Breaking The Game [Book #1]

Chapter 32

Allie

I picked up Alix from the bus stop. She had a three hour art class today, but she's been quiet ever since. I can't tell if she's not an afternoon person or she's just extremely tired. Her eyes are a little irritated and she's slow with reaction.

We're sitting in the living room. She's next to me, lying down on my lap. Her grey skinny jeans rub against the fabric of the couch. Her hair is down. I'm running my hands through it. She still has on her white sweater. I can only see one side of her face, but I see her eye closing for a few seconds and opening back up.

I'm wearing my black sweatshirt and black basketball shorts. My hair is in a ponytail and I don't have any ear jewelry on today. I didn't really get the chance to look 'good' since Alix randomly told me to pick her up.

"You sure you're okay?" I asked quietly.

"Mhm." She hummed sleepily.

"Just tired?"

"Really tired."

I brush her hair behind her ear. I feel her breath on my thigh. I'm also extremely tried. Reading through some pages of my journal almost turned my brain into mush. It's too much to try and figure out all at once, but I have learned some things about my parents and myself.

I've had to text North several times to ask what half of my writing's meant. She explained some of it to me. The rest is gibberish to her. I haven't told Alix yet either. She doesn't look like she's in the best condition to care right now.

"Tell me a story." Alix said quietly.

"A story?" I repeated. "What kind of story?"

"Something nice, interesting - different." She said.

"Um ..." I mumbled.

"Just put things together from your mind." She said.

I nodded. "I think I can do that."

She nods, sliding her face up and down against my thigh. Her eyes are closed. Everything that's running through my head at this point sounds like thunder, but I guess it's worth a try. All I want is for her to feel better.

"The King of the woods knew every path and every corner there was to know. Some days it was easier to remember than others. The throne was made out of paper, black ink, dirt, sticks, branches, leaves and whatever else made the King feel at home - because in reality the King didn't have one." I said.

"So did the King live alone?" She asked.

"In a way. The King had the company of the wind and tiny insects that inhabited the woods long before the ruling, but the ruling wasn't your ordinary one. It didn't contain any ladders of ranks. It was a free ruling." I answered.

"Was the King alone?" She asked.

"The King was alone for a short period of time. The Queen eventually came along - made everything better. Together they ran through the woods and enchanted every living thing with their invincibility. It remained peaceful and quiet until a raging war stormed the woods itself." I said.

"Oh no ..." Alix mumbled.

"They both knew they had limited time with each other. The war was already won long before it started. They had no choice, but to let each other go. Empty promises were made and broken. The woods slowly became desolate as they parted ways unwillingly. Memories were eventually wiped over and over again, but you could tell that something was still there - almost like a chalkboard." I said.

"Did they lose each other forever?" She asked.

I sighed sadly. "In some ways they did. They changed - changes forced by emotional pain. The royalty in the real world didn't carry over. The paths and corners no longer existed. Everything that was enchanted died, but the legacy lived through the black ink the King wrote with."