See the Light Chapter 2 Songs for the Souls Part 2

Chapter 2 Part 2

I used to love sewing and working with fabrics. I knew that feeling well, the familiar weight of the scissors in my hand brought back a rush of memories, though they were still clouded and vague. These tiny scissors had been my constant companion, small enough to tuck away anywhere, even in the inside pocket of my leggings. I would carry them everywhere, ready to snip a loose thread or trim a piece of fabric for a project I’d think about later. They were smaller than a tablespoon, but sharp as a needle’s point.

As I pulled them out, a flicker of hope sparked within me. I made a silent wish, “Please, please, let this metal—this remnant of my world—work. Cut through this rope, help me escape this nightmare.” The idea of being dragged before a king in this strange place sent shivers down my spine. I knew nothing of this world, but the word “king” carried a weight that terrified me. Kings demanded fealty, held power, and dispensed judgment. The very thought made my blood run cold.

With a deep breath, I touched the scissors to the rope, half expecting nothing to happen. The minute the metal touched the rope, it disintegrated. I stood in shock, my breath caught in my throat. This wasn’t possible. How could a rope, solid and secure, just crumble to dust? My mind raced to make sense of it, and then the realization struck me. There was no metal.

This world didn’t have metal. The people I’d seen, the materials they used, everything was different here. They had fire instead of electricity, but their food energized me in ways that defied logic. The air was lighter, purer, but their tools and building materials were alien to me. It was like a puzzle, the pieces falling into place. The rope wasn’t just any rope it was something this world had created, something that couldn’t stand against even the smallest tool from mine.

I tested my theory on a few other small things I found lying around ane to my shock everything fell to dust.

And now I had a weapon. A secret, powerful weapon.

I quickly tucked the scissors back into my hidden pocket, my mind already racing ahead to what this meant for my escape. I wasn’t just some helpless captive anymore. I had something that could change the game, something they couldn’t possibly anticipate.

But I couldn’t get ahead of myself. The next step was clothes. I needed to blend in, to hide in plain sight. My current attire would give me away immediately. I’d seen people hanging their clothes outside, and while the thought of stealing made my stomach churn, I couldn’t let that stop me. Survival was at stake.

I moved cautiously around the room, keeping an ear out for any sounds from downstairs. The raucous laughter and clattering of mugs continued, but I felt safer for now. Behind the small pile of quilts, I found the hole in the floor again. It wasn’t just a hole—it was unnatural, almost like it had been burned or melted into the floor. The splinters around it were sharp, and the floor itself wasn’t wood. I crouched down, running my fingers over the material, trying to identify it. But nothing made sense. Everything about this place was wrong, out of sync with the world I knew.

But I couldn’t dwell on that now. I needed to focus. Clothes. Escape. I could piece together the mysteries later, once I was safe.

Moving quietly, I approached the door, pressing my ear against it. The noise from downstairs hadn’t started to fade, the night drawing to a close. It was now or never. I reached for the door handle, taking a deep breath. The wood or what I supposed was wood was cool under my hand, grounding me, reminding me of the stakes.

I slowly turned the handle and eased the door open, peering into the dim hallway. Empty. I slipped out, moving silently down the stairs, the sound of my heartbeat loud in my ears. I needed to find something, anything, that would let me blend in, and then I’d be out of here, onto the next step of my escape plan.

I could tell my newfound captors were deep into their cups, their laughter loud and slurred as it echoed through the hall. They were drunk, barely aware of anything beyond the next swig of their liquor. It was my only chance.

Slipping past the hall, I paused just outside the doorway to the main room—lounge, tavern, whatever this place was. The name, something about a hedgehog, escaped me. It didn’t matter. I wouldn’t be here long enough to care.

“See you again never,” I whispered under my breath, a final farewell to the place that had held me. My only weapon, a tiny, tiny piece of stainless steel, was tucked securely in my pocket. It was all I had, the only advantage in this bizarre world that made no sense to me. I had no idea where I was, what the currency was, or how to navigate this alien land.

This is amazing, I thought, sarcasm thick in my mind. I needed to get out. I needed to find a way home, to understand why I was here in the first place. There had to be a reason, some purpose behind this madness.

I slid out the back door, the night air cool and fresh against my face. It was a relief after the stifling heat inside. The stables were just ahead, and as I crept closer, I saw them—horses, standing quietly in their stalls. Horses, not cars. These people used horses instead of cars, even in the cities. The thought of cars pulled at another memory, a brief, fleeting image. Motion. The feel of being in a car, the way it moved under me, but nothing more than that. It slipped through my mind like water through my fingers, impossible to grasp.

I shook my head, trying to clear the fog in my thoughts. This wasn’t the time to get lost in fragments of a life I couldn’t fully remember. I needed to stay focused, to figure out my next move. The horses were an option, but I didn’t know how to ride. At least, I didn’t think I did. I couldn’t remember ever being on a horse, but then again, I couldn’t remember much of anything.

Still, they might be my best chance. If I could figure out how to ride, I could cover more ground, get farther away from this place before they even realized I was gone. But what if I couldn’t? What if I made too much noise, drew too much attention? I couldn’t afford any mistakes.

I stood there, in the shadows of the stables, weighing my options, feeling the weight of every decision pressing down on me. My heart pounded in my chest, my breath coming in quick, shallow bursts. I had to make a choice, and I had to make it fast.

Whatever I decided, I knew one thing for certain—I wasn’t staying here. Not for another second.