CHAPTER 40: A NEW POWER(1)

Second day of walking. I didn't sleep at all. So I am sure I must have walked a great distance now. There is a lot of animals here like birds, rats, rabbits. When the sun rises, I decide to sit down a bit. I bring a piece of bread and some smashed mushrooms and start eating. A rabbit comes in front of me, he is so cute. All white with his red eyes. I throw him a piece of bread and he starts eating it. Then I throw another one. Suddenly, the rabbit stands up, his ears erect, looking behind me. Then he runs away.

I hear steps now. Steps and growling. Beasts are coming. I immediately stand up and start running. I run and run but the beasts are coming closer. When I turn my head to look, I see three enormous WOLFIDERS. There are at least as big as a tree.

Don't you guys see that there is not enough meat on me for all three of you?! I run like a madman but they are fast. Too fast. In front of me, I see a dead trunk with a huge hole in it and jump inside. But, when I land, the base of the trunk is rotten and breaks, I fall underground to god knows where.

***

I fell in a cave, a huge cave. When I look up, I see the hole from where I just fell. And I also hear the wolfiders scratching the ground to reach me. In front of me, there is a hole and also one behind. Where am I? I must find a way to get out of here and also a weapon.

I take the rope from the bag. I wrap some of it around my left arm and hold the claw with my right hand. It is still better than nothing. When I want to move to the front hole, there is a giant worm-like creature coming out of it. THE FUCK IS THAT?! That thing has no eye, no nothing. Just a mouth that opens and closes with fangs everywhere inside. If that thing touches me, I am dead.

I turn and run to the opposite hole. And of course, as my luck is inexistent, that thing starts following me. I hear a rumbling sound as it moves. Is it eating earth to move? How is it creating those holes? There are so many holes inside the hole I entered that I just go here and there hoping to lose that thing. But I keep hearing the same noise meaning that it is following me. And quite closely at that.

Then I suddenly hear a hissing sound behind me. When I turn, my clothes have started to melt. That thing is using ACID. Shit. I run even faster but I smell an acrid odor in the air. I don't even need to think, my skin has started melting as well. That acid must be quite strong. I have taken so many turns and changed holes many times but I am still followed.

***

In the dark, I see a light changing colors. White, blue, green. What is that? Don't care let's go first. When I run towards the light, the rumbling starts to fade away. That thing is not following me anymore. I wonder why? That changing light I saw was a pool. There is a rainbow-colored pool right here in front of me. Underground. Would someone believe me if I say that?

I can still smell the acrid odor but it has diminished. That pool looks like liquid. Maybe I can use it to clean the wound. I bend and take the liquid from the pool, it is like water, and the consistency is the same. When I apply it to my wound, however, something happens that I could have never imagined. I feel pain. I feel pain so much that I stumble and fall into the liquid. When I fall, I try to swim but I can't move, my body is not answering.

The wound hurts like hell so I scream but no sound comes out. I can breathe but I can't breathe at the same time. What is happening? What is that liquid? I gradually lose consciousness due to the pain and the fact that I can and can't breathe. I suppose this is where it will all end. Where nobody can see or help me. I have failed to my promise to Mark then. Just when I am about to faint completely, I hear a voice.

"You really think it is the best time to sleep." When I open my eyes, I am in a white space. There is somebody in front of me. Naked. Brown skin like me, red eyes like me, silver hair like me. Who is that?

"Who are you? Where are we?"

"Me, I am you, can't you see? And we are in your mind. Which is quite empty I must say. Do you want to die like this? Do you want to disappear like nothing? Nobody to remember you. Nobody to love you. Nobody to save you. And so, you give up. Is that the extent of your resolve?"

"What can I do? I did everything I could! You think I didn't try! You think I want to end like this! I want to live, to have fun with friends, to love and be loved. To tell my dad and mom I am sor… I want to see my parents again at least once. I don't want to die. NOT LIKE THIS."

"OH, is that so? Then why are being so pathetic right now? You run at every encounter without even trying to fight back and you say you want to live. Cowards get to live long, yes, but only because they stay hidden from everybody."

"What should I do then? Tell me instead of criticizing me!!!"