"Xavier, wait!" I call to him as I run through the vast brush. I know I have no chance of catching him unless he wants me to, but I couldn't live with myself if I didn't even try. No one knows better than me how big the world can be when you feel so alone and vulnerable."Please!" Tears form in the corner of my eyes, running down my cheek and lips. In this desperate pursuit, I can't help but feel a variety of intense emotions. The most predominant of these is a strange form of affection that cannot easily be described as desire or simple friendship. I want to absorb her sadness, to absorb every negative emotion so that her pain will fade away. And the strange thing is that there is no personal gain involved. I won't get anything worthwhile out of consoling him.But I still want to. And that fact scares and excites me beyond measure."Mona." Strong hands encircle me from behind, trapping me in the place I wanted most. The warmth of her body surrounds me, her shoulders shaking slightly.
What a cruel way to continue the story.Sometimes I feel like I can understand it. These events and circumstances are necessary, though sometimes inexplicable. Sometimes harsh. Sometimes painful.Why?No, no... I take it back. Duty. It's not for me to know. I would like to... but I can't. I can't ask, I can't question, I can't know.I won't have an answer anyway.The goal is cruel. A beast that robs you of your natural identity and aspirations and puts you on a different path that continues in a straight line, always moving never stopping running stop breathing no don't do it standing keep running running otherwise you will know.Sometimes I feel like I'm about to crack. Hit the ground so hard that my face breaks and my fingers crumble and my chest explodes and then I realize it's already happened. And so it can happen, again and again and again, without any relief, because why? Because I am dead! Dead then, dead now, dead forever and ever.And there is no difference anyway because -
Even the thought looks like a new soft candy. Though unfamiliar and strangely flavored, I can't stop eating it.It won't be long before we reach camp, but honestly, between my throbbing headache and Xavier's obvious gesture of possessiveness, it felt like an eternity. Xavier's vulnerability seems to have completely dissipated, leaving his unbearable confidence that I can't bring myself to hate."Xavier," I whisper in his ear, "you can let go now." Standing just behind our makeshift shelter, I hastily attempt to shake his arm."You wish." His grip tightens, leaving me even more embarrassed and nervous. Any minute now, they'll see us and assume things that don't need to be assumed.I look away awkwardly, trying to mentally prepare myself for their reaction. Surprisingly, I feel Xavier's hand leave mine after a few seconds, and I look up at him with confusion."I was just kidding, Mona." He smiles broadly, with a hint of sadness in his features. That
"Were they... Shifters? Yi asks him slowly, her face drained of color. "The same ones we saw earlier?"Yeah, pretty much." Jake nods solemnly. "It almost felt like they were waiting for us, with the way they immediately started chasing us. Originally, they were completely surrounding us, but we managed to get through them and run into the forest. By the time we were near the coast, several of them were gaining on us. One of them grabbed Wes and tore into his back before he could react, and for some reason the wound weakened him, almost as if there was poison in the Shifter's attack. . I sent him ahead of me as I finished, or so I thought, the Shifters, and he finally landed at the beach, where you were. And then tons of others appeared and I had to run too."Wow..." said Xavier, his hand gently brushing Wes' shoulder once to snap him out of his moment of shock. Wes literally shakes at the sudden contact, then abruptly turns his head to Xavier while staring at him.
It has been a long day, but we are finally here.The brick walls tower over us, marred by several discolorations, cracks and various ivy plants that have enveloped entire sections of the exterior. High stone fences encircle the area, and it is cracked and even destroyed in several places. Even the architecture of the castle doesn't seem that impressive, with its simple roof and lack of aesthetics. It doesn't look very intimidating in general, besides the factor of its enormity.But as we get closer, I can feel the buzz. It starts in my head almost like a ringing in my ears, but then intensifies into identifiable whispers. "Come," it seems to say, over and over again. There are many different variations, but this single word is easily the predominant element.Come to me and accept your fate.Xavier follows suit and leans in close to my ear. "Can you make out anything?" he asks slowly. I nod and he frowns."I can't hear anything except a weird buzzin
The crackling of a fire is the first thing I notice when my eyes open. The faint aroma of cinnamon wafts through the room, though tainted by a heavy premonition that I can't quite shake, though I can't quite remember why this mysterious feeling exists.I blink once, twice, trying to consolidate the swirl of colors into something more closely resembling solid objects. Just to convince myself that I'm not crazy, I bang my head against the floor, then roll awkwardly onto my back."Ouch, that must have hurt," a small, muffled laugh erupts as my vision fixes on long strands of brown hair hanging around my face. Still a little dazed, I let my hand brush the hair, then finally a firm chin, tracing her jaw and neck. As if just realizing my actions, I dropped my arm and my mouth opened as I finally registered who the person was that was leaning precariously over me."Ray?" I asked, my hand reflexively moving up to touch his cheek."After passing out when I saw mys
"This castle is ancient anyway," Ray says, completely ignoring my question. Looking straight ahead, he walks toward a pair of doors and then stops.I almost ask him why he's being so evasive, but the sight before my eyes prevents me from doing so. Speechless, I examine the narrow hallway, with gold-encrusted stone walls and floors covered with a luxurious blood-red carpet. At the end of the hallway is a magnificent set of doors, engraved with many strange designs."What is this..." I murmur in wonder, staring at the carpet and shaking my foot in it. My feet seem to sink into its luxurious depths as I imagine myself falling on it and flying off."This is the most sacred area of the castle. Everything in this world comes from this room." He grabs the handles but keeps them closed, turning to me."How could this-""You'll see. Just take a look. Ray smiles, his eyes softening as we look at each other. He continues to stare at me for a moment, I almost
It was hard to go back to my realm. When I did, I went straight to my huge crystal ball to see the Earth and learn more about it. I became obsessed, and for hours I scoured the ends of the Earth for any kind of new curiosity that might strike. But at the same time, I did it with a lot of guilt. Because I knew the prophecy. I knew the wishes of fate. And when the framework is laid out, all you can do is build on it and look down, wishing and hoping for the impossible."I knew, but I was watching, watching the world, watching the Shifters swell with sadness, love, pain and fear. Many more went to join the others, drawn by the sweet promises offered by the Earth. As this progressed, I noticed that the Shifters on Earth had changed. They were becoming wild, dissatisfied with the taste of a certain feeling but wanted it all. Those who stayed in our realm began to be more satisfied with their portions than those who left, staying full for longer periods of time. The Shifters on Ear