Beyond and Wild

Chapter 16

Lying on my bed, I shiver as a cold wave ripples through me. The room is too cold, too empty, so I force myself up, stumbling across the floor to switch off the air conditioning. The click of the button is like a release, and I quickly crawl back under the covers, seeking warmth in the familiar softness of my bed. I flop onto the mattress, the springs creaking under my weight, a sound that seems to echo in the quiet room. I close my eyes, trying to find peace, but the darkness behind my eyelids is restless, swirling with thoughts I can't quite grasp.

How long I lie there, I don't know. But eventually, sleep claims me, pulling me down into its depths.

When I open my eyes, I'm no longer in my bed. 

I'm standing in a forest, surrounded by tall trees, their leaves whispering secrets I can't understand. The air is thick with the scent of earth and damp wood, and I can feel the cool, rough texture of the ground beneath my bare feet.

What am I doing here?

Panic starts to rise in my chest as I look around, trying to make sense of my surroundings. The trees seem to close in on me, their trunks stretching high into a sky I can't see. I take a step forward, my feet sinking slightly into the mossy earth, and then another, moving deeper into the woods.

But something isn't right. The world around me begins to blur, the edges of the trees and bushes softening as if they're melting into the air. I glance back over my shoulder, and my heart skips a beat. The path I've just walked is dissolving, turning into water, rippling and shifting like the surface of a lake disturbed by a breeze.

"What the...?" I whisper, the words catching in my throat. I don't wait for an explanation I just run. My legs pump furiously, my breath coming in short, desperate gasps. 

The forest blurs around me as I push myself harder, the water chasing me, its roar growing louder with every step.

I don't know how long I run, but my legs start to burn, my muscles screaming in protest. Still, I don't stop. I can't stop. The water is right behind me, threatening to swallow me whole. But then, as suddenly as it appeared, the sound of rushing water fades, leaving only the whisper of the trees and the sound of my ragged breathing.

I slow to a halt, my body trembling from exertion and fear. I place a hand on my chest, trying to calm my racing heart. When I look back, the water is gone, replaced by the quiet, still woods. Relief floods through me, and I let out a shaky sigh, my knees nearly buckling under the weight of it.

"Adieee..."

A voice, soft and sweet, calls out to me from somewhere in the trees. My heart leaps into my throat, and I spin around, eyes wide, searching for the source. The voice is so familiar, so achingly familiar that it makes my chest tighten with longing.

"N-Nancy?" I whisper, my voice trembling.

I strain my ears, hoping, praying to hear it again. And then, like a blessing, the voice comes again, closer this time, accompanied by a soft giggle.

"Adie."

Tears well up in my eyes, blurring my vision as I frantically search the woods, my heart pounding with a mix of hope and fear. 

"Nancy? Where are you?" I call out, my voice breaking.

But the forest remains silent, offering no answers, no comfort. Desperation claws at my throat as I start to run again, weaving through the trees, my eyes scanning every shadow, every glimmer of movement.

"Adie..." The voice comes from behind me now, and I freeze, my breath catching in my throat. Slowly, I turn around, my heart pounding so loudly I can hear it in my ears.