Ralph and the Pixie

Malina, Rani, and Pran quickly left the circle and returned to the tent, dreading to find Deborah lying dead, or worse. As Zuic opened the flap for them, they saw that she lay there still, looking very pale, with Theuli and Ralph hovering over her worriedly. Theuli had just wrapped the girl warmly in blankets.

Her eyes opened. Though she was still very weak, her gaze was clear . . . focused.

‘Theuli? I had the worst dream. Am I really dead?’

Overcome with relief, her friends gathered about her.

‘It was just a bad dream,’ said Theuli. ‘You were very ill. The worst is over.’

Deborah shuddered, sighed, drifting back towards sleep. ‘They were trying to take me away. But all of you stopped them. They wanted to take me to my father. Make me like him.’ She began crying. ‘They hurt me. He hurt me . . .’

‘Shush,’ whispered Theuli, ‘They’re gone. Try not to think about it. You’re going to sleep now. And all of us are going to watch over you. You’re never going to be alone again.’

Trying to focus her sleepy gaze on Theuli as she drifted off, Deborah muttered, ‘. . . thought you were . . . an angel . . .’