Waking The World

What Now?!

Skye

I had crawled into my cot early that night and silently sobbed into my pillow, holding on to it for dear life. After desperately trying to sleep for three hours straight, I finally gave up and went up to the roof. I welcomed the cold wind as it whipped at my skin, my cheeks already felt frozen. Normally I would be running inside while chiding myself for being so stupid as to think it'd a good idea to come up to the roof and star gaze, but the overwhelming emotions of sorrow, guilt, pain, uselessness, and utter hopelessness made me take the few steps it took to get to the edge of the roof. At first I just laid down and stared at the Sky. No matter how many times I tried to focus on the beautiful stars my gaze kept leading back to the full moon that happened to be out tonight. I stared into it as if it held all the answers, as if it could somehow change something.

Eventually I stood up and walked closer to the edge, I sat down on the ledge and swung my legs over, staring down at the ground. I always had an odd fascination as well as an all consuming fear of heights. I guess it's the adrenaline, it clears my mind and makes my emotions disappear. I stretched my neck towards the sky allowing the cold wind better access to what I consider the most vulnerable part of my body and took a deep intake of breath. It's funny how even at a time like this, jumping never crosses my mind. Well, unless you count wild fantasies about flying.

The sound of the door banging shut startled me slightly but not enough to send me over the edge. I composed my self, trying my best to conceal my vulnerabilities.
The intensity behind the gaze on me sent chills down my spine, I didn't have to turn around to know who it was. I took a sharp breath and braced my arms against the ledge I was lounging on to steady myself enough to swing my legs back over towards safety. I took one last glance down before letting out a breath and-

My thoughts were cut off as an arm wrapped around my waist and roughly ripped me backwards.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Zero

I blinked back to reality and stood up, I must of passed out. I take a step forward just as someone's arm wraps around my waist and rips me backwards. I have to blink a couple times before I can react. Was I still having a vision or was this reality? When I get a good look at my surroundings I realized this wasn't a dream or a vision. I quickly start flailing around trying my best to free my self, it took several elbow jabs to the stomach and a couple dozen kicks before my captor lost patience and decided to just throw me over their shoulder. I pound my fists against his back and try my best to knee him in the face.

"Wow. Is it just me or was she a lot less violent before" I peek under my captors arm to see an upside down view of a girl who looked like she could be a year or two older than me glaring at me while she held her bloody nose. She must of been the one who hit me before. I return her glare tenfold, she looks slightly surprised by this. "Z!" I hear a familiar voice shout my name and my head snaps in that direction. Karmen was running up to me grinning ear to ear. "Your alive!" She exclaims in relief, I shrug the best I can "Looks like it" I smile at her annoyed look " I'm glad you're still breathing too Karmen" she smiles again before seeing my current predicament and giving me a confused yet amused smile. "What are you doing?" I smile wearily " oh, you know, just swinging about." I emphasize this by swinging my arms from side to side, making her laugh.

"Promise me you won't try and physically harm me and I might consider putting you down" I assume that was directed to me but the voice sounds so familiar I can't help but do a double take in surprise. Before I can stop myself I blurt out "do I know you? You sound really familiar." He doesn't answer. Nope, instead he decides to toss me into the air and walk off leaving me to make a face plant into the hard ground. I sit up spitting dirt and glare at him as he casually leans against a cave wall casted in shadows so that I couldn't make any distinct trait in his features out. This causes me to look around and take in our surroundings, we were in a cave there was still a clear view to the where the lines of people were, but they are no longer there. I rub my forehead and scrunch my eyebrows together.

How long was I out of it this time?

I can feel the three of them staring at me so I quickly compose myself and give Karmen's hand a reassuring squeeze. She smiles and squeezes back, silence fall over us. The silence is quickly filled with memories of Nate laying limp and lifeless in my lap. I quickly look around for someplace to hide as the tears gather in my eyes. Karmen seems to read my mind because she immediately pulls me into a tight hug. She pulls away quicker than I'd like and smiles at me " Don't look so worried. He'll be fine." I blink at her "whuh- wh- w- I-" I shake my head to clear it " What? Who?" I ask looking at her as if she'd suddenly sprouted a tail and whiskers.

She glares at the jerk leaning against the cave wall in the shadowed corner. "You didn't tell her?!?!" He simply shrugged but I could feel his gaze on every movement I made. It was nerve wracking yet oddly comforting. Karmen threw her hands up in exasperation, then she looked at me with a huge smile, it was a creepy sort of smile to be honest. "It's Nate" my heart clenches in pain when I hear his name "he's okay." My eyes go wide and my heart soars with hope. Maybe it was just a nightmare. Maybe that's why I was out for so long, it was just a nightmare. She continues slowly " he was hurt pretty bad but they think he'll be okay." She glances up at the two people watching us intently "he might be asleep for a few days though." She finishes with a tight smile.

I stare at her, processing everything she's said " Is Tara okay?" She nods. An overwhelming since of happiness comes over me and I tackle her into a hug. She's surprised at first but hugs me back just as hard " I'm so glad we're all okay. Your my best friend Karmen, I don't know what I'd do without you or Nate and Tara." She pulled away and looked at me with tears in her eyes " you're my best frie-" she was interrupted by a very familiar and annoying voice. "Well nice to know I'm loved" he said trying his best to hide a smile. Karmen grinned and winked at me before she stood up and walked deeper into the cave claiming she needed to get some rest and check on Tara.

I pouted at him mockingly "aww Ronald you know I love you" he sent me a playful glare "prove it then Rosy" I raised an eyebrow at him challengingly. Ronald was Ron's full name but he hated it, I'm the only one who calls him that, it's one of the reasons he finds me so annoying. He retaliated with 'Rosy' when he heard Karmen calling me Ro instead of Zero.

I stood up brushing the dirt off my face and spitting strands of hair out of my mouth. He grins but quickly shifts his expression into a 'serious' one as he asks " How does that dirt taste?" I walk towards him, the closer I get the more he squirms. He probably thinks I'm going to punch him...again. Like I've said we didn't see eye to eye when we first met, then there's the whole him wanting to throw me out thing.

When I am one step away from him I smile sweetly "Want to find out?" His eyes widen. Before he can react I kick his feet out from under him and shove his face into the dirt, smiling genuinely now, I plop down on his back "So, how does it taste?" The only reply I get is a spluttered "Guhgmmh" and this is the moment that Karmen chooses to come back from wherever she skipped off too. "Zero!!! What are you doing?!" I smile sheepishly, standing up, I reach down and help Ron to his feet. 

"Nothing" ooh if looks could kill I'd be six foot under right now. Ron and I have a special friendship that Karmen has adamantly expressed her confusion towards many times. I have to hold back a laugh as Ron spits out a mouth full of dirt and grins boyishly next to me making Karmen roll her eyes. Someone clears their throat making me realize that both jerk and kidnapper girl are still in the room. I push past the embarrassment I feel and smile at them "yes?" Kidnapper girl steps forward with a glare "If you two are done" she looks pointedly between Ron and I with a slight glare making us both hang our heads like little kids.

 "I'm Serenia" she holds her hand out to me and smiles as I hesitantly shake her hand. she tilts her head in the direction of Jerk and her smile grows into a small grin " And that's Tyler but you can call him Ty" I blink at her as images suddenly start flashing through my mind, to fast to comprehend.

What now?! I think to myself as my consciousness slowly slips away and I'm left dreaming of a world full of stars and light blue eyes.