A Place Beyond All Kingdoms

The Dream

Chapter 24

Jared:

It was pretty obvious to me at this point who I was going to choose. If you would have asked me when I first met Fay, I would have gone with Fay. But, now I wouldn't dream of choosing her.

She never really liked me any way, and if she did, she had a funny way of showing it. I follow behind my new leader, well not really a leader, but I'm still following behind her.

Even with short hair, I would consider her beautiful.

Maybe that's what I need, a new girl, and she may need a new boy. I smile and run up beside Jasmine.

"Hey, so what was it like?"

"What was what like?"

"When you died. What was that like?"

"I can't really explain it."

"Oh, well I think, when I look at you, you can't even tell that you died."

She laughs. "Well, thank you. I was going for that."

"You know Fay hurt me too, so I'm sorry I know how you feel. And they are traders, you were right to abandon them."

"Well, I hardly call it abondoning them, we left them food, and water and blankets."

"Still, they had it coming. It's a shame Flame and Snow stayed."

"I agree, but I understand Flame's reasoning. He loves his brother, and doesn't want to leave him. And Snow doesn't want to leave Flame. I understand."

"Yeah, me too."

She laughs again. "You know, you're very- oh, what's the word? Oh! That's right! You're very interesting."

"How so?"

"Well, you're very blunt, and kind of boring. But, boring is safe and safe is comfortable."

"Is that a compliment?"

This girl is confusing me.

"I guess, you could call it that."

"Well, thank you, I guess."

"I was thinking... since Nick left you, and Fay left me, maybe we could-"

"No. I left Nick."

"Oh. Well maybe we could do something sometime."

She snorts. "Like what? We're out on the middle of no where."

"Maybe, we could have a picnic sometime."

"Okay. Well, maybe we could."

"Good." I smile.

"Alright then."

"Well, so is now a good time for that picnic."

"Now? It's late."

"We could have one in the moon light."

She laughs. "No. Maybe some other time."

"Okay. I'll wait 'till then."

~ ~ ~

I've been waiting for almost a week now, I'm actually very impatient, with it all. But, I don't show that. Not to any one. But all great men have secrets.

Including me...

I had taken a large blanket and set a small meal on top of it. Now I baith in a near by lake. Once I'm done I get out and dry myself. Then I dress in my fanciest attire.

I brush my hair with my fingers, and go back to the camp site. I lie down a gold dress, one that my mother gave me, it belonged to her and she wanted me to keep it for my wife.

I was planning on giving it to Fay... but now I change my mind. I put down on top of Jasmine's things, and tell Dew and Bre, to tell Jasmine once she gets back from a perimeter-check.

To baith, put this on, and brush her hair and meet me by the meadow.

They say they will and I go to the meadow. And wait, slowly I fall asleep.

~ ~ ~

Bright lights shine in my eyes. I squint, trying to stop the burning sensation infesting my pupils. Once my eyes a just, I sit up, and stare at the wall next to me.

It's not only a wall, but a mirror. And the reflection that stares back doesn't look like me.

His eyes are bloodshot. The left one is bruised, bruises run across his cheeks.

His lips are swelled and cut up. Blood covers his face, arms, and neck. At first I think maybe its not a mirror, maybe there's someone on the other end.

But the blond hair and gold eyes, they belong to me. Whip lashes stretch down my back.

Everything inside me hurts, I still stand up and walk to the mirror. I place my hand to it staring at me. I see someone hudled in the corner.

I turn around to see Flame I walk to him. "Hello?"

No response. "Flmae? Are you-" I flip him over to see his eye balls have been ripped out of the sockets.

His body is cold, and unmoving. I know right away that he dead, I run to the other corner and vomit.

I look up at the mirror, but this time the reflection isn't mine. It's Flame's.

I lips one word to me.

"RUN."

And everything goes black.