|
Post by Strangers and Travelers on May 18, 2017 16:27:03 GMT -8
The girl turned and shoved Debbie sharply away. Even though she was just a child, she was unnaturally strong, and even Debbie would likely be pushed back a step.
"There's nothing in that cave but bones and ice. Mother is here, can't you see her? Can't you hear her? I know she's here, I just need to find her. She's so close, I can feel it. I know where she is, I'm sure of it! Just let me go!"
She hurried off into the storm again, running away from Debbie.
|
|
Deleted
Roleplay posts: 0
Registered: May 20, 2024 12:33:24 GMT -8
|
Post by Deleted on May 18, 2017 16:28:40 GMT -8
"No! Sweetie, please!" She called out as she stumbled back a little. "You'll freeze to death! Let me help you!"
Debbie regained her balance and ran after her once more.
|
|
|
Post by Strangers and Travelers on May 18, 2017 18:31:44 GMT -8
The girl ran faster, but soon collapsed in the snow.
"Mother, mother! Where are you? I know you're here, why can't I find you?"
She struggled to her feet. All of a sudden, she gasped and sprinted off the path into a snowdrift. She began desperately digging in the snow, shoveling handful after handful and seemingly oblivious to the biting cold.
"She's here! Right here! I knew I could find her! She's been here all along! Mother, oh mother!"
|
|
Deleted
Roleplay posts: 0
Registered: May 20, 2024 12:33:24 GMT -8
|
Post by Deleted on May 18, 2017 18:36:27 GMT -8
If it means getting the child to safety faster she decided to drop to her feet and pulled piles of snow back hand over fist using her superior size to speed things up.
"If she's here we need to get her to safety too!" She yelled to the kid, "Please, I don't want you to freeze to death!"
|
|
|
Post by Strangers and Travelers on May 18, 2017 19:24:28 GMT -8
The child continued to dig alongside Debbie, but there didn't seem to be any mothers in the snow. However, the girl thrust her hand into the snow and gasped.
"She's here! I found her, finally!"
She pulled and pulled, and produced a bleached white skull from the snow. She beamed, not in the least bit disturbed by the macabre finding.
"Mother, I finally found you..."
She collapsed in the snow, unconscious from hypothermia.
|
|
Deleted
Roleplay posts: 0
Registered: May 20, 2024 12:33:24 GMT -8
|
Post by Deleted on May 18, 2017 19:25:33 GMT -8
"No!"
Debbie grabbed the child and carried her back through the snow, hoping to find her way back to the cave.
|
|
|
Post by Strangers and Travelers on May 18, 2017 19:40:59 GMT -8
The cave proved to be nearly impossible to find in the blizzard. Any tracks that could have been followed back were long gone, covered up by inch after inch of snow. However, after what seemed like hours of searching, she made it back to the cave. The fire was long gone, and it was nowhere near the cozy haven it had been when she'd left. The stone floor was frigid, icicles hung from the roof, and the entryway was nearly blocked by snow. The girl was deathly cold, and barely breathing. Still, somehow, she clung to the skull with an iron vice grip.
|
|
Deleted
Roleplay posts: 0
Registered: May 20, 2024 12:33:24 GMT -8
|
Post by Deleted on May 18, 2017 19:48:18 GMT -8
Putting her near the fire, Debbie immediately started the flame b ack up and wrapped the child in a blanket as quickly as possible. She rummaged through her bag and finally found a red potion.
"Please....please drink this. I-I don't have time to make it into a cupcake but I don't want you to die." She begged, sobbing a little.
|
|
|
Post by Strangers and Travelers on May 18, 2017 20:01:32 GMT -8
Debbie would be able to pour the potion down into the girl's mouth, forcing her to swallow it. A bit of color returned to her face, and she seemed to breath a little better. Still, she remained unconscious. As she lit the fire, the cave began to warm up, a welcome respite from the storm.
"Such a good girl."
A woman's voice came from seemingly nowhere. Looking up, Debbie would see nobody. However, the fire cast a woman's shadow on the wall. The shadow spoke again, softly.
"Thank you for helping her, miss."
|
|
Deleted
Roleplay posts: 0
Registered: May 20, 2024 12:33:24 GMT -8
|
Post by Deleted on May 18, 2017 20:09:05 GMT -8
At first Debbie was shocked by the voice but figured it out quickly. She smiled and nodded.
"Of course, miss." She said. After rubbing the girl's hands to bring life back to them, she took the little child and held her in her arms, hugging her to keep her warm and safe as they both lay by the fire.
|
|
|
Post by Strangers and Travelers on May 18, 2017 20:17:22 GMT -8
Looking down at the girl, Debbie would see that she seemed to be recovering. However, the cold had done some serious damage. Her fingers were frostbitten, and she'd almost certainly lose a few. Still, the rest of her seemed fine enough...
"She'll lose the eye, you know. The left one. The cold constricted the vessels, and she'll go blind."
