Not too long after that, we had finally reached a village, featuring a couple of small hut-like houses and a farm. I saw others like them, villagers conversing, going about their day until they saw me. When we got closer and the villagers saw me, their stares clung to me, as if they were rocks pelting me down. I'm not welcome here, I thought as we reached the center of the village. I scanned the area, looking at all the villagers staring at me. The children buried themselves in the security of their mother’s leg, and the mothers averted their children’s eyes to not see me. Even my public speaking class didn't make me feel as terrible as I feel right now. I didn't even want to be here; I had no choice. But they treated me as if I was a bandit that had finally been apprehended by the authorities. I don't deserve such treatment.

We had reached a large hut in what seemed like the middle of the village. The five people that I had traveled with walked into the doorless hut with me in tow and released the rope that they had tied to my restraints. The walls were made up of mud and straw, and the ground was just packed dirt. They had positioned me in front of a pole segment of the hut, which I guess was made for their prison. The older man removed a portion of the poles and quickly snatched my arm and threw me into the room.

"P-please, can I explain?" I said, stumbling to gain my footing after being thrust into the room. Even if falling into a cavern in a mansion in their village made no sense, it wouldn't hurt to try to talk to them.

"Need no explanation of sky people. Our healer will tend to your wounds," the old man said, walking out of the hut with the other people following. I stayed there in the chilly room, hands clamped on the wooden bars, all by myself, hopelessly thinking. Heal me? They don't want me dead. The sun peaked out through the thin branches and leaves that made up the roof. These are not technologically advanced people. Did I stumble into one of the few isolated villages in the world?

"There you are," An older lady said, shimming carefully up to me. She dressed much like the others, but with a colorful beaded headband and a large satchel. "Ms. Sky People." She opens the gate and motions me closer towards her. "You aren’t going to attack, are you?" she said with a hopeful look in her eyes.

"No ma'am," I said, trying not to make eye contact with her. I do want to escape this place, but I don't want to hurt a sweet old lady trying to do so.

"That’s good, sweety," she said, smiling gleefully. She grabbed my hands and, before I could process it, pulled me closer to her to the point where I could feel her breath on my face. "Sit down for me so that I can see those wounds of yours."

I obeyed her commands and sat with my feet pointing out in front of me. The old lady sat beside me and pulled out leather bags from inside her satchel. She grabbed my scraped knees carefully before grabbing another bag from her satchel, digging out a paste-like substance, and smearing it onto my legs. I couldn't feel the burning sensation anymore.

"What are you doing?" I asked, looking carefully at the creamy mixture on my knee. She then applied a large leaf on top of it and began dressing it with a hand-woven scarf-like material.

"It's a healing ointment for your knee, so it doesn't scar over when you’re healed," she said, tying both knees as tight as she could but not enough for it to actually hurt. I felt a little better knowing that at least she wasn't there to hurt me.

"Do you know why I’m here?" I asked, thinking that they have no clue why I’m here as well as the others that are probably here as well.

"Because Altua called you to be here," she said, gently holding my hands to observe my bruises. "They really did a number on you, didn't they?"

"What!" I yelled, eyebrows raised in confusion. "Who is Altua and how did they bring me here? Can I go back?"

"The Great Altua never returns gifts," she said, carefully massaging my wrists with her stiff hands. "You were meant to be here."

I froze in horror. I had things back home I needed to take care of; people to see and meet and make memories with; and places to go back to. I can’t stay here with these people. I have to go back home.