woke. | II

alex

It took me several minutes to get my bearings. At first I tumbled out of bed and fell onto moist grass and then I pushed myself off the ground to find myself in front of my full length mirror. Trying to lift the mirage, I made my way to the shower and realized I couldn't find it pass the vines that impaired my vision.

I slid to the ground, fingers searching for my knife and clutching it like a lifeline until my bathroom came into focus. Breathing heavily, I took a shower and went to school.

"Hady," the words sound so hollow. What has happened to me? I felt weak and foolish, standing in the corridors with familiar faces passing me by without seeing what I have become. Perhaps I looked exactly the same to them and I was the one who was changed.

The tall girl in front of me straightened and angled herself, "Are you okay?"

Those words have been so commonplace between the both of us, but today they seemed empty. I reached out for the lockers behind her and leaned heavily against them.

"I don't think I'm going to last another day," I said, "I could barely shake eversleep off this morning."

She gave me a measured look and said, "Look, I know it's a great big adventure to you, but maybe that's your problem. I mean, it's a matter of perspective. I'm sure those nasty everlings were saying whatever they could to get under your skin but you're Alex. You don't let anyone get close enough."

In another world, a different time, I would have agreed with her. Gusto in my voice. But what I said next sounded flat in my ears, "I'm not giving in, Hads. I just can't fight it anymore."

"Don't you say that," she said whilst slamming her locker shut. A soft whirring told us it was locked. "You can't just decide you can't fight against it. That's when you lose."

I never noticed how hard she sounded. When did that happen? How did I miss it?

I explained to her what happened that morning and instead of falling to pieces as I once would have feared she would, she straightened her back further and looked me in the eye, "You just hang in there, because tonight we're looking for some answers."

That night, the molasses that used to push me back seemed to welcome me with open arms. The realization of that chilled me more than anything else. Maybe this was the night I left earth forever. Maybe after tonight, I would never see my father again.

"Hey," A masculine voice pierced my defences and I looked up at Daniel with trepidation. He looked back at me, expecting to see something else and I only shook my head at him.

We spent the afternoon at his house, tortured by Jun again. He demanded so much and only Hady was able to keep up. It was frustrating because I thought I would be the better fighter. I knew I had the mentality of one. It's just that my limbs didn't seem to want to cooperate. It was a glum day, haunted by depressing thoughts and I hated it.

"So, you said we were going to find answers," I said aloud, aimed at Hady. "How do you propose we go about doing that?"

"We look for the enemy, of course." She replied coolly.

The moonlit night no longer seemed eerie, but filled with danger and it was sobering at every turn; we left the safety of our new hideout, knowing that in everland, everything is precarious. The vines that once seemed ominous were only vines, now. The mist that seemed to hold mystery? Nothing more than vapour.

We set out as though we were on a mission. Our breathing shallow and our footfalls silent against a bed of fallen leaves and tufts of grass. Partially due to the lack of shoes. We've tried bringing them with us, but no dice. The best we could do were socks which were always stained with dirt when we woke.