To Catch An Element

chapter 5

My back ached
I could tell I was lying on something hard and rough but I was distracted with the splitting headache and the ringing in my ears. My eyes were screwed shut. I didn't open them terrified of what I might see I layed there for a few minutes more. Finally when my headache dulled and the ringing stopped I took one deep breathe and I opened my eyes.

OH.MY.GOD.
I was looking at what I think is the sky but no sky I've ever seen. It was blue, I know big shocker. Except it wasn't just blue it was at least a hundred different shades of blue every  spot on the sky was different to the one beside it and then it hit me what on God's green planet have I done. I scrambled to my feet and looked blindly around me not really taking anything in. Stupid. stupid. Stupid. It turns out I was lying on some sort of road. And now I was covered in dirt. The book, no no no no where the bloody hell is the book. I looked around the road. Nothing. On the  opposite side of the road there was a field full of green grass, I ran over to it and searched like a maniac all the while cursing myself and my stupidity.

Why had I been so impulsive and reckless. Why couldn't I have  just stopped and thought for once in my blasted life. Take a leap of faith my ass. Taking advice from strangers, and writing in mysterious books. Have I learned nothing from movies and sill no. BLOODY. BOOK. OK Avery calm down just calm down. Maybe this isn’t as bad as it seems. Maybe I knocked myself out and I'm suffering some sort of concussion and that's why the sky looks weird. Yeah that'll be it, see simple explanation. That doesn't explain how I ended up lying on the road that's clearly no where near my home. Oh shut up mind, it's called living in denial.

OK so the books not here, that's fine maybe I don't need it to get back. Still living in denial I see. Not now I answered myself  I quickly patted myself down no money, phone or wallet either. That's fine too, who needs them. It took everything in me not to start tearing out grass. This road has got to lead somewhere I'll just follow it to civilisation and ask for help. Yes because people are just so nice and unselfish. I needed to find a mute button for my mind. Arguing with yourself is the first sign of madness. Great I've been here for a short period of time and I'm losing it. Just great.

I walked and walked and guess what? I walked some more. I am tired, thirsty and very confused but I knew one thing for sure this was not a dream. Why do you ask? Because even I don't hate myself this much. Why walk when there a perfectly good cars to take you places but finally a miracle happend. I was met with a tall, gray, rock wall. I almost fainted with relief in the middle of the wall was an opening wide and tall enough for a truck to enter. I had made it to a town. I could get a hold of a phone and call mum and this could all be over

I rushed in and this was not what I was expecting it was just a clump of run down, battered  houses. The streets were covered in litter as I walked passed the houses I noticed how odly quiet the whole town was. I kept on walking hoping to see a single person to ask for help. The deeper I went into the town the worse it got the house's were now hovels. The road had long gone.  I was not just walking on dirt. When I turned the corner I  discovered where everyone was. There was at least a hundred people in a circle in a wide patch of grass, some crying, some knealing while some stood perfectly still with no emotion on their face. Everyone was wearing robes? I think but from some material I didn't recognise.  They were different colours but all had one thing in common. They were all ripped and dirty. I suddenly realised I stuck out like a sore thumb in just jeans and a t-shirt. I was curious at what they were all looking at. I moved closer there was a gap in between the circle. I placed myself there and I almost threw up. I went cold when I saw four people lying flat on their backs eyes opened but unseeing in the middle of the circle. Three boys and one girl, the boys looked no older than sixteen  and the girl looked twelve.