Prologue

A shiver ran down the girl's spine. She rose from examining the green glow emanating from under the street, and looked around. It had been a long time since she had felt a premonition like this. Picking up her basket, she started walking down the alley, and continued until she emerged onto the major road. She stopped short as a car zoomed by, swirling her dress and long hair around her. Holding her basket under the crook of one arm, she straightened her hair and smoothed the folds of her dress as she gazed up into the night sky. The stars were invisible due to the vast sea of city lights surrounding her. She longed to escape this monstrosity of "civilization" to see the green fields, the mighty mountains, the endless oceans. . .to go home. It was the same longing she had felt for twenty-two years now. She'd lived here all her life, but still, she somehow knew this wasn't home. But the strange premonition she had felt remained. Perhaps things were about to change. Perhaps someone would come along. . .someone who would take her home.