Looking up, Debbie would see another figure sitting by the fire: a familiar masked man in a rather ridiculous two-pointed mantle. His precious case of eyes sat beside him, and he held a steaming mug of tea in his hands. How had he gotten in? The end of the cave was sealed, and Debbie hadn't seen anyone walk in.
"I can replace it, of course. That's what I do. For a price."
|
|
Deleted
Roleplay posts: 0
Registered: May 20, 2024 12:33:24 GMT -8
|
Post by Deleted on May 18, 2017 20:24:34 GMT -8
Debbie looked to him silently before sitting up straight. She was clearly nervous but tried to keep a brave face.
"That's her decision. Not mine. I don't know who she is and I don't want to make choices for her." She replied, still holding the child tightly.
"Give me time to bake some pastries, I can help fix the damage."
|
|
|
Post by Strangers and Travelers on May 18, 2017 21:27:42 GMT -8
The man shook his head, pointed hat flopping back and forth.
"The damage is done. The girl will live if you work your magic, and will recover. The eye will not. It will wither and die in its socket, causing suffering and infection. I can replace it. However, she has nothing. I don't work for free, Debbie dear. Otherwise, what sort of businessman would I be? However, I can help her."
He held up a small glass jar. Inside was a glass eye, one that Debbie would be familiar with. The last time she'd seen it, it had been in pieces on the floor of a milk bar. Now, it seemed good as new. The eye swiveled in the jar, staring at Debbie.
"This is yours, I believe. You broke it, rather ungratefully, but I mended it for you. I won't charge you, it belongs to you. If you'd pay a rather minor fee, I can install it in the girl. No pain, no suffering, no blindness. How does that sound?"
|
|
Deleted
Roleplay posts: 0
Registered: May 20, 2024 12:33:24 GMT -8
|
Post by Deleted on May 18, 2017 21:46:07 GMT -8
"I'm afraid to answer that. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure this is all real. For all I know you and the girl are spirits. I will consider it if you tell me why you put that eye in my pocket though, and why you're here now in this blizzard. I think I made it very clear how much I don't want to see you again....no offense."
|
|
|
Post by Strangers and Travelers on May 19, 2017 9:06:05 GMT -8
"Be assured, I'm very real indeed. The girl is as well. Her dear mother, unfortunately, is little more than a spirit. Still, the girl is real enough to benefit from an eye. As to why I put it in your pocket...I thought you might like it. Perhaps it would entice you into selling an eye. And believe me, lots of people say they don't want to see me anymore...until they can't see anything at all. Then, all of a sudden, my wares become very attractive indeed. Who knows, though...I might branch out. Glass eyes aren't the only replacement people want."
He placed the bottled eye on the cave floor, where it stared at Debbie, unblinking.
|
|
Deleted
Roleplay posts: 0
Registered: May 20, 2024 12:33:24 GMT -8
|
Post by Deleted on May 19, 2017 9:09:21 GMT -8
"Will the eye be magical? Usable in some sort of fashion? Or will she have to get used to having no depth perception?" Debbie asked, more curious than anything else.
|
|
|
Post by Strangers and Travelers on May 19, 2017 10:50:25 GMT -8
The masked man nodded.
"Weren't you listening, back in the bar? These eyes are not merely decorations, Debbie dear. They're fully functional. Some of them work better than normal human's eyes, even. I have cat's eyes, if you'd like to be able to see spirits and see in the dark. Bird's eyes for incredibly sharp vision. I can even make insect's eyes, if you want compound eyesight. Not sure why you'd want that, though. I can do it, however."
He raised his mug to the sealed lips of his mask, as though to take a sip. Of course, drinking was impossible through the mask. However, when he put it down, the mug was empty.
|
|
Deleted
Roleplay posts: 0
Registered: May 20, 2024 12:33:24 GMT -8
|
Post by Deleted on May 19, 2017 10:55:13 GMT -8
Debbie looked the girl over for some time quietly, mulling over her options in her head. Eventually she sighed and nodded.
"How much for the procedure?" She asked.
|
|
|
Post by Strangers and Travelers on May 19, 2017 12:04:25 GMT -8
"Excellent."
The eye-seller uncorked the bottle, rolling the glass eye out into his hand. Reaching into a hidden pocket, he retrieved a silk handkerchief, which he used to polish the eye.
"Two golden pieces should cover it, Debbie dear. After all, it's a very easy procedure for someone of my skill."
Pulling a rolled cloth bundle from some other hidden pocket, he unrolled it with a snap. A collection of menacing-looking instruments sat within, gleaming in the firelight. There were hooks, scoops, and scalpels, all polished to a mirror edge.
"Lay the poor child down, please. This won't take more than a minute."
|
|
Deleted
Roleplay posts: 0
Registered: May 20, 2024 12:33:24 GMT -8
|
Post by Deleted on May 19, 2017 12:52:46 GMT -8
Debbie hesitated for a moment. Closing her eyes she placed the child on the ground gently.
"I hope she can forgive me for this." She said to herself as she pulled the money out the masked man required.
|
|