Snippet #1138326

“Flo,” spoke a voice. A shadow loomed over a scrawny young girl sprawled on the floor of a pitch black room. It extended its hand towards her to show that it meant no harm.

“Flo, it’s been a long time.”

“W-Who are you?” stammered the young girl. Something wasn’t right about this place. She wasn’t suppose to be here.

“Don’t you remember me? My dear Flo? Should I play a song for you?”

The shadow raised his hands as if he was about to play an imaginary flute, but there was no music behind his breathe, only an eerie silence. She took a step back, unsure of what to make of the peculiar performance. The floor beneath her feet collapsed and Flo gave out a brief yelp as she fell down into the endless abyss. The shadow looked down as she fell. It was saying something, but it was too far away to hear. Darkness continued to rise all around her and then everything went black.

Flo stirred from her slumber as the sun shined over the black mess that was her hair. There was something soft between her fingers and when she opened her eyes she could hardly believe what she saw. Plants. Luscious, vivid, and alive just like she had seen in the old photographs. She rubbed her eyes in case this was some sort of joke. No, they were really real. She held a leaf in her hand and moved her fingers across the moist smooth texture. Surreal.

She noticed a strange number on her palm as she touched the leaf. “One-hundred?” she whispered to herself. “I wonder what that means.”

Flo stood up and took a look around her new surroundings. It was a lush forest with speckles of light shining through the gaps between the trees. It was as if everything was a dream. Like the stories about the bell….And then slow realization that she was alone hit her. Where was mother? Brother? Her eyes dashed left and right, but they were no were to be found. No! She ran through the jungle to the next tree and then the next. Not here or here or there. A horrible feeling began to well up in her chest. Had she abandoned them? How did this happen? She swore she’d never reach paradise without them. Flo spotted a pond in the distance. Maybe they had stopped there for a drink? It was a faint hope, but it was worth a try.

As Flo began to make her way to the water’s edge the number on her hand started to glow. She was not alone.