Snippet #2680321

Jane crept down the street, her head ducked into her cloak and her eyes cast down towards the cobble path. She was exhausted and overwhelmed. Being lost in the Cursed Woods had not been her idea of a good time and while the town had provided a place of haven from the dense trees and dampness, she had been wandering its streets for hours, afraid to rest for fear of being spotted by some creature she didn't understand and didn't understand her. She didn't belong here -- not that she knew where she did belong.

She lifted her head and spotted the window of a bookshop. Even from the outside, she could see the stacks of old volumes and almost already smell the dust and old ink. That was a familiar smell - a safe smell. She glanced at the street around her, before pushing open the door, relieved to find it open, and slipped into the shop. The smell didn't disappoint her and she inhaled deeply.

A chair.

She couldn't help herself. It was wooden and hard, but after being on her feet for hours, it could have been made of mud and rock for all she cared. With the books forming walls around her and the old scent of paper holding her close, she felt safe for the first time since she had been separated from her mother. She allowed her eyes to close, not even thinking about other occupants in the shop.