I woke up to the bright sunshine. I pulled the thin blanket over my head, wondering why my heavy curtains weren’t blocking the rays. Then, my memories flooded back. My tears started flooding down my face. I missed Mom. I missed Dad. I even missed school, which I would’ve been today.

    Overwhelming sadness crashed into me, making me leap out of bed. Bolting out the door, I rushed towards the woods. The tribespeople stared at me. The strange city girl with tears running down her face, tearing towards the woods.

    When I felt a sting on the bottom of my foot, I noticed I had no shoes on, only socks. I lifted my foot up and noticed blood soaking my sock. A string of  brier stuck to my sock. Grimacing, I pulled it gently off. I attempted to set my foot on the ground. Pain coarsed from where I’d been cut. Yelping, I sat down on a thick root of a oak tree.

    The place I was didn’t look familiar at all. Even if I tried hard, I couldn’t hear the bustle of the tribal village. A musty smell hit my nose, smelling of our deceased dog after she came inside when it rained. A smell like animals.

    The brush rustled. A growling echoed through the trees, followed my a howl. I stood quickly, favoring my hurt foot by leaning on the tree trunk. Wolves, about twelve in total slunk to stand in seemingly a formation in front of me. My heart beat wildly. The creatures looked aggressive.

    I screamed and bolted away from the wolves. I heard soft paw thumps behind me. Thump. Thump. Thump. The sound urged me on faster. My injured foot yelled at me to stop. I couldn’t; the wolves would get me. Just as I was slowing, the footsteps grew different, almost uneven. Not thinking, I turned around to see the lead wolf jumping for me.

    A blur hit the wolf, knocking it to the side. A spray of red, sticky liquid hit me on the leg. The wolf hit the ground with  rough thud. It’s fur was covered with blood, and from its side protruded an arrow.

    Enyoto, followed by three more tribes people appeared. With weapons like spears, swords, and bows and arrows, they scared the wolves away. Enyoto turned to me and scowled.

    “I knew we should’ve taken you in.” Enyoto sneered. One woman swatted at him.

    “Hush,” she said, “Can’t you see the poor dear’s hurt?”

    The woman and another gave their weapons to the two men and came over to me. I put my arms over each of their shoulders and together the women half carried me back to the village. The men went to speak to the chief. I was taken to the healer.

    The healer was a kindly old man who took my sock off and rubbed a green herb paste on my wound after cleaning it. The paste stung, but he told me gently that it would ward off infection and it would feel better soon.

    Enyoto soon came and yanked me too my feet. “Come on, kid.”

    I squealed as he pulled me to the side of a earthy bank. A cave showed itself, bars criss-crossing over the entrance. It was pretty clear to me what it was for: a prison. Enyoto opened one of two doors and put me inside. As he locked the wooden door behind me, I curled up next to a wall.

    “Why am I here?” A few tears slipped down my face. Was I to blame again?

    “To keep yourself safe. You are unpredictable.” Enyoto walked off, and I heard him mutter under his breath, “Kids. You can’t trust ‘em.”