Chapter 17. Finally Free?

I didn’t know how I fell asleep, but when I woke up the following morning, the rain had stopped and the sun was already out. It brightened inside the cave and nearly blinded me when I opened my eyes.

The air was filled with smoke from yesterday’s fire, and I erupted into a series of coughs–covering my nose to stop it from penetrating into my nostrils. I looked around and realized I had moved in my sleep and got so close to it.

Vlad wasn’t there, I noticed, and it made me panic. I quickly stood up from the ground—my whole body ached from lying there. I picked up my now dry, tattered gown and wore it again. Worried and frightened by Vlad's disappearance, I walked to the entrance of the cave and searched around, but there was still no sign of him.

Had he left me here because of what happened yesterday? My mind raced with so many questions. I went back to the cave, picked up his sack and turned to leave when I crashed in to something. I almost fell to the ground, but a