A/N: Sorry it's short! I'm just trying to figure out the setting... Also, I should probably tell you that Christopher Morse isn't even ten yet. He's a literal child.

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{ Chapter Three }

I woke up, confused and alone in a pitch black, rocking place. Wooden crates were stacked around me, forming a sort of... hiding place? It was too dark to see if Ives or Natalie was near.

The only thing I had was a... sackcloth bag?

I started to feel around in the bag, and felt the mirror, a piece of paper, candles, matches, and Ives’s... What did he call this before? Stuffed animal?

Not a real one of course, we didn’t have bear cubs this small at home.

But... Why did I have this?

What on earth is going on?

“Whoever’s hidden, can you hyperventilate a bit quieter? I’m trying to sleep.” An unfamiliar man’s voice asked harshly, from outside my box fort.

I jumped, and hugged the stuffed animal closer.

“Oh for the love of-” The stranger said, as he struck a match, “Where are ya? I wanna see who decided to be a stowaway with me.”

I stayed silent, and shifted my sitting position silently.

“Hah! There you are!” He said, as his match illuminated my hiding spot from above, “Never underestimate my hearing ability-”

He stopped, rubbed his eyes with his free hand, and looked again.

“Well, shoot. You’re a kid.”

I glared at him. Of course I’m a kid, what else would I be, a goat?

The man huffed.

“What makes you want to escape, eh? Were the scraps not good enough for you Inside?” He questioned, “Who on earth would let a kid go by themselves? Especially on a dangerous trip like this one...”

I started looking through the bag, the man’s light making the object easier to see.

The stuffed bear was brown, with button eyes and a stitched smile and nose.

The paper was snatched  out of my hand before I could read it.

I snapped my attention to the stranger, who was reading my paper.

“Oh, I see.” He said, as he turned his attention away from the letter to me. “You ticked off the entire Prìosanach Domicile. Well, that’s a reason to run.”

I grabbed for the piece of paper, but the man just held it higher.

“Calm down ya three feet of anxiety. I’m just reading it.” He snapped, as he kicked me away.

After he finished reading the paper, he turned around, and simply said;

“Well, you’re on your own kid. I’m not gonna take care of a mute runt. Try not to die so you can see your dad- brother- cousin- friend- Well, whoever the heck this ‘Ives’ is again.”

He lit the paper on fire with his match and dropped it to the ground.

Shocked, I crouched to where the paper was burning, tears welling up in my eyes, as the man blew out his match and disappeared into the darkness.

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Eventually, my sobbing subsided as I sat alone in this dark room.

I don’t know where I am, who that man was, where Ives is, what happened, how to get home, and a numerous amount of other things.

I hugged the stuffed bear close, as I fell asleep. 

Ooooh, this is so mysterious! Can't wait to see what poor Chris (can he be called Chris?) has to go through next.