on the opposite side of a great war, and you, little, Shondra," her voice was mocking, "are a hostage. Your parents will never let you stay with us. They'll get you back, no matter the cost. The thing was," and the woman was gleeful, "You had to come of your own free will! It seemed that you didn't inherit your parents' brains. Even I'd have to admit that they're brilliant. Oh, well, it's not always genetic, is it?"

Shondra said nothing; she felt like a great fool.

Suddenly, she felt a touch of hope. It wasn't from her; it was as if somebody else was lending her strength.

We'll get you out of there, it said, you won't be hurt, and then, dearest daughter, you will meet us. I promise.

Shondra looked up with a renewed confidence. This wasn't over, but she could-- no, she would-- get through this.

One thing was for sure; Shondra's 'normal' life was at an end.

An adventure had begun.