Crumbling price tags were attached to the leather covered books that lined the shelves. In a new, small cabinet at the back of the room sat a dozen oddly shaped vials that emitted an odd smell of lavender and grass cuttings. The whole room was a strange combination of old and new, most things with price tags attached, perfect for the home of a self proclaimed witch.
On a plump purple couch sat a woman facing two young teenagers, a boy with calm chestnut eyes and a girl with fierce orange hair and heavy eyebrows. The young girl sat on the edge of her seat, her eyes darting round the room as if it was to be under attack any minute.
"So you want to find a portal?" Asked the young woman, her dark brown hair swishing on her layered clothes.
"Yes." The boy answered snapping his teeth together, making a clicking noise, cutting off the girls possible response, getting a sullen glare in response.
"I can look for it if you want me to," She responded, her green eyes narrowing, "I will need a hand, a hand for the fortune." Without asking she reached out and grabbed the girls hand, the girl attempted to jerk her hand from the woman's, but the woman held it tight. Her nails digging deep into her flesh.
"Hol," the boy whispered to her, "we have to do this." The girl nodded, glaring daggers, before opening her hand at the speed of a snail for inspection.
"Ah yes. You have an interesting past here. You came here from another world, and you want to go back there. So you are travelling with a boy named Eldon, who you met in dangerous circumstances."
"We already know this. Just tell us where the portal is," Growled Eldon
"I can't tell from this."
"I knew this was a waste of time."
"It wasn't a waste of time! I can show you where it is, for a few more coins..."
"No, we're leaving now," said Holly with the firmness of a rock.
With that Holly wrenched her hand out of the woman's grasp, the woman's fingernails clawing into her skin. She turned and half ran out of the shop.
She stepped into the sun and blinked while her eyes adjusted to the light. She began to march down the street, Eldon half ran behind her trying to keep up.
"I told you it was a waste of time," she said to Eldon, fists clenched, "we learnt nothing what so ever."
"Yes, but-"
"And why wouldn't you let me talk? You kept interrupting me."
"That woman was a witch. She might have been able to tell something from your voice."
Rolling her eyes Holly whispered under her breath, "Sure, sure, she was hardly a witch. But it was still a complete waste of time, and money."
"Fine. We might as well head back to the camp now. There's no point us staying here, we'll only attract attention." Holly sighed.
"I suppose your right."
"I'm always right."
"You're pushing it Eldon," Holly said with a smile playing across her lips. She let it hang there for a second before snapping back into her stern persona.
The pair continued to walk down the street in silence. But it wasn't a cold silence, it was a content type of silence.
6 months later.
The two teenagers ran through the forest, dodging trees as they made a mad dash towards the centre of a burning light. As they ran things began to change, sound became static and eventually began to blend into silence. The hairs on the back of Eldon's neck began to prickle and his left hand began to twitch.
Then, the silence broke for a loud crash and the sound of a motor, a glottal spitting sound that sounded more like a wild beast than anything else. The sound came closer and closer until it seemed to pass through the pair.
"That's where we're going?" Questioned Holly, looking skeptical, "that's where the portal is?"
"It would seem so," replied Eldon, "well, we'd better advance. Your future life awaits!"
Holly glared at him softly her eyebrows raised, then the corners of her lips crept up and she looked at Eldon, her eyes alight.
"Race you to the middle?" She challenged, a smile playing on the corners of her lips.
"You bet."
