→ MARKETPLACE

@[V] Ah Joong Irene chuckled and nodded, maybe the vampire had enough time to escape but maybe she blew it off by panicking. Irene knew how it felt, but most magical creatures usually know how to avoid hunters and blend in with the common people, even vampires that she knew of.

"I'm a witch myself," She confessed and smiled politely. Her hands folded itself in a manner of shyness, and she couldn't keep herself from beig curious of where the vampire was from.

@[W] Irene she was too pale. a small smile forms, a bit flabbergasted at how she was pointed out so easily just because she was paler than the average human. "i guess i need to spend more time in the sun, then, huh?" she quietly jokes, knowing that if she spent too much time in the sunlight, her skin would char and she would perish in the heat. "those hunters were just lucky to spot me. to be honest, had i not panicked, it would've been unlikely that they'd have ever chased me, so this predicament we're in is partially my fault."

ah joong's eyebrows furrow together, confused. "you know?" she utters, full lips pursing. "you mean... how it is to be not human?"

@[V] Ah Joong Slowly, Irene organized her thoughts in her brain before answering after a long pause. Her heart was racing quickly, her mind was scattered as she tried to answer the question quickly.

"Well, you looked like you were too pale to be a normal human being, and you were being chased by the hunters anyway," She answered, shrugging her shoulders as the memory of them running away flashed into her mind. She wondered if the hunters were still outside, lurking and waiting for the two girls to get out.

"I wanted to save you because I know how it is to be a part of.. this," Irene explained, not quite knowing what to say at one moment.

@[W] Irene "irene," ah joong tests, the name resting on her tongue. she hugs herself in the room, the relief slowly seeping through her body and relaxing it throughout their conversing. "i'm ah joong." after a brief moment of listening to the other speak, the young woman hums. "how... how did you know that i wasn't human?" she clears in the middle of her statement, a frog clogging her speech momentarily. the other certainly didn't have to help her, but she did regardless, and that in itself is remarkable. most magical creatures, though all having common enemies, usually stuck to themselves and didn't help a being outside of their kind out -- it's just against the self-preservation drive that non-humans had.

"why did you save me, though?" she inquires, eyes imploring. "i know... i know you 'had' to save me, but why? it's not that i don't appreciate it, irene, but i'm curious. most wouldn't, you know. save me, that is."

outside the room, ah joong hears muffled footsteps and voices, and her shoulders hunch up once more out of fear -- it is unlikely that the owner will out them, but she's still uneasy.

@[V] Ah Joong Irene smiled and bowed her head as the owner went and closed the door, feeling relieved that the danger was finally out of her life now. She thought that it would take them an hour to wait there until the hunters would go and disappear from that part of the village before she could go home peacefully and quietly. By now, the villagers must be frightened and they must have felt like the two magical creatures could appear out of nowhere and kill them in their sleep, not that they were wrong.

At the soft voice, Irene turned her head and nodded silently before breaking into a gentle smile. "Hello there, I'm Irene," She introduced herself and bowed her head slightly. The room was stifling and small, but it was warm at the same time, different from the weather outside of the store. Her mind kept asking her constantly if the owner would buy the lie and if the hunters had spot them. If they did, Irene could just bewitch the two of them with the invisibility spell and wait until the hunters were gone.

"I just saw you being chased by the hunters, and I knew that you were some kind of magical creature. I just had to save you," She explained briefly, not quite sure if those words were the right words that her mind was thinking of.

@[W] Irene ah joong peeks at the witch, feeling a sense of connection to the other despite the only tie they've had to one another being the nonsensical task of fleeing some humans that would kill them given the chance. she steps behind the other quietly, peering into the small backroom that would be the difference between their lives and what would be eternal death, not to be dramatic.

"it's fine, especially since i'm... well..." the vampire pauses for emphasis to permanently hook the old woman into the lie, and gives her a smile. "thank you so much for helping us out, ma'am." the owner clucks in return, giving her a few gentle pats on the back of her cloak, and then shutting the door behind her with a promise of notifying them when the men are gone, leaving ah joong and the witch squished together and illuminated by a flickering, dim light.

ah joong tries to compact herself as much as possible, to give the other room. the both of them aren't large woman -- certainly, she herself isn't -- but she wants the other to feel as much comfort as possible after dragging herself into /her/ situation. "... i'm ah joong," she begins softly. "thank you for saving me."

she twiddles her thumbs. "would you like to explain everything now?"

