Trapped in a circle

11.

But before he could do anything, he had to take a nap. It had been hard to sleep while being restrained and it wasn't funny either so environment change was more than welcome.

He found himself shelter near the old oak tree what was empty from the inside. It was impressive that the tree was still alive but Five hardly even noticed it. He just liked that it kept wind and rain away so he could rest without worrying about getting wet. It took him less than a minute to reach deep sleep.

Surprisingly, he still saw dreams. His dreams were full of things and creatures what couldn't be found in reality, only in fairytales' and myths. He slept for five good hours. Which was better than he had hoped for as he wasn't used to sleeping so much and so good. Usually, his sleep was rather uneasy and dreams were more like nightmares.

"So that's how myths were made." told he himself after yawning loudly. It seemed possible that there had been more people through the history who had fallen asleep in strange places and had even stranger dreams because of that.

He stretched a little before walking on. It was still dark and there was fog almost everywhere, but the sun was starting to dawn so in few hours, world was supposed to shine to everyone who bothered to look at it.

"I need to settle down somewhere so I could make another jump or there will be no happy ending to this story." He kept on talking to himself to make his thoughts clearer to himself. 

Saving people had been the purpose of his jump. He knew that saving everyone was impossible goal but he had hoped to save at least those who mattered to him and who he cared about. That was the priority and now he had to try again. Try again until succeeding.

As he was sure that there will be no one who could track him from the asylum, he didn't bother too much with hiding his tracks. He was already so far that now, there was no stopping anymore.

Branches scratched him when he walked in the woods and sometimes he stumbled behind roots but that wasn't for long. The forest was small and he was out when the sun rose. 

Next place he reached was small town called Alles. Weird name, full of strange people, but it was a place to hide. Five liked it. Last thing he though about was that he'll fit right in before parts of his mind decided to take vacation again.

***

This wasn't asylum. Had he forgot something he'd done again like they tried to convince him there?

Honestly, he was scared.

Scared that he'll do something regretful what can't be undone and won't even remember it. But he didn't want to go back so he walked around the town looking miserable and lost, hoping that someone will show mercy and help him. 

Which some children did, adults were just mean. They shooed him away and some even threw things at him. Was he really that bad looking? but other kid, both at the same age as him and younger than him, gave him some food and told him where are the best spots to hide. Five lied to them that he was on the run from the police because he had decided to live by himself and had to rob a bank to get some money.

Other kids thought it was cool, they were totally chill with it. Part of that lie was true what made telling it easier and harder for the listeners to detect that it wasn't completely true. He was on the run. But not from the police, from asylum but that was an unnecessary detail they didn't have to be bothered with.

The kids showed him him the mansion. Its owners had gone away years ago, it had been built somewhere near to the seventeenth century and it was still standing. That was impressive. Like they had been at that time, that building wasn't unmanageably big but it was was still huge.

"We've been using it as a rain shelter, but actually it's best place where to play hide and seek around here. Especially because grownups think we aren't playing here." Told him one smaller kid who had red hair and lots of friends around her.

"Why are they so sure you aren't here?" was Five confused. All those kids were here, did all of their parents really not know?

"Because they have prohibited us from ever coming here, saying it's dangerous and they think we listen to every little thing they say."

"Do you?"

"Never. It would be so boring."

"Thanks," Five thanked them for showing him the place "but I don't know how long I will stay here so don't be too surprised if I'm just gone one day."

"Oh, it's nit a problem. We don't own this place anyway in adults eyes and no one can ever tell if there is someone in here or not. You could die in here and we wouldn't know until someone meets your ghost" tried little kid to lift his spirit.

"Very reassuring." At least they'll meet his ghost then. 

"Wait, are there any ghosts?" asked he out of sudden curiosity.

"I haven't seen any but others claim there at least five of them. From what they can tell that, I don't know."

"And I don't think I want to know" stopped Five other kids from telling him their little stories about meeting ghosts.

All he wanted was to get back to Patch and tell her he's sorry for just disappearing like that. But to do that, he had to figure out how to get back, first.