Excerpts from 'Beauty For Ashes'.

trees and the deep grunts from toads around me almost deafened my ears. The rains must have hit this place just before now, for the ground was very moist and water dripped from the leaves of all the trees I could barely see. I was too scared to cry for help. It would be useless in this secluded place inhabited by only animals. Worse still, my cries could wake a sleeping monster. All I could do was resort to my fate as I sat down at the foot of a tree close-by.
     'I must be suffering from amnesia,' I said to myself because I couldn't remember how all these came to be. I could hear my heart pounding in fear as I shook violently from a terrible cold. I shed hot tears at the thought of imminent danger. I was lost in the wild and surrounded by animals. I tried hard to figure out how I got here but my memory remained blank. My head ached badly. It seemed as though a strong hand was banging heavily on my head.
      Almost suddenly, I saw a shadowy figure coming towards me. 'My end has come. The sooner this ends, the better,' I thought as the tears came streaming down. By the time this figure was at arm's length, I almost let out a scream but as if knowing my intended action, this obscure figure put a finger across my lips. And, oh! How gentle and magical the touch was, it relaxed my nerves a bit. Then came a voice that could never be mistaken by me- that voice that's so calm and yet so melodious and as clear as a tinkling bell. It was that voice that can quell a raging tempest. 'I'm here for you,' it said.
      'Lisa!' I shouted, happy and shocked altogether.
       'It's me, dear. Let's get out of this awful place,' she said, and immediately I noticed a torch made from wood with fire at the tip in her hand. She took me by the hand and we walked silently as many questions wandered in my mind. After a long walk, we got to a foot-path. We walked into it and almost suddenly, I saw what I wanted so desperately- sweet, beautiful light! My eyes twitched at the sight of the glorious illumination, and then I could see Lisa clearly.