PEIRCED by Marie Colleen Dugger (fox in socks read aloud TXT) 📕

#1

She saw a huge blinding flash of light and her vision blurred. She couldn’t see anything and her truck swerved off of the road. She tried to stop her vehicle but could not control it. Finally it stopped… it crashed into a tree. The air bag deployed and she suddenly pressed against the seat. Her nose was bleeding and she ached all over. Her vision was still blurry by the time she managed to get out of the truck. She sat down on the grass near by to wait for her vision to return. When it did she saw that the tree she had hit was leaning violently over the roof of the truck. It looked ready to collapse on top of it. Then she noticed that the engine was smoking, but only mildly.
She pulled out her cell phone but the battery was totally dead. She got up slowly. Some bruises were starting to show. She decided to walk to the road to see if she could flag anyone down.
She had walked for only minute but the trees were starting to get denser. There was no way her truck could have dodged so many trees. But she was positive this was the way she came. She had always had a good sense of direction.
She turned around and started to make her way back to her truck when she heard loud screams and yelling. It was barely audible, and had to be a long ways off, but it still sent a shiver down her spine. She quickened her pace.
When she got to her truck the yelling sounded like it was either dying down or moving farther away. She still felt uncomfortable about it and unloaded her shot gun and some ammo. She sat down and leaned against the truck, her head pointed towards the sky.
It was so clear. No clouds anywhere. And the air was so clean and crisp. She loved the country. But the sky was getting darker. She needed to set up a camp. She couldn’t sleep in the truck because the tree looked ready to collapse on it and she didn’t want to risk being in it when it happened.
She slung the gun over her shoulder and unloaded her sleeping bag, fire kit, and some of the food she brought with. All she needed now was a fire. Still having her gun with her she headed out in a different direction than when she searched for the road to gather wood.
After a while of walking she found a huge area of dead grass, plants, and trees. It looked like nothing here had had rain or any other water for months, and there were a few darker spots that smelt a lot like sulfur and smoke. It was very weird but it had a lot of dry dead wood. She grabbed as much as se could carry, which for a girl her size, was a lot. She carried it back. When she went for a second trip she had to carry less because her arms and legs were still pained from the crash.
When she got back and had everything set up for the night she dug into her food bins and picked out a can of SpaghettiO’s. She didn’t have a can opener so she dug around for her pocket knife. When she found that she took out the mini saw and jabbed it into the top of the can and slowly, but effectively, opened it. She didn’t want to have to dig in all the bags and boxes she had to find a pot to cook in, so she ate it cold.

*****

In the morning all of the wood was gone so she picked up her shotgun and headed towards the dry area she had gone to yesterday. It took her a little longer to find it because she was still tired and kept tripping.
When she got there, and her arms were about half full, she heard voices. They were in the woods on the side of the dry patch closest to her. They were headed towards her and were very close when she was about to call out to them when she remembered the yells and screams. She turned to run and was about halfway turned around when two men came into the clearing and stopped in there tracks.
She quickly turned back around, turned off the safety, and caulked her gun. She raised the gun to them and then froze. Eyes wide, jaw dropped.
They looked like they just came from the renascence festival. They had armored breastplates and chain mail on. It was so weird but what stopped her was that it looked like actual armor.
She looked at their faces next they couldn’t be that much older than she was but they looked different from the guys she new in a way. They also looked very stunned. They were just staring at her. Then one of them drew a sword. He kicked the other one and he did the same. “Who are you?” the first one asked in a quiet but stern voice. He sounded almost scared.
By this time she was about to faint. What the @%*&! is going on? She just stood there, unable to speak or move. ”Who are you?” he said again. She was about to answer when someone came from behind and clubbed her in the back of the head. She fell to the ground and the gun fired. Someone’s yell pierced the air, but she couldn’t hear it… she was unconscious.

