𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐈𝐂𝐄 》 JACK FROST

XXII. Trees?

TREES?

2007AD
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Unknown

Feet aching and chest heaving, Agatha wandered on, her eyes closed to try and preserve at least some energy as her hand brushed against the cold wall next to her, feeling the damp bumps. God knows how long she had been down here for, but it somehow felt like forever whist only a few minutes at the same time. She could remember her last conversation with Pitch, she had waited for his return, but it never happened, which is why she decided it was safe to leave and run as far as she could.

Only, that run changed into a light jog, into a walk, and now into a pathetically slow dragging of her feet.

Agatha winced, her eyes squeezing shut as her eyelids suddenly turned red. Slowly, she blinked them open, slamming them shut within seconds. Her eyes had completely adjusted to the darkness and now with a sudden bright light against her white eyes, her hand left the wall as she brought them up to her head, shielding her eyes as the eyelids alone wasn't enough to block out the burning sensation.

Realising she had released the wall, Agatha dramatically stumbled to the side, falling forward as she did. Bracing herself for impact, Agatha was surprised to say that the wall felt further away than she expected. Slowly, making sure to look away from whatever that light was, Agatha opened her eyes to see she wasn't leaning on the wall, but on the fall. Blinking away the crowd of black dots disrupting her vision, Agatha sighed in relief. She hadn't lost the wall, it had only changed direction.

Wait a second...

With wide eyes, Agatha realised that it hadn't changed direction, but it had stopped.

Snapping her head in the other direction, forcing herself to adjust to the brightness, Agatha gasped in pure delight. She was outside! She had made it!

Laughing in pure joy, Agatha struggled to her feet, leaning back on the end of the wall for support as she took in her surroundings. It was beautiful. Trees that reached the very top of the sky went on for as far as she could see, bushes and flowers decorating their base and hiding their roots which often broke through the surface to curl around nothing. It was quite and once her heavy breathing had lightened, she could make out the sound of birds singing to each other.

Agatha laughed, her arms spreading out on either side of her as she span around, her eyes closed once more, this time in bliss as she bathed in the feeling of victory.

But it was short lived. As she span, her ankle got snagged on a root and she fell, the air being forced out of her lungs as she landed on her back. Looking up before slowly looking around once more, Agatha realised she still had no idea where she was. Groaning loudly, she slammed her head backwards, regretting it almost instantly as pain shot up it.

Sitting up to rub at it, Agatha brought her spare hand out in front of her - was she paler than before? Her knuckles were more defined than before too... How long had she been down there for?

Agatha glanced at the cave before bringing both hands in front of her and clapping. Nothing happened when she withdrew her hands.

''No,'' Agatha whispered, looking at the cave again, just to make sure she was actually out side. She did it again. Nothing happened. ''No, no, no, no, no,'' muttering like a mad man, Agatha frantically clapped, and with each failure to summon a portal, more of her hope was chipped away, replaced with a set of tears.

Now sobbing and shaking, Agatha stopped trying instead, wrapping her arms around herself and allowing a good cry. She had held one back for as long as she could - even then the odd session would break through her shields - but now it all came tumbling out.

''Agatha?''

''What are you doing here, you dunny? We've been looking everywhere for you/''

Head shooting up so fast that it almost gave her whiplash, Agatha's sobbing paused for a split second as she took in the blurry figures of North and Bunny. ''You came!'' She said, rushing to her feet as she leapt at them, crying once more and her arms wide.

Agatha's arms wrapped around herself as she grasped at nothing, stumbling slightly. Okay, so maybe she had miscalculated the distance between them, embarrassing.

''North? Bunny?''

But, looking up, they weren't there.

''Tooth? Sandy?''

Spinning around in search for where her friends had gone, she was stopped by a sudden and soft voice.

''Ags, you okay?''

Halting as she came face to face with another person, Agatha smiled wildly. ''Jack!'' She sprinted forward, eyes wide open in fear of him leaving too, but when she reached him, she hit a hard surface and the colours of his hoodie disappeared and Agatha realised she was hugging a tree.

''No,'' whispering as she shook her head, stepping away from the tree, Agatha whipped her tears, turning around, determined to find her friends.

They have to be here. They have to be. They were looking for her, right?