He went inside the little almond shape hole he came out of. Which was also in a tree. Then he climbed up into the hole he fell from and got back up. Back at the tree from the "real world." The huge dry tree. The whole place was back to normal. It had color again, it wasn't all shades of black and white and there was no feeling of uncertainty in the air.
-What time is it?- he questioned. He recalls walking a couple minutes with Ashlyn for a bit to get to the Field of Hope and well, crying there for a while too. -How embarrassing.- Then he went to the treehouse and then to playground. But playground is said to have no time. He checked his phone and it was only an hour since he left school. So he was confused as to how time works there but -Time is half of what it's here.- he concluded.
He looked down to see the chain still on his ankle. For some reason it felt tighter now. Heavier too. It sort of hurt too, though only slightly. Now he could go back home.
His mind was confused at the moment and he couldn't remember everything that happened in that place. It felt like he got on a ride in an amusement park. He was forgetting everything that happened in detail but he can vividly remember the emotions it gave him. He felt renewed. Happy, you can even say.
He began walking home. His feet stepping on the green leafs remind him of Avighna's footsteps leaving green grass. The singing of the birds was nothing like that of the singing when he was in the Field of Hope but it still seemed happy. He stepped on the pavement after walking the mile back home.
He then got home and opened the door.
-Fuck...-
All the memories of what he said the previous day flooded in again. He remembers hurting his mom for no reason. He remembers her crying. Remembers how shit he is.
-I was out smiling. Do I deserve that?- he thought.
But he remembered he had to be hopeful about his situation.
-Things will turn out fine, right? We'll have dinner and it'll be alright like always.-
He went to his room and changed. Then went to lay down in bed. He lay sideways, facing the wall of his room right next to him. Opened eyed.
-Why don't I feel happy anymore?-
There's nothing he really felt happy about anymore. He just lay in bed. He didn't feel like he changed anything about his life. There is nothing new to it. All he had that was new was the fear he had gone crazy. Thoughts started to flood in and he remembered the feelings from that "other world." He remembered yesterday. He remembered Jessica too. That's the only good thing that has happened. He's rethinking what happened at the other place. Was it even real? Either way he was determined to accept what they said to him. So if he had to be hopeful and ignorant. Then he would. So he lay and replayed the day with Jessica and the fund he had in the other place. Over and over and over again. Hitting the replay button in his head non-stop.
Slowly, he drifted into sleep. Deep sleep. After such a long day with so many ups and downs he was exhausted and knocked out completely. Completely ignorant to how unbelievable his day was. He went sleep with a face stranger to worries.
Then he started dreaming. He was walking around through the forest. Then he started jogging. Then he started running. Breathing heavily. Panting almost. He turned and looked behind him and saw a silhouette. A dark silhouette taller than him walking towards him. Crying. Crying. Sobbing and sobbing for Miles to turn back to her. Her words were distorted. He couldn't understand what was going on. -RUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUN!- his mind screamed. Then-
Miles: "AUGHHHHH-!!! ahhh! ahh ahh ah a..."
He woke up from this nightmare and quickly sat up, his feet on the floor hand to his chest and the other grasping the bed cover tightly. He was sweating. Heavily anxious, his heart racing and breathing uncontrolled as if the dream was real life. His thoughts collecting and his conscious returning.
-Wha- what the hell was that? Ahhhhhh....- he thought. His throat was tight still and he couldn't utter words. He checked the time on his phone. It was 5:30, in other words his mom was home already from work. Once his breath recovered he came out of his room. The chain was still there as always. The chain felt a bit lighter now. Outside he sat down in the living room, his mom was already out and cooking dinner. He couldn't tell if she was okay now but he sure hoped so.
Miles: "When's dinner going to be ready?" He asked breaking the ice.
Sofia: "In a bit. How was school?" She replied normally.
Miles: "It was the same as always. Nothing new. How was work?"
Sofia: "It was okay, very tiring."
Miles didn't reply but it seemed everything was fine after that. He was just relieved.
-Ashlyn was right. I just got to stay hopeful.- he thought remembering the angel-like woman.
They sat down and had dinner like always. Nothing special happened after. Miles went back to him room after a shower, the chain still there. He lay in bed again replaying the same memories and feelings previously. And fell asleep again soundly.
When he woke up at 5 the chain was yet again a bit heavier. Now he actually felt it. It didn't bother him to walk much. When he went running he was annoyed by it, nothing else. But his head was very full of thoughts.
-Should I go back today? I want to know more about this stupid chain. Avighna seemed to know something...- thoughts later he started thinking about school.
-Are Jessica and I friends? Maybe I'll say hi to her today.-
He came home and got ready and headed to school. He got to school and went in early. The chain same as the morning. He went inside the classroom and didn't put his head down this time. Bell rang and people started flooding in again.
Then he saw her again. The egotistical goddess. She walked in, this time her best friend was there with her but when Jessica saw him she waved at him. He shyly waved back like an idiot. Admiring her as always.
-She's so beautiful...- he thought. But deep down he knew nothing would happen between them no matter how hopeful he was. His smile quickly went away once she turned around and sat down.
-Nothing's changed. I felt good but nothing has changed. The fuck was I thinking? As if anything could change from me crying a bit and shit. I wanna go home ...-
The negative thoughts haven't left his mind because nothing has changed. He felt like someone wining a race, he felt happy briefly with all the clapping and cheering but after that it all went back to normal and no one cared. He still doesn't understand if that place is even real or if he's just crazy.
Slowly he out his head down.
Class started after a bit. Mr.Barbick started teaching and Miles stared out the exit of the classroom. His eyes wandered to the window next to the door and-
Miles:"!!!!!!?"
-what??-
He saw, briefly, Ashlyn and Avighna. For less than half a second. He lifted his head quickly. Some people turned around but he didn't care enough. Why the hell were they in his school.
-I've got to go.-
Miles: "Mr.Barbick, may I got to the restroom?" He interrupted.
Mr.Barbick: "Yea sure, just raise your hand next time bud."
He got up and left the class. He walked around in he hallways looking for them. He passed the restroom, he passed many other classes, looking for the angel and the small cute girl.
They were nowhere.
Nowhere to be found. He couldn't find them at all. They basically vanished when he looked at them. But they couldn't have ran away far. They were just gone.
Miles: "Where? H-how were they here?" He said to himself in the hallway, resting. His heart rate was through the roof from the scare he just had. If he'd seen them, it would mean they are real, and the chain too. But he didn't find them in the end. He went back to the classroom.
He settled down. But Mr.Barbick had some news.
Mr.Barbick: "Alright now that we are all here, let's get to the project."
-Fuck.-
Mr.Barbick: "It will be a short project. But a very, very important project for yourselves."
-Fuckkkkkkkkkk.-
Mr.Barbick: "It will be a self reflection project which you will present to the class."
"Uhhhhghhhghhh" said the whole class. Killing Mr.Barbick's grin.
Mr.Barbick: "Please guys it'll be easy, uhhh, cheer up..." he said with dead hopes. But he continued.
Mr.Barbick: "Well as I was saying- the project is simple yet complex. You will make a presentation and will title it 'I'. Now, as to what it will be and why the title is as is, it will be a 3-slide presentation. Answering the 3 questions Who was I? Who am I?And who do I want to be?"
-Please let THIS be the 'fake' world.- he thought to himself.