@[V] Ah Joong Irene bit her lip and nodded, faking a sad look on her eyes as she responded to the question. "Yes, it's them. We need to get away," She fidgeted with her fingers, her head bowed down as her gaze was fixated on the floor. She was worried and scared of being captured; she had no other choice but to confess that she was a witch to the villagers if she did get caught.

"Do you perhaps have a small room somewhere that we could stay in for a little while?" She asked again, really hoping that there would be a room somewhere in the shop where they can hide in for a little while.

The grandmother looked a bit taken aback by the sudden request and smiled before nodding her head, moving from the cashier section of the store and walking towards the small room where she treated the vampire. "Yes, I do. It's just behind this room right here," She rambled as Irene followed from behind. The old woman had led them towards a room inside the back room; it was a small room filled with a lot of cleaning stuff with little space for one person to stand.

"It's pretty small, I'm sorry," The old woman said and smiled sheepishly.

@[W] Irene every minute they stood in front of the windows, the dangers of being discovered increased. "well... it's the son of a knight, albeit a corrupted one," she slowly begins, wanting to sound as if reluctant to tell the tale. "he saw me one day after visiting our grandmother, and wanted to wed me. i refused, but he said- " here, she stopped to sniffle in a miserable manner. " -he said if i didn't, then dire things would happen to our grandmother."

the old lady gapes. "and if you did wed him, then he'd pay your family handsomely?"

ah joong nods, eyes filled with faux hurt. "he's looking for me right now. we came in here to escape his friends, but there's only so much i can do without my grandmother being hurt in the long run." her eyes fall down to the floor anxiously. "i... we need help."

there's a moment of silence before the owner walks around the counter and places a gnarled hand on her arm, pity evident. "of course, child, i'm so sorry." the hand tightens a little. "is that... them outside my window right now?"

@[V] Ah Joong A nod was instantly presented in front of the old lady that owned the shop. In the back of her mind, Irene was trying to make up more excuses and more scenarios that would make sense, especially something that would go well with the lie the young vampire had just told. "It's true. I don't want my little sister to marry him for money.. as you can see, our family isn't that fortunate," Irene elaborated and nodded.

The old lady looked at them with a shocked expression on her face, her eyes signifying that she felt sad for the girls standing in front of her. "Oh dear, that's unfortunate. Would you like to tell me about it?" She asked the two girls with sympathy in her voice.

@[W] Irene ah joong's eyes widen as she peers at the wide backs of the guards, and quickly turns away in a fluid motion, face paler than it already is. they've gone so far to /not/ die -- they can't stop here and now! the vampire bites into her lower lip, chewing at it worriedly as the old lady rings up the total, so worried that she can barely focus on the woman's words.

"dear?" ah joong quickly focuses on the owner, who now looks concerned as she places the shoes in a bag. "is everything alright?" now is the time not to mess up whatsoever in their escape plan, especially since the witch is probably burning holes into the side of her skull daring her to mess up. ah joong stutters some hesitant response, which in turn prompts clucking. "now, child, if there's anything wrong, you can tell me. i don't mind."

ah joong looks to the floor, and then back up to meet the old woman's gaze with wide teary eyes filled with faked timidness and panic. "ma'am, i don't know if i can tell you this so easily..." she begins before looking to the witch, wrapping a hand around the other's arm. "sister, she must know about this, especially if she is to assist us."

she turns back to the owner. "i... am getting married today, to my arranged partner." the old woman's eyebrows shoot up. "and he's looking for me to abuse me once more when we are wed." dear gods, she hopes this works.

@[V] Ah Joong Irene breathed a sigh of relief when the topic was suddenly changed into the shoes. She didn't have to think of more lies to come up with, and that was a good thing. "Sure thing, if you don't mind," The female said and walked with the owner to the front of the shop where the big window was.

Her heart beat faster as she tried to see if the hunters were still there, and to her horror, they were. The hunters had their backs against the window so Irene was impossible to be seen. It seemed that the only sound there existed was the rambling of the old lady as she picked up the red shoes on the shelf. "Is it this one? I made this yesterday, it took such a long time. I don't mind giving you kids discount for this, you seems nice."

