Quinn walked through the strange city aimlessly. She had tried to find the big tree as directed but the strange land was an affront on her keen senses. She had wanted to ask someone for directions but after her last interaction, she was rightfully weary of strangers. Quinn looked for an elf, but could not find any. They were rare to travel outside of their grove. The feelings of being alone sat like bad lunch in her belly.

  Eventually, she approached a cabbie, standing in front of his horse and carriage crying at the locations and prices, “Uhm, excuse me, sir,” she ventured.

  “Why hello, little lady. Where might I be able to deliver you today?” The cabbie said brightly.

  “I need to get to a tree in Little Town to meet my acquaintance. I can not pay you but I assure you if you take me the rest of the way, he can supply you with the funds needed.”

  The man took a breath and dropped his hat down. He looked at the scared little elf, “Do you know what happens if you get in my cab?” He asked.

  “Uhm, I get a ride to my desired destination?”

  “Sure. But then what? I get there and your friend refuses to pay. Or what if I’m the villain? I get there and I don’t let you out until you give me the price I want.”

  “But,” Quinn’s voice was trembling.

  “That’s how most cabbies are going to think anyway. I can’t trust you and you can’t trust me. That’s why I suggest you do the walk on foot. I’ve got work to do in this corner for people who can actually pay and Little Town’s a ways away. Get it?”

  “If you could provide any assistance at all…”

  “I did. I gave you some sound advice. Little Town’s that a way,” He made a thumb, he pointed his thumb behind him and to the right, “It’s about two hours walk and those shoes don’t look up to the challenge. Good day, ma’am.”

  Before Quinn could say anything else, the cabbie walked his horses to a group of what looked to be tourists. He called them and mentioned that it would be a few tin a head and he’d be happy to get them where they wanted to go.

  Quinn had tears in her eyes as she walked toward the direction of Little Town. She walked through a crowded marketplace of food. Foods from every country and town and distinct offerings she could not get back home. Quinn was very hungry. Elves normally didn’t need very much but she reached down and felt a pang in her stomach for the first time in her life. Her sharp nose was able to point out distinct smells and her keen intellect was able to place what country or city they were from. But eventually, her hunger reached her head. The smells went from warm and inviting to mocking. And their differences began to taste cacophonous in Quinn’s nose. The busy streets and cooking smells and all the talking… It gave Quinn a debilitating headache.

  Quinn ran away. She had closed her eyes just to concentrate and ran until she was tired. Quinn hadn’t been tired in her life. Elves didn’t get tired or hungry or lost. She was all three.

  Quinn opened her eyes. She was at a park. Tucked between two garment buildings was a strip of green where children were running and playing. There were trees planted. Old World trees. Quinn clutched her black thin suitcase tightly and rested her back against the old tree, feeling a little like herself. She dropped down to her knees and started whimpering. The tears poured out of her, rolling onto her black jacket.

  A soft voice called out to her, “Hey, little darling. Everything okay?”

  Quinn looked up. The man’s face was blocked by the sun peeking behind him. She covered the sun with her hand as best she could and stared up at the man. He was bald and wearing black clothes with a white shirt collar under it. He was smiling down at her.

  “Everything is fine,” Quinn wiped the tear from eyes, attempting to steady herself, “I’m just a little overwhelmed. This is the first time I've been away from home.”

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “I understand,” The man said, “With that accent, it seems you’re a far way. Do you mind if I sit next to you?”

  Quinn was weary, but the man offered her a handkerchief for her tears. She accepted it, blotting her tears with the handkerchief monogrammed ‘GJ’ and agreed to let him sit down next to her.

  “What are you in town for?” The man asked.

  “Visiting a friend,” She said.

  “Okay, that sounds fun. What are you both fitting to do?”

  Quinn gripped her black case closer to her chest and didn’t answer.

  “Alright. I understand. Top secret. Well, can I help you find this friend? Where is he or she?”

  She looked at the man, his gentle smile meeting her gaze. “He’s in Little Town.”

  “Halfling. I understand. Little Town’s still a little bit away, but we can get you there no problem. Do you have any money for a cab?”

  Quinn shook her head, the tears starting to come back.

  The man rubbed his chin. “Hmmm. Seems like a far way but I’d be willing to help.”

  Quin looked at him, tears blotting her cheeks, “You would?

  “Well, sure!” The man said, “I bet all you’d like you to do is go home. Wouldn’t you?”

  She nodded her head again.

  He reached into his pocket and grabbed a big square of leather. He pulled some tin bills from there, licking his finger and counting them, “That should be enough for a cab to little town.” Then he started counting more bills. Many more bills and added them to the stack for the cabfare. “That should be enough for the trip home.”

  Quinn stared at the wad of cash being offered, not taking it.

  “Go on. It’s what you need, right? Sojourn’s a scary place for elves. Y’all are all the way out here, away from Vanya. You’re vulnerable. I’d hate to see you get hurt.”

  When he mentioned she was an elf, she reached out to touch her ears instinctively, realizing that they painted a big ‘RUBE’ sign across her forehead.

  Quinn reached out to grab the money and he retracted his hand, “Just leave the case.” Quinn’s eyes went wide. She looked at the man, he was still giving her a passive smile but his body language had shifted. There was a menace behind the grin.

  He waited there, “I’m not going to chase you if you don’t run.”

  Quinn got up and ran the other way, through the park. The man sighed as he got up, brushing the grass off his pants. Quinn looked back at him but collided with an even larger man. Much hairier. She fell to the ground.

  “We’re trying to be as gentle as possible, ma’am,” The bald man said, “Don’t make us get mean.”

  The hairy man was standing in front of her and the bald man was coming up from behind her. She looked at a spot behind the huge man, his frame covering most of the view. She closed her eyes and recited an incantation, then she shifted her feet in just the right way and, poof, she was behind him. About two feet short of the spot she was aiming for. The huge man had the length to immediately lean out and make a swipe at her. She dropped down, narrowly avoiding him and ran into oncoming traffic. The drivers on the carriages ‘woahed’ their horses as she kept running. She could hear the bald man say “Magic in Sojourn. I’ll be,” As she ran away.

  Once she crossed the street, she turned a right corner into an alley. The goons followed her in. She tried to break their line of sight by turning left only to encounter a brick wall a few heads higher than her. Quinn looked back, nervously. Knowing the men would corner her soon. Quinn turned her focus to top of the wall and imagined her feet there. This was often how teleportation magic worked. She would look at a spot and imagine a part of her body there. The chanting would help facilitate that and… if successful, the rest of the body would follow. Quinn chanted the incantation again, moving her feet in such a way that caused a slight glow under her. She transported, but not high enough. Quinn clipped her shin along the brick wall and toppled back to the ground. Quinn let out a howl in pain as she stared up at the wall. What happened? Why didn’t it work? Quinn thought. Same as before, she teleported just shy of where she needed to.

  Quinn felt the shadows of the two men cast on her laying body. She picked up the case and got herself up, limping due to the gash on her shin.

  “Don’t make this harder than it has to be,” The bald man said.

  “And me? I advocate that you do make it harder. On a count of it’s a lot more fun,” Said the hairy man.

  They approached her, cautiously. She looked back up at the fence and down at her bleeding foot. It was too dangerous to make the teleportation spell. She was not likely to do the proper foot movement and could barely concentrate from the pain. They lumbered toward her, until they were sure they’d blocked her exit and lurched, both attacking her at once.