I looked at the clock on my iPad. Ten more seconds, then I could go to the picnic table and read my book. Nine seconds. Unlike the rest of my classmates, I was sitting in my seat, my leg bouncing. They were all crowded around the door, waiting impatiently for class to end. Seven seconds. Even the quiet students were among the group, chatting among themselves with their friends. Jo came to stand near my desk. He was just as awkward as me, if not less. He had to pass by my desk to exit the classroom.

"Have a good day, Erin," He smiled awkwardly.

"You too." I nodded towards his direction with my mouth in a thin line. He walked away and could hear a sigh of relief escape my mouth, I hated people-ing, he was my friend, perhaps one of my closet besides my mother.

Five seconds. I looked at my watch, thankful that my mom bought it, I had been asking for it for about two years. Jo, he was shy. I understood, though I had an introverted personality. He walked over to his friends, the ones that liked creating music. Two seconds. I shut my iPad and put it under my notebook, waiting, watching the clock that was hanging on the wall. The Batman theme song came on over the P. A. system, indicating that class was over. I stood up and placed my notebook and iPad in my gray duffle bag. I turned to the teacher who I sat right in front of, in the back corner of the classroom. Teachers often thought that was weird, mainly for my short height, but I was more comfortable in the back.

"Bye, Mr. Aristie." I put my hand up, which was returned with a head bob from the teacher. I walked out of the classroom. Without even realizing, I put my eyes to the floor, avoiding eye contact with all the students in the hallway. I smiled, satisfied with the routine that I was performing. It was a Wednesday, which meant I could stay after school and read until 3:30, do my homework until 4:30, when my mom would come pick me up. We would stop by home, make dinner, and leave around 6:30 for scouts. I wouldn't call it girl scouts, mainly because we are an all female Boy Scout troop. We just do everything Boy Scouts do. I had zoned out, thinking about the schedule, which lead me to run face-first into one of the popular boys in the grade.

"Ope! Sorry." I walked around him, but I could feel his eyes on me, which felt uncomfortable. I could hear his friends laughing, and I tightened my grip on my bag. I was looking at my shoes, my pink and black tennis shoes that I have had since sixth grade. My jeans covered most of them, which I liked. I went up the stairs to reach the second floor, and I could feel the warm, September breeze that felt nice against the sides of my arms that were covered by sleeves, and my hands, which were in my jean's pockets. I looked up only when I saw the roots of a tree that was near the picnic table I always sat at. I looked to where I knew the table was, but I saw a boy in sixth grade sitting with a girl, most likely in his class. She was talking, and he was smiling, attentively. I walked awkwardly to the picnic table, and set my bag down. I took out my book, and noticed the boy was looking at me occasionally.

"It is such a good movie! You have to watch it, Jonathan!" The boy nodded, smiling.

"It sounds really cool."

Part of me wanted to ask which movie they were talking about, but I didn't have the confidence. The boy gave me one last glance.

"Uh, may you please move? We-"

I nodded, and put a false apologetic face on. "Of course, I am so sorry!" I stood up after gathering my items, and walked to the docks, which was right next the the door out of the building. I sat down, and pulled my book back out. I had just a few paragraphs left until the end of the chapter, when I heard my phone in my purse buzz. I put a receipt, which I used as my bookmark, in my book before putting my book inside my duffle bag. It was 3:20, and I preferred to do my homework a bit further from the students, and a bit closer to where I told my mom to pick me up: near the woods. I slipped my duffle bag over my shoulder and began walking.

I was almost there, where there were trees all around, blocking me off from humanity, just the way I liked it. I sat down, my back against a tree, and opened my planner. I had already finished most of my homework in my classes or during lunch, so I just had to read a few chapters of Unbroken, it's a book about a WWII veteran. I have a hard time getting into it, until I finally reach the part where I have to stop reading for class.

"Hey, Erin." I looked up and saw a man standing over me, wearing a light coat, despite the heat. I thought silently to myself, my phone is shut off! You idiot! You have it in case of an emergency, you are alone, literally in a forest, and you have just been approached by a man! Perhaps if I scream loud enough.

I held the book so tightly in my hands, it began hurting. I was on the ground, my knees up. "Hello." I was looking at the man, he was very pale, and had dark brown eyes, just like his hair. He had a clean shave, no facial hair in sight. He looked like he was in his thirties, but I couldn't really tell. I had never been good at figuring out a person's age. He bent down so he was looking straight at me, a smile on his face, determination in his eyes.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt you, but I need you to go to sleep for just a while." Before I could protest, he jammed a needle into my leg, and I blacked out, unaware of anything.

