A Slip into the Past (boyxboy)

part six

  I had a dream last night. One I wasn't sure was an actual dream.

  It was the exact same as last night; starting off with men horseback riding through the woods. All sweaty, muscle bared chests with their faces blurred.

  I was standing out in the open. Outside my tent, next to the fire pit we created when the men on horses charged forward, coming right for me as they shouted words I could hear loud and clear.

  Hurry up! We don't have much time. We must make it before sunrise.

  A calm washed over my anxiety ridden body at the mere sight of them galloping with pristine beauty. The sound of the horses hooves pounding against the cold, hard dirt beneath them left a simmer of hope to smoulder within. They're coming to get me, I remember thinking.

  The feeling lasted all of a few seconds before my mind caught up to what was happening.

  I panicked and braced myself.

  My whole body was shuddering in fear as I cowered with both arms shielding my face.

  When it became apparent that I had yet to be trampled, I pried my clenched eyes open and dropped my tense arms beside me. I was astounded when I realize they were going right through me – passing through my body like I wasn't there. It was an indescribable feeling. A fleeting invading feeling accompanied by an electric, fluttering after effect.

  My whole body gave way in that moment as I dropped to my knees. I yearned to follow after them; to not be left behind. I never felt so deserted in my life as I watched them ride off into the distance. As they slowly disappeared into thin air, I heard a final, powerful echo of a horse neighing. The sound sent a tremor through me before I regained 'consciousness.'

  Nick was shaking my shoulders, asking why I was outside at five in the morning with no shoes on. The fear that overcame me was an ever reminder that this was all becoming too much.

  I felt like I was on the brink of insanity. Grasping onto what little faith I have that I'm not just losing it, that this was all real. That when I found James it was all going to make sense. Though, that little ounce of faith didn't help me feel any better about the situation. The fact that I was able to hear an elderly woman talking to me in my head and seeing things that shouldn't be there, had me pretty shaken up at this point.

  It seemed I wasn't the only one feeling shaken up either.

  Last night when we were drinking around the fire we created, listening to the music on low, the others had a gut feeling that something was going to happen.

  Something terrible.

  It was in the atmosphere, all around us. You could feel it. The others admitted it aloud into the quiet night. It was an ominous statement that rippled through me like a death sentence.

  Max broke the negative thoughts we were all having, reminding us all that it wasn't too late to go back and leave this bizarre quest behind us. I got my way though, yet again. No surprise there.

  As we got ready for our search, packing up our bags and eating a quick breakfast, the guilt was starting to gnaw me away. The added tense silence around us made me feel even more erring.

  If something horrible happened to any of my friends...I wouldn't be able to live with myself. Knowing that my stubbornness caused them harm.

  "Since you're the self-chosen leader in this shindig," Christian said as he chewed on his gum obnoxiously with a hand on his hip. "Which direction are we going? I have no fucking idea what we are doing. So, lead away!"