Forgotten

4: Saved

No one's pov

*At the midnight market*

Will is currently filled with confusion and rage. He only stepped out of the restaurant for a minute to get something to eat and when he got back Alex was gone.

What really confuses him isn't Alex sudden disappearance but rather his constant appearance. Will had seen Alex more than 5 times already but whenever he got close to him the little thief girl would turn to look at him and drag Alex away. Once the girl dragged Alex into a*****e but just as he was about to run into the store he saw the same girl come out of a food court with Alex.

What in the world is happening?

Will duplicates 11 times and makes 7 invisible as he moves around the market. This takes a great deal of energy, as each duplicate uses the energy of the original and the more he duplicates the more energy he'll use. And even a skilled warrior like Will knows the danger of this but he only whispers one thing to himself. I have to find Alex. I just have to.

He confirms his suspicion that something strange is happening with Alex and the thief. He's seen them entering stores but doesn't see them in the stores when he walks in.

At the moment 5 of the invisible Wills are following Alex and the thief but they're all at different places. One at a food court, one at a photo booth, one at a game booth, one in the cotton candy line and one in a game of waco mole.

Will is confused. He carefully weighs his options there is a possibility that only one of them could be real and revealing himself would allow the thief to see him, so he has to catch them completely unaware. He decides an attack while invisible. He gets closer, each Will now standing right behind each Alex but just as he's about to attack they disappear. Not just Alex but also the little girl, it happens in the face of all 5 Wills.

What confuses him isn't just the disappearance it's how it happened. Will had been chasing Alex all evening and had already suspected that there were decoys but this was different. Normally the thief would drag Alex into a shop or between booths normally in hidden areas. All the places they disappeared from were in the open allowing everyone to notice it.

If that thief wanted to kidnap Alex and was using magic then she could have carefully made sure all her decoys disappear carefully without raising an alarm... unless she wants to make a distraction- no she's already escaped the only reason they would all disappear is... THEY'RE IN DANGER!

*At the cliffedge*

Alex is still hanging for his dear life when he hears his name.

' ALEX!'

' Huh?'

who could that be. Who is stupid enough to come down here? Even if they found me I'd still be doomed unless they have a rope and are very high up. Even then getting the rope in the right place is too difficult. I'm doomed. With that thought in mind Alex chooses to stay silent. Resigning himself to his fate rather than dragging anyone down.

Suddenly he hears his name but closer than before. Who would be foolish enough to get this close. Practically putting their lives at stake? Alex wondered while desperately grabbing the root.

' Who could that be?' Alex muttered to himself as sand fell on him.

He looked up and to his surprise he saw a blue hoodie popping out from over the cliffedge.

' I found you. Just hold on I'm coming to get you.'

Is this girl crazy? Alex thought this was the steepest and sloppy-est hill he had ever been on. She could get to him no problem but then they would both die.

She started climbing down carefully using the holes on the edge to support herself. It took about 10 minutes to get to Alex. And when she did she flashed him a smile.

' Alright all you have to do is grab onto the holes. Stay calm and confident and don't look dow-'

' I can't.' Alex interrupts her.

' Don't tell me your scared.'

' My leg is badly injured.' Alex says ' I can't carry myself anywhere..'

' Alright that makes things trickier. Hmmmm... Give me your hand.'

' What?'

' Your hand if you can't climb I'll have to pull you out.'

' You could die.' Alex said looking at the crazy thief he met tonight.

' And who's gonna kill me?'

' Your still young. You still have a future you can't cut that short for someone like me.' Alex said.

The girl narrowed her eyes at Alex ' And what exactly is your problem? You sound like an old man. Now give me your hand and let's get out of here'

' Just leave. There's no point in risking your life for a person like me.'

' Shut up and give me your hand boy.' the girl said annoyed

' Just leave me be. Your a common thief! Your not faced with the pressure to be perfect, with great responsibility while craving things you can never achieve!' Alex yelled ' If this is the only way to be free of it then let me be. I'm tired of it all. I don't want to li-'

Alex was about to say live when he felt the root snap. He felt like time slowed down. He looked up at the snapped root and saw the little girl with a bear like gloves that had claws sticking out.

She... she cut it. She wanted to help me but... she cut it. Goes to show to trust no one.

In an instant Alex noticed her outstretched arm and quickly caught it. The girl nearly falling due to the sudden weight. She drives the claws of her gloves into the ground firmly. Now the girl has one hand driven into the hill side and the other holding a dangling Alex.

' Are you cra-' Alex is about to say when the girl says

' For someone who wants to die you held unto my hand pretty quickly.' She said her anger simmering

' I...'

' I'll need to hold you up just look for the holes and use your fingers to climb up. Be careful cuz you're gonna need those holes for your feet too.'