*****

When she woke up she found herself tied to a post in the middle of a large canvass tent. She couldn’t see a flap to get out the way she was facing so she guessed she was facing the back.
Her arms and legs were heavily bruised and she had a huge headache. The back of her head was throbbing and she had no idea where she was or how she got there.
She waited there for a while when she heard footsteps behind her. The person came around and set something down next to her. She looked up at him and he was clearly surprised to see her awake. He quickly untied one of her hands. She was surprised by what he was wearing, then it all came back to her.
He was about to turn and leave when she asked “where am I?” He turned and faced her again. His mouth opened in mild shock. He turned again and left quickly.
She was so hungry. Then she spotted the tray he had set down next to her. On it was some bread and cheese. And next to that were a few leaves. She started to eat it all quickly, but then remembered to eat slowly so that the food would be more filling. When she got to the leaves she picked one up and smelt it. Mint! She chewed it and then the rest one by one, and her headache slowly subsided.
She went into a shallow sleep.

*****

“Jensen I’m telling you the girl can speak our tongue.”
“Are you positive? What did she say?”
“She asked where she was and-“
“Did you tell her?”
“No she asked but I was so shocked I left right away and came to tell you! She spoke it perfectly with no hint of an accent.”
“Tell me this then Cia, if she can speak our tongue then why didn’t she answer Cessary in the woods? You were there so you tell me.”
“I have no idea Jensen. I’m just telling you what I heard just now”
“I'll see if I can talk to her today, ok Cia?”
“Yes Sir.”
Cia turned to go.
“Oh and Cia?”
“Yes?”
“How is Edward?”
“What ever that girl had in her hands was like nothing I have ever seen before. You saw the wound.”
“Yes I did”
Jensen grimaced.
“Well considering that the healer wanted to amputate his leg and Edward wouldn’t let him; his leg is in very good condition. The healer says he will always have a limp at best.”
“And at worst?”
“He won’t be able to use it.”
Jensen was silent for a few moments.
“Jensen… are you ok?”
“Yes you may leave now… oh and send for another blanket for me, a warm one. It will be cold tonight.”
“Yes captain”
And Cia turned and left.
I need to find out what she knows. She must be of high rank or royal decent. Maybe she may help us…
“-Captain, the blanket you asked for.”
“Oh, thank you, Tirrin, you may go.”
“Yes sir”
It was almost dark outside when Jensen took the blanket and headed over to the mess tent. He took a wooden mug of warm milk and honey and headed over to where the girl was being held. He went in and when he got to the center post his breath caught. She’s beautiful. Her skin tones are that of the south but her light brown hair is of the north. How is that possible? They have been warring for ages.
Jensen just stood staring at her for a minute, and then he noticed her shiver. He set the mug down and laid the blanket on top of her as gently as he possibly could. He picked up the mug and turned to leave wanting to let her sleep.
Just as he was about to leave he heard a soft whisper. ”thank you.” He walked back over to her. She was looking up at him. His breath caught again.
Her eyes are golden. How can this be?! Jensen thought.

This is so weird and the looks these surprised men are giving me is getting old and freaking me out.
Jensen tried to regain composure but when he spoke his facial expression was still that of shock.
“Who are you?”
“I’m Holly. Who are you?”
She seems so calm. But I see fear in her eyes. She has such a short name, and holly… as in the plant?
“I am Jensen Breakens Cerrillious, captain of this army.”
I must be dreaming. An ARMY!!! Where am I!!!
Holly smiled trying to show confidence she didn’t feel.
“May I ask where I am?”
Her smile… her… Wait, what did she say?
“I’m sorry but to tell you the truth I don’t even know our exact location, and even if I did know I wouldn’t be able to tell you for all I know you may be a spy.”
I don’t even believe she’s a spy now. How could she be?
“A spy?”
What! Where am I how did I get here!!! This has to be a joke!!! Am I getting Punk’ed?!?!?!?!

Time to change the subject.
“The mechanism you where holding in the spark field, what was that?”
“What! Were you the one that clubbed me in the back of the head?!”
Wow she’s angry, so much for acting calm, and so much for “might help us.”
“No that was not me; the one who did though, came back with a wounded leg because of whatever that was. This is a time of war. It was something he had to do. If you were the enemy it would have been very bad if you had gotten away.”
“…well… so you… you don’t think I’m the enemy?”
Her voice is so small, eyes so wide…
“No, I do not think you an enemy.”
This isn’t a dream. It’s too real, but it’s not normal, where am I? And what enemy? But then again this as to be a dream, it can’t