LO Round 1 - 1

The first thing I saw when I woke up was a cracked gray ceiling and a familiar face. There was daylight streaming in through the window behind me and I was clutching white bed sheets and breathing heavily. My scarf clung wetly to my chest and I felt dizzy. I forced my heaving chest to still and turned to the masked face that hovered over me.

"Nightmare?" The creature asked. I said nothing as my eyes traced over the skull that popped out against dark fur. The truth was that I did in fact have a nightmare, one that was quickly becoming a reality. "Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you. It looked like you were in pain, so I decided to wake you." I heaved myself up onto my elbows and looked around. I was in some sort of old hotel room. Sparsely furnished, there was only the bed I was laying on and a simple table with two chairs. It smelled weird. I felt hot and sticky.

"Who are you?" I asked. I was itching to know. I think I remembered her, from that strange night. The night where everything went wrong.

"You can call me Echo," she said. Swirling blue marks covered her body. Pretty. "You had it rough didn't you? Being attacked by one of the possessed, I mean."

"Possessed?" My stomach churned as I flipped through the events that happened that night. Walking for what seemed like forever. Hunger. Thirst. The bird. The beast.

"Yes the possessed." She said the word with distaste. "It was that thing that attacked you last night. You seemed to handle it pretty well though."

"I just relied on my reflexes." I smirked. She just looked at me.

"What was your name again?" I told her my name was Jeth. Echo padded across the room and stopped at the door. She turned around and swished her tail.  "I'm going to leave now. Please meet me outside with the others in a few minutes. You'll be able to eat and find out more when you get there. In the mean time please take your time to adjust to your surroundings."

The others? What others? I watched Echo disappear behind the door and succumbed to my silent confusion. I stumbled out of bed and fixed my scarf and goggles, glad to see they were still on me. I thought about the mysterious bird who had brought me here. What was it that he said again? Something about my fate?

I look out the window, jagged and broken, and I groan. I can see only jungle for miles and miles. Crumbling skyscrapers peek out from beneath the canopy of lush trees, and strange birds sing sweet notes and streak across the sky. I can faintly hear the murmur of voices down below but my view is obscured by a tree.

Making my way down the stairs and past rows of numbered doors, I reach what I think is the lobby and stop to sneak a glance out the window. Much to my surprise, there is a small gathering taking place. There are several animals I never seen in my life before, huddling in a small group and listening intently. I think one of them is giving a speech. I open the doors and step outside.