Foreign Visitor
I lock the door to my inn room hoping Adan can’t just open the door with magic. I hid my important things on a marked tree high up hidden in the leaves. That way when I run, I don’t need to come back here and risk getting cornered.
I know I can’t stay here much longer now that the guards and Adan know where I’m staying.
But there’s one more thing I need before I can go. I hike through the woods. I know I remember where it is.
Yes! The witches’ town. It’s night time so everyone is asleep. I run into the tent room with the mirror of veritas. It might be hard to carry but I’ll manage. Just as I put my arms around it to pick it up it shrinks. It’s now the perfect size to fit into my new bag.
Then I hear someone coming. No, there’s two people. They’re talking. I can’t make out much of what they are saying. All I can hear them say is my name. It sounds a little like Adan. Adan!
I slip through the other end of the tent opposite to the front entrance. I wait until they’re inside the tent then I run.
I hear Adan yell as I run away, “THE MIRROR!! IT’S GONE!” I hear running footsteps not too far behind and see a red glow coming from behind me but I refuse to turn around- to even look back.
Eventually the footsteps grow quieter and then stop. Finally I look behind me and see nothing. But by now I’m nearly at the inn.
I enter my room and turn on the light as quietly as I can. I nearly scream seeing there’s someone else in my room. But she covers my mouth, putting her finger to lips, telling me to be quiet.
She removes her hand and I stay quiet.
“I suppose I never got to introduce myself, I’m Itzel.” She extends her hand to me. I push it away.
“You’re with them aren’t you?” I ask, knowing the answer.
“That depends on what you mean. I want to help you. I could if you let me.”
“How do I know that I can trust you?” I challenge.
“Because I’m your cousin.” Itzel answers.
I look at her, wondering if she is joking. It doesn’t seem like it. Her face is serious. But there’s no resemblance between us. I have brown hair, she has red hair. I have brown eyes, she has green. I have tan skin, she is far fairer.
Itzel seems to know what I’m thinking because she glances in a mirror quickly and then back at me.
“You don’t believe me.” I start to say something but she continues, “I wouldn’t either. Once I look much more similar to you. Although I was only 4 and you were a baby.”
“Why don’t you look the same?” I wonder aloud.
“The king had a sorcerer put a curse on me hoping it would lead him closer to you. But you were already gone. Of course when he uses magic it’s fine but not when people who were born with it use it they get ostracized or worse.” she responds.
“So you’re telling the truth?” I say, nearly in a whisper.
She nods looking down at the floor. For a moment there’s complete silence. Then she looks over at my bag. Her eyes widen and she looks back at me. I look over to the bag. I barely noticed the mirror just slightly sticking out of my bag.
In a flash Itzel lunges toward her mirror trying to steal it back. I narrowly avoid her by moving over just before she grabbed it. Our eyes lock for only a moment. In that moment it seems we can understand everything the other is thinking.
Then without thinking without even knowing what I was doing I push the dresser in front of Itzel, trapping her. Then I swiftly jump out the window.
I prepared beforehand so if something like this were to happen I could get out. I grab onto the placed ladder and shuffle down.
I look back seeing Itzel looking out the window. I duck behind the corner of a wall. Completely hiding myself.
Finally, I race toward the marked tree. I grab my things. Then I hear footsteps. I conceal myself within the branches inching away from view. The footsteps grow louder and louder still. I hold my breath. Then the footsteps stop. My heart is beating so fast I’m worried whoever is looking for me can hear it from miles away. The footsteps continue and start to grow quieter.
Virtual School Paper: Media for kids, by kids 