I have a plan!

“You should have just stayed put! They will figure out that you are alive!”

“I will be home by then; I’m not returning there! I’m going home and calling the police!”

He snorted,

“Police? They can’t do shit here, and what would you say? Big bad man kidnapped me; they are wolves on another planet? They would send you straight to a closed-up asylum, and then they would come back and pick you up again. How are you even going to get back?”

“I´ll walk until I find a road and flag down a car.”

I refused to accept this nonsense; this was utter bullshit, and I started to get angry. Kicking my feet, the roots only tightened even more, to the point where it began to really hurt!

“Luca, get me out of here! I’m leaving now!”

“I can’t! Don’t you understand? There is as good as no females born in this place; you are human. They will find out! And if they knew I helped you, I’m as good as dead!”

“Stop this!”

“So, how do you explain the roots around your feet? The pants I brought you? The growling and their yellow eyes? You're not that stupid!”

“Fine, let’s say you’re not the one belonging to an asylum. Why the heck would they kidnap girls? And bring them here? Do you do this, too?”

“Of course not; only the Vikings can travel between the worlds. You are here because there are no more female wolves left. They cross the time and space seal every five years to get a new batch.”

“New batch, like they’re getting supplies! You are sick; let me go.”

This time, I tried ripping them off, tearing at the things tightened around my legs, and a sudden sharp pain made me scream out.

“LUCA! Stop it!! Please stop it!”

I have no idea what he did, but suddenly, they loosened and pulled back down into the earth. All I could do was stare at my feet in disbelief. Blood trickled down over my leg where something like a thorn had pierced my skin, and Luca started swearing.

“Come, quick! They will smell the blood!”

He grabbed my hand and dragged me to the edge of the forest. He looked over bush after bush before suddenly finding what he was looking for. A little red flower plucked it and rubbed the red petals between his palms. It turned to blue slime between his hands, and he rubbed it on my legs. It burned as hell, but the bleeding stopped.

“It will hide the smell of blood. They might be werewolves, but their animals smell blood like sharks in the water. Keep it on. We need to keep moving.”

“Where? If they will know anyway, what’s the point in running? “

I was growing tired of this little game. But at the same time, he had some good points. These are primarily thin explanations, but anyway.

“I have a plan.”

It was all he said as he walked back to the fire, and we put it out and dug dirt over it. I wanted to go in the opposite direction, but honestly, I had no idea what advice I had come from in the first place. So, I followed him.

For a long time, we walked in silence. After a couple of hours, it was getting dark around us, and Luca stopped.

“Help me find more of these.”

He lifted something that looked like weeds, only covered in tiny orange dots. Taking a closer look, they moved! No feet, nothing, just orange dots moving around on the green. Behind some bushes, we found a place where there was growing in abundance. He gave me a fist full and told me to eat them. I grimaced,

“Ehm, nope! Not that hungry! “

“Not for the hunger, eat them! They will cover our smell and body heat.”

I forced myself to eat them; they tasted disgusting, and several times, I felt like I was going to be sick. Really sick! But when I finally finished them, the feeling was gone. By then, the sky was filled with tiny stars and a half-moon.

I was given a thick cloak, much warmer than any duvet I ever had, so I didn’t complain as we lay down in the grass looking up at the clear night sky.

“You never told me your plan.?”

“We are going to the Viking village.”

I sat up and stared at him,

“Are you crazy? I can’t go back there! They knocked me out and tied me down! And didn’t you say they kidnapped us for a reason?”

.

“It’s better than running, believe me! I have a plan! Just get some sleep.”

He turned around, back turned to me, and I just kept starting. Did I believe all this? No, no, I don’t. Do I want to go back there? Hell no.

I tossed and turned until I finally fell asleep, despite the fact that I was sleeping outside, right on the ground. I wasn’t freezing and fell into a deep slumber; the sun’s rays danced over my face when I woke up. I stretched out and rubbed my eyes before I sat up. I was looking around.

The scenery was beautiful; red, blue, yellow, and pink flowers decorated the green grass, bushes, and even trees around me. Birds were singing, and bees were buzzing nearby; I pushed Luca to wake up. Only to realize he wasn't there.

The grass was flat where he had slept, but he was gone. So was his cloak; I jumped up and listened.

“Luca?!”

I didn’t dare to shout, but I looked around and said his name several times. Should I be scared, or should I run? I didn’t get to finish the thought before I heard steps behind me. I sighed, irritated, and spun around to feel a sharp sting on my neck. I felt dizzy, and in seconds, I fell to my knees; with my hand, I managed to rip out a needle from my neck. I blinked hard as my sight slowly became blurry, and out of the blur, Luca came walking beside two men.

“ Try to run now, little rabbit.”

Someone laughed, but I was falling. The sound of my heart filled my ears, and before I fell forward, all I could mumble was.

“Coward.”