Chapter 12

Nearing the end of their inauspicious journey, Liz and Anala approach The Great Wall along the border of Polaria. Not really conscious of their plans if their escape was a success, they cross paths with an old acquaintance. Learning new information, the three build a resolution plan at the reputable Heimer Laboratories. A weird mixture of backgrounds and personalities could result in anything; if only they knew.

The Great Wall, Polaria

'What do you know? Apparently Anala has been single since the beginning of time. Who would've guessed?', I think to myself, exasperatedly mocking. "No, really. I have never even kissed a guy", she continues, as if I'm still listening. Which I was, but only cause I was having fun with it.

"Venierreaze to Liz? Are you still there?", she laughed hysterically. I jabbed her in the side, receiving an 'oof'. "Wow, you pack a punch girl! Didn't think you could hurt a fly", she resumes her forced laugh. "Okay, be honest, have you been doing drugs? Your personality is way off", I jeer, hiding a small grin. "You might think I'm lying, but I've actually tried a few… in the past of course", she replies, either ignoring my rough attitude or not even noticing it. "Hmm", I say, lifting my eyebrows sarcastically while rolling my eyes in the other direction. "You're a really good friend, y'know? I feel like I can actually be myself around you", she turns solemn. "That's dangerous", I mock. "I'm serious… you really get me", she gives a nervous chuckle. I try to hold back a doleful expression as she says it, only ending up with a weird grimace. "Are you alright?", she asks, looking at my deformed expression.

We'd been traveling for a while now and still no sign of The Wall. I was starting to think this animal didn't even know where it was going. I'd just been sitting, listening to Anala blabber on about her whole life story, giving an unamused 'mmh', or an audibly sarcastic 'wow', every now and again.

"I think I see the top of The Wall", Anala finally talks about something other than her twenty thousand dogs at home. I give a relieved sigh in response, actually hoping this nightmare would end. "Oh stop it, you love when I talk unceasingly", she teases with a hand gesture. "There are very few things that I even like, let alone love. You are gravely mistaken, Anala", I boldly correct her. Shrugging her shoulders with a soft, 'Mmh', she fastens her grip on the spikes of the Vanine Lepris's neck.

Taking a huge leap over a fallen tree, we hear a faint, 'Agh', and Anala pulls back to slow the creature down. "What was that!?", Anala shouts worriedly. "It was nothing, let's keep going", I brush it off. "You almost crushed me!", a male voice shouts in dismay. I recognized that voice, like someone I've worked with. "Sorry, we couldn't see you. Would you mind telling us your name?". Anala speaks for me. "Matthew… Matthew Anak", he begins to say when Anala cuts him off. "Matthew!", she shrieks with joy.

I am truly frightened at her exuberance. She is beginning to get too much for me. I prefer people with a dialed down, dull personality like my own. If this continues, I might take back every decent thing I said to her.

"Anala?", Matthew returns, more confused than excited. "Yeah", she says, like it's obvious, while hopping off the creatures shoulders. "I've been wondering what happened to you", he explains, looking just as bewildered as before. "Oh, you didn't know? I got thrown into prison. It's a long story; well not really, but like it is; you get it", she speaks vaguely, refusing to admit the reason she got thrown in there with me. "Well, how have you been?",  Matthew asks her exasperatedly. "Great! Yeah, Liz and I escaped the prison together", she glees. "Separately, but at the same time", I exact. "Don't lie just to sound independent. We escaped together and found this big fella", she reproves me, turning her attention to Matthew afterward. "Wow! A Vanine Lepris? How'd you?", he starts in incredulity. "Tame such a wild beast? My brawn", she flexes the muscles on her arm with a proud expression on her face. "You know, I believe it. There is nothing that Anala can't do", he brags to me. "Yeah, like shutting her mouth apparently", I jeer with an exaggerated eye roll. "She's always like this, don't expect anything different from her", Anala lowers her voice. "Oh, trust me I know. We worked together in the Lydykauv City Military for a short while. I think we even competed in some Zombie Apocalypse events together", he conversates with Anala while I remain indignant, sitting tensely on the creature's back.

I zoned out after a bit because of all their belabouring. "Catching up" wasn't my thing. Besides, I'm not even close enough with either of them to go very far in a conversation. Silent thought was my way of getting along with people; just don't even talk and you have no reason to not like them. I just want to get back to my life as soon as possible. This, is preventing that from happening.

"Wow, Liz, did you hear that?", Anala sounds incredulous. "No, I stopped listening hours ago", I say truthfully. "We've only been talking for like, what? Twenty minutes?", she raises an eyebrow at Matthew for confirmation. "I was saying", Matthew tries explaining for Anala. "That's great!", I unenthusiastically yell. "Liz! This isn't a joke", Anala scolds me. "Raise your voice at me again and I'll make sure it isn't", I threaten, sitting up. "I'm being very serious Liz, and besides, you wouldn't hurt you best friend", she says confidently. "Do you think you're indisposable? Like there haven't been a million other people in your position that I completely disregarded and have never talked to again. That surety of yours will be your downfall", I come crashing down on Anala with all of the emotions I've been holding in, and there's still more. I was regetting everything I was saying in the moment but I couldn't stop myself. I destroy every decent relationship I make, and create more enemies for myself than allies. This was my most toxic trait. I was too afraid of being hurt and thrown away like my parents did to me that I did it to everyone else before they had a chance. Everytime someone got too comfortable with me, I crushed them. I hated doing it, but I felt like I had to.

Completely unfazed by my melodramatic performance, Anala gives me a look like, 'Are you done yet?'. I managed to shut my mouth before saying something I'd really regret. "Look, Liz, I'm sorry. I just wanted to express the gravity of the situation", she paused as if contemplating whether to continue or not. Unfortunately for me, she chose option A. "There's a mega Quora in the Dark Forest. Matthew was working with a researcher named Denai Heimer who was studying Quora until that supersized Quora attacked their camp. Nobody knows where it is now, but considering its recent rampant behavior, we should keep on the lookout. Matthew's going back to the laboratory and I think we should go too. But if you still want to go back to Polaria, I won't stop you", She elucidates in ear-wrecking detail. "As if you could", I gibe, more as an afterthought. "Well, then, I'll take off with the Lepris and you can flee to your heart's content", she tells me, floating up to the creature's back and resting on it. "I never said I was leaving", I reply vaguely. "So you're going, then?", she asks for verification. "Who else is going to keep you out of trouble? Certainly not him", I glare at Matthew. "You know he– Nevermind, let's just go. Come on Matty!", she invites him, leaving him all but climbing up the Lepris's leg and sitting down right behind me. I don't like being sandwiched between people, especially not these two. Literally my worst nightmare.