Stella walked for hours until exhaustion forced her to stop again. She sat down beneath a tree, wondering why she still hadn't encountered any living beings other than those men.
"Is it possible they hunt all the animals in this forest too? Huh… that wouldn't be surprising either."
Lost in thought, a sudden voice reached her from a distance.
Someone was singing.
Stella immediately hid behind the tree and watched in silence. It was a girl.
A teenage girl stood by the riverbank in the middle of the dense forest.
Her small frame wore a simple olive-green dress with short sleeves.
Her rosy cheeks contrasted with her fair skin, while wide dark eyes reflected innocence and curiosity, with long wavy black hair flowed down her back.
As she washed clothes in the river, her soft singing echoed through the trees, blending with the calm of the surroundings, sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting a warm glow over her.
From behind the tree, Stella observed quietly, and the girl continued her work, unaware of being watched.
Stella opened what could be called a purse or a briefcase, which quickly made with the old fabric she found in the hut.
There was no food, just a bottle of water about to be emptied and her phone, which was still only half charged.
"Well, since this girl is here, there must be a group or a family living around here, then…" , without hesitation, she came out from behind the tree and walked towards the girl, showing herself.
At first, she did not pay attention to her, but as Stella got closer she could hear her footsteps, so she turned around to see who, and let out a cry from the sight.
Stella's appearance was terrible, her face dirty, with clothes torn and patched in places, resembling a street homeless person.
She held her eyes, though weary, with a glimmer of flexibility, looked like a homeless boy, or like a bandit who would do anything for money.
Stella was about to talk to her, but she didn't want to hear, and also threw wet clothes and a stone at her.
One of the stones fell on Stella's foot, "Aah...!" She staggered, grabbing her leg, "Wait! I just wanted to talk please, stop!"
Silence followed.
The girl froze, her arm still half raised, another stone in hand. She stared at Stella for a long second, her expression shifting from alarm to confusion.
"...You're a girl?"
Stella exhaled sharply, steadying herself against the pain.
"Yes," she said, wincing, "So maybe stop throwing rocks ?"
The girl didn't move at first. Her eyes scanned Stella from head to toe, cautious, uncertain.
"What are you doing here?"
"I'm lost," Stella replied, forcing her voice to stay even, "I was hoping you could help me find my way."
The girl glanced around quickly, as if expecting someone else to appear. The place was empty, too quiet.
"My god…" Stella muttered under her breath, testing her foot. A sharp pulse of pain shot up her leg.
"That actually hurt… I hope I can still walk."
She tried to stand, but her balance faltered slightly. The stone had been heavier than she expected.
Then, slowly, the girl stepped closer.
"I… I'm sorry," she said, her voice softer now, "I panicked. Please forgive me."
Stella let out a small breath, then gave a faint, controlled smile.
"It's fine. I probably would've done the same."
Another brief silence settled between them.
"So…" the girl said, still watching her carefully, "You said you're lost. Where are you from? Your accent is… different."
Stella hesitated, "Which area…? No think. Somewhere far. Somewhere they won't question."
Her gaze flickered for just a moment before she answered, "...The North."
"The North?" The girl frowned slightly, "That's far from here. What brought you all this way?"
" Great, that works."
"I was traveling with my family," Stella said smoothly, "We got separated."
The girl's expression softened.
"...That's unfortunate."
Stella nodded, as if the story carried weight.
"Convenient, at least I don't have to explain much."
The girl shifted her stance, the tension in her shoulders easing, "I'm really sorry," she said again, more quietly this time. "I thought you were someone else."
Stella adjusted her footing, testing her balance again. It still hurts, but manageable.
"It's alright," she said, "No real damage done."
"Good choice, if this place is as vast as it seems…
then the North should be far enough. No easy way for her to verify it," she thinks.
Stella was very careful not to make mistakes in front of her.
The girl continued doing the laundry while talking to her.
"By the way, what is your name?"
"My name is Alina."
The girl looked surprised and replied, "Alina? I've never heard that name before. Is it common in the North?"
