Finally I was out of that godforsaken village. I was free, at long last. But then again I was still alone. At this point I had been wondering about the golden-tainted woods for hours on end, and I had not seen a single street, let alone a building. Just as my feet were starting to go numb, and I was getting ready to faint from exhaustion and hunger, I saw a little stone building, that looked rather like a barn. I attempted to run, but I had a stitch in my side and a pounding in my head. I needed sleep, and I needed food. And water too. I suddenly wished I hadn’t been so bold and left the house with nothing to eat, drink or lie down on. I hadn’t even got a change of clothes. And no shoes at all. I’d sworn I wouldn’t go back, and now I couldn’t but I’d forgotten the way home and I was so exhausted and the world was spinning around. I walked in through the door of the barn. It was cold, but no colder than it was outside. At least here is have some shelter. There were a few bales of hay on the ground, so I lay on the damp grass and covered myself in hay, attempting to warm myself up. The morning rolled around in no time, and when I awoke I was in for a surprise.

“Who are you?” Asked a voice from behind me.

I was tired out from yesterday, I just told the voice right there and then, “Stormie Jackson.”

“That’s an interesting name. I’m Rupert.”

I had a million questions swirling around in my groggy and confused mind, but the only one I could bother to ask was, “Do you have any food?“

“Yes! And water! Here.”

I drank the water greedily and I didn’t need to be asked twice to eat the bread I was offered by the boy. I noticed now, he looked the same age as me. Probably about sixteen or seventeen. I wanted to ask more questions, but then he flooded me with all the questions I’m sure he’d been budding to ask since he first saw me.