My sense of direction was really lousy. With each step I tried to give looking at the map, the more lost I became. The afternoon was falling and my stomach made that raucous noise of hunger again. I picked up the apple and ate, making some of the hunger disappear and kept walking, ignoring the map this time. Already lost, what could get worse?
I decided to sit near a tree to rest. The sun was setting and something told me that it would not be good to be walking around during the night. My stomach still complained and I ate half of the bread Rathal had given me. The food was running out and I should look for more early tomorrow, otherwise I would be in serious trouble.
I looked at the book, which was in front of me and I decided to look at its pages, as it was customary to do. It was true that some prints looked like some creatures here, and they really looked like the ones I saw around here. For the first time I stopped to pay attention to them for real and it really was strange. That woman Ivory said to be his mother was somehow like me and he was right: if it was not for the hair, we'd both be identical. It scared me for a moment and left me confused at the same time: how could I not realize this before I came to stop here? What was happening?
- Lost again?
Rathal startled me as I stepped out from behind the tree I was in. It even looked like he was following me.
- How did you find me?
- I smelled human and came to see what it was. So Ivory kicked you out of his camp, too?
- No, I decided to follow the map you gave me to go home, but I can not guide myself at all and now I'm here.
He sat down beside me and looked at the book.
- Ivory's mother really looks like you.
- You noticed, too?
- How can you not understand? Everyone who has known his family can see the resemblance.
- Why are you in this book?
- It's a book that humans have made about our world, right? - Rathal looked at me and I nodded. - It's not because you do not believe in a fairy tale that they are not real. Maybe someone who managed to come here recorded everything in book form.
His hypothesis made sense, but how could a person do that if even I do not know how I got here?
- Do you have any idea who it might be, Rathal?
- None. It could be a human who came here or a creature that went there. - He shrugged, standing up. - Would you like to spend the night at my house?
- Thank you, but I'll keep here.
- Right. Just be careful not to get lost, okay?
- Thanks.
He walked toward the forest and disappeared completely. I closed the book, after all everything was very confusing now. I kept looking at the sky and at the same stars that guided me to Ivory that time. I really wanted them to help me find the right way to go home.
I began to hear laughter not far from me and a soft light was in the middle of the trees. I saw a girl dressed in a long, simple dress and long loose hair. She walked through the forest as if to draw my attention.
- Follow me. I heard her say it in my head.
I looked around and looked at the woman again. I do not think she would do me any harm and so I picked up my things before following her wherever I was going. She walked fast and I had to run not to get lost, but it did not help. I did not see the light anymore and the woman disappeared. He was in a place he did not know again in another forest, not knowing how to get back.
- Anybody there? Please!
- Sorenna? - I knew that voice - Where are you?
- I wanted to know...
I saw that light again and the woman walking toward me, followed by Ivory, who was again in the shape of an elf. So she disappeared to bring him here? But why? That did not make sense.
"Did she bring you here too?"
"I mean ...- He did not finish the sentence, once he was surprised.
- What is it, Ivory?
- She does not appear to anyone but me. Why did she bring you here?
- I do not know. She just told me to follow her. Why are you so surprised? Who is she?
- She's my mother's ghost.
