A New Arrival Who: Sabine and Caleb. Where: Sweetwild, on the bank of the Sweet River, just outside southern Thornwell. When: August 3rd, sometime before sundown. What: PG; Sabine arrives a stranger in a strange land, and meets a...stranger.
The last she truly remembered was finding a taxi and telling the driver to take her to the beach. Any beach. She'd lived in Chicago all her life, yet she'd never once been near the shore. It was her first big adventure by herself and she wanted to start it right, before her father found her, dragged her back to a life she didn't want.
She'd been dropped off at one of the many beached dotting the shore of Lake Michigan, a small, deserted strip of land that met the water. It had been a short trek across the sand, right to the waters edge, and there Sabine had stood staring. It had been breathtaking, so blue and clear, and Sabine sat heavily in the sand, not caring as the waves wet her shoes, her legs, her dress. She simply clutched her bag to her chest, closed her eyes, and soaked in the sounds of the waves.
She didn't know how long she sat there, calm and still, but something niggled at her. The sound of the water had changed. It was no longer hushed and rhythmic, but instead louder and rushing. The water sweeping her her feet felt all wrong and Sabine was suddenly afraid to open her eyes.
She did anyway, ans gasped. Gone was the blue expanse of Lake Michigan, replaced by a river and lush surroundings she didn't recognize.