Prologue
“Come here,” he said.
She went over to him. He handed her a backpack. “They have come here. You must run. I’ll hold them,” he told her. “I’m not leaving without you,” she replied. “You must. There is no time." He hugged her, tears in both of their eyes. She nodded at last, understanding the situation.
“Now, you must go out the back door, leave town and head north towards the Wastes. Travel deeper there and you will find Howl’s castle. Tell him of me, he will take you in. Take this bag with you. It has clothes, food and water.”
He looked at her. She nodded. He then gave her his necklace pendant and kissed her on the head and said goodbye. She hugged him tight.
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
And then she left.
As she was exiting the back door, she heard shouts. They had come. She wanted to turn back and run to him, but she couldn’t. She went out the back door and closed it. She heard loud thuds and then saw a blinding flash of light. She hoped it wasn’t him.
“Clear up this mess. Nobody should know about it. And find the girl.”
She froze. He had died.
She resisted the urge to turn back and go to him. But if she did, they would capture her and his sacrifice would mean nothing. Then and there, in that moment, she promised herself she would get to them and when she did, she would make them suffer for what they did to him.
Blinking back the tears in her eyes, she made it out of the backyard.
And then, she ran.
