The Land of Stories ☆ The Not-So-Happily Ever After

Chapter 7

Warning: Before the line-break might be a bit intense for some readers, especially if you have anxiety. (Am I overreacting about it? Tell me.)

Charlie ran.

She ran from the shadows that blanketed her with a thick, humid sense of fear. She ran from the noise that brought tears to her eyes. She ran from the pungent smell that stung her nose and made it throb.

But she couldn't get away.

With flailing arms smacking into her face, and desperation hanging in the air, it was almost impossible to find a set of stairs- which were now being used.

The shadow of the new arrival had began to give off a strange, dark smoke. It clogged up her airways with a choking sting. Her eyes watered. Her fists shook with fear.

Next, everything went flat. A piercing ringing silenced everything else. It made her brain cry and her ears scream.

Then it came for her vision. It faded into darkness, and the paranoia settled in. Where was she? Who was she?

Who was grabbing her? Fingers clawed at her arms, pulling her towards them.
A hand covered her mouth, but not stopping her from screaming her throat raw.

                      °•°•°•°•°○°○°○°○°•°•°•°•°

Charlie woke up in a dirt tunnel. Her face felt swollen, but...she was fine. Her head ached, and she groaned as she moved to get up from under the blanket she was wrapped in.

She could see again. She could hear too. And thankfully, she could breath.

"You're awak- I mean, do you need any assistance?"
A familiar voice stuttered, hopeful at first, but then emotionless.

Elf-guy...Ben. Crazy tree. Mutant goats. Grandpa Connor.

Coming back to her in waves, she remembered up to the point to where she passed out.
A huge sense of both relief and confusion washed over her.

Ben from The Elf Empire, now fashioning a blue messenger bag, came striding towards Charlie.

"Who... what was that smoke?" Her voice sounded hoarse.

"That was The Fog of Anguish. Created by an old coven of witches, it has been passed down through the centuries, fading into folklore."

"Uhuh."

After a moment, Ben reached inside his messenger bag and pulled out something wrapped in greaseproof paper, and offered it to her.

Despite not really having an appetite at that moment, Charlie knew it was for the best. Eating the odd-looking breakfast bar, the two of the sat in silence.

"So... where are we now?"

"We are currently underneath the Elf Empire tree, a place reserved only for emergencies. It would appear that it has become a forgotten place over the years."

He must have been right. They were the only people there.

"Where did everyone else go?"

"Some of them escaped, but some of them... some of them were taken."

Slowly breaking out of the formalized shell, Ben began to look genuinely worried.

"I have no idea where they went, and how to find them. I've know those elves all my life! I may not talk to them at all, but... I'm scared. I don't know where they are now."

In lack of knowing how to respond, I just sat there in thought.

This is not a dream.