Rachel wore a dusky pink dress the satin material falling onto the dusty ground turning its silk threaded ends a golden brown. The dress looked heavy on her as she walked with a slow yet steady pace through the open dunes trying her best to pull the heavy material above the ground. She soon gave up any hope of keeping the pretty dress from the dry land and soon it floated behind almost dragging her back. She wore a tight corset that seemed to only shorten her breath causing her to stop after a while and breathe in the warm air. Her hair perhaps use to be neatly placed behind her head in a tight bun with small braids but now it had unravelled and flew in the sandy winds a lighter brown with golden streaks not straight but neither curled. Her complexion which once would have been a perfect pale colour now was a dirty brown colour her cheeks a little red from the rays of the sun. She looked tired and small tears of sweat spilled down her face. She once would have been highly respected elegant and beautiful. She once would have been described as the perfect lady, but no lady would find herself now travelling across the desert plains of Africa especially without company. She was now exposed to all sorts of dangers she would not have experienced in the city or even in the countryside for this was very much the ‘wild’ side of the world. however she had not lost any of her ladylike ways after all she had been brought up to act like angel so now she kept her shoulders back and head high even though it was clearly only causing her more discomfort. She walked proudly even though there was no one there to watch her. She did off course still look beautiful only she looked rougher she wasn’t perhaps as perfect as before but she had a natural beauty about her. Her eyes narrowed on a certain point in her distance that she aimed to reach before her next break. Her state of mind was unclear from the way she looked as she seemed to know what she was doing yet a daze of confusion often showed in her eyes. Nether the less Rachel continued at a steady pace towards well it was uncertain where she actually was walking to apart from the fact that she was heading north. This was clear by the tiny compass that she held in her chapped hands and the small arrow that often swayed but rested on north. She finally reached the point her eyes had rested on at least a quarter of an hour ago. She refused to sit down for fear that she would never get up again instead she stood still breathing in heavily. She looked around taking in her bearings, a few bushes lay scattered around the area but apart from that all she saw was a long stretch of sand and a clear blue sky. Suddenly from behind her she heard heavy breathing. She could hear the footsteps of something behind her and knew instantly she was in deep danger. She turned slowly and saw a large rough necked lion growling and snarling at her its golden fur matted but its teeth sharp although a dark yellow colour. It stood as though its ego were as large as that of a proud gentleman’s but she new this was no house hold cat it was viscous and wild it eyes dangerous and prowling on her. Its thick skin could not however hide the bones that seemed to show through; this lion was hungry it had been starved. Its tongue lolling and dry. For a moment she believed the world to have frozen but when the lion growled loudly she awoke from this making her heart beat loudly. She wished she could make her heart stopping beating at such a pace for she was sure the lion could hear it just as clearly as she could. Suddenly it leapt from the ground all of its paws pushing off from the sand heading for her. She screamed and just as the lion were to land on her a shot echoed through the skies. She fell like a feather faintly and soon a loud thump that was the lion’s body also reached the ground. She sat up and struggled to move away from the silent body of the lion before stopping and closing her eyes. What had happened she thought she looked around for were the shot had been fired from. There in the distance a blurred image of a carriage and a man and camel came into view. The man was white which surprised Rachel as all the man she had seen when she first stepped foot in Africa were dark skinned he spoke with a slant on his words and she decided he must have originated form America although she couldn’t be sure.
“malady seems you took a wrong turn, what’s a precious gem such as your self doing in these dangerous areas?” he didn’t wait for a reply but continued “pretty darn dangerous out here ma’am perhaps you should hop on looks like you could die of thirst, and what a dress to be wearing in this heat mind you looks like you’re from a well brought up family guess that only brings up more question though. Like what it is your doing alone and how you seem to be so stranded. Your lucky you are that lion would have had you for dinner, not that there id much meat on ya. Anyways get on here have some water” and with that he pulled her up onto the carriage and trusted a dirty bottle of water towards her. None the less she took it gladly remembering her manners and listened to the man speak at quite a pace as they race along the golden open.
According to the man, he was from Texas his name was Johnny Alfred aberto Cresting, he use to live with his mama and papa but left his country to pursuit the adventurous world of Africa and its oil. Apparently he lived in a little village ‘quite a community’ he had said. His hair was quite long just above his eyes and a rusty blonde colour. He skin was dirty and had been bronzed by the sun. He wore a beige shirt with its sleeves rolled up, auburn trousers matching red braces and a straw hat. His arms where pure muscle and his shoulders where broad his face looked kind but tired however he still looked young and his eyes would sparkle as he smiled.
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