Chapter: On the way to nowhere

"Why, why, why ...?", A sigh followed my plaintive words and seemed to make me appear even more pathetic than I already was. After all, I, a little nine-year-old girl, had her pride too. I laboriously climbed a dark rock to get a better overview of my surroundings. Where did I go anyway? One of my former friends once said that you just have to follow your will to arrive in your own paradise. He said that every human being had another purpose that would automatically lead one to one's personal goal. But where was my goal?
My feet carried me lazily across the uneven ground. It was a lifeless place with little green sprouting. The plains were covered with rocks and earth, the sun bathed them in a warm brown. There was a feeling of tension in the air. Maybe it just seemed like that to me. Occasionally birds flew by. It all seemed perfectly normal and boring.
A normal, boring environment that harbored only one flaw: me.

Darkness prevailed in the cave in which I now stayed at night. A resounding dripping sound pierced the silence at regular intervals. It was definitely not the most comfortable hole I could make out, but it should be enough for today. The floor, like the rest of the cave, was damp and cold. I felt completely out of place. Wasn't I just recently the lively, happy girl who would never endure in one of those sad gray caves? Or was it all just an appearance?
I saw a group of various insects crawling frantically across the floor.
Did I have to stay here for a long time? An indefinable slime dripped down on me. It was definitely not very cozy in this cave, but you couldn't go back either. A tremor filled my body, but even that didn't stop me from slowly falling asleep.

Scattered rays of sunlight fell through the large opening of the cave and shone on my face. A sudden warmth came over me and made me wake up. I blinked lazily a few times before finally opening my eyes. A new day was dawning. And with it a new part of my aimless journey. I still felt a slight tremor as I got up in slow motion and made my way to the cave exit. The landscape in front of me looked like it was painted. Nevertheless, this beautiful sight should cost me the next time and energy. I surveyed the golden brown rocks and looked for a camp or a small river. On closer inspection I saw a blue-green thread running across the picture. I was saved for now!

The cloudy water felt cool and refreshing on my now dirty skin. Although it wasn't exactly a clear river, I felt a little cleaner now. Still, it wasn't drinking water.In other words: I was far from saved. I took a closer look at my surroundings. In the east and south there were almost only rocks, but ... I discovered some kind of camp, north of where I was standing.
Was there still a few people left? And if so, would you take me in?

The way to my temporary destination was just as rocky as all the other paths I had already passed. It was not only a difficult journey, it was also a long one. My steady steps threw up a lot of dust, which over time settled back over my skin like a crust of dirt. I noticed how it was gradually getting warmer, the sun was at its highest point, it was noon. How good it would be now to have something delicious to eat ... But I didn't see a single bush with berries, even any small animals to grill were not to be found. Maybe I should go back to the river? Catch a few fish and take a break? Wouldn't that be nice now? But I had one goal in mind: to reach the camp in the north!

It was getting cooler and my steps slowed. My goal was getting closer and closer. No more than 20 minutes to the camp. Maybe fresh meat is on the menu today! Or maybe fresh water? I got a little faster again, my anticipation for food and drink spurred me on. Maybe I could even move around with these people? Experience adventure and be useful again! Everything I wanted so much right now. Dusk fell and gave me an extra boost in strength. My thoughts made time go by faster. The camp was already at my feet, so to speak. A large, bright campfire burned in the middle of the large campground. People couldn't be seen, but I felt as if I could feel auras.

My footsteps sounded muffled in the tall grass, besides the chirping of the crickets they were the only ones that could be heard through the silence. The fire blazed up in front of me, the tents were to the left and right. Civilization. Right now my only thought. Could my life be all right again? A rustling broke through the monotonous chirping. A sign that the people here were still awake!

"Hello?" My voice was trembling. Nervousness overcame my body, and although I wasn't cold, I started to shiver.
"Hello?" I asked again.

I saw a shadow cross the grayish wall of the tent. A human?

"Is there anyone?" I asked further. Something was bothering me.
"Yes ... there is someone ...", answered me a gloomy voice.
"What are you doing here ... baby ...?" She asked me.
"I ... I wanted to ask if you have something to eat and drink for me! Maybe ... you can take me in too?", Some hope wavered in my voice.
"Yes ... we can take you in ..." The voice mumbled something that I could barely understand.Something about a 'food list', at least I thought.
"Thanks!" I said unsettled and tried to smile.
"Oh ... we have to thank you ..."
I discovered the shadow that went with the voice. Slowly the figure emerged. It was definitely human, but something looked different ... He looked so ... mean!
"Come to me child!", A sweet smile accompanied his words. His face came out of the shadows and I noticed with horror that the person was not looking at me with good-naturedness, but rather with lust for death. I even thought I could see an expression of hunger. Was this person going to ... eat me? Instinctively, I took several steps back, but I soon saw that it was useless. In the meantime, a whole group of settlers had gathered around me. It was too late to run away and too early to give up hope. The ring around me left no gap, hundreds of hungry pairs of eyes watched me. If it was too early to be hopeless, now was a moment for panic. And who knows? Maybe the panic opened up new opportunities for me to get away with it.

I could literally feel the group of people getting closer. A few individual people grinned mischievously at me while the saliva ran down their lips. The panic increased, it was almost ready for me to try to escape. At some point I would no longer be able to take it. The mood was tense.

"W-you know what? I ... I think I'd better move on first ...!"
"You ... aren't going anywhere!"

The expression on my counterpart's face suddenly looked tense and angry. Before I could even realize it, his hand shot out and grabbed my neck. He squeezed. His facial expression changed in satisfaction. The panic came too late. It was already hopeless time. Or? A huge surge of anger suddenly took over my control.

"Let go of me you ...!"
My voice choked and I started beating myself up.
But unfortunately my counterpart was stronger. It increased the pressure on my neck. His smile literally hypnotized me. It was like I couldn't defend myself anymore.

"Tie them up. We'll save them for the big day."

I widened my eyes as the bystanders stormed me and grabbed my hands and feet. Another group brought ropes and began to loop them around my joints.

"No! Let go of me!", Came my probably last, panicked scream.

I felt the noose tighten and gradually I couldn't defend myself at all. Suddenly a sharp pain flared up in the back of my head and I felt dizzy. Suddenly I saw how they wrapped a scarf around my head and bandaged my mouth. Another slap on the back of my head.

"Mhhh!" I tried to groan in pain.The groups of people whispered excitedly and looked at me suspiciously. The whole crowd made me feel dizzy and I just tried to stay upright. A couple of the people around me growled at me.
And then he came. The last push on the back of my head.
I screwed up my eyes with a pained expression, my surroundings suddenly blurred before my eyes. Suddenly everything went dark and I started to completely block out this campground. My ears seemed to stop working.
My body collapsed under me and I fell to my knees. My fate stopped tormenting me with this situation.

"Help ..." was the last thing I thought.