Chapter 26

Chapter 26

"Stop... Stop... Stop!!!",screamed a voice.

The voice could be heard from miles away. Though far, it sounded like it was within earshot.
Jasmine could almost feel the breath of whatever it was asking her to stop.She was scared and curious.

You must not stop...You must not!the voice within fought back.
Jasmine listened to the latter and kept running as fast as her tired legs could carry her.She had been running non-stop for more than an hour from things she couldn't see. She didn't know why she was running. She didn't even know what or who she was running from.She only knew she had to keep running until she was safe. She was convinced that whatever was after her spelt danger and she knew it must not catchup with her.
"What am I going to do?",cried Jasmine. "I'm tired".

You must not be tired, the main road is not far from here ...You can do this, I trust you my queen ... Just keep running, came the inner voice yet again.

This voice had been the source of her strength and what had kept her going since the unfortunate race. Each time she decides to stop, it would have a way of convincing her to do otherwise. That was the only thing cheering her on.
_I can do this ... Yes, I'm sure I can. No matter what happens, I must..._
"We've finally gotten you Jasmine where we wanted you" came the very familiar voice breaking her chain of thoughts and bringing her to reality; her reality,a dreadful one.

A little pause.

"Oh wait!... Or do I address you as your highness?" it added in a mocking way.
One could almost smell the distaste and jealousy behind that statement and Jasmine knew that this person must really hate her.

I know this voice , thought Jasmine. It's the same voice that had been hunting her since birth.

"It's ...It's ...It's ...", Jasmine tried hard to put a name and a face to it but couldn't. She was without doubt sure that she was familiar with the voice and certain she knew who was behind the voice but here she was struggling to remember.

"It's me, dummy" came the strange but familiar voice.

_Dummy!_

Immediately, it struck like lightning. Jasmine recalled how she was used to that name while growing up. Only one person called her that... Her biggest bully and worse enemy. Nobody but Rose!

"Rose?" Jasmine muttered in confusion.
Why would she be after me?What did I do?

"Oh!" she proclaimed as realization dawned on her.
"Glad you figured that out"Rose said.

"We are your worst nightmare", another voice added.
Immediately, the two began laughing hysterically.
_Run!_
Jasmine was glad to have figured out who was chasing her but she was still curious to know who the second was. She listed out all her enemies and when she couldn't guess who the second was, she gave up. That was the least of her problems now, she really had to run now and run faster than she was running before. She knew what her step sister was capable of doing.


Jasmine looked down to realize that she was now running on broken. glasses. She didn't even know when the dark green grasses had turned to translucent broken glasses.

"Oh no!" screamed Jasmine in fright and shock.
Jasmine's eyes blurred with tears from the sharp pain that overwhelmed. her. She watched terrified as the grasses got coated in red.
_Her blood!_

She couldn't understand anything at this point. She could only hear footsteps and laughter but soon, all this faded and the only thing she could hear was the sound of her cry. She kept screaming and couldn't stop. She didn't know what to do to stop the bleeding and how to react.

She didn't know when the shoes she was running in, left her feet. She couldn't grasp anything at this point, not even the hand that had suddenly held her.
"Yes!We've finally caught. you", said Rose laughing sinisterly and tightening her grip on Jasmine.

Not until then did Jasmine realize that she had stopped running since she stepped on the glass and had been standing there for more than ten minutes.

I need to find a way to free myself from her grip, Jasmine thought, trying to devise a plan. "Ouch!", Rose cried out as Jasmine shoved hard into her ribs.

Before Rose knew what was happening, she had found herself sprawling on the ground with Jasmine heading for the main road, leaping.

"Gether!!!", Rose cried out pointing in Jasmine's direction.

Soon, the other person was after her.
"I'm getting close, Just a little further" Jasmine said in joy.

She was finally ready to put an end to this seemingly unending race.
She turned back to see if Rose was now up on her feet and after her but was surprised to see the other person after her. Where has she been all this while?she wondered and increased her pace.

Wait, I have seen this face somewhere, she thought,trying hard to steal some glances.

The closer she was to the road, the clearer her vision.
She turned back once again and received a real shocker when she recognized the face of the one after her.
_Becca!_