The Rink of Time

Chapter Twelve

Old ways won't open new doors.

RIVER LADISTON

Everything seems sketchy to me. Why is this stranger taking us in? Skills? What does she mean by that? My friends may not see anything odd with her generosity but I do, let's be realistic; no one is that kind without wanting something in return. I terribly just want to get out of this nightmare.

This can't be real.

"Assuming you are from this world, that would make you sprites."

Those words played repeatedly in my mind, but we look nothing like sprites.

I've seen sprites in fairytales, they were tiny, weird looking and most importantly I'm pretty sure they could fly.

I can't fly, or at least I don't think I can, can I?

Are fairies real too?

The questions tumble in my head.

I begin to think of what happened back at 'the lake of life' which only multiplies the list of questions that has been swimming through my head amidst.

Why could I breathe underwater, I'm an exceptional swimmer, yes. But I can't breathe underwater, that is insane. I remember inhaling the water like it was air, like it was part of me.

Can we all breathe underwater? Is it part of being a sprite? I still can't believe that last bit... I'm a sprite.

It's a definitely a lucid dream—it has to be—I made that happen, it's all in my head.

It's all in your head River, you're not going crazy, you'll wake up any moment now.

I wanted to ask but to be honest—about the whole breathing underwater thing—but I'm scared of getting answers, they make everything feel too real, like my world has actually been turned upside down.

I've never been this scared and unsure about anything in my life.

I sit at the edge of the bed in one of the numerous bedrooms in the strange woman's house, the room is beautiful, made of what seems to be pure porcelain, marble and gold. The bed is so soft that if I lay on it, I would probably fall asleep.

This can't be real, I would never admit this to the others but I'm actually scared, it's like I'm drowning in a pool of unshakable fear.

Being brought up as the older brother and the only son means being able to fight your fears yourself so you can fight the family's fears, it means being able to take care of yourself so you can take care of the family.

So, it's what I have to do, what I've been trained to do, if I displayed my fear then how would Skai be strong, I have to be strong so she can be, she would never let me carry the weight alone though, she was always there when dad would drown me in responsibilities—mostly talking me through it, she only helped when it was something she was interested in.

I can't help but think that the camp teachers must have called our parents by now, they must have noticed our absence, dad is probably worried sick and there's no way to reach them from here.

I let out a heavy sigh and got into bed, a round of knocks at the door bringing me out of my thoughts "Come in" I call out.

"Hey Riv!" Skai giggled jumping in the bed.

"Hey bubblehead" I smile back, what's got her so happy?

"Remember when we were little" she trailed off.

"Yeah?"

"You remember right?" she asks and I nod.

"Well, me too" she smiles at me and I shake my head smiling.

She lays next to me on the bed "What's wrong?" She questions.

In an attempt to rid of the worry that was now etched on her face, I responded "Nothing Skai" I try to give her a relaxed answer

"If after everything that just happened today, nothing is on your mind, that would be really questionable" She becomes serious now. "River, talk to me" she urges me.

"Skai, don't worry about it, go to sleep" I sigh.

"Fine, but I'm not leaving" she huffs and wraps her hands around me laying her head on my chest.

"I wasn't chasing you anyways" I mutter, wrapping my arms around her breathing out.

"I'm asleep, you can say anything and I won't remember in the morning" she whispers as I wrap the curls in her hair around my fingers slowly repeatedly.

"You're asleep, not drunk" I retort jokingly.

She looks up at me with her index finger on her lips, proceeding to aggressively hush me "Shhh"

This was a tactic Skai would use, she knew I would never speak up when anyone was listening, it was a stab at my ego.

"Skai" I mumble and she responds with a 'hmm'. "I thought you were sleeping" I whisper poking at her sides, knowing she's ticklish.

"Sleep talking duh" she giggles

"I'm scared Skai, everything is happening so fast, I don't even know who I am anymore" I sigh and she hums again.

"I don't know how to function, we're starting at a new school in another world, it's all sorts of insane you know?" I add

"Firstly, you're River and the way things are going shouldn't make us scared, it should make us resilient, if anything it should make us want to give till we've got nothing left to give, it should push us to yearn for the truth more than we ever have, I'm scared too Riv, but I want to know the truth, I want to know how everything came to be, how and why our lives turn upside down" she stresses before adding "I want to know, for the first time in my life River, I crave knowledge."

"I guess you're right" I sigh as I continue to play with her curls. "Since we're on the topic of discovery, I think I can breathe underwater" I inform her casually.

She turns to face me in a swift motion, her eyes practically bulging out of its sockets "What? How?" she asks.

"Back at the lake, I could inhale the water, it was like air to me" I explain

"Well, I guess we've got a lot of questions to ask at this scire place" she giggles, relaxing back onto my chest.

"Thank you, Skai" I smile even though she can't see it.

"Yeah yeah, remember I'm asleep" she giggles.

"I wonder what our powers are, or if we even have any" she mumbles. 'Skills not powers' I wanted to correct her, but she was already fast asleep.