The Counterfeit

two

Ruins of what may have been a city were scattered all around Jasmine. The silver poles of scaffolding and shards of now dusty glass glistened in the sun's blazing rays. But there was no structure to any of this mess.

If it was a city, then the buildings had collapsed somehow and were buried deep beneath the golden sand and rocks. The horizon was evidently visible.

Jasmine gaped at the wreckage around her and was so intrigued that she almost didn't notice the hole behind her sliding shut.

Almost.

When she spotted the hard, rocky ground closing, she just watched it. But she knew she'd regret not trying to keep it open later.

A second after the hole shut for good, Jasmine cried out in agony as a sudden burning sensation seared through her right wrist. She swatted her arm around thinking the force of her hand against the air would stop the pain, but of course, it didn't.

After what felt like a horrifically long time, the pain stopped. Jasmine felt as if it hadn't even happened. As if the pain just walked through a door and instantly walked back out.

Confused, surprised and anxious, Jasmine drew her gaze upon her hand.

On the inside of her wrist was a bold, black word that looked new, but was so perfectly imprinted that it looked like she'd had it for years. Jasmine furrowed her eyebrows when she read it.

Externus.

She read it over and over. Again and again. Nothing clicked. Jasmine had never seen this word before, let alone have any clue what it meant.
"Externus," She said aloud, grazing her thumb across the newly written tattoo. "What the hell."

After trying to piece together everything she'd just been through, Jasmine decided she should try and look for civilisation or somewhere safer than out in the open of the deserted land.

She spied a hill of sand within a good distance and thought that if she could reach the top, maybe she could see what else was out in this stinkhole.

Jasmine began to run, her grey, baggy top blowing against her body as she did so. Her golden brown hair whipped behind her and with every step she took, she felt the sun's power.

Beads of sweat were already visible on her forehead and she'd hardly been running for a couple of minutes. Determined to reach the hill however, she continued to run, her worn out sneakers making a small impact against the ground.

Red-cheeked but barely out of breath, Jasmine made it to the hill. She fell onto all fours and began the climb up the sandy hill, dirtying her trousers and tee as she did so.

The grains of hot sand stung between Jasmine's fingertips, but that didn't stop her. She had to reach the top.

Finally, she made it.

However she didn't have time to pull herself up to her feet because she almost knocked into another person.

She gasped in shock and stumbled back, nearly crashing all the way back down to the hard ground. She would've smacked straight into it if the person hadn't caught Jasmine's arm and pulled her back up.