out here,” Aun said, gripping her hips with his fingernails so hard she bled.
She
closed her eyes and let out one last terrified scream.
Ava
gasped for air as she flung herself upwards. The old lady’s room came back into
focus as she realised it had only been a dream. She wasn’t in the forest. Aun hadn’t found her.
She
breathed deeply as her nerves settled. She then looked down at her body,
realising she was naked again. This time her whole body was covered in large
leaves like the ones that the old woman had placed on her legs earlier.
She
had no idea how long she’d been sleeping for, or how on earth the woman had
managed to get her naked and cover her with the herb mixture and leaves without
Ava waking.
She
must have put some kind of relaxant in the tea, because it was not long after
she consumed it, she had fallen asleep. She normally was a light sleeper, but
not in this case.
The
curtain on the small bedroom window was still closed, but she could see the
daylight streaming through.
She
sat up on the bed and looked down at her legs. Her body didn’t seem to hurt as
much as before and when she started to peel back the leaves, the deep scratches
and cuts were almost non-existent. She peeled back more of the leaves and to
her surprise, the herbal mixture and leaves had somehow healed her.
She
took her time peeling off all of the leaves on her whole body and inspecting
the area as she went. Not only did the cuts and bruises look healed, her
muscles didn’t feel as bad.
Once
she removed all the leaves and placed them in the nearby bowl on the ground,
she wrapped the white cotton sheet around her and stepped off the bed to find
the woman.
Her
body felt like new again as she walked towards the bedroom door. When she got
to the doorway, she noticed the old lady at the kitchen table once again. She
must have heard Ava, as she turned and smiled at her.
Ava
thanked the old woman, “Thank you. Whatever was in that mixture worked like
heaven.”
The
woman nodded, somehow understanding what Ava had said, even though she knew no
English. She then walked past Ava back into the bedroom.
Ava
followed the old lady to the large bucket full of water. She handed Ava a cloth
and indicated to her to soak the cloth in the sweet smelling warm water and
wipe her body.
Ava
accepted the cloth from her with her free hand. The woman then picked up the
small pile of folded clothes and placed them on the bed, pointing between the
clothes and Ava.
Ava
understood and nodded.
The
lady left Ava alone in the room once again to bathe herself. Ava didn’t
hesitant, as she washed her body with the water. Once she finished with her
body, she dipped her hair into the bucket, massaging her scalp and working her
fingers through the knots.
When
she finished, she squeezed all the excess water from her hair and grabbed the
nearby towel, wiping herself dry before wrapping it tightly around her hair in
a bun.
She
picked up the items of clothing the lady had left her and put them on without
hesitation. She had no idea where her other clothes were, and hoped never to
have to wear them again. They were like a constant reminder of where she’d been
and what her life had been like for two weeks.
Once
fully clothed, she looked down at the white buttoned shirt and knee length blue
shorts. They couldn’t have been the old lady’s, because she was much larger
than Ava. These clothes were small and fit Ava well. She guessed they must have
been from a boy the lady knew, perhaps her son? Ava didn’t know, but knew
she would be forever in the woman’s debt for what she’d done for her.
Ava
left the room to the kitchen where the woman had once again cooked her a
mouth-watering meal. After Ava finished the meal, both eating it in silence,
she went back to bed. Ava knew for sure then that there definitely was
something in the tea she was drinking. It made her tired almost
instantly. She didn’t think the lady was trying to drug her, well
She
closed her eyes and let out one last terrified scream.
Ava
gasped for air as she flung herself upwards. The old lady’s room came back into
focus as she realised it had only been a dream. She wasn’t in the forest. Aun hadn’t found her.
She
breathed deeply as her nerves settled. She then looked down at her body,
realising she was naked again. This time her whole body was covered in large
leaves like the ones that the old woman had placed on her legs earlier.
She
had no idea how long she’d been sleeping for, or how on earth the woman had
managed to get her naked and cover her with the herb mixture and leaves without
Ava waking.
She
must have put some kind of relaxant in the tea, because it was not long after
she consumed it, she had fallen asleep. She normally was a light sleeper, but
not in this case.
The
curtain on the small bedroom window was still closed, but she could see the
daylight streaming through.
She
sat up on the bed and looked down at her legs. Her body didn’t seem to hurt as
much as before and when she started to peel back the leaves, the deep scratches
and cuts were almost non-existent. She peeled back more of the leaves and to
her surprise, the herbal mixture and leaves had somehow healed her.
She
took her time peeling off all of the leaves on her whole body and inspecting
the area as she went. Not only did the cuts and bruises look healed, her
muscles didn’t feel as bad.
Once
she removed all the leaves and placed them in the nearby bowl on the ground,
she wrapped the white cotton sheet around her and stepped off the bed to find
the woman.
Her
body felt like new again as she walked towards the bedroom door. When she got
to the doorway, she noticed the old lady at the kitchen table once again. She
must have heard Ava, as she turned and smiled at her.
Ava
thanked the old woman, “Thank you. Whatever was in that mixture worked like
heaven.”
The
woman nodded, somehow understanding what Ava had said, even though she knew no
English. She then walked past Ava back into the bedroom.
Ava
followed the old lady to the large bucket full of water. She handed Ava a cloth
and indicated to her to soak the cloth in the sweet smelling warm water and
wipe her body.
Ava
accepted the cloth from her with her free hand. The woman then picked up the
small pile of folded clothes and placed them on the bed, pointing between the
clothes and Ava.
Ava
understood and nodded.
The
lady left Ava alone in the room once again to bathe herself. Ava didn’t
hesitant, as she washed her body with the water. Once she finished with her
body, she dipped her hair into the bucket, massaging her scalp and working her
fingers through the knots.
When
she finished, she squeezed all the excess water from her hair and grabbed the
nearby towel, wiping herself dry before wrapping it tightly around her hair in
a bun.
She
picked up the items of clothing the lady had left her and put them on without
hesitation. She had no idea where her other clothes were, and hoped never to
have to wear them again. They were like a constant reminder of where she’d been
and what her life had been like for two weeks.
Once
fully clothed, she looked down at the white buttoned shirt and knee length blue
shorts. They couldn’t have been the old lady’s, because she was much larger
than Ava. These clothes were small and fit Ava well. She guessed they must have
been from a boy the lady knew, perhaps her son? Ava didn’t know, but knew
she would be forever in the woman’s debt for what she’d done for her.
Ava
left the room to the kitchen where the woman had once again cooked her a
mouth-watering meal. After Ava finished the meal, both eating it in silence,
she went back to bed. Ava knew for sure then that there definitely was
something in the tea she was drinking. It made her tired almost
instantly. She didn’t think the lady was trying to drug her, well
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