Timeless and Bliss #wattys2016

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

We were all still in the dark research office not paying attention to the amount of time passing us by. I paced around the room scanning multiple documents scattered and crumpled on the floor. A file was thrown onto the ground and I cautiously picked it up.

"What's this?" I asked taking the papers out of the file and rustling threw them.

"Information on Bliss. Read it aloud you and Exie should know what exactly it is," Dexter said turning back to talk to Felix. Exie trudged over to me and I began to read the words typed out in black font on the document.

"The Bliss cohesion inhibitor pill," I read the tittle of the form, "The purpose of this pill is to inhibit the reuptake of serotonin completely, dulling emotions and replacing them with fake ones. Negativity's however include the pill causing the brain to uptake dopamine, then creating bleach, there for destroying brain cells." Exie and I exchanged some puzzle looks before Dexter walked over to explain the meaning.

"It means the pill is replacing your emotions and senses with artificial ones. That part you guys new. What you didn't know is that makes your brain produce a chemical that kills it," Dexter hovered above my eyes gently brushing his hand against my arm.

"The government is killing us just to have control of society. They want to blind us," Felix's voice trailed off stepping in between Dexter and I. Dexter's eyes narrowed at Felix while Exie narrowed hers at me. The things hidden in this room were unnerving frightening. There was so much information I could obtain and so little time. Everything I could possibly want to know was in this very room.

"I think it's time we left." I broke the tension and everyone nodded in agreement. Felix locked the door as the rest of us lingered under the cool night sky not realizing how much time we had spent in there. We followed the same path leaving as we did coming until all of the buildings were long gone and we found ourselves in front of the start of the forest.

"Help me clear this," Felix demanded and we complied removing dead branches, useless bushes, and a sign prohibiting anyone from walking along the path.

"Ready?" I asked. Everyone braced themselves looking deep into each other's eyes signaling we were ready. I felt a warm strong hand slip into my right hand and a cool calloused hand in my left. In Dexter's left hand he held Exie's and we soon began our journey.

We held the position for some time fighting off the thick branches standing in the way. We followed the nature trail through the forest until it took a turn leading us out and into a clearing. Only then did we release one anthers grip. Felix led the way followed by me, Exie, and then Dexter behind watching our backs closely. The wind blew my hair sending chills all over my body.

They sky remained unchanged making it hard to indicate the amount of time we had been moving through the forest. The path was once beautiful and whimsical with rose buds blooming from bushes and trees holding astounding pink and other colored flowers. The smell was breathtaking with the various flowers owning their own unique scent, and at times the sun would poke through the trees at just the right angle. The ones who knew of the path would always help maintain it making sure the trees were healthy and that the path was clear from any fallen flowers, leaves, and branches. The forest had grown quite thick and now dead trees left and right, rotting tree stumps and brown grass covered the path making it hard to point out, especially with the dark night sky. Occasionally we found ourselves crawling through multiple hanging branches and tearing down the weaker ones.

Dexter remained by my side as Felix and Exie walked far ahead of us caring on a casual conversation. Exie mindlessly chatted away and Felix occasionally responded. She looked as if she was trying to grasp his attention, and she did for the most part.

"How long did Felix and Exie's relationship last?" The curiosity was getting the best of me and I figured Dexter could give me some insight. Dexter narrowed his eyes causing him to scrunch his nose a bit as he thought back.

"It's hard to recall. I think they were just a one-time fling," Dexter said.

"A fling?" I questioned him wanting the details he was holding back.

"Yeah, you know how Felix is, or was, with the ladies. He never really had a relationship he just sort of hooked up with girls. Exie was one of the few who stuck around and I think she was actually one of the two girls he nearly let into his heart."

"One of the two girls?" I raised my eyebrow needing more information.

"Yeah, you and Exie. He hooked up with her once by mistake and like I said she stuck around. They got pretty close and I guess he thought that being with her would numb the pain from you," Dexter explained to me. We were now far behind Felix and Exie. And even though we couldn't see them anymore, it didn't concern me.

"So then what happened?"

"I'm not sure." Dexter made the charming face once more trying to recall details. "I know at one point they were super close then eventually Felix just gave up. Exie didn't though and now she follows him around like a lost puppy dog barking for his attention." I said no more for a short time trying to process what Dexter had just informed me. What stunned me the most was that Felix had actually cared about her as much as she did for him, and that's what worried me.

"Look don't worry about Exie, don't worry about Felix, just focus on what's important and know I'll always be by your side." He smiled down at me as his hand gently brushed my lower back. His touch was warm and comforting. Still nothing compared to the way Felix's touch had me feeling.

"You two are slow, we need to pick up the pace if we want to get to the place," Felix said when we finally caught up to them. Dexter had already moved his hand and for that I was grateful.

"Can we just rest a second?" Exie spoke practically clinging onto Felix.

"No we need to keep moving," Dexter demanded.

The walk to the river felt off. Though we had taken the path countless times before, it felt as if we had been traveling for years. On top of the non-ending journey there was something that felt eerie about our current whereabouts. My whole body tingled and I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched off.

"Felix, I feel-"

"I feel it too." He whispered. The feeling only grew stronger and now Dexter and Exie were aware of it as well.

"Did you hear that?" I asked pausing everyone. We listened closely, but the only sound to be heard was the whisking of the leaves caused by the wind.

"We can't stop, we need to keep moving," Felix instructed. One by one the group heard the deep rumbling sound.

"Shit what is that?" Dexter cursed.

"Could be anything we haven't the slightest idea on what runs these forest anymore," Felix voice was stern. Hidden I could hear the small tremble.

"There it is again," Exie thought. The four of us stood in a circle listing to the sinister sound looking from right to left. Both, Felix and Dexter, almost instantaneously pulled out a knife ready to fight at anything charging at us. Exie was the first to take a step away from the group and our gazed followed her shifting positions. The low rumbling noise only grew louder as the sound became increasingly close. Dexter and Felix fiercely searched for the source of the sound.

"Exie," I whispered my voice shook so much it sounded like a cry. My breaths became short pants and the men stood frozen in their spot. I shook from head to toe trying to keep calm and not pass out from the situation. "Exie," I whispered again with even more fear overpowering me. "Please don't move."