Herm

I don't know what just happened. 1 second I was in a room with 5 people I don't know and then the ground disappeared and I fell into a grass field. I looked across the field but I didn't see anything of note, just grass. I looked to the sky and it was cloudless. I panic, but now to think about it, this isn't that bad. I see a tree behind me, a White Oak I believe, and I sit next to it.

Where am I? I am not sure, but it feels nice, calm even. It isn't that crowded, not even many creatures in sight.

Am I dead? If so, I think I'm in heaven. You think there are personal heavens? That would be cool. To be honest, I am most likely not dead.

That voice, it was telling me the others are evil. I don't think I will see them anytime soon… Is the tree poisonous?

I keep thinking up questions when I decide to look behind the oak. There is more grass, and a woman. She has red hair and eyebrows that look like they have been dyed. Who is she? I am not sure, she isn't close enough for me to see her well. I don't think they are one of the people in the room. Did she come here the same way as I did? Is she here to kill me?

Before I can answer any of my own questions, she sees me and walks towards the tree. I don't think I have a name for the tree. It gave me a nice shade, it should have a name. I think I'm gonna name them Haven. Haven is a nice tree.

The woman is now at Haven and looks at me. She has pink eyes and some freckles. Unless she is some monster, I think she has contacts, but being a monster is not unbelievable. She isn't wearing anything of note, just a dark green T-shirt and jeans. She isn't that tall either, so if push comes to shove, I could beat her in a fight. She doesn't look that strong, but she might know some martial arts I don't. I am not the best at fighting.

"Hello," She says in a way you would talk to a child. "Who are you?"

She seems to examine me as I don't answer, I feel judged. She points at my chest.

"I am guessing you are 'Hermit'?" She answers her own question.

Hermit? I look at my chest and see a name tag that says "Hermit" on it. I haven't really paid attention to my clothing. I do feel that the person who put this on me is somewhat rude. I may not leave my apartment that often, but I wouldn't call myself a Hermit. Maybe I did put it on, now that I think about it.

"Yeah," I say, not knowing how to respond. "I'm Hermit."

My real name isn't Hermit, but I think the name is nice, way better than Charlie Maine. For now, I am Hermit, in this place. I do realise that I can't be Hermit forever. Sometime, I will have to go back to New Jersey, but not now.

"That's quite the name, Hermit." She smiled back. "I'm Rose Collar, nice to meet you."

Rose seems to be very expressive and kind. Rose Collar. That name seems to roll off the tongue. No doubt in my mind that she was made to learn more about me so some outside force can ruin me and Haven, but I don't feel like telling her to leave, that wouldn't be nice and I would feel bad.

"Quick question, can I call you Herm?" Rose asks.

Herm? Herm sounds like a stupid name. Hermit is already short enough. Why Herm? It just removes 2 letters. It's like calling May My or just M. Hermit is a way better name. In what world is Herm a good name? Not this one.

"Sure." I responded.

I just rather roll with it, but I would really like it if she just left. She didn't, sadly and continued to talk.

"Do you know how you got here?" Rose asked.

"No." I simply answered.

"You probably shouldn't be here. You should go back to where you were before this." Rose states.

Jersey? I mean I guess but I'm not in a rush to get there. I much rather be in this beautiful grass plane than New Jersey. I do guess I should get back to my home, but I'm in no rush.

"Why?" I ask her.

"Nocilcft is a dangerous place, you wouldn't want to stay here long." She responded, "Now let's get moving."

"It seems safe in the grass field." I debated.

Right as I say this, I hear the voice again. The one from that weird room earlier. "Hermit or Herm, whatever. One of the villains is on a nearby hill. It is your choice what to do to them, but they have to die eventually." It said, It wasn't in my ear, but I heard it. I don't think Rose did though.

"So what were you doing before I found you?" Rose annoyingly asked.

Yep, she didn't hear it. I don't know the "villains" well or the voices, and I just met Rose. I don't feel like killing so maybe we should avoid hills. Yeah that sounds good.

"Do you know where any nearby hills are?" I asked back, ignoring her previous question.

"I think there is one pretty close to here," Rose responded. "Why?"

"We should stay away from it." I suggest, "Don't ask why."

Rose waits for a moment, maybe trying to think of why I don't want to go to a nearby hill. After a while she asks.

"Do you have a fear of hills?" Rose askes, "Does that even exist?"

"No, just..." I think up a reason why I don't want to go to a hill. "I have asthma and heights make it hard for me to breathe."

"I see." She responds "We won't go up any hills unless we need to. Now, how do we leave?"

I thought she knew. She starts thinking and then grabs my arm.

"I have an idea," She says, basically dragging me at this point, "follow me".

As I am dragged away from the beautiful field, I take one last look at Haven. I think about how I would say bye to a tree. We may have been there for a short time, but it has been the best couple of minutes of my life. I could draw or write in this field, but I may not ever see it again.

I am still hesitant about Rose. She isn't a trustworthy tree, but an unpredictable person. I am not sure if they are trying to lead me to my doom or help me, but either way, she is somewhat talkative.

As I am now walking with Rose, I see a hill in the distance, it has 2 people on them. I think I see what might happen and I don't think I'll like it.