THE CHOSEN ONES ( PART TWENTY EIGHT )

The forest was suddenly alive with hunters, Jonah
was feeling very pleased with himself. "Well!" said
Jonah, "a child and where there's a child, there's
normally a family and where there's a family, there's a man. Come child show me where your family
is."

"What! Do you think I'm a fool?" said Bella
shaking "You spear my only companion, then talk of families."

"Where are your mother and father?" said Jonah
getting impatient. Luckily Bella was a quick thinker. "I have no mother or father, they died years ago, it was just me and my horse."

"Don't believe you!" said Jonah getting really angry now. "Kill the horse, put the darn thing out
of its misery. I'll get the truth out of you yet my
girl."

"No...no!" cried Bella, "please no!" she fell down
on her knees, weeping and sobbing, she grabbed at
Jonah's legs, but he kicked her off.

"You snivelling little fool, get up...get up!"
Quickly Bella got to her feet, very frightened now.
She sobbed, "please take me, but leave my horse."

Jonah just laughed and repeated sarcastically what
she had just said, laughing as he said it. "Please
Mr Jonah, please take me, not my horse. ha...ha!
what use is your horse to you now, you snivelling
child, and what use are you to me now?"

Again thinking quickly Bella said, "have you a cook? I can cook really well, let me come with you
and I will provide food for you."

"Ah!" said Jonah, "that is a good idea, I guess
we'll start with your horse. You two men hold the
girl."

"No...no! please not Prince." yelled Bella. Prince
lay helpless, wincing with pain. "Run Prince!" but
the horse could not move, he wouldn't have got very
far anyway, he had just given up.

Bella almost lost her breath, tears filled her eyes, 'what have I done?' she thought.

Jonah gave the orders to throw the rest of the
spears, there wasn't anything Bella could do, she
felt so helpless.

After the hunters had done their worst, Prince lie
dead on the ground, Bella could not look, as the
hunters continued to hold her. She closed her eyes,
tears running down her face.

Bella never struggled, she knew she would never give the hunters, the satisfaction of finding her
mother, she had lost Prince, her true friend, now
she felt she must be punished for her stupid actions.

To be continued ..........