Understanding Gregory

Chapter 11

Free from the bonds that held her captive Gregory stood, overlooking the two sleepers and within the second, despite her bleeding wrists and ankles, she was running. It was dark, yet all she needed to do was avoided running into the trees. She didn't know what direction she was running in, her sense of compass had been completely destroyed when she had lost consciousness. The only time she would find direction again, would be come the sunrise. For now the moon overhead showed her no way. Something more began to scrape at her ankles as she ran across the mud the -snap - snap - snap of twigs with her. She could feel finger nails running down her legs, and breathing by her shoulder. There were no more monsters in the dark then there were in the light, but just as equally there were no less monsters in the light then the dark. They cared not for time of day, there target was simple. A panicked human, lost or confused, either one would do for them. Gregory tripped on and upper land root and skidded face first into the grassy mud.

Shhhhh. Thump, thump, thump. The beating of her little heart slowed. The panic that had risen in her chest faded. She rolled on to her back, taking an extra breath as she looked at the stars. Shining dots. It was quiet. So much less now. What had been the beating of the  forests heart slowed, and the nails she had felt clawing at her legs - merely thistles. Hopefully. She'd tell herself that for now. She needed that comfort. Gregory was thirsty, and hungry, and her rucksack and sense of direction gone. She sat up now between skeleton trees as the chirp chirp of little crickets took the places of birds. In the distance there was fire. The camp. She hadn't run far.

Gregory stood up - the corner of her eye - that darn spirit from before! Gregory turned and the spirit giggled. It had not taken form. You could see through her, all of what was her for certain, was a very big stinging nettle. Gregory focused back on to the spirit that vaguely posed it.

    "Come on this way" whispered the spirit, and ran. Gregory sprinted to the spirit.

    "So then I said to her, Chaos, you've killed a thousand, you're hardly one to be talking morals here" the snake, in the sun rays, with the top hat, and moustache stuck to his nose said.

    "And she said to me, that I was just a Robertosaurus and most likely some form of alien spy, and I told her, that was no excuse, besides, I just gained this intelligence myself, so rude, so rude." The snake held a tea cup in the end of it's tail. He took sips. He sat a round table, with a red and white table cloth.. At the end of the table sat a five squirrels. There was nothing peculiar about them, and they didn't seem to be listening to the snake - after all - they were squirrels.

    "What the fuck?" Gregory asked looking around at the sun that hung happily in the sky. Looking back Gregory saw boxes of colour behind her. She jumped. It was - like a door she had walked through, but it was a meld of square colours, vaguely see through.

    "Ah, my dear, welcome" said the snake "I was so hoping someone would join me for tea, you see my little ratady friends are of little use. Take a seat, take a cup. I have been long in need of some decent conversation.

    "Oh no - where the hell am I?" Gregory asked "are the Eastlands round here?"

    "Fifteen miles behind me" the snake said.

    "Fifteen? Oh my Twelve I can walk that in a day!' Gregory said gladly.

    "Oh god - must you bring up those detestable fellows? They all of death you know?"  Said the snake.

    "Whatever - hey wait whats the day, today?"

    "Around Blackwood I'd say, maybe of fifth."

    "Oh this is a month in the future" Gregory pouted looking back at the portal "nah, close enough."

    "If you accidentally walked through that your want to be careful, most are torn apart by those, see, thats why I'm waiting here." Said the snake.

    "I'm sorry I don't follow" Gregory said walking over to the little table and sitting besides the many squirrels.

    "I'm waiting for the body parts of someone to fly to me, so I may have a decent meal" the snake said.

    "Oh" Gregory said frowning "thats really gross."

    "It's what I eat though."

    "Why don't you just eat one of these squirrels?" Gregory asked.

    "They are completely unhygienic - you haven't - you don't know - hah, my friend, look at who you are sitting next to."

Gregory frowned and looked at one of the closer ginger squirrels. It seemed normal, pink nose, black eyes fluffy tail. Wait, it's eyes did look a little red in the sun, and everything around the squirrel was unfocused. Was it just Gregory or did this squirrel look, a little attractive? Gregory's heart beat increased, oh, she must be in love. The squirrel, now she noticed had oddly long teeth, and it's ear fluff wasn't fluff, it was made of human souls - each of them screaming for help - and the smell it was like the stench of finding your lover forgotten for years dead in your living room.

    "Ergh" Gregory mumbled before fainting.

Gregory awoke, looking at the face of the snake, and his little moustache. It was difficult to read his emotion, but he seemed curious. Gregory sat up.

    "How long was I out?" Gregory asked.

    "Just a few seconds" said the snake "you shouldn't look them in the eye you know."

    "Thanks for telling me that now. I feel weird." Gregory said.

    "That could be the squirrels" the snake said "or could be the portal you jumped through. Most people die you know?"

    "Really?" Gregory asked.

    "Yeah. Mostly it's just Chaos and her acquaintance that can do it. I don't think The Twelve can, mind you that is our only benefit over them. One day. One day."

    "Right..." Gregory said looking at his wrists. The damage was deep, and at the edges of his torn skin, were becoming green  "do you - know like a town there is where there's a doctor?"

    "Yess" the snake said.

    "Could you point me in the right direction?" Gregory asked.

    "Well I could but why would I?" asked the snake.

    "P - p - please" Gregory asked tears coming up on her face "I'm just so cold - and alone - got kidnapped - my wrists hurt."

    "Those don't look like real tears" the snake said.

    "The man kicked me - he was going to sell me to sex slavery - and I think my ribs are broken and - wow actually it really hurts" Gregory said sitting down.

    "Uh huh?" Asked the snake. Gregory breathed in, and out, and in, and out.

    "I think - something broken" Gregory said.

    "I could - help the sweet embrace of death -"

    "Eastlands was behind you though wasn't it?" Gregory said standing and walking.

    "Oh what? Really?" The snake asked as Gregory walked with quiet a trot in her step.    

    "Bye bye snake."

    "It was only a offer. Dear me, some people" the snake said shaking his head.

    "Destroy all" said the ginger squirrel, before glitching, and appearing stuck halfway in a tree.

    "You see nothing good happens" the snake said.

    "Help us" the squirrel said.

    "I wouldn't help you, if - if" the snake said quiet flustered "if I could return back in time and kill Sam."

    "We are all lost" said the squirrel and died. The snake sighed shaking his head.

    "You squirrels have eaten to many nuts."