Elle took a few steps backward, wary of the stranger. The creature had been able to speak forward and almost fooled her once already.

The woman backed away, raising her hands in the air. Her eyes flitted around nervously as she spoke, and her shoulders were hunched forwards in fear. “I don’t want to hurt you, I swear,” she whispered, her voice carrying through the alleyway. “I saw that thing chasing after you and thought you must be like me.”

Elle shuddered at the reminder and clutched her arm. “Who are you?” she demanded.

The woman jumped at her words, her too-large shirt catching in the wind and revealing deep bruises along her arms and her waist. Her pants slipped down a few inches, and she yanked them up before they could expose anything.

“Sorry,” she apologized sheepishly. “I was getting dressed after my shower when that creature snatched me through the mirror.”

Elle shook her head, clutching her arm tighter.

The woman looked on in concern. “I know you don’t trust me,” she finally said, “but I promise, I don't want to hurt you. My name’s Anna; what’s yours?”

“Anna…” Elle mumbled, thinking back to the rumors she’d heard only hours before. The details were right, and she desperately wanted to trust the woman. Still, she was unsure. The creature had taken the form of her dad and used the voice of her mother. Who’s to say it couldn’t pretend to be the missing Anna, too?

Anna smiled prettily. “So, your name’s Anna too?”

Elle hastily shook her head. Seeing no harm in giving out her name when the creature already knew it, she clarified. “No. My name’s Elle.”

“Elle, huh? What a pretty name,” Anna said calmly. “How about I tell you the story of how I got here, and you can run off if anything sounds strange, okay?”

Elle nodded, lifting her chin a little.

Anna cast a few hasty glances around her. “Let’s go somewhere else to talk–I don’t want to get caught.” She started walking away, waving for Elle to follow.

Elle stood rooted to the ground with uncertainty.

Comprehension found a home on Anna’s face, and she clarified, “The monster hunted you in front of everyone else. It wouldn’t need to lure you away.”

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Almost of their own will, Elle’s feet moved forward. She quietly followed Anna through the alleyways and shadows to a forest area on the edge of town. Elle withheld her whimpers as the undersides of her feet were battered and scratched by fallen branches and stones along their path, alternating looking at the ground and Anna’s back.

Anna walked patiently ahead with no sign of impatience or exasperation when she periodically turned to check on their progress. She made no move to drop back, either, which quickly became another point in her favor.

An old-fashion cabin slowly made itself known ahead. The outside appeared overgrown, with weeds and different plants surrounding it at knee height. It’s windows were clear, unbroken glass, and reflected the steadily setting sun illuminating the forest behind them. Anna pressed a hand against her forehead as she peeked in the windows, blocking out the light. Looking satisfied with the sight, she strode to the door, motioning Elle in.

Hesitantly, Elle followed, politely shutting, but not locking, the door behind her as she entered the cabin. Anna waited on a well-kept armchair in the living room, outside of arms reach. Elle’s shoulder’s slumped in relief, and she used the light from the windows to take a look around.

The interior of the cabin, contrary to the outside, was well kept, if a bit old-fashioned. To the right, two floral patterned couches faced a fireplace framed by bookshelves on either side. An old radio sat beneath an extremely old boxed tv, with wires and antennas draped across the wooden floor. The kitchen and dining area sat to the left, a pillar on either side of the island kitchen helping to support the roof. A three-doored hallway sat straight ahead. Glass-less paintings of flowers hung along the walls, bringing splashes of color against the bare wood.

It had obviously been recently cleared of dust, with only tiny piles at the corners to indicate how long it had been between dustings.

Anna’s eyes flicked down at Elle’s feet, and she expressed her empathy, sliding her shoes off to reveal the equally damaged soles of her feet. Her face flushed, and she said, “I’d just gotten out of the shower when it kidnapped me. Didn’t have time to grab any shoes. The bathroom’s down the hallway, first door on your left. The medicine and bandages should still be sitting on the counter.”

Elle nodded and began shuffling her last few painful steps down the hallway. Her nose crinkled as she caught a whiff of herself. Maybe she’d get to clean her clothes while she was at it.

“Oh!” Anna lifted up her shoe, showing it off. “There are spare clothes and shoes in the bedroom for all different sizes. The water in the bathroom seems to be working, too, but it’s cold.” She warned.

The clothes in the bedroom weren’t exactly Elle’s size, but they weren’t so baggy she’d have trouble moving. She picked a simple faded blue t-shirt and one of the two pairs of jeans that looked like they’d fit, with the zipper indicating they were originally men’s jeans. She’d keep her own undergarments, she figured, and wash them in the sink if she needed to.

Absently, she noted that there was no mirror to be seen, anywhere.

Feeling filthy, she hopped in the shower, discarding her stained and smelly clothes in the trash and using soap and clean water to wash her injured feet. The pounding water revealed forgotten injuries where the monster had grabbed her and where she had been struck with shards of glass. She took care of those injuries, too.

She felt significantly better and more relaxed after the shower, almost like she was home again. Elle closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them, the obnoxiously pink tub broke the illusion, and her eyes burned.

She blinked the tears away and returned to the living room, feeling like a person again.

Anna was still sitting on the chair in the living room, her feet on the chair at her side, reading a leather-bound book that lay open on her lap. She flipped a page and asked, “You feeling better?”

Elle nodded, then realized Anna hadn’t looked up. Slightly embarrassed, she said, “Yes, thank you.”

Anna set the still-open book face down on the arm of the chair. “Do you have any questions for me, or do you want me to tell you what I know?”

Elle considered for a few seconds. “The second one.”

“Will do.”