Time had no meaning here. Although there was only a single instant between the piercing metal into her body and the moment she awoke in the river....somehow her brain knew that months had passed. Where had she been?

The sun was hiding behind the clouds and it was well below sixty degrees with the wind whipping through the trees. A rushing current swept the length of her silk party dress to the side and made it weighty. It felt like the water was trying to pull her down into its freezing depths. Only minutes into consciousness and her legs were going numb at the chill surrounding them.

Eisha took a step forward and felt her ankle wobble and nearly buckle at her lack of balance. Loose stones shifted beneath her bare feet. They could easily have sliced her skin and she would never have known.

Trees were all around, but no sounds of birds or people or life of any kind. The leaves looked dead or depressed and ready to leap to their solemn end. Another step had her lunging forward towards the bank of the river as the rocks bit hungrily at her feet. Fingers reached and clung to the mud and muck that would be her salvation from the cold. Writhing against her palms, the grass felt so unusual. With a deep breath she hoisted herself up from the water and onto the safety of the dank and dirty ledge.

Brown smears tainted her heavy dress. Each of her limbs were shivering out of control while her teeth chattered to their own rhythm. As muddy palms spread soil over her clean skin to soothe the shaking of her arms she caught a scent on the breeze. It seemed floral. Eisha tried to slow her breathing to take greater swigs of the perfume in through her nostrils.

And it was then that time shifted again.

Like a statue frozen in time her own actions paused and the world around her sped up. In the distance was a figure that ran down the riverbank calling her name. As he ran the sunlight chased after him. With tears welling in her eyes, Eisha reached out in slow motion only to see the seasons pass and then fade into blackness.

Then, the Shadow Man came. Disgust had barely become a thought in her mind by the time he leaned in to whisper into her ear.

"He's going through the door to another world, dearest. Better chase him if you still think he wants you." Dry and cracked lips lingered there and rubbed roughly against the cusp of her ear. Rage burst into life deep within her belly.

"Run, rabbit. Run."

Still frozen, Eisha watched as the crooked man, the evil man walked blithely into the scenery. Nightfall came and her body was hurled into nothingness once more.

This time, however, it wasn't a dream world that would take her waking body.