"I don't know… it was my grandmother's name."
"Oh… I've never heard it either. What does it mean?"
"I think it means a beautiful and bright woman."
"That's a beautiful name."
This is already the name of Stella's grandmother, her father's mother.
"I couldn't think of another old-fashioned name, the meaning of which is beautiful, but it never suited her, she was a terrible woman."
"And you? What's your name?"
The girl laughed a little, "oh, sorry, I kept talking and forgot to introduce myself. I'm Helena."
"Nice to meet you."
Helena finished folding the last piece of laundry and lifted the basket.
"All done. We can go now."
"Go… where exactly?"
"To my village. It's nearby."
Stella hesitated, "I might cause trouble for you."
Helena waved her hand immediately, "Trouble? The only trouble would be leaving you alone in the forest another night."
"...If you insist, I'll come."
Helena smiled brightly, "That's what I wanted to hear. Let's go."
The two walked along the forest path.
Helena kept talking almost without stopping, laughing at small things along the way, while Stella mostly listened in silence.
"She doesn't stop talking… How far is this village anyway?"
"Is the village still far?" Stella asked after a while.
"No, we're close. We'll be out of the forest soon you'll see it."
A few minutes later, the trees began to thin.
At the edge of the forest, the village appeared.
A quiet settlement resting beside the vast woodland, surrounded by thick greenery and tall trees.
Wooden houses stood scattered along winding paths, each one slightly different from the other.
The air smelled faintly of bread and smoke, and distant voices mixed with the sound of birds and rustling leaves. Children ran between the houses, their laughter carrying through the open space.
As the sun lowered behind the forest, warm light spread across the village, softening everything it touched.
It felt peaceful… almost untouched by time.
"Here we are," Helena said.
"So this is it…"
"I'm not sure I'll fit in here," Stella thought silently.
As they entered, Stella noticed something immediately.
Most villagers had darker skin tones, while Helena and a few children shared a lighter complexion.
People began to glance at her.
Not aggressively, more with curiosity. A few whispered, others simply stared.
At the entrance, two men paused their conversation, their expressions changed as they noticed her.
One of them raised an eyebrow. The other leaned slightly forward, clearly intrigued.
Stella kept her face neutral, though she felt the weight of their eyes.
"Everyone is looking…"
Helena noticed and smiled reassuringly.
"Don't worry," she said softly, "They're kind people. Once they hear your story, they will help you. You will see."
"No, no, please don't tell everyone about it !"
"I told you, there's nothing to worry about."
"Well… if more people knew, the chances of those men finding me would only increase…" she thought.
"Huh. I'm not going to tell anyone. Hhh, you're too shy, Alina."
"Thank you."
"I just hope I don't get into trouble because of how much this girl talks," Stella thought, glancing sideways.
A tight knot of unease settled in her chest. If those men are really nearby… one careless word could ruin everything.
Helena and Stella continued down a narrow alley until they reached the last turn. A small house stood there.
A woman in her mid-thirties sat outside on a chair, knitting with steady, practiced hands. Brown skinned, striking features, and a quiet symmetry to her face. Her long straight hair flowed down to her waist.
Despite her delicate frame and modest height, there was a grounded warmth in her presence.
Helena raised a hand and called out, "Mother, I'm back!"
The woman turned slowly.
For a brief moment, her expression remained soft and composed, then it shifted into clear surprise as her gaze landed on Stella.
"I think her mother is going to kick me out…" Stella's thoughts raced.
"Mother, how was your day? Did you finish knitting the dress?"
The woman answered calmly, "Welcome back. Yes, I'm almost done with it. But Helena… who is this boy?"
"The boy ?" After hearing this, Stella sight.
Helena burst into laughter, "mother, she's not a boy."
"What? A girl?" The woman's eyes widened slightly, surprise softening her features.
"Then… why does she look like this?"
Helena stepped closer, still amused, "come on, let's go inside first. I'll explain everything."
Stella followed quietly, but her mind was anything but calm.