"Hah… hah… hah…" Catrine ran, gasping for breath. Every now and then, she glanced back to make sure her brother was still behind her.
But the distance was too great, and soon she could no longer see him. When she reached the village, several villagers going about their daily tasks stopped in surprise at the sight of her.
"Little girl, what are you doing here?" an old woman asked, worry creasing her face. "Where are your parents? Are you from the city of Droswem?"
The woman stepped closer and crouched in front of her. Catrine wiped the sweat from her forehead and shook her head.
"No, Granny, I'm not lost!" she said urgently. "My brother and I came to check the situation around here, hoping to find the source of the plague that's infected you all. But suddenly, we ran into an evil man in a black cloak! He tried to kill us!"
The old woman and the villagers gasped in shock.
A young man stepped forward. "Why are you alone? Did that man capture your brother?"
