Katie's Hellion

"Are you in the city? We'll come get you!"

"No, I think I'm in some other country."

There was a pause, and Katie covered the mouthpiece.

"Where am I?" she asked the old man.

"Innisheer."

"I'm in Innisheer, sis," she relayed. "You know where that is?"

"God, no. How did you get there? Did someone take you or….maybe you forgot?" Hannah asked in a hushed tone.

"Sis, I have no money, no passport, no identification, and I haven't eaten in a few days. I didn't forget anything. I even remember Toby, the Masquerade, and some guy snatching me when the lights went down."

"Thank god!" her sister sighed. "Toby's been staying with us. You really let him eat that many marshmallows?"

"Don't tell him where I am," she said quickly. "I don't want to worry him. Just say I'll be back soon."

"I don't even know where you are. I'm Googling it now."

"Sis, can you send me some money to get back?"

"Yeah, sure," came the distracted response. "Ireland? You're in Ireland?"

"I don't know where I am."

"It says it's an island off the coast of Ireland. I bet it's nice."

"I really don't care, Hannah."

"I'll send you money. It doesn't look like the place you're on has an airport. Can you get to Dublin? I'll book you a flight."

"I'll figure it out," she replied. "Thanks, Hannah."

With the old man's help, she caught the last ferry across the channel just before sunset. She stepped off the ferry and stood in a mostly empty parking lot, wondering how the hell to get to civilization from there. There weren't any cabs or buses like in the city; she didn't even see a town nearby. Just a road leading to the small parking area and a closed ticket booth for the ferry. The lone two people on her ferry got into a car and left. She stood for a long moment before striking out after them on foot.

The old man, Liam, had fed her and given her a handful of euro coins before putting her on the ferry. Grateful to him, she was likewise anxious to leave the island before the beast returned and flew off the handle.

She scratched at the tattoo winding around her neck, furious with him. She didn't walk far before someone in a tiny car speaking only Gaelic pulled alongside her and motioned to her. After several failed attempts to communicate, they proceeded in silence to the nearest town, a coastal resort-like town. As if sensing she was some poor tourist, he dropped her off at a youth hostel located above a bar already teeming with people. For an extra few Euros, the hostel manager gave her a clean though worn sleeping bag that matched the clean but worn bunk beds in the women's section.