Chapter Eight: Keenzendura

Rainbow opened her eyes. “Where am I?” She felt strange and light-headed. As her eyes focused, she saw that she was lying on mossy ground underneath a huge tree with spreading branches. Rainbow sat up and brushed the dirt from her thick hair. Looking around, she noticed she was at the edge of a village, a village with thatched-roofed huts. Hearing something behind her, Rainbow turned and saw a pale, little girl. Her big lime-green eyes stared out from behind her tangled black hair that hung over her eyes slightly. She looked to be about five or six years old.
“Hello, there,” Rainbow greeted her.
The girl’s eyes only widened as she stared at Rainbow.
“Where am I?” Rainbow asked, hoping to get an answer.
But instead of answering, the child backed away, then bolted through the trees and into the village.
“That was strange,” Rainbow said aloud to herself.
Standing up, the confused teenager began to walk towards the village. She could see from a distance that there was a market taking place. An elderly woman was selling flowers, there were butchers selling fresh meat, farmers with their crops, and jewelers with all kinds of sparkling accessories. Little children were playing in streets while their mothers bargained with stand owners.
But when Rainbow entered the village, one by one all the people fell silent. Looking around, she noticed that everyone was staring at her, wide-eyed, as if they were afraid.
“How strange,” she thought. “Everyone has black hair!”
It was true. Some had curly hair, some straight, some wavy, but all had raven-black hair and pale skin.
“I wonder if they’ve ever seen anyone with hair other than black. That might explain why they seem to be so scared.”
The people did seem scared. Mothers held their small children close to them. Some people shrank back when Rainbow merely looked at them. A few curious children, who had overcome their fear crept up behind Rainbow and poked her, as if to see if she were real.
“This is so awkward,” Rainbow thought. “No one has spoken a word to me.”
She finally came to a fountain in the center of the town. A voice broke the eerie silence.
“Welcome, Rainbow.”
Rainbow turned, and saw a girl of about sixteen step out of the crowd. She was clothed in dark green and blue. Her hair was black, and her skin was pale, like the rest of the villagers, and her lips were scarlet. Her eyes were a piercing blue, and she stared straight into Rainbow’s eyes, and it seemed as if she stared into her soul.
“My name is Sapphire.”
“How do you know my name?” Rainbow asked.
“You were called here.”
Rainbow was confused. “Where is ‘here’? Where am I?”
Sapphire smiled. “The town of Valeera, in the land of Keenzendura.”