Beyond and Wild

Chapter 7

Aderyn Pov

Lying on my bed, I shivered as I felt the cold air blowing from the air conditioning unit. I got up and switched it off before jumping back onto the bed. The mattress squeaked in protest under my weight as I flipped onto my stomach and closed my eyes.

I don't know how long I was asleep, but suddenly, I found myself somewhere unfamiliar. It looked like a forest with trees, shrubs, and grasses all around me. I furrowed my brow and took a step forward, wondering what I was doing there.

As I walked deeper into the woods, everything began to blur, and I noticed the place where I had been walking earlier was turning into water.

"What the?" I muttered, unable to believe my eyes.

I turned around and began to run, my legs aching from the effort. The sound of waves crashing behind me only added to my sense of urgency, and I ran faster and faster, desperate to escape.

Eventually, I slowed down, panting heavily and sweating profusely. That's when I heard a voice calling my name.

"Adie," the voice said, and I felt my heart skip a beat. It sounded familiar, but I couldn't quite place it.

"N-Nancy?" I spoke slowly, trying to remember who it could be.

I looked around, searching for the source of the voice, but all I could see were trees and bushes.

"Adie," the voice called again, giggling this time.

"Nancy? Is that you? Where are you?" I shouted, hoping for a reply.

But nobody answered, and I started running around, searching everywhere.

"Adie," the voice called from behind me, and I stopped in my tracks, slowly turning around.

My eyes widened as I saw her. Nancy stood a few steps away, wearing her pink frock and ballerinas with her favorite bow band in her hair. She was smiling at me, and my heart felt like it would burst with joy.

"Nancy!" I cried, tears streaming down my cheeks as I ran towards her and scooped her up into my arms.

"Adie! Where were you? I missed you," she said, her childlike voice filling me with happiness and nostalgia.

"I missed you too, love. I missed you too," I said, hugging her tightly.

She pulled away slightly, looking up at me. "You look different," she murmured, and I couldn't help but chuckle.

"That's because I'm a grown-up girl," I told her, noticing the sadness in her eyes.

"But I'm still five," she whispered, taking a step back.

"Nancy, where are you going? Wait!" I tried to touch her, but my fingers couldn't reach her.

"I'm still five, Adie," she said, her eyes filled with sorrow, before turning around and running away.

"Nancy!" I cried, running after her as fast as I could. But it was impossible to keep up, and soon, she was out of sight.

The scenery around me began to fade, and I felt suffocated. I called out her name, tears streaming down my face, feeling like I had lost her all over again.

"What's going on?" I cried, racking my brain for answers.

I froze as I heard the twig snap behind me. I knew that sound well. I had been hearing it all day. I waited, my heart racing, anticipating what would come next. Finally, the growling began. But unlike the other times, my heart didn't beat out of fear. Instead, it was filled with a sense of curiosity and wonder.