Trouble in the Building

Chapter 22: Trouble in the Building

"Now, what?" I asked.

"Now, we wait until you're ready to teleport." He smiled at me.

Just as Mr. Jareth said, we waited for hours until he was sure that I could teleport safely. I don't know his criteria for teleporting safely since I've never teleported—I teleported once unwillingly, but this is the first time I had to teleport willingly and I don't know the rules. In the normal human world, you need to purchase a ticket to get o ride a bus, then I guess there is also some criteria or procedure that needs to be done when teleporting. 

The hours of waiting were long. I ate fruits because Mr. Jareth insisted even though I don't have the appetite to eat any more fruits. I also managed to sleep again for hours because of boredom. Mr. Jareth wasn't able to accompany me because he was busy making calls—which I assumed was to Ms. Alderei. It wasn't until the sun rose that Mr. Jareth said that I was ready to teleport. 

"Just hold tight because you might faint." Mr. Jareth warned me as I held onto his arm. 

I nodded, my heart pounding loudly, either because I was excited or I was scared, at this point I didn't even know what I felt I just knew that I was teleporting. If my childhood knew of this she might die of excitement. 

Before I knew what was happening, a bright light illuminated us, making me cover my eyes and lose hold of Mr. Jareth's arm. 

I panicked as I squished my eyes shut and felt like I would puke. I felt like I was spinning and floating, I felt like a balloon being tossed around, a weightless ball of bubbles. The bright light was not helping anything either. It just made everything worse because it felt like flashes of cameras were flashing. 

I almost felt like a superstar from all the flashes! 

Then, I felt the ground on my feet. And I wasn't ready for the sudden ground. I was floating seconds ago! Thus, My feet wobbled and It gave up on me. I fell to the ground, and my whole body was shaking from the experience. 

"I told you to hold me!" I raised my head to see Mr. Hargraves looking at me like it was my fault I fell to the ground. 

"You didn't say I was gonna be blind with that light!"I argued back, frowning because he was standing okay on his feet.

Am I the only one who floated, spun around, and was blinded by that unnecessary bright light!? 

"I thought you already knew! You already teleported back there!" He argued back. 

I shut my mouth and stood up. I wobbled when I managed to stand on my feet. Mr. Jareth wasn't helping me at all! He was already walking away! I groaned and hurried behind him.

We were inside the Ayer's building. I knew we were inside because of the familiar hallway that I always walk in. The sun was up but there was no employee inside. I guess it's still pretty early and the building wasn't open yet. It was a strange sight, the always busy Ayer's building suddenly silent except for the sound of our step. 

To my surprise, Mr. Jareth went to the rooftop. I thought we were going to meet the others. And by the others I mean, Ms. Alderei and probably the other supernaturals in this building. We were at the door to the rooftop when Mr. Jareth stopped and turned to look at me. 

"You probably should stay at the CEO's office." He said and blocked the door. 

I frowned. After all that teleporting he is now saying that I couldn't join the fun? Though I doubt it'll be fun considering that they were all worried earlier. I may not look strong but I am strong enough to fight whatever that is that they are so worried about. 

"I want to go, sir," I said with my best-determined voice. 

"Really? Let's go then." He smiled at me and he opened the door. 

I gaped in shock. 

Mr. Jareth is unpredictable. And here I thought we were going to argue. Why did he just say yes? I was readying my brain to work in case we argued. Now, all the effort to make my brain function again after it was fried from all the overflowing out-of-this-world discoveries. 

"Since you permitted me. Killian does not have the right to scold me later for bringing you with me." He grinned once again and turned to look at me. "This is gonna be fun!"

He grabbed me in the hands and suddenly I was once again blinded by lights and felt like I was floating around like a balloon. This time it felt quicker like it just happened in the span of a second but still, I felt all the spinning around as if I had spun around for an hour! 

I wobbled when my feet landed on solid ground. I felt Mr. Jareth's arm steady me as I struggled to do so. 

As much as I like how cool this teleport thing is, if this is how I feel every time I teleport, I would rather ride a long-hour trip in a car, an airplane, or even a boat!

"We're here." Mr. Jareth said. "I think this is their last location." He said as he looked around.

We were in the middle of a forest, again. Forests are liking me too much, I won't even count how many times I've been to a forest in the past twenty-four hours.

"What forest is this now?" I asked Mr. Jareth.

"We're in the forest of Drifida." He said, not looking at me, instead he was looking around as he squinted his eyes.

What is he looking for? Are we supposed to see something here?

I look around too. Trying to see what Mr. Jareth is trying to see although I don't have a clue on what he's trying to find. Still, because of all the magic here, we are probably looking for something out of the ordinary.

There was nothing out of the ordinary around. The forest looks like a typical forest that is covered in moss ferns and grass that is as tall as a toddler. The chirping of the birds and the crickets of the insects, even though the sun is already up is probably the most weird at the moment.

I squinted my eyes, trying to have a clearer view of the surroundings. I slowly turned around, to get a three-hundred-sixty view of the area.

And then I saw it.

It was so little that a normal eye probably wouldn't see it. I probably won't see it too if it wasn't for the light that reflected on it. There it was, sunk deep in the trunk of a tree. It wasn't a knife but it looks more like a longer needle.

A normal needle wouldn't be so weird and I would consider it normal even though I found it in the woods because maybe the one using it just wants to be one with nature as they stitch.

But a needle that long? It's the length of a knife! Who wouldn't find it weird?

"I think I found it," I said not looking away from the needle.

That kind of needle shouldn't even exist! Unless someone deliberately custom-made made like that. Though I know whoever custom made them has some dangerous mind. I shudder just by thinking what was the owner of this needle doing to have something like that? I can't be too optimistic and think that they are needle collector if such a collection even exists.

I felt Mr. Jareth's presence behind me.

"They were here just a few minutes ago." He said as he picked out the needle.

The needle was long, it was at least 8 inches long and it looked too dangerous for normal stitching. I was about to touch the needle when Mr. Jareth suddenly dropped it and dragged me away from where he dropped it.

Why is he dragging me away from the needle? It was what he was looking for and now we found it! When I felt Mr. Jareth's hold loosen I felt the need to pick up the needle again and his hold loosening is the perfect opportunity!

I was about to pick up the needle again when a huge and strong lightning strike suddenly hit the ground where the needle was thrown.

My feet shook and I fell from the shock and the impact from the lightning strike.

The ground was fried!

The grass was burnt to a crisp and some even looked appetizing enough. To my surprise, the needle was still alive and well. It didn't even have a scratch! Whoever made that was good!

I blinked rapidly and looked up at the perfectly blue sky. The weather was fine no cloud could hold lightning above! Where did that lightning come from? It's my first time seeing a lightning struck so close to me. I felt amazed and scared, well, mostly scared considering how I was frozen into the ground.

The ashes from the burnt grass were swirling around the wind when a gust of strong wind swished them away. And I could've sworn I saw a dark figure around the strong wind.

"What are you doing here?"

I gasped and looked up to see Sir Killian looking down at my frozen figure. His eyes were dark and I almost felt myself burn from his intense stare.

I swear he is glaring at me.