The Northernmost Territory I

I woke up to a pail of water thrown on me which soaked my gown. I jolted up and scampered backward in shock, only to be backed against a wooden wall. My hands were shackled and I felt the cold tight embrace of the iron as it bit my skin. My eyes squinted as they recovered from the sleep, it slowly made out eyes and faces that were glued on me.

“Where am I?” I asked them and they all blankly stared at me. A cold wind brushed my face and my eyes widened to see tall trees that twisted and curled in wicked ways; moss has covered the land and climbed up the blackened bark of the barren trees; the sun failed to permeate their thick foliage which caused a permanent night under its shades— we are in a large prison wagon in the midst of the Dark Woods.

I scanned my eyes on the pile of people pressed against each other on the other side of the wagon. There are a couple of men but most of them are girls, all huddled together. They all dared not to get close to me.

“Your