Irene shook her head, smiling a nervous smile as she tried her best not to stutter. "Ah, it's fine. We have some money, we'll buy it in full price," She lied again. In all honesty, she didn't have that much money, but she didn't mind paying for the safety of herself. Slowly, she walked towards the cashier of the shop with the old lady behind her, making sure that the only thing visible was her cloak and not her face.

@[W] Irene "doesn't get out much? she usually never comes to the marketplace?" the owner questions, and ah joong slightly begins to panic when a tone of suspicion slithers into her voice. the vampire's eyes flit to the witch and back to the old woman. though her facial features are neutral, the witch is beginning to get agitated, and if she's distressed, that just makes ah joong panic even more so.

"ah, excuse me," the young woman butts in gently, head bobbing in respect with a slender palm raised. "you may not know her, but our grandmother? to the west side of the village, where the crest of the forest begins and the trail ends, that's where she lives." she's making this all up on the spot -- but hopefully, it sounds plausible. "we usually go to the market for her, which is why you probably have never seen her before."

the old lady's furrowed eyebrows relax, and falls open in an 'ah' fashion. "i see, i see. why didn't you say so sooner, child?" she chuckles with mirth and finishes bandaging up ah joong's knee, the latter's tiny sigh of relief gone unnoticed. "and red shoes? why, i just put them in the store window yesterday, what great timing. you two must've missed them coming in. shall i ring them up for you?" the owner stands from her stool, brushing off her hands.

@[V] Ah Joong Irene's head raced, she didn't know any addresses that she could use as a fake one. The village was rather small and everyone practically knew each other; it was hard to lie about a fake grandmother that never existed. "Our grandmother? Oh, she lives in the outskirts of the village. She doesn't get out much," Irene replied.

"Anyway, she's not really a regular here.. she just saw the store yesterday when she was passing by. Do you have a pair of red shoes with a big yellow flower on top?"

@[W] Irene the old woman opens in understanding. "ah, you two. so you were scared, then, from the punishment of your grandmother?" she asks ah joong. unsure, the vampire slowly nods, and the owner chuckles. "well, dusk is approaching, and there are beasties that roam at night in this village, so i understand your haste to get here," she chuckles, leaning down to place her ointments beside her chair and to grab bandages. "not to worry! there are guards to protect us humans from them."

ah joong bites her lower lip as the cloth-like material is wound abound her knee. what will the old woman even say if she finds out who they truly are? "and so your grandmother, what kind of shoes does she need? she a regular customer?" the owner inquires, tightening the bandages. "ah, where did you two say you lived again?"

@[V] Ah Joong She was trained to lie since she was a little kid to hide her identity, and what she was about to do was something she had mastered. Thus, she smiled warmly and shook her head, her hands clutching her cloak lightly as her back faced the window of the shop. She could hear the hunters slowly running through the crowd with their animals as they yell and shout here and there for the two of them, but Irene kept calm and tried to make her lie believable.

"No, we were rushing to get here. Our grandmother wanted some shoes from your shop and she told us to hurry up or else she would punish us for not being punctual." She said and smiled, looking at the old woman as she waited for a reply.

@[W] Irene the young woman turns to the witch in surprise, eyes staring with barely concealed astonishment. either the old woman had poor eyesight or they look more similar than ah joong had originally thought, because to her, they share no common facial features that would signify a familial relationship. she quietly thanks the owner though, careful not to make eye contact, because the last thing they need is an old woman ratting them out to their deaths.

the vampire shuffles to the back sluggishly, feeling a bit ashamed at taking advantage of this human, because she would be using up healing ointments and fresh bandages all for nothing. the wound on her knee, already, is shrinking to half its original size compared to when she first received it, with the blood coagulating already. by the time everything is applied, her knee will be fully healed.

"so, tell me," the woman begins as she beckons for ah joong to take a seat, which the vampire does hastily, "what brings you two here to my small shop?" she hums as she brings out bandages with aged fingers, eyes peering over her spectacles. "i doubt that young ones like you will be this far out from the town square -- only those my age come here, i'm afraid." ah joong winces a bit as a rub is smeared across her kneecap. "have you... been running from something?"

@[V] Ah Joong Her posture straightened up automatically, as if she was pulled by a string by someone. She smiled and gulped, trying to think of a convincing lie that she could tell to the old owner of the shop who seemed to be examining her closely. The old woman had her gaze traveling up and down of Irene's body as one eyebrow was cocked upward, waiting for an answer.

