19. Gone

How did they ever manage to steal it!? was the very first thought that crossed my mind. I knew I was no expert in thievery, but I was an expert on Mr. Ambrose.

Well, kind of.

But how was I going to return the watch back? I wasn't a thief. And these people, these supposed natives, were nice enough to take me in for the while, so I wouldn't starve to death out in the wilderness. More or less.

Ugh, blast it all! Why did he have to lose his watch? Why did I happen to get lost? Why did that fat son of a bachelor stop me when he should know what Mr. Ambrose is like?

I stared at the still dying embers of the fire. Everyone else was asleep now. Maybe... Maybe I could steal the watch and then run away from this village! But... Everyone was so nice to me. Me stealing something that they originally stole would not be a good sign for us English. Then what can you do?! A little voice in my head shrieked.

I didn't know. First, I would have to find my way back to the ship, sea and canal. Then, I would worry about the watch. It wasn't as important currently. I had to find the blasted man first, hope that he'd not left me, before doing anything else.

* * *

It was morning and for a split second I didn't know where I was. And then I saw the animal skins on the straw walls and remembered. I sighed before sitting up. There was no one in the hut. I wondered if there were people outside. I strained my ears to listen for something - anything. But silence met my ears instead. I sighed once more before getting up and stretching. I looked around the hut and found things I hadn't seen before.

Using the sunlight streaming through the doorless doorway, I looked ever more carefully at the hut. There was a wooden table that seemed utterly familiar for some peculiar reason and the table seemed to have drawers. I walked quietly to the table and opened the first drawer. Inside were many trinkets. I recognised some things, but others were tarnished and dirty. I closed the first drawer then opened the second one. Even more trinkets and baubles. These ones were dirtier than the last and I couldn't entirely make them out. I closed it and then opened the last one. There it was. His pocket watch. I bent down and picked it up, examining it again. I shut the drawer with my foot and continued studying the watch. I didn't understand this. These people... They seemed innocent. And polite, polite enough to give me shelter for a little while. And they... A sudden thought occurred to me.

Could these people possibly be workers of Lord Dalgliesh?

No. It can't be possible. There's simply no way! He'd've never been able to decipher that file. Never in a million years. So it would not make sense for him to be in Africa and have control over the natives.

But then why..? My thoughts were cut off as someone entered the hut. Fast as lightning, I stuffed the watch into the pocket of my trousers. Thankfully, the person who entered took no notice of I and my actions.

"Hello." I said with a shy-like smile and a little wave. The dark skinned woman blinked at me slowly before waving back, just as slowly. She then turned away from me and started to walk to the back of the hut - probably to get something she needed. I took this as my cue to leave the hut.

I got out and look around, stretching in the process. There were a couple of little kids roaming around, carrying things. One was carrying a bunch of sticks and another was holding onto leaves. Two more kids were fighting over something I could not figure out. Their shouting increased little by little until a man appeared out of nowhere, yelling at them to be quiet probably. The man pointed at me and then at the kids, who hung their heads. And then he gave them a little shove and they trotted away.

The man looked at me then and I blinked in return. And then he started walking towards me with a smile before speaking his language. I tried stepping inconspicuously back, but he ended up clapping me on the shoulder and then pointed at a hut off a few metres away. Steam strangely seemed to be coming out from the hut and it's doorless doorway and for a moment I thought it was on fire. That is until the man pushed me gently towards it. I got the impression that he wanted me to go in there. But what would I do? It looked like I was going to find out.

I made my way over to the steaming hut and peeked inside, only to have clouds of white steam be visible. I entered and the steam engulfed me, pulling me in almost. I couldn't see a thing. What was this place? Surely I wasn't dead? But had I been, I'd've known and I would have fought whoever it was that dare tried to murder me!

"Hello? Is there anyone here?" I received no answer. "Helloooo?" I tried again. Still nothing.

The hut seemed to be spacious but I wasn't paying much attention. I was sweating like crazy now, clothes seemingly sticking to my body in a nasty manner. But I didn't heed that either. For I had been looking up rather than down and there had been a random rock in front of me and I did not see it. Which led me to trip over it and fall head first into a pool of water.

Was that in a bucket? No, most probably not. But at least the water wasn't that of Mr. Ambrose's office bathroom which was ice cold.

I shot out of the water though, gasping for air. The top half of me was drenched entirely, as the other half remained somewhat dry. Blast! How had I gotten into this? Quickly, I checked the pocket of my trousers that'd held Mr. Ambrose's pocket watch. It was there and the pocket was not wet. I breathed a sigh of relief. Knowing him, he'd probably sack me on the spot for ruining his watch, let alone having it stolen.

* * *

I left the bathhouse (at least that's what I concluded it was) around about an hour later, clothes completely wet now. I couldn't find my way back out and the steam was getting onto me and the watch, which I somehow managed to keep dry. When, I got out of the hut, I found myself looking at the desert. It was vast and empty, with no sign of life anywhere. Huh. Maybe everyone is on the other side of the hut? I silently asked myself and turned to the left and walked around the hut. But everywhere I looked, I only saw the desert.

What just happened!? Where are all the huts? Where are all the natives? Where did everybody go?!

I stared. My eyes darted this way and that, but they found nothing. So I began to walk.

I walked and walked and walked, not stopping once. I didn't know where I was going, simply knowing that I needed to look for them all. Every single last person.

Time flew past, and before I knew it, it was dark. I didn't know where I was, excluding the main fact that I was somewhere in Africa. There were multiple little rocks in my shoes, but I ignored them. All the walking I did probably led to my feet being blistered and bruised, but I ignored that. My clothes were dry and slightly crispy for some reason.

Suddenly my feet found water. I jumped back, surprised. I squinted in the darkness but couldn't make out anything. I had a feeling, though, that I was near the sea.

And when I woke up the next morning, I had been right. I was next to the sea.

And the Empire was nowhere in sight.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Helloooooo. So this chapter is short because I was running out of ideas. Plus it's a really random chapter. My apologies.

Well this is it. This is the final chapter for now, until Monday.

Unless I get hit with a brainwave of ideas later tonight or tomorrow morning and I go on a random writing spree, there will be no more chapters written.

How long, you ask? Or, if you didn't ask (well ya did now)?

A month at the latest. Because this extra class is one that can be finished in that amount of time.

And I have now realised that this weekend is a three day weekend, so the chances of there being a twentieth chapter is slightly high. I guess.

So from Tuesday onwards, I will have my Wattpad app deleted and my laptop is being a lil' bitch so I won't have that either.

And I guess that's it.

Sorry this chapter sucks. I'm currently apparently not feeling LillyRose anymore. Maybe it's the fact that in ITEOTS, they don't have any sparks or action between them.

But on the bright side, I gave my crush a Valentine's Day card (handmade) and he gave me a hug. :') I did it. yey

Anybells xD Please leave comments! Do tell me about how much this chapter sucks! (it's terrible I know lol)

I guess I'll...

See you later!