Condensation

Forever isn't Forever

After breakfast I head back up to my room to further examine the map. It everything continues to glow but I quickly learn how to deactivate it and reactivate it, it is actually very easy. I make sure to take notes on everything, from the smallest detail to the biggest thing. I also write down all my theories and all my powers I have discovered I have. Telekinesis, levitation, enhanced vision, and something called rouge spirit. Four things, four things I didn't know about myself, four things Alyssa new about me that I didn't. I continue to evaluate the map. Why do I have a birthmark of that symbol? Why do I have these, these abilities. A voice from somewhere in the back of my mind speaks.
" The woods, go to the woods for answers."
I pass the thought away and focus. I sit at my desk for hours and hours, I don't get up for anything. Kelly does her only thing, playing video games or drinking soda and stuff. She goes to the bathroom a lot because of it because almost every thirty minutes I hear her enter it, which I find hilarious. After I mark down some measurements and I go find Kelly who is watching some reality TV show. It's about three in the afternoon so I start dinner up for the both of us. Just some simple chicken noodle soup. About an hour passes and we sit down to eat.
" You're really into that map dude."
Kelly slightly smiles.
" Yeah! It's amazing, so many things to check out, places to find! With this I'll always be busy!"
I happily say but I stop as Kelly frowns. Why can't she be happy for our discovery? Maybe she just doesn't understand.
" I'll clean the kitchen Kelly, so we can just talk."
She nods a starts talking immediately.
" So I texted my mom and she said that me staying here was okay with her, as long as I visit. My dad was also pretty okay with it but he just said for you not to get me pregnant or he'll make sure you won't be able to have any."
At that we both laugh, and it lightens the mood astronomically. I quickly finish cleaning and once I do I go back upstairs to the map, Kelly coming along to chat. She tells me about how her dad got a new job somewhere and how her mom saved baby ducks. Then about how she and one of her friends were scared of a tree. I contribute to the conversation rarely, mostly because I'm trying to work. After a few stories I leave to take a shower, mostly because I  haven't showered in about two or three days, I think. I walk into the bathroom and walk in only to see Alyssa sitting near  the sink.
" JAMIE?"
" ALYSSA?"
We both seem to surprise each other.
" Why are you just like sitting here."
Alyssa rolls her eyes.
" Because I was super bored." She pauses. " Oh you were about to take a shower! I'll leave."
I stand there confused because Alyssa never just leaves without doing something to you. I hear Kelly tell me to hurry up from my room and I jump into the shower. When I'm done I go back to my room and get dressed while Kelly goes into my mom's room to get changed. Kelly comes into my room  so I get up and give her a hug goodnight.
" Do you trust me?"
Kelly whispers into my ear as we hold each other.
" More than myself."
I answer back whispering. We both let go and head to bed, both of us are extremely tired. I lay down in bed a stare at the ceiling and before I know it, I am asleep again.

I'm in the forest again, except all I see the map surrounded by frost. I come closer to try and grab it but there is a force stopping me from getting close. " I don't understand!"
I yell out to nothing. Nothing answers me back.
" Awake Jamie, for you will understand shortly."

