What If?

Chapter 19

Joyce jogged down the pathway for a while. After a few minutes she slowed to a walk. She noticed that somehow the swamp was fading into what seemed like darker forest. How is that possible? She wondered. 

The sun was almost nonexistent. There were crickets chirping and an owl hooted. What is with this place? Joyce wondered. She wandered for what felt like an hour before she saw torch light up ahead. This must be Shadowmouth. She thought. 

There were tons of Essence women walking around and she could hear a lot of laughing in the distance. Joyce's heart froze. Was this the lair of the Essence? Was Jeana here? She didn't know.

She took a deep breath and walked into the village. Joyce didn't see one woman in a dress. They were all dressed in sleek leather and had short hair. There was a variety of hairstyles. Some had A-line, others had spiked hair, and a few had buzzed heads. 

As Joyce walked past, many of the Essence women would nod at her or wave. So she did it back. They all seemed tight-knit and super connected with each other. She wasn't sure how to act, but she followed what the others were doing.

Joyce came upon a what looked to be a pub. She was nervous in Shadowmouth, and decided that she might as well spend the night and leave early tomorrow for the Dungannon capital. 

The pub door opened and a few women came out. They were obviously drunk. They had their arms slung over each other's shoulders. They were singing quite loud and their words were slurred.

Joyce dodged the group, and dashed into the pub.

It was dark in the room, other than a few torches lining the wall. The light cast shadows along the room and hid the faces of most the women in the room. Joyce slid onto a stool against the bar, next to a woman. 

She ordered a drink and sipped it causally, trying to decided what she should do. The woman next to her was blonde and was leaning over her drink, deep in thought. 

The woman turned to Joyce and said, "Tough day?"

Joyce chuckled, "Yeah, how'd you know?"

"All of us in here are worn down."

"You too?"

"For sure. The woman in red has been hard to find."

"She sure has."

"But we'll find her. I know we will."

"What if we don't?"

"We have to!" The woman said, slamming her fist on the wooden counter.

Joyce awkwardly sipped her drink and the woman continued.

"She's got to be here somewhere. She might be under my nose..."

"I heard she was in Wedgemore."

"No, she's not, we've searched every inch of that village. She got to be closer."

"Maybe she's in the forest somewhere."

The woman rubbed her eyes. "I don't know anymore..."

There was a pause and then she said, "What's your name?"

"Gwen, you?"

The woman laughed and said, "I would have thought you would have guess it by now!"

Joyce furrowed her brow and the woman said with a smile on her face, 

"Gwen, I'm Jeana." 

  ***