Chapter II: The Truth

I'd been walking carefully behind him before he took my wrist and pulled at his own pace. The muscles around my heart hadn't been given the chance to relax. I felt my throat dry up as the cool night air reentered my mouth as I tried to catch up to his speed. Panic remained.

There were so many questions I wanted answered. I couldn't stop what felt like a chorus of confusion from playing the same old song in my head. I wanted to yank myself out of his grip and force him to explain what had just happened. I wanted to run home and lock myself up in my room. I wanted so much I couldn’t have that the feeling added an extra layer of dread.

“Where are we going?” I managed in a cut, raspy voice. But he didn't answer. He was a shade determined to get me out of whatever mess had found me. The blaring city turned into a bright ball of light behind us. We ran deeper and deeper into the darkness that typically fell over the unsaturated skirts of the metropolis I’d unwillingly learned to call home. It didn’t take too long for my stomach to turn on me. I felt nauseous and buzzed, as if I’d been hit by a shot of unwanted adrenaline.

The sound of his feet hitting the ground changed as we raced further within some park’s belly. Asphalt. Wet grass. Asphalt again. I could’ve sworn I saw two people sitting on a bench. Oh, no. Was I hallucinating? He let go of me for a second, but then, almost instantly, his other arm flung around me and locked itself on my waist. He felt warm. I could sense fear dripping from him. Or maybe it was just the echo of my own terror bouncing off his chest. We accelerated through time and space, bending every law set against such event. At least it seemed that way. I was sure by this point I’d been wiped by exhaustion. Looking back, I think at some point we stopped running and ... well, we flew off the ground. I think.

When I woke up the sun had already risen. The air felt stiff. Little light seeped through to where I was. My back rested against a humid, spiny surface. Grass! A bow and an arrow were propped beside me, next to them was a small plastic bag with assorted fruits in it. I looked around as confused as ever. Why was this still happening to me? When was I going to smash into clarity?

“Hello!” I cried out desperately. This was my way of rebelling. It didn’t take me too long to figure out why he had left me a weapon and food. He expected me to stay put. To wait silently. He didn’t want me to have any reason to move or worse ... do something stupid. “Is anyone out there?” I kept going. I knew somehow he’d hear me. I knew he wasn’t normal. I wasn’t normal.