The Valley

Where am I? Annie thought, having wandered into a part of the town that was unfamiliar to her. The path she had taken lead down a dark alleyway that opened up to what looked like a dimly lit market square. She had turned around to head back the way she came, but the entrance to the strange place seemed to have disappeared. A frustrated sigh escaped the young woman, and her pale green eyes scanned the place with careful attention.

The people there seemed to be constantly checking and looking about the place as they traded and spoke. Annie wondered if the place was something similar to a black market.

Through the crowd of people young Annie was soon swallowed by stood the man who most thought to be insane. His best friend stood next to him, eyes darting around frantically.

"David, it really can't be good to come here. Come on, man; just return your mother's ring and we'll go find you a job," the younger man pleaded.

"No way, Alex," David shot the offer down. "I've been waiting my whole life for this chance, there's no way I'm going to let it slip through my fingers."

"Your whole life?" Alex raised his eyebrows. "Come on, man, you're not even twenty yet! Your whole life is still ahead of you, or at least it will be if you just let this crazy dream of yours drop." David's icy eyes narrowed at his friend, who shook under the gaze.

"Fine. You can go home, if you like. But if you turn your back on me, you'll be my friend no longer!" David exclaimed, meaning every word.

"Fine; bye," and with that Alex took off through the sea of people.

There was a small ache in David's chest from the loss of the friend he had known since he was very little, but he had made his decision. He was going to sell that ring, and he was going to find the proof he deserved.

He turned abruptly and came face-to-chest with a very tall man. David stepped back, looking up at the slightly wrinkled face of the man. Thinning white hair sat atop the man's head, and his silver eyes seemed to twinkle as he smiled.

"I sense you are looking for much more than any ordinary person can handle," the man spoke in a very deep, very old voice. "Are you an ordinary person?"

David gaped for a while at how tall the man seemed to be. Was that height even humanly possible? David was already much taller than an average person, so no, he thought, it couldn't have been possible.

"Are you an ordinary person?" the man asked again. David shook his head quickly.

"N-no way," he said. "I'm definitely not ordinary. I've already come to accept the existence of other creatures and I happen to believe you're one of them." The much older man gave a hearty laugh, placing his hands over his stomach.

"Young man," he said once the fit had died down, "I assure you that I am as human as you are. I've simply come with information that I do not believe you are quite ready to obtain."

"I'm ready!" David tried to persuade. "I'm more ready than I've ever been." The old man shook his head, turning away from David and beginning to walk away.

"You're still missing something," the old man called back.

"What? What am I missing?" David cried out, chasing after the man.

"You're lacking a partner!" came his reply before he too was swallowed by the crowd of people, just as Annie had been.

David let out a huge sigh, feeling defeated. He then remembered the ring in his pocket, which was worth more than even a room filled to the ceiling with diamonds. He fished the ring out of his pocket and held it high over his head.

"Wait, old man! I can pay you for what you know!"

Just then Annie was shoved forcefully into David's back, and the two were knocked to the ground. Annie was laid on top of David, whose face was pressed firmly into the ground by her hand.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry!" she said, raising her hands and sitting up.

"My ring!" David yelled, realizing that both of his hands were now empty.

"Oh, you mean this?" Annie moved her hand so that it was nearby David's face. He lifted his head as far as he could, which wasn't very far considering the position he was in.

"Hey, give that back to me!" he reached for it, and Annie pulled her hand back. "That's mine!" David squirmed.

"No way, I need it more than you do!" Annie quickly stood up and turned to run.

"That ring is worth more than you think!" he tried to reason with her. He stood up too, chasing after her.

"Good! I need more money than you could ever imagine!" She came across another alleyway, pushing forward and into it.

"How could you possibly need that much money?" David exclaimed, quickly catching up to the small woman.

"I could ask the same of you!" was Annie's reply before she realized the alley was a dead-end. She turned to him, backing up against the wall at the end of the alley.

"What does it matter to you, you little thief?" he asked, and his shadow kept the alleyway dark enough that he could not see her clearly. Annie quickly hid the ring behind her back as David closed in on her.

"Well, if that's how it's going to be, then I don't see why I should tell you about my own situation," Annie glared at him.

David sighed and stared down at her, thinking, I can't hurt her; she's a girl. He held his hand out to her, palm facing upward and said, "Look, just hand the ring-" He cut himself off as a realization hit.

You're lacking a partner! Was that not what the old man had told him? A small smile tugged at David's lips, one that sent a small shiver down Annie's spine.

"What?" she asked, shifting uncomfortably under his gaze.

"I'll let you have the ring," he answered, the smile growing ever wider. Annie seemed to flinch.

"Wait, what?"

"But only if you'll agree to help me with something." He reached around her back, snatching the ring from her tiny fingers with ease.

"Ah- hey!" she let out a surprised sound. She jumped up, grabbing at the hand that now held the ring above her head.

"Hey yourself," David chuckled and stepped back from her. "Like I said, I'll let you have it if you help me with something."

"Fine." Annie stopped making attempts to take back the ring and crossed her arms over her chest. "What do you want me to help you with?"

"I think that we can both help each other get what we want... I need a partner-"

"I'm not marrying you," Annie said, her mouth a tight line after the words slipped past her lips.

"I didn't mean it that way," David furrowed his eyebrows slightly at the small woman. "I meant that I need someone to go on an adventure with me. This guy won't give me the information I need otherwise."

Annie let out a long sigh, eyes trailing over him carefully. When her gaze finally met his once again, her eyes narrowed a little. This could be more trouble than the ring is worth, she thought. On the other hand, what other choice do I have? The ring was probably more expensive than any other handful of items she could pickpocket from other strangers.

"Fine," she said at last. "I'll help you, but you better promise that ring to me."

"I promise," David's grin grew from ear to ear. With that, David pocketed the ring once more and lead the young lady out of the alley.