' I can't, - '

' Listen boy. If you wanted to die you wouldn't have held unto that root for so long, you wouldn't have quickly held my hand. You would have let go! SO SHUT UP AND CLIMB!'

she said

It was slow. With the thief using the bear claw and the prince using one hand and leg.

' I think I can manage.' Alex said feeling embarrassed for being dragged up

' Your injured in your leg you can't'

' But I-ahhh' Alex misses his footing nearly falling as the thief quickly drove the claws into the slope.

' SHUT UP AND BE CAREFUL!!! You said you couldn't walk before so focus on the holes and hold my hand.'

More than 8 times did Alex nearly fall and each time he would try to get the thief to let go, and each time she would yell at him. At a point she just stopped talking.

' Why are you even helping me?'

' You don't even know me?'

' You're risking your life for a stranger!'

' I only bought you a meal is that really worth your life?'

After about 30 minutes they finally made it back to the forest. Climbing over the edge the thief pulls Alex up then staggers a little before falling on all four and breathing heavily.

Alex looks at her with complexity and one question in his heart... Why? She could have slipped, she could have fallen, she could have died while coming down but she didn't think twice about it. The moment she saw him she started climbing down almost like it was natural. He looked up at the girl who was sweating profusely, red faced and on all fours still greedily breathing air.

' You saved me.' he said in a voice not louder than a whisper

A stranger. She doesn't know me or my worth. Has no reason to help and save herself. Yet foolishly giveaway her chance at living because ... She could Alex's head was in a mess he didn't even realize the girl's reaction.

Her ear twitched. She raises her head and her eyes lock unto Alex's. She stands up walks over to him.

SMACK!

The crisp sound of a slap echoes as the side of Alex's face burns from the force of the slap. A slap from the girl that saved his life.

' ARE YOU CRAZY!!!' she yells ' DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO NOT SLAP YOU?!!!'

' I...'

Alex was speechless. How was he supposed to respond to this. His brain was still trying to process nearly dying just a few minutes ago.

' I'M TRYING TO HELP YOU AND YOU'RE TELLING ME YOUR TIRED OF LIVING! YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST DECIDE TO DIE BECAUSE YOUR TIRED? NEWS FLASH i***t; When people are frustrated and tired THEY TAKE A NAP NOT THEIR LIVES!!!!'

' I... ' Alex was about to apologize when he notices something. ' Your hair is brown'

SMACK!!

' WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU. I LOST A BOOT TRYING TO CLIMB UP AND ALL YOU DO IS NAG AND ASK STUPID QUESTIONS!!!'

Alex's face was burning again, he could only hope that didn't leave a mark else Will would- Will! Forget my face Will won't let me out of the palace again. With that thought he tried to stand up only to fall back down and his knee was badly injured.

' You i***t don't try to stand yet.' the girl said 'Your the one who's injured but it seems I have to keep reminding you.'

' I need to get back to the... market...b... before' Alex barely speaks due to the pain.

' It's ok. I'll get you back to your babysitter in one piece. I didn't plan on letting spend the night anyway.'

She was saying what he wanted to hear but he couldn't help but doubt. Sure she could scale up and down a steep slope, but taking him out of the forest and back to Will before tomorrow... well that was just wishful thinking. Besides he was injured what could she really do.

The girl then lifted her her shirt ... hoodie and underneath she was wearing a brown shirt and an old wornout crossbag. She opened one of the pockets and brought out some leaves and twigs, then she plucked a mushroom and picked up a rock and started grinding everything.

' What are you doing?' Alex finally asked

' I'm making something.' she bluntly replied.

' But you said you would have me up before tomorrow. Do you really think it's the right time to eat?'

' You're injured and even if the animals weren't a problem with an injury like that it would take you three days to get up there.'

' So you're...'

' Planning to heal you.'

' What are you some kind of forest witch?'

' Hmmm in a way, yes.'

When she was done it was a glowing light blue. She then brought out a short knife from her bag and walked towards Alex.

' What are you doing?'

' Hold still I need to see the wound to rub the paste on it.'

She cuts a hole into the left leg of his pants at the knees and then rubs the paste on it. It's suprisingly cold granting him some relief.

' How's that feel?' she asks

' Cold.'

' Good.' next thing she firmly holds his leg and he hears something c***k.

Alex wants to scream but he can't feel anything in his leg, but he knew that noise came from his leg. Then she brought out an old sock and wrapped it round the wound.

' You're all good.' she said ' Stand up.'

Alex carefully and slowly stands up and to his shock he doesn't feel any pain in his leg at all. With shock and confusion Alex looks at the little girl

' Who are you?'

' I'm Ashley.' she said with a massive smile ' Now let's get out of this forest.'

Ashley Alex thought to himself. That name was the name of the person who saved his life. A debt he could never repay.