The Dreaming: Dark Star (Book 5)

7.3. Deserted (Imorah)

Imorah left her things at the tree and walked over to the edge of the ravine and looked down. In the light of the day the ravine looked completely different. There were small shrubs and plants growing near the water and the whole place seemed tranquil and inviting. She squinted through half blinded, watery eyes and scanned the distance, relieved that there was no sign of the strange, scary man she'd met last night.

Did it really happen? Did I really meet that crazy man? She wondered.

Her heart was beating hard, but she needed water. Her mouth was parched, and her belly was aching for something to fill it up. Staying low she went quickly down the right side of the embankment, where the slope was gentler.

When she arrived, she knelt down by the water and was frightened by her own reflection — with the sun behind her it appeared that light was pouring out of her head, just like in her dream.

She ignored the vision and bent low, quickly drinking until her belly was full. The water was good, but not nearly as delicious as last night. Sitting back for a minute she wondered what she should do now, feeling the hunger inside; she needed to find something to eat soon.

She was looking around on the ground for some beetles, or any other insects, when she thought she heard something. She stopped to listen — What was that? she wondered.

And there it was again.

Imorah stood up and let the water dribble out of her mouth and down her chin, onto her shirt. The noise was gone.

She quickly scrambled up the ravine, back toward the tree.

There it was again — a sound coming from the distance. At the top of the ravine, Imorah surveyed the horizon — she couldn't see anything. Her eyes were swollen from crying constantly from the bright sun.

"Young seeker," a voice said behind her.

Imorah spun around, terrified.

The man pointed with his stick at the sky.

Imorah froze.

"Do you see it not? Hear it not?" he asked, his face showed confusion.

Imorah suddenly heard it clearly — a long, endless highpitched noise. She turned around and looked where he was pointing — there was a speck in the sky that she'd not seen previously.

"What is it?" she asked, her curiosity overcoming her fear.

"Praetoria — they're looking for you, Ayah?" he asked.

Imorah cluctched her chest. "Yes!" she exclaimed. "Oh Great Guardian, yes, they're looking for me!"

The man nodded. "Come with me," he said.

Imorah gulped. The speck was getting louder and was coming towards them.

The man walked to the edge of the ravine. "Come now!" he yelled and jumped over the edge.

Imorah grabbed her bag and ran after the man, who was jumping down the side of the ravine, digging his feet into the gravelly sand to stop from slipping. It was a steep descent where he'd chosen to go down.

Imorah had no choice and quickly jumped down after him, trying to also hold her feet in the gravel like he had. But her feet didn't have the weight of a fully grown man behind them, and after the second jump she lost her balance and fell sideways down the steep slope. She rolled and tumbled down, losing everything behind her. She screamed as her body flailed down the hill completely out of control. At the bottom she hit her head on a stone and narrowly missed landing in the creek.

The last thing she saw was a bit of blue sky, and the last thing she heard was the man yelling something in his native tongue. Then her world went dark.

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Author's Note

This chapter is dedicated to Uj0shS who pointed out that the Praetoria would probably be looking for Imorah. That helped me get to the point in this short scene. I hope the plot isn't going too fast. Let me know if this seems credible or if I'm missing something. 

Question: What or who is that speck on the horizon?