a's

to my head. The zipper on my bag is moving. I suddenly sit up and turn around. I find a small little bundle curled up trying to now hide behind my bag. Dirt a

dn't know

look I will move back for you but wi

o have suffered severely from the scars on its face. With long dirty blonde hair which reaches its hips. Thin cheeks and sunken eyes. I internally cringe at the long

I ask tentatively. T

girl?" I squint

am," she

ave a nam

i, m

ld are

0.

tle Peri pulls at my heart. How could someone do this to a child? I no

to wear, to keep you warm? I promi

lease,

nice thick jumpers in my bag, grab w

ck if it's still ok. I nod. Once it is open again she stops. I nod again. She grabs the top jumper which is a long navy

then stop waiting to see if she will

s so my palms face up. She lifts her head and just watches me for a moment. Then her left arm comes up to my hands, I grab the end of the sleeve and start rolling

tention to the waterfall. The sound of the water splashing into the pond and the birds chirping in the background soothed me. The colors of the sunrise just

Next thing I know little Peri is slowly climbing into my lap and curling up into a ball. I wrap both m

ou look like you could use a good meal. Do you think the waterfall is safe to drink?" I

ok, mam" she

ink of it, and then you can come with me to my ho

ittle head and

my hands out in a cup shape and collect some of the water, drinking straig

r? I had to climb down that tree over

a medium sized hole just past the right

ds to a stone staircase, which com

nk I will f

some of the big men can get through it," she says while lookin

u been coming here?" I ask concerned t

, a few days later I found this place, the men said they needed my grandma for he

worry though, no matter what I will keep you with me.

they wanted her fo

e from all over to get a

t about you

baby so my grandma looked after me. She showed me

can see my fut

r little he

to say I embrace

of her and she Leeds the way to the staircase, she