May 27th,
The scent of maple and cinnamon was much more fainter than usual, like it was disappearing from the forrest completely.
"I think we're starting to run out of time," I said to Emily as we continued our walk through the golden forrest. "Which means that we're going to have to go back to those worlds really soon."
"You're right," Emily said. "But, how are we going to get through those things?"
I had an idea, but I'm going to need Emily to be on board with it.
"I have an idea," I said. "We can tell each other about our painful experiences from the past. Maybe we can help each other out. There may be more than one painful world out there that we'll have to endure."
I really hope that the possibility of that happening was zero, but I wouldn't count on it.
"Ok," Emily said after taking a few deep breaths. "Let's go sit somewhere."
Emily decided to go first.
"My dad locks me and my mother in the house basement," Emily started. "He feeds us terrible food and treats us like animals. No, worse than animals. At least with animals, you show them love. We never received any love that a family is supposed to give you. All I could ever do was teach myself how to read old dictionaries, textbooks, and novels I found inside a box in the corner of the basement."
This was already getting off to a disturbing start. A combination of chills and goosebumps were sent throughout my body.
"Did your mother not try to protect you?" I asked her.
Emily shook her head.
"The opposite actually. My dad kidnapped her when she was seventeen. Abuse and assault were a daily thing to her. Eventually, it resulted in pregnancy, and I was born when she was nineteen. I've been trapped inside that basement my whole life, but I've learned a lot about how to talk with other people in a formal way because of those novels. In fact, I've even created my own imaginary people to practice talking to. I couldn't practice on my mother because she had her own friends. I wish she would pay attention to me though..."
A mother who's beyond help, a sadistic father, and a basement as her home. This almost makes me want to not even tell my story. I feel like I would be insulting her if I told her mine.
"Everyday, I would always stare up at the window that's up above us on the wall," Emily continued. "I would see the feet of people walking by and I always wondered what would happen if I screamed as loud as I could. I never did it though, because I was to scared to try. I never even said a word or a sound to anyone. Not to my dad, my mom, or that Man in White. Only to my imaginary friends...and you."
Emily ran up to me and hugged me tightly. I could feel her tears soaking into my clothes.
"I'm scared." She said, her whole body starting to shake again.
I gave her head a few pats and hugged her back.
"It's ok to be scared," I said to her. "Admitting that your scared makes you that much stronger. However, if you really want to be strong, then you're going to have to listen to what I'm about to tell you. The next time you see a person's legs through that window, scream 'help me' as loud as you can."
"But...I...ah..." Emily stuttered.
"Come on, let's go practice."
"Practice? How?"
"Like this..."
I took a huge deep breath and let out the loudest scream that I could possibly let out.
"HELP MEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I screamed.
My voice echoed across the forrest. Emily was a little startled by my sudden shout.
"Your turn."
Emily hesitated at first, but then tried it herself.
"Help...me!" She exclaimed.
"Pff! Quite a weak scream you've got there." I joked.
"HMPH!" Emily pouted.
"What's wrong Emily? Scared that you're going to lose against me?"
Right after I said that, Emily took a very deep breath and leaned back a little. Then...
"HEEEEELP MEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
I actually felt terrified by that scream.
Emily crouched down to catch her breath.
"So...ha...ha...how was that...?" She asked.
"I'd say you passed." I said, completely frozen in place.
"It happened at school," I started. "I was asked out by a girl, and of course, bring that fourteen year old introvert who had no love life, I said yes. Turns out, she brought her group of girlfriends with her and only wanted to make fun of me. I had a writing project that I spent three years working on, but they grabbed my backpack and tour the papers inside it to shreds. Now, I could just use the copy that I saved on the computer, but I would always think: 'Is this how I'm going to live my life every single day?' I didn't want that. I sent three years thinking of nothing but that same question over and over again until, eventually, I got sick of it. I could never defend myself and I've always tried running away from my problems, but those were all big mistakes that I've made."
That was my past. It wasn't anything horrible like Emily's, but it was true.
Emily hugged me again.
"Well, here's my advice," she said. "Don't be afraid to defend yourself."
I couldn't help but laugh.
"Yes ma'am." I said to her.
We kept hugging each other for a little while longer until I suddenly noticed something coming towards us. I reacted on instinct and moved Emily to the side while putting my hand out in front of my face.
*SHINK!*
And arrow pierced right through my hand.
"Shit! Emily, run!" I shouted.
I grabbed Emily's hand and started sprinting through the woods.
How the hell did they find us?! I though that dad was taking care of those freaks!
The Polygon member chased us through the woods shouting the same thing at us over and over again.
"YOU'LL PAY!!! YOU'LL PAY!!!"
I kept on running with Emily. I wanted to lose this guy as soon as possible.
"Duck."
I heard that voice as clear as day. I didn't see any other option besides run, so I did as the voice said and pulled myself and Emily to the ground.
*SHIF!*
An arrow whizzed passed out heads. Then...
*BLAM!*
A gunshot blasted from right behind us and the bullet sounded like it hit something.
I turned around and saw a familiar figure with a grey cloak and a rifle in his hands. The Polygon member had his head blown off and fell to the ground. I covered Emily's eyes.
"Dad?"
The figure turned to my voice and looked at me. The face of my father had a bright, warm smile on it.
"Alex," he said to me. "Please come home as soon as possible."
And with those final words, a golden glow engulfed his entire body and disappeared with the wind.
He disappeared into the night sky. The stars shined brightly, just like that day he took me stargazing.
I looked up at those bright stars and smiled.