"My sister.. she's injured. Do you mind if we use the back room for a little bit to treat it?" Irene asked and smiled politely as she gestured towards the small door leading to the back room. If the two girls were to stay inside the front of the shop, the hunters would soon discover them due to the transparent glass. Time was running out, and they needed a place to hide.

Meanwhile, the old woman merely looked down at the wound of the vampire and smiled warmly before nodding. It seemed that her face was filled with a ton of warmth that would touch Irene's heart, but not for now. "Sure thing, dear. Why didn't you tell me?" She warmly chuckled and smiled, gesturing for the two girls to go to the back room. "I have the perfect stuff for wounds. Come now, my dear."

@[W] Irene though ah joong has an abundant amount of energy as a magical creature, she knew that the witch was tiring as they ran, and the vampire knew that she would soon need to stop and rest in the middle of fleeing; overexerting her body that hasn't yet been trained to handle hours of hunting prey and being on the move is a bad decision, though she knew that she couldn't stop for a break with the guard and hunters after them. she dodges and ducks past villagers, trying as hard as she can to keep pace with the witch who has a hold on her wrist.

after hearing a few choice words escape from the witch's lips -- the young woman herself felt like muttering some expletives -- ah joong is dragged into a shop and barely scrapes past the wooden door before it shuts behind her with a creak.

she isn't wheezing or gasping, as vampires have no need for oxygen in their system, but she is as exhausted as her companion looks, and leans against a nearby shoe shelf with her eyes closed as she gathers her thoughts in a quiet area.

ah joong's eyes open in panic once more when she hears a voice ask, "may i help you two?" and turns her head to see the owner staring at the two at the entrance. she opens , unsure of what to say. would the owner help or harm them?

@[V] Ah Joong In a rush, Irene's hand reached for the young girl's wrist and she grabbed it as if the vampire was going to be flying away if she didn't. The villagers were here and there, covering the whole entire path of the town and busy chatting with themselves, making it harder for Irene to see where they were going but also easier for the hunters were caught behind by the crowd. Irene's gaze tried to look for some abandoned shop that they could hide in, or anywhere dark and empty, but there was nothing.

"_____," She muttered under her breath as she kept running. There was an aching pain shooting on her leg as she kept running and running and running away from the hunters, wanting to go home already.

Just that moment, she saw a tiny little shop between two big ones. The shop was rather empty except for the owner, and it seemed like it was a shop for old shoes. Her gaze locked, she dragged the girl with her carefully to the shop after she looked around to make sure that the hunters were still far away.

@[W] Irene ah joong's head lifts in confusion when she begins hearing sound about her again, eyes widening in horror when the townspeople begin to walk around as if nothing had happened. the spell was lifted? so soon?

the witch lifts her to her feet by her wrists, a feat not impossible to do due to her slight stature, and yells at her to run and to ignore the wound. she tries to yell back, "hey, i can heal just fine by myself!" after seeing the young woman attempt to try a healing spell on her, but before she could, a bark echoes in the distant corners of the village. the hunters were obviously coming back to their senses and tracking them down as they ran, and her blood spilled on the cobblestones didn't make it harder for them to do so.

a whimper escapes her lips, because although ah joong is a young adult, she's never really had to experience such a frightening situation without her older sister looming over her shoulder, and the lack of reassurance plus the possible outcome of death plus the adrenaline pumping through her system makes her a frightened vampire.

she hurries her steps as fast as she can, keeping in line with the witch as they race through the village, running for their lives.

@[V] Ah Joong "I told you, I'll explain later! There's no ti--"

Her sentence was cut when she saw the vampire falling to the ground while a wound quickly formed and blood leaked out. The magic would run out soon and Irene thought that they would get caught by the hunters once five minutes was gone.

"Are you kidding me?" Irene said in desperation and kneeled down in a hurry, thinking of a healing spell instantly. mumbled when she found a spell and before she had the chance to heal the wounded, five minutes was gone and the villagers continued doing their businesses, some confused for why they felt something weird; it was a side effect of the spell for Irene.

A curse word escaped her lips and she stood up again, sensing that the hunters were already figuring out what happened. If the hunters found them, they were both caught and Irene would be burned soon in front of the whole village. That was the worst thing that could happen to her, and she shook the horrifying thought out of her head as she forced the girl to stand on her feet immediately. "Just run now, I'll heal it later."

