Only Chance

15.

Once upon a time, there was a young woman, lost, wandering.

Once upon a time, there was a girl who couldn't find her way into the world, the way that was correct for her.

Once upon a time, the young lady put restrictions on herself and blocked away her past, slipping into the present, and racing towards the future.

Until.

Until, indeed, the past, her memories, caught back up to her like a snake, slithering, and hissing.

And this time, it won't be so easy to escape, was the message in the snake's beady, midnight-black eyes, in the snake's nasal, spine-chilling hisses.

'''''

Ozanne and I were back at the lake.

"The mermaid gave you a shell to call her if you needed help?" Ozanne asked in a rush, astonished. "Wow. That's kinda..."

"A lifesaver. We need to get back, and without Kisha, we'd never make it." I gave Ozanne a stern look, eyeing her firmly. "Especially for those who can't swim, and decided to only just tell."

"It wasn't my fault!" she cried. "How-"

"Yeah, yeah, okay," I sighed. "Let's get going."

I took out the small shell from my pack, it's pretty tan skin, the little waves and ripples the color of sand...and tenderly blew on the bottom hole.

And a lovely, beautiful melody came out.

So did our help.

"Adelphia?" Kisha whispered gently as she rose out of the waters, her pastel hair still flowing and her eyes still liquid foam. Ozanne gasped.

"Y-you- you were the person that saved u-us-" she sputtered.

"Hi there, you just be Adelphia's friend. I'm pleased to meet you," Kisha smiled. Ozanne laughed bitterly.

"You broke your laws for two people like us?" Ozanne asked, sounding accusing.

"Yes, I did, so, be grateful," she snapped, her tone instantly turning cold. "Anyways..." Kisha regained her soft voice. "What do you need, Adelphia?"

"Sorry to disturb you-"

"Oh it's nothing-"

"But we'd like a ride across the Eshizar empire. Ozanne and I decided that the Zupia empire might be a bit too dangerous, and settled that it wasn't worth the risk. Therefore, we'll be going back the way we came from: the Thinia empire."

Kisha's brow furrowed, dripping with water. "But the empress is on the lookout for you...her guards swarm there more than any other empire."

"I have to go back," I said fiercely, trying to ignore her words even as fear tugged at my heart. "We're going back to-"

"Don't." I felt Ozanne's hot breath in my ear as her whisper echoed. "We don't know who to trust, remember."

The thought of Kisha being a traitor sent me sick to my stomach, but I nodded, knowing that she was right.

"Um, maybe not, on-" I started, but she cut me off.

"It's not too much work, if you're wondering that," Kisha frowned.

"No, we'll find another way to get through the empire," Ozanne cut in.

"Good luck then," she said with an icy smile. "I don't think you'll be able to get anywhere without my help."