I darted through the thick underbrush of the woods to the little store in the edge of the Portexian Nothingness, being careful to avoid the thorn bushes and trees that that had grown over the rarely used trail. Every now and again I would startle a deer or bird and they would flee from me. I would have sworn I had seen a flash of scarlet; a color not usually seen in the woods. I turned my head to see what it was, but when I did, I didn’t notice the root of a tree that came up from the road. I tripped over it, and I was sent sprawling onto the forest floor.
Ouch. I groaned. My ankle throbbed as I rose on it unsteadily. I brushed myself off and hobbled over to a nearby stump. I dusted myself off and sat down. I propped my ankle on my knee, took off my boot, and examined my ankle. It was slightly bruised, but thankfully not broken. I put my boot back on and surveyed the damage done to my clothing.
My brown skirt hid the dirt, but my white skirt was torn apart. There was the sound of cracking branches behind me, and a brown paper package broke through the briars. I got up to see who would have thrown the package.
“What in the name of Portex!?” I exclaimed in disbelief. I looked around to see if there was anyone over there. I got up, picked up the package, and opened it. Inside was something odd.
A change of clothes? I wondered. I unfolded them and looked at them. There was a light-blue shirt, and a skirt that matched.
“It’s almost like someone knew this would happen.”
I looked back down at my ruined shirt, glanced around, and seeing no-one, quickly changed.
I looked back inside the package, but the only other thing was a letter. Hoping that it would explain who gave me the package I ripped open the wax seal, and read the letter. It was in the swirly Portexian letters, but I could still read it.
‘Dear Friend,’ it read, ‘You are not alone in your attempt to help the people of the Nothingness. My father, I wish he was not my father, yet he is; is in a position of power in Portex. He is in charge of banishing people to the Nothingness. Five years ago he banished my only friends, Crydia and Kaeth Staal, to the Nothingness, and they starved or were killed, alone and afraid. In their memory and of others like them, I challenge you all to give help where you can help, give aid where you can, and most importantly, never give up; I never will.
Your Friend and Guardian,
~ Mene
I didn’t have the time to figure out what the message meant, since I was already late to meet my friends Alko and Crystal. I folded the letter and tucked it into my boot.
I tested my ankle to see if it was alright to walk on. It was a little sore, but not much more. I left my old white blouse lying on the tree stump and placed the new skirt over my arm. I started walking down the road at a decently quick pace.
It took me maybe half an hour before I arrived at the store. My ankle was throbbing again, but I ignored it. There was a large crowd by the front of the building, but I didn’t see Alko or Crystal anywhere.
As I walked around I saw them over by the side of the store, whispering and looking at something. I crept around the back of the building and snuck up on them