@[W] Irene once the guard freezes in the middle of his words, ah joong looks up in alarm. what's going on? before she can recollect her thoughts, the strange woman takes her by the wrist and forces her outside with a quickened pace into the streets. ah joong looks over her shoulder with a yelp as she stumbles over some rubble; will the men in the shop race after them?

no, apparently, because not only were the vile hunters and guard rooted in their spots, but every villager in the town seems to have frozen in place. a woman is in the midst of arguing with her adulterer husband. a chicken is suspended in midair, wings outstretched to flap and beak open in an eternal squawk -- or at least until the magic runs out.

ah joong turns her attention back to the woman as they race. "you're a witch!" she breathily proclaims, adrenaline racing through her. that was how magic was used to freeze everything! "you're a -- why did you save me?" in the middle of asking questions, the vampire's shoe catches onto a cobblestone jutting from the ground, and she yelps as she loses her balance and falls to the ground, out of the witch's grasp.

her knee painfully scrapes on the stones, and the young woman winces with a groan as she peels her leg off the ground. "oh..." there's a small wound bleeding, and though she's certain that it will close up and heal on its own as they continue to run, she's afraid that the hunters will track them with dogs scenting a vampire's blood.

@[V] Ah Joong Irene scoffed; the reason for the hunters' explanation weren't good enough. Sure, Irene had already know that the girl was a vampire, but she wasn't going to let that girl get caught. Somewhere in her brain, she contemplated to use magic as an escape, but she refrained from doing so because the world was bustling outside and one little tiny thing, everyone would blame her.

However, she didn't want to waste more time. "Really? Those reasons aren't proof, they're just assumptions." Irene replied with a cocky grin. She looked at the girl and a small smirk played on .

"Well, I can tell you that it's better to be safe than--"

The hunter's words were halted in the middle of the air as everyone else froze except for Irene and the vampire. When the hunters were explaining, the witch had already muttered a spell which would make the whole world froze, except for magical beings. The only people moving outside were the magical beings, and this was the time for Irene and the vampire to run out.

Rushing over and grabbing the vampire by her wrist, they both went out of the door hurriedly. "Let's go, I'll explain later."

@[W] Irene why is the woman trying to save her? she hasn't met the stranger before, has she? the hunters and guard shifted, as if hesitant. "no," one of the men finally reply, "but it's hard not to believe she isn't a vampire. look at her skin and clothes!"

ah joong looks down. despite his true claim about her skin being unnaturally pale, her clothing only stands out from the other villagers due to her donning a simple white dress that flutters around her form to her calves under her cloak. sure, more female humans would settle for something more work-oriented or a dress that didn't hinder their tasks and chores, saving the prettier dresses to wear as their sunday best.

"and she smells like one -- a bloodsucker, that is," a hunter says. "the dried blood and lingering scent of death? it's all over her. caught her eyeing lee's horse here, she did. probably wanted to eat that too before going after the rest of the village."

she was doing no such thing! ah joong wrinkles her nose. she isn't even hungry, and not only that, she'd rarely go after animals. vampires never hunted non-human beings unless they were desperately hungry or injured and needed blood, or if it was one of the younger children in the clan being taught how to hunt properly.

@[V] Ah Joong Irene's eyes widened when she saw one of the men grasping the girl's thin wrist in an attempt to drag her away. She couldn't back down, not now; Irene was too far into the battle now and rage had taken over her mind. How dare they, it was just a sheep, not a mortal or another human being. A sheep wouldn't cost much, would they?

"I'm not a bloodsucker, but I have a question," Irene answered curtly, a scowl forming on her face as she narrowed her eyes before shooting out the next question. "How do you know that she's a bloodsucker? You've never seen her her blood, have you?" She questioned, tilting her head slightly as she folded her hands and scanned the men. She was going to make a plan to escape with the young vampire, but it would include magic.

@[W] Irene when the other woman speaks up, the vampire has a sudden urge to momentarily question her. what are you doing, she thinks. don't you see that they could run through you with a sword in just a moment's notice? perhaps the woman, despite looking mortal, is a magical creature too. because of her fear before and the looming danger of the guards, ah joong couldn't smell the tendrils of magic running through the shop. a witch?

one of the hunters harshly grab her thin wrist, as if to keep her rooted in the shop, and ah joong winces at the tight grip of the mortal. if she was human, the bone could have snapped in half. he leans over her smaller form, hot dank air smelling of his supper and ale escaping his mouth as he whispers. "you won't be snacking on any of us tonight, blood er," the middle-aged man hisses, and her shoulders slightly jump in disgust when she feels spittle land on his cheek.