I wake up and sit up in the dark on top of my bed. I look over at my lamp and it reads two in the morning. I've only slept for three hours, no wonder I'm tired. I turn in my lamp and sit at my desk, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. I bring my hand down without look and try to grab the map. My hand only touches the desk though. I look at the desk. The map is gone? I look all around the desk but j don't see it, I then check my bed but it isn't there either. I run down the hall to where Kelly is sleeping. I grab her shoulders and jerk her awake.
" KELLY THE MAP IS GONE!"
I almost scream at her. She jumps out of bed clearly startled. I can feel guilt in the back of my mind but right now I'm focused on the map only.
" What do you mean it's gone?"
She asks with confusion in her eyes. I explain to her how the map was there when I went to bed on my desk and then when I woke up it was gone. I completely leave out the dream  I'm not sure why I do.
" Let's go check your room it probably in there right."
We both walk sleepily back to my room dreading every step. Kelly and I spend a good hour and a half searching all around my room. The desk, my bed, my closet, my dresser, everything. We don't see it anywhere but then I remember Alyssa acting weird in the bathroom. She must have taken it! I run to the bathroom leaving Kelly there by herself. I enter, turn on the lights and close the door.
" ALYSSA!"
Surprising she answers on the first call. Again she looks surprised to see me.
" Alyssa what did you do with the map!"
I yell at her.
" Tell me where you put it you monster!"
" Hey Jamie what are you-"
Kelly stops mid sentence when she sees me and Alyssa.
" Oh you didn't tell cry baby what you did?"
Alyssa sneers at Kelly, while Kelly stands there about to cry.
" Don't say anything Alyssa! PLEASE!"
She gets on her knees and practically begs. I see Alyssa grin at that.
" CAN SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT IS GOING ON!"
I yell at them both, a little louder than intended. Alyssa grin gets bigger as Kelly starts to cry more.
" Kelly and I seem to have came to a consensus." She snaps her fingers and the map appears floating in mid-air. " This map is now mine, and now you have all the time in the world for Kelly. Just. Like. She. Wanted."
Alyssa laughs in a demonic way, then disappears. My head is trying to work out what just happened. Kelly the only person I have ever truly trusted just betrayed me. She never really loved me.
" Jamie, I'm so so sorry. You were just so sucked into the map and-"
I cut her off mid sentence.
" Kelly you asked me earlier if I trusted you." I try to hold in my anger. " Kelly. You were the only person I have ever truly trusted. I thank you for teaching me a lesson. Trust doesn't exist for me. I live in a untrustworthy world of traitors."
I feel a tear run down my cheek.
" I loved you Kelly! I really really loved you! I just don't know what to do!"
I don't hear myself anymore and I don't think I want to.
Kelly looks up at me, her face red and full of tears.
" Jamie will you forgive me. I'll really sorry I didn't mean to! I just thought maybe if I.."
She cuts herself off with a series of crying. I can't deal with this anymore. And that's when I hear the voice again.
" Go to the woods Jamie. The woods is where you belong."
I run out of the bathroom, leaving Kelly lying on the floor. I throw on a jacket I find on the coat rack them shove my feet in a pair of my shoes. I don't even care what happens to me anymore. I run out into the night, the dark welcomes me like a friend. I don't seem to need to think about where I am going, to be honest I don't want to think at all. I run past the bramble thickets, past the holly bushes until I recognize where I am located. I stand where I was in my dreams, the edge of the mist. I walk toward where I saw the boy staring into the water with his pale blue skin. As the area comes into view, I see him sitting at the edge of the water, just like in my dreams. I come close to him, and then eventually sit down beside him. I look down at the ground, pulling up frost bitten grass from the ground. The boy taps me and I look up at him. His eyes are a dark, soothing amber color. His hair a paradise blue, soothing yet loud. The scar going across his face and under his left eye are almost unnoticeable compared to his other features. He smiles and starts to stand. " Will you join me?" He offers his hand. I take it, what else can I lose. He places his foot on the water and walks on the surface. When I don't move he smiles again. " You can do it, I know you can." Without thinking twice I place my foot on top of the water. It goes right through. " It didn't work! If you just wanted to toy with me you could have said so." He walks off the water onto the land again and bends down. He takes off my soaking shoes and socks on both my feet and proceeds to walk onto the water again. " Now you try Jamie." I hesitate but do it anyway and it works. " Hey! It worked! It actually worked!" I grin happily. I look around me and see beautiful things. Kelly was beautiful, even more so than this forest. But that doesn't matter anymore, nothing really does. He and I are still holding hands and continue to walk on the water, his blue glow lights our way through this dark and sorrowful night.