Jade, a tiny figure in the blackest of forests, was surrounded by towering mountain ranges. She shivered and rubbed her legs as a fluffy fog crept along the road towards her. She saw a figure moving in the fog and began to cry.

A moment later, a wet, tired dog emerged from the fog. Jade stiffened, dropping her schoolbag. The dog stopped and regarded Jade suspiciously, sniffing her feet. Deciding that she posed no threat, the dog licked a sticky substance off Jade's bare feet and sauntered off. The little girl, shivering, watched the pooch closely as he disappeared into the forest.

Hugging herself for warmth, Jade wandered along the wet road until she came to a clearing. She entered the clearing and jumped as a drop of rain landed on her cheek. Jade licked the drop off her cheek and continued into the clearing, her bare feet sloshing through mud.

It took Jade five minutes to find a cave. It was a small cave, but it offered sufficient shelter from the wind and rain. The child sat her Teddy Bear at the mouth of the cave (to guard it) and she reached for her schoolbag in the dark because it contained some food and drink. Jade ran her hand across the dirt floor of the cave several times before realizing that she had left her schoolbag on the side of the road. She began to cry. Big, salty tears. Tears of helplessness and despair. But after five minutes, there were no more tears to cry, so Jade crawled out of the cave and marched back through the clearing towards the road.

His name was Eric. He was tall and skinny and he was standing on the edge of the road in the fog clutching Jade's schoolbag. He turned quickly as Jade stumbled out of the clearing, prepared to fight an imagined attacker.

"Hello," he said in a broken, hoarse voice. Then he held up the schoolbag. "This must be yours."

Jade, visibly frightened, nodded her head and stared at the man.

A sudden thunderclap rocked the forest.

Jade covered her ears.

"I'm Eric," the man said, pretending he hadn't heard the thunder. "Who are you?"

Eric looked at Jade's feet, then he looked at her slim, bleeding legs.

"I'm Jade.".....(cont)