Levels

Seperation

The sun was shining bright, heating up the golden sand surrounding Allesa and Dayl. Instantly, sweat was running down on their faces and the clothes felt sticky on their skin. The air was dry and hard to breathe draining the last drop of water from their mouths, making them soar and their throats coarse.

Dayl was still furious with Allessas behaviour and didn't know what he had done that her attitude had changed all of a sudden.

Allessa started straight into the huge desert all around them, leaving nothing else but the yellow sand in their vision.

"Where are you going? Shouldn't we at least make up a plan or something like that?" Dayl screamed after her, as she move further away from their starting position.

Allessa stopped. "We don't have time to waist. We have to get going. Come with me or stay behind, I don't care."

"Seriously Allessa, what happened to you? Since when did you become so serious?"

Allessa just walked on without even glancing back at him.

"You know what, have it your way, and just go on without me. I don't need you anyway."

Allessa still kept on walking, a single tear running down her face, hidden completely from Dayls sight.

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She walked away with the worst feeling of regret in her stomach, but she couldn't turn back anymore. The further she walked, the more she felt lost and there was no one she could ask for advice or what she should do now.

I made the right choice, I couldn't have done anything else. She told herself, but deep down, she knew it was a lie.

The blazing sun was still crashing down from above and the many dunes made every step twice as rough as normal. Allessas backpack was dragging her down and made her even slower than she was supposed to be. Fortunately she packed in some water, so she settled down for a moment and took a great sip out of the metal bottle. She had already been walking for hours and didn't know how much longer she could endure the gazing sun without fainting.

She was staring into the distance. Her gaze was locked at the constant heat waves rising up from the horizon.

She felt awful. But not only because her whole body was aching. No, it was because of Dayl. But how could she have explained to him, that she was just making it easier for both of them? The moment she saw him lying in bed, something changed. She had feelings for him. It was undeniable but how would she tell him, that it would only destroy them in the end?

No, she wasn't allowed to feel anything for him, because the one thing she hadn't told him yet, was that no matter how it would end, only one is allowed to make it out of the Levels alive. She wouldn't be able to bear the thought of someone important to her dying in next to her, or worse, perhaps even dying through her hand...

All of a sudden, something shiny reflected a beam of sunlight a few yards away from her, behind one of the dunes.

She was still sitting on the hot sand, as she heard something erupting behind her back. Sand splashed in the air, as a huge worm like creature burst out of the ground. It had no face nor eyes and was easily 30 inches in dimeter. Instead of a head it had a huge hole with teeth sharp as razor blades in it.

Allessas first reaction was to run and leave everything behind. The backpack was still remaining at the sand dune already ten yards behind her. She rushed through the sands as fast as she could, her instincts were only set to one thing and one thing only. Survival.

Her legs were already about to give in, but her brain pushed her further as she looked behind her to see the gigantic worm still hastening after her and with an enormous speed already closing in on her.

She over jumped dune after dune while the worm was just smashing through them, emitting a deafening high pitched squeak that made Allessas legs only move faster. Her heart was beating so fast, she was afraid it might pop out of her chest any second.

She jumped over another dune as her glass sword loosened and dropped to the ground behind her.

The worm was now only a few feet behind her and Allessas legs seemed to give in as the thing that had reflected the sun beam seconds before, came in to sight. It was a pool of water, real water. Allessa couldn't believe her eyes and for a moment she fought she had gone crazy.

But without further deliberating, she took a deep breath and just jumped into it, escaping the worms' fangs for a matter of split seconds.

At least she thought so –

The worm jumped right after her.

Under the surface a huge tunnel filled with water revealed itself and Allessa swam straight through it. She dared to glance back for a second, as she saw the worm swimming towards her.

Another glance back at the worm, but this time it didn't follow her anymore. It couldn't hold its breath so it was doomed to drown, its whole body filling with water as a last deafening squeak sounded through the water.

Allessa too, feared that the she might drown. Her muscles were soar and completely worn out, her legs barely moved and all the oxygen was nearly drained from the air filling her lungs.

Above her, she could see the light of the surface, she swam straight up as hard as she could. Her vision already darkened the blackness coming from every side, filling her sight completely. Her head felt heavy. Her muscles gave up and finally she had to give in to the pressure of the air pressing on her lungs.

Water splashed through her mouth pushing its way through her throat all the way down to her lungs. She fainted.

Is that it? Is this how my life is going to end? So close to surviving? It's nearly ironic... I couldn't even manage to last a few hours without him...

In the far, just like a feeling from a memory, she could feel something grabbing her arm and pulling her upwards.

But was it real? Or did she already get dragged to heaven from an angel?