I woke up in a bright pink room that hurt my eyes. I was lying in a bed, my long hair scattered out from my ponytail, and I could feel my hands behind my back and on my ankles. I managed to sit upright, despite the restraints. I saw there were stuffed animals all around me, and a tea set placed on a wooden table, right in front of a fake kitchen things. There was a pink toy box, filled with dolls. I remembered my little sister who loved those expensive LOL Dolls. There was a mini library, filled with princess books. Across from the bed, I saw a mirror, one that was probably the same height as me, delicately placed near the closet. I looked in the mirror and saw my elbow length hair had indeed been taken out of it's ponytail holder, causing my thick, black mop to run down my shoulders.

I saw a Sleeping Beauty bed set had been set on the bed which I had been laying. I hopped, literally, hopped out of the bed, causing me to trip and bump my head on the table. I heard a boy's voice, most likely thirteen or fourteen, come from my right. "Hello?"

I sat up, and did the caterpillar to the wall. "Hello?"

"Where are we?" I could hear a frantic tone in the boy's voice. I wanted to reply with a snarky comment, but decided that wouldn't be very scout-like, so I decided otherwise.

"I'm not sure. What do you see?"

There was a long pause. "I-I see a bed with Paw Patrol sheets on top. In the middle there is a Lego area, and a large drawer is on the left side of the room. There are dolphin stickers on the walls. What do you see?" I looked around, and realized I had owl stickers, placed right before the walls ended and the roof began. I described the room in as much detail, and I only got a small "Hmmm" from the boy. I crawled over to the tea set, and broke a plate, which was luckily made of glass, against the table. I used it the cut off the rope from my hands, and my ankles.

"I'm going to look in the closet, maybe there is something in there. You look in the drawers." I followed my own plan, and inside the closet, there were sari dresses, all with a high neckline, and none were tight. There were some of every color. Sari dresses are formal Indian garments, worn by women. My father was from India, so I celebrated my culture as if it was a large part of me, which it is. On a shelf on top of the dresses was a notebook. I grabbed on of the wooden chairs and stepped on it, giving me a lift up. I grabbed the notebook, and hopped off the chair. I opened it, and saw a note that was written to me.

Dear Erin,

We know you may not be all that happy with us, but we want only what is best. You must now accept who you are, you must become, Uil. Wear the brown dress with the mask and follow through the hidden door. You can choose not do to as we wish, and we would have no way of knowing, for there aren't any cameras watching you. We just ask that you follow your instincts and be brave.

It was left unsigned, and the rest of the sheets had the designs for all the sari dresses. The neckline appeared to be a straight line, beginning from one shoulder to the other without showing any part of the chest area. The sleeves were longed, and with a hint of gold swirly designs. The skirt went out, and went from gold at the bottom, before eventually fading out in a series of dots. There was a brown scarf that was connected to the dress that hung from one shoulder to the waist. I set the notebook down and looked in the mirror. I noticed on the small table beside it was a hair brush. I grabbed the brown dress, and saw it looked just like the design. I placed it on, zipping the zipper that was placed at the back. When I stepped back to the mirror, I saw the dress looked even better than before. I brushed my brown hair, and set the part to the left. I put the brown mask on, and looked at myself in the mirror, admiring myself. Although my face was sprinkled with acne, it still was, I guess, pretty. My mother always said I was gorgeous, I just hid my beauty from the world with my hats and jean, sweatshirt combo.

"Uh, girl?"

I looked over, surprised. I had forgotten about the boy. "They-uh," I knew he was going to mock me. "They wanted me to do a costume change."

I awaited laughter that never came. "They want me to change as well, into a gray blue tuxedo."

I leaned against the wall. "Does it come with a mask?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Alright. Have you looked through all the drawers?"

"No, just the top one. Why?"

I stepped back, and yelled even louder so the boy could hear me. "Get changed, then look through the other drawers!" I went back to the closet, and I saw something shining behind the clothes. I moved them, an action that only revealed a door. "I found a door! I'm going to go through it!" I turned the door handle and stepped inside. What I saw was incredible. There was a large room, centered with a booming tree that had owls nested upon.

They were all sleeping, or they all at least had their eyes closed. The room was illuminated with light entering through the windows. The was a towel hanging up nearby, and I wrapped it around my arm, possibly waiting for one of the birds to land gracefully on my arm. Near the door was a thick book, a biography about owls. The cover held the eyes of an owl, wide and yellow with the words, "Uil, Owl!" Written under the title which read "Owls, The Mysteries Behind These Night Watchers". The lights suddenly went out, and I felt something land on my arm. I looked around, and I knew my eyes were wide open, but I was looking at everything as if they had been closed. I must have let out a yelp, or a gasp, of some kind because I heard a thud from the other room, closer now.

"Hey, little lady! Are you alright?"

"I-I can't see!"

Note from Author:

Hello! I am not sure if you can, but if it is possible, please comment! I am really new to Wattpad, so I don't know all of it's capabilities. I can't figure out what the title should be. I know this is a short chapter, but the chapters are only as long as I want the story to be told from this specific character's view, so they will get longer! Don't worry, and please give me any and all suggestions! I am already currently working on the seventh chapter as of 5/8/19. Please give me a chance with this story.