The moon was a deep glow, low down in the sky. I crept over the rocky ground, cursing my decision to venture forth while the moon was full. Apart from the obvious dangers of werewolves, the moon simply made me too visible to anyone watching. I could go back and wait for the moon to set, but that would mean surrendering my hard won freedom and returning to my prison. Plus there might not be another opportunity to escape. He could return at anytime.
I continued on my journey, treading as lightly as I could. I winced every time a rock crumbled or a leaf crackled underfoot. I imagined myself lighter, thinking, ‘I am as light as air, my feet do not touch the ground, I have wings.’ I immediately felt myself lighten and no more noises escaped from beneath my feet. The next thing I needed to do, of course, was to make myself unseen. But this was so much harder. ‘I am unseen, no one sees me,’ I thought. It was something I had never done before, had never needed to do. Until now.
I heard a rustle from behind me and ducked behind a large rock. I stayed crouched down until I was sure there was no one around. I heard an owl hoot as I crept out from behind the rock. I almost jumped out of my skin, which was nothing compared to what the owl was feeling; the shock of seeing a human being so close to it. I clapped my hand against my forehead. The owl had seen me, my charm hadn’t worked. I willed myself to calm down. I would get nowhere panicking at the slightest sound. Besides, owls were my animals, they shouldn’t scare me. I called softly to the owl and it flew from its tree and landed on my outstretched arm. I spoke to it in its own language, asking it to fly high into the sky and see if anything was following me. It hooted once and flew into the air. As it became smaller and smaller, I felt its loss keenly. Without its calming presence, everything that had happened threatened to overcome me. I pulled myself together and watched anxiously as the owl returned. It told me there was a man by the creek, which I had passed barely fifteen minutes ago. It could be no coincidence; he must have picked up my trail. I swallowed hard and released the bird.
I picked up my pace and began leaping over rocks, not caring about noise anymore. I just needed to get away. I tripped over a large boulder and cried out as I landed hard on the ground. I felt my knees rip open from the rocks littering the ground. I screamed with pain and suddenly heard footsteps behind me. I managed to push myself up with shaky arms and took off. As I sprinted over the ground, not caring where I was going, as long as it was away, I realised that I would rather die than go back to my prison. I started running towards the cliffs I had seen earlier. The footsteps grew louder and I tried to run faster, but my swollen and bleeding knees wouldn’t obey. The cliff was approaching and as I looked behind me, so was he. I wasn’t going to make it. I put on a last burst of speed and was almost at the cliff when he grabbed me and scooped me up into his arms.
“Whoa there, princess. Steady. Don’t want to fall down the steps now, do we?” he said with a laugh.
“But daddy, you’re the evil sor-cer-rer and I’m the beau-tiful lady that’s been ’prisoned by you.” I pouted.
“All right then, my lady, let me take you home to your castle and I’ll fix up those knees.” I shook my head weakly. My eyes were feeling heavy. I must resist the sorcerer’s spell. But I was so tired from all the running I’d done and all I wanted to do was sleep…