"and who might you be?" the guard inquires in a gruff tone, obviously more interested with her capture than anything else. "you a vampire too?"

the guard and hunters cackle at that, as if it was the funniest remark they had ever heard. ah joong looks at the young woman, eyes still wide and inquiring. what was she doing?

once the barbarians finish laughing, a small sigh of contentment slips from the guard. "anyway, back to your pumpkins, miss. this here is one of the blood ers that was probably responsible for choi's missing sheep. no use butting into business regarding such miserable creatures."

@[V] Ah Joong A feeling of fear struck her when the hunters went inside the shop, looking all over the shop before talking to the new costumer wrapped tightly in her cloak as if the cloak would protect her. The back of the young woman was facing the door and she was busy looking at the pumpkins at the back of the shop; somewhere inside Irene's heart, there was the urge to protect the young vampire.

A vampire and a witch, which one worth more to the villagers?

Irene shrugged the thought out of her head and pretended not to hear the men. Quickly turning towards the orange pumpkins at the shelves, she tuck a strand of hair behind her ears at an attempt to hear what the fuss was all about. Of course, the witch had already knew that they were trying to capture the vampire, but for what?

"Come with us, you inhuman being," One of the men said harshly before spitting at the floor, a smug smile playing on his face as if he just discovered something precious and something he would never let go. Without any specific reason, Irene's heart beat faster -- not from fear -- from the anger she quietly felt for the hunters.

The way they treat and talked to someone like her -- a magical being -- was insulting, and Irene felt highly offended. Scoffing, she turned around to face the men, cocking an eyebrow as they looked at her as if they were asking her to leave their business alone. But of course, she was Irene, and Irene was a nosy witch.

"That's a nice way of talking to a young lady."

@[W] Irene ah joong trembles as she draws the cloak around her bod closer, as if to protect her from the metaphorical grasping claws to her end. if she was human and had a beating heart, it would be palpitating wildly in the cavity of her chest. she hears deep voices muttering, and realizes that only a door separates her from her chasers. quickly, she strides to the back of the shop, locking eyes with another patron as she does so. the young woman stares at her knowingly with her lips quirked upwards, and ah joong stares back with a sort of desperation. at least this woman didn't call out the guards straightaway if she knew that she was a magical creature.

the door behind her chimes as it swings open, and the vampire shuts her eyes tightly as she pretends to examine some pumpkins in the back, bracing herself for the worst. the clunking of heavy boots fill the room, some grumbles, and a low, "you there, in the cloak, ma'am."

ah joong wishes she had time to say goodbye to her siblings.

@[V] Ah Joong Her eyes found its way towards the new costumer in the rather empty shop. The girl looked like she was rushing, as if she was chased by someone or something. Her skin was pale -- paler than anyone else's -- and her eye color was strangely unusual for a mortal. Just like that, Irene had known that the girl must be some sort of a magical creature like her, someone trying to hide within the villagers.

Irene's eyes scanned the crowd from the wide window, and she saw a particular group of men walking with their horses, looking here and there as if they were searching for something or rather, someone. Her eyes immediately stared back at the girl who just came in.

And her lips curved upwards unconsciously.

@[W] Irene with a light hum and a bounce in her steps to add to the illusion of being human, ah joong softly pads down the stone streets, now and then bumping into villagers and murmuring an apology loud enough for them to hear. this is not the time to call attention to herself. as soon as she thinks the sentiment, she hears the whinny of a horse and the crowd of people muttering as they part to the sides of the streets. the young woman darts her head up in alarm long enough to see a knight on horseback, flanked by two hunters on foot. obviously they were doing their nightly patrols, and ah joong had not taken into account that they'd be out patrolling so early.

one of the hunters keenly sniff the air and peers around at the ocean of people, and the vampire begins to panic. should she be found by the troop, she would most certainly be put to death, and nothing would be able to stop it. frantically, she scans her surroundings and her eyes lock onto a quaint shop a few steps away, one that showcases pumpkins in the window. with trembling limbs, she turns her back and glides away, pulling the shop door open to enter -- oh, how loud the bell chime is above the door! -- and pulls it shut after her.