Snippet #2764519

Tahra listened carefully as Aaron responded. Always quit to try to crack a joke. She admired that about him, but barely felt herself capable to smiling, never mind laughing. She felt her lips sort of twinge into a weak smile. But it was quickly doused as Aaron admitted he was just as lost on this as she was.

Tahra felt suddenly more exhausted than she ever had in her whole life. She slowly sank to the sidewalk, her legs shaking. The adrenaline was wearing off, that must be it. Instead, it was replaced with dread, exhaustion and...much to Tahra's horror, she felt tears begin to drop down her cheeks. She was ashamed of them, but there was also no stopping them. They rolled in fat, salty drips down her sweaty, soot-stained cheeks. She looked away from Aaron as best she could, trying to deny the onslaught of sudden emotion, making it seem like she was just scratching her face.

"I...I can't think of anything...either..." She said, voice halting. Damn. Her voice was breaking now too. She felt that awful pressure in her chest, like when she was small and would sob until she was hiccuping. She swallowed thickly. "We...need to find somewhere..t-to..hide...but..but I can't..."

There was no denying the crying at this point. She couldn't get herself back under control. Tahra covered her face with her hands, ashamed of her lack of self control. She felt her shoulders shudder as she tried to gulp in air. "I..I'm sorry.." she murmured from between her fingers. "I don't know why..I'm.."

Tahra felt small cool hands suddenly press gently on her left shoulder, as if consoling her. This might have actually been consoling...had Aaron not been standing on her opposite side. Tahra jumped and crawled backwards, nearly barreling Aaron over in her surprise. Her weapon was in her hand, trembling and unfortunately, still a branch.

A small girl stood with her hands raised, in surprise or perhaps surrender. She didn't say a word, but gave them a small, shy smile and waggle her hands at them as if saying she hadn't meant to startle. She looked no more than six and no apparent adult chaperone was in sight. She had shoulder-length dark hair, pale almost luminous skin and wide brown eyes. Around her neck dangled a large, spiral seashell on some kind of chain. She didn't seem badly cared for and was dressed carefully with cute red wellies and what seemed to be a white hoodie tied around her waist.

"W..what? Kid...where's your parents? What are you doing out here at this hour? A...are you lost?" Tahra growled, wiping her eyes as best she could. This kid wasn't bawling her eyes out. Would scare her if she saw a big person doing that.

Tahra sniffled a little, looking to Aaron, as if for confirmation that he was also seeing the little girl. The little girl took in Tahra's questions with wide, placid eyes. She shook her head with a small smile and gestured to the shell on her neck. She gently gripped it in both of her small hands and brought it to her lips. As the little girl blew into the shell, a light, musical sound cut softly through the night air and the shell began to emit a soft glow. Tahra froze, both entranced and nervous. The girl nodded at Tahra and Aaron and gestured to them as if asking them to come closer.

Tahra looked again to Aaron, too shaken to move or speak. The girl walked a little ahead of them and sounded another lulling note on the shell. From a distance, the girl looked ethereal. Like a living firefly. Behind her, apparently summoned by the sound, a trail of green, glowing lights began to blink into life, making soft murmurs as they popped to life, like the whispers of ghosts. The girl glanced over her shoulder at the lights, seeming satisfied, then looked back to Aaron and Tahra. She beckoned them forward with a hand, calmly and with surprising gentleness.

Tahra licked her dry lips.

"A..are those? Wisps?" Tahra whispered, still sitting on the ground. A little stunned. "W..what should we do?" She whispered to Aaron croakily. She found herself still trembling, much to her shame.