Surely it been hours since Ivey left meadow, the flower road had long since turned into gravel. Random houses began to suddenly spring up along the gravel path ways.

Things didn't feel as safe anymore, it reminded her of cities Gloucestershire. Thieves every where but hidden from unknowing eyes.
Ivey longed for the beautiful meadow and it's open surroundings. Nothing could hide in plain sight.

Ivey felt her stomach rumble, its been hours since she last eaten anything. The apple didn't fill her, she didn't think she'd be here for very long.
The last time it only lasted a few minutes.

As if the world was responding to her wishes, a rickety shop had shown up in the distance.

Ivey ran up to the little shop, her stomach growling louder than it was awhile ago. Hoping to find something delicious to fill her stomach.

 Up at the small window of the shop An old woman greeted Ivey with a smile, gesturing at her list of soups.
She saw the pictures of food but couldn't read what kind of soups they were. To her eyes they were a bunch of scribbles.

"Ma'am, what does these menu say?" Ivey asked.

"Can't you read little one?"

"Usually, But I never seen letters like this before"

The old woman leaned forward, looking at Ivey very closely. Squinting her eyes as if something was hard to see.

"Where are you from little one?" The old lady's voice was becoming more harsh as she spoke.

"The human world"Ivey had no reason to lie. She was human.

"I've never seen no human like you. Never known a human to have a pink glow..Are you sure your not a flora child?"

"A what? I don't glow and what on earth is a flora?"

"Figures, I don't have time for Flora child. Trickers and liars your lot"

The woman put her hand on her hip grumpily.

"I didn't lie ma'am"

"I usually don't serve Flora as long as you have money"

Ivey's hands quickly went her dress, it had no pockets. She closed her eyes in frustration. Of course she didn't have money, all she had was a compass.

"How much is the pink soup thing?" Ivey tried to stall for time.

If the pocket watch became a compass because she wanted a way to find her way. Why wouldn't money just appear because she wanted it? Feeling foolish Ivey closed her eyes again and wished for enough money for two days.

At first nothing happened, but as soon as Ivey's right hand left her dress side, a small pocket appeared and it felt a little heavy. She put her hand in and pulled out a piece of sliver.

"Oh so you do have money" the woman smiled warmly "You must be a rich Flora." She took the money from her and checks it for authenticity.

She then hands Ivey a bowl of something warm and pinkish colored.

When Ivey looked up to thank the older woman, the wooden shop was gone. She knew she wasn't seeing things again because she had the food she bought I'm her hands and the money was still heavy in her little pocket.

This place was curiously strange, but what the woman had said to her had stuck in her mind. Was she really glowing and she just couldn't see it?  In this world anything was possible and maybe she had taken the form of Flora to fit in.

Or not fit in, were the Flora really untrustworthy people but who was the Flora?

♠

After eating Ivey walked down but kept left, something told her to keep of the left of the road. It wasn't until she saw a fork in the road leading safety to the left did she understands her gut feeling. The right path had a large crack in the middle, it didn't seem safe enough to walk on.

Though it could be Chester's doing, after all she never been here before how could she know to stay to the left? Even if she had been here before, surely she wouldn't remember what way to go.

She hated that was doubting herself but, the former made more sense than being here before. Something told her she was wrong but she ignored it.

 As it got darker, the wind started becoming a problem. She shivered and sneezed as the wind blew harder. The dress she wore wasn't meant for the cold at all, but no one expected her to take so long.

With no where else to go Ivey walked faster down the road, her arms doing their best to shielded themselves from the pestering winds.

Soon she was too cold and too tired to walk anymore, so she found a tree that had low branches and climed until the wind didn't bother anymore and feel fast asleep.

    Thankfully morning came soon, but Ivey was no longer in the tree she had fallen a sleep in. She awoke in a field again but this time, it was daisies. 

In the distance she could see a castle made of ivory and Ivy. To her right was cave passage.

"What in the world" Ivey grumped to herself.

Next to her was a golden key, Ivey stared at it with a curious mind.

He keeps giving her gifts but hasn't shown himself to her, if he could send her gifts, why hasn't he just brought her to him. Saving them both the time and trouble.

'Because that wouldn't be exciting, now would it?' 

She heard a voice in her head that wasn't her own. It sounded like Chester but had a slight accent. Ivey's heart skipped a beat.

"Oh my gosh don't do that to me. Where are you?" Ivey looked around for him but he was no where of course.

No answer.

Ivey felt foolish, the answer to her question was the same fo the last one.
That wouldn't be exciting for him.

To him this was a game or some kind of test, he could probably bring her to where he was but he wouldn't be able to see her struggle to find him.

He had brought her closer but expected her to find her own way there. He gave her a key and magic pocket watch. He probably her a few more things and she'd be on her own.

Ivey should of been a bit more thankful for what she was given so far but Ivey Cooper couldn't see the bigger picture yet.

As time continued to tick so did important memories, but she would have to figure that out on her own.

For now she had key and cave to explore.

♦

    The cave was deeper tha. She expected it to be, but there was a light and it was her guide. She hoped wherever the light was leading to would bring this silly game of basically hide and seek to an end.

She wanted some answers.

The light brighten up the a small yellow door with normal keyhole with no door knob. The door had the same design as her pocket watch.

She grew giddy with excitement, maybe the game was already over.

With no hesitation she took the key the keyhole and gave it a firm twist.

The door open and began to her inside.

Down, down Ivey fell into the black abyss.

She closed her eyes and tried her best to invision a soft landing and the ivory castle she had seen outside.

She prayed it would work.