High Stakes

Neve [Installment 24]

In our last episode, Tink popped up just in time to witness Neve’s ill attempts at climbing out of the ravine. In spite of Neve’s distrust of Tink, she’s left with no other choice than to allow Tink to rescue her.

I bend down and place my forehead on the ground taking a moment to collect myself. Needless to say, the feeling of being suspended in the air and placing my life in the hands of this tiny woman freaked me the heck out. 

Gathering myself I stand up unsteadily. I take in the landscape before me and sigh. Nothing but vast openness with the occasional tree. No woods. Nothing that looked semi familiar.

I had no idea where I was.

“Do you know which direction we should go?” I ask Tink. Silence greets me. 

I glance back and do a double take. She’s gone. My hands drop to my sides, limp, as defeat weighs me down again. 

Tink left me high and dry. Again. 

With my magical bag.

“Arghhhh!!!!” I scream as I tilt my head to the sky, stamping my foot. Damn Tink!

I’m right back where I started, just the clothes on my back and no direction. Nothing and no one to help me. I am so fed up with people. I’m fed up with this situation. I’m fed up with this life! I’m fed up with this damn world! 

Just when I think I might have a chance, possibly even get ahead in this life, something happens to strip it all away. I was perfectly fine in my dead end world, with my dead end job. At least I knew the rules. I hated them, but I knew them. Damn Gia for planting a seed of hope! It’s because of her I’m lost in the middle of nowhere, destined to die in the weeds.

I flop down to the ground cross legged, my head falling into my hands. Yet again I was left to figure things out on my own. I sit cradling my head, sulking. After a few minutes, I lift my head with a sigh and wipe away the tears streaking my cheeks.

As angry as I am, I also know that there was no way I would’ve continued that life, living on the streets, fighting to scrape by.

I was always looking for a way out. Until Gaia and the competition, one had never presented itself. As horrible as this all is, I’ve come farther than I would have otherwise. I mean, I did escape that slimy Dick and that crappy town. There is no doubt that being in the wilderness is scary and unpredictable. I am completely out of my element surrounded by strange animals and strange beings. 

Nature is dangerous. Just like people, nature too was deceitful, with its doppelganger plants just lying in wait to strike.  I think back to the mushrooms I had picked. Unbeknownst to me, poisonous mushrooms. At least I know how to defend myself against the people attacking me in the city. Out here in the wilderness I’m clueless and helpless. 

I detest feeling helpless.

I had two choices. I could remain here in the wilderness making haphazard attempts at survival. And eventually die a slow torturous death. 

Or I could complete this damn competition. If Tink was being truthful, I was walking right into the Queen’s waiting hands for her to steal my magic and be left a soulless shell. A big “if” considering the source of the information. If she was lying, I was missing my one and only chance to escape and gain a better life. 

I straighten, placing my hands on my knees and lifting my head high. Screw it. I push myself to my feet. I’ve made it this far on my own. I’ve managed to survive. I’m going to finish what I started, even if I have to figure it out as I go. 

Just continuing life as usual.

I walk along the edge of the ravine a bit and scan to gain my bearings. Determining the direction I came from when running from the coyote, I turn and head the opposite way. Hopeful that it will lead me up river, closer to where I fell in and back into the competition.