"Before the Sands Trickled" (Prequel) Chapter 3

"There," said the girl triumphantly, typing the last few words into the blog. She paused a moment to savor her own work, eyes flickering across the lines, cheeks flushed with pleasure. Finally, dramatically, she clicked the orange button titled "PUBLISH POST" and spun her chair around once, a victory dance somewhat tampered by her knee crashing into the computer desk.

Eyes watering, Eveline managed a last smile at the brand-new chapter of her story before substitute-swearing at her knee. Sure it was a story only two chapters long, but very few of the other girls in her class had blogs, and plus she actually liked this story. For once it was a story she actually planned to finish.

She had it pretty much all dreamed out in her head. Oua, Oua the amazing water JiiaÏ, would rescue her traitor friend Whisp from losing his soul and end up saving the world from endless evil and the antagonists who would try to manipulate the elemental spirits. Everyone said Eveline was an awesome writer; even if she didn't think so herself, she knew it was fun. She knew she had talent. And now she had an awesome blog and people would read her story!

"Hide me," hissed a voice from behind her.

Eveline stopped swiveling her chair and looked around frantically. Her parents weren't supposed to be home yet - they were still picking up Aaron - right? Her knee crashed into the desk again, and this time Eveline substitute-swore at the desk.

"Hurry," the voice added, more urgently.

Thoroughly energized with shock, Eveline calmed herself enough to make out the speaker. Or at least, a bit of it. The computer screen was moving. Water dripped from the screen onto the keyboard, then reemerged from between the cracks of the keys in miniature geisers. Within seconds, hovering before her was -

Oua.

Eveline drew in a big, big breath that she forgot to let out again. She didn't scream. She just kept staring and staring and staring at the thing in front of her.

Then she beckoned and dashed up the stairs two at a time, flinging open the door to the bathroom and pointing wordlessly to the toilet.

"It won't work," whispered the water JiiaÏ, about the size of Eveline's fist, surface tension wobbling above the tap of the sink. "They have spirit probes. Water won't hide me. I've got too much energy - it'll be like a sunflower trying to hide in a field of buttercups."

"Trust me," Eveline mouthed hastily, "I worked this out long ago."

Oua looked at her doubtfully - surely it was Oua, for she was exactly as Eveline had imagined - and shook her head slowly. "But my magic absolutely radiates energ -"

She barely had time to dive into the toilet, as Eveline muttered quickly, "Just hold on and don't let the current take you with it!" before the door slammed open and the strangest assortment of creatures popped in; the head of what looked like two giraffes with fangs bared and horns outstretched; three fireballs a little larger than Oua who seemed obsessed with staring at their reflection in the mirror, which was starting to crack; lots of wind that was blowing Eveline's shoulder-length brown hair into her face from what seemed like every direction; a sleek black cat that looked normal until it closed its eyes, because its eyelids were -

But Eveline didn't have time to take it all in, she didn't have time to question whether or not to believe it. She had good instincts and quick wit; and an abundant plethora of nighttime dreams, from which many of her inspirations sprang, had gotten her into the habit of acting before she rubbed her eyes and yawned in disbelief while people tried to kill each other.

Eveline flushed the toilet.