[Lyra Greenleaf]

Elena listened in wonderment to Fiona's plan. It sounded very clever. It also sounded...funny. She tried to stop a grin, but couldn't. Then a giggle burst through, sounding like snort. Fiona looked at her in confusion. Elena couldn't stop imagining Fiona being sick on the monsters. It would be horrible, but still funny. She strted laughing and laughing.

Fiona looked at her in surprise for a while, then began to giggle too. The two girls kept on for a few minutes. After they had both stopped, Elena tried to look seriously at Fiona, and kind of succeeded.
"I don't want to run away and leave you here" she whispered, darting a glance at the front of the tent.
"We have to do this plan" Fiona whispered back fiercely.
Thoughtfully Elena nodded, then reached over and squeezed Fiona's hand. Both girls looked astonished.

"Go on then" Elena whispered regretfully. Her dress was already crumpled and torn but now she would have Fiona's sick on it too. Suddenly it seemed less funny. She closed her eyes until she heard a retching noise. With a small shudder she began to scream.

The guard rushed in.
"QUIET!" he roared. Elena kept screaming. e walked towards her.
"It's the mad girl! Help!" she said, voice shaking. She sounded scared enough, although it was of the guard not Fiona.
Then Fiona began to shriek.
"Murder! You have murdered the sons of Heaven. All will die. All will die!"

It was spooky. Elena shivered. She turned to the guard again.
"Please, her father- Sir Rindal- he doesn't let her out of her room! She's dangerous! You can't keep us here with her."
Another guard ran in. Fiona was still babbling wildly. The two guards began to talk together. Elena's head was spinning. The guards went towards Fiona. She saw that now was the time to go. She turned around. Rian had gone back into the corner.
Oh no!

"Rian!" she whispered urgently. Any minute the guards would stop looking at Fiona. Any minute! Rian ignored her. Desperately Elena ran over and tugged at her arm. Rian moaned. It was too loud! They would hear!

Quickly Elena put her hand over Rian's mouth. Then she pulled her to her feet and began to run.

Fiona I hope you'll be safe she thought guiltily as they sped away. At least Ran was running on her own now. She had got ahead of Elena. In fact, Elena couldn't see her anymore. She looked around, but Rian was behind her. Elena had reached the edge of the camp and was near the trees. Rian had sat down between two tents, and Elena could see monsters- men- moving around.

I can't leave her! she thought desperately. I'll have to go back.
Gathering her courage, Elena turned and headed towards Rian.

"Hey!"
One of the monsters was pointing at them. Elena ran faster than she ever had before and pulled Rian's arm again. Slowly the older girl got up. She wouldn't run. Elena had to push her. She was crying now, as hard as she had laughed before.

"Rian please! Please" she begged over and over. Rian just looked at her blankly. they had made it back to the trees. After only a few minutes, Elena could go no further. She slumped down by a tree, then crawled into a patch of bushes, not even checking if Rian followed. They weren't far from the camp. Hopefully Fiona would find them. Most likely the men would. Elena no longer had the energy to care.

[ June 02, 2003: Message edited by: Lyra Greenleaf ]