The Next Generation

Me and Dominic exercise for once

I didn't expect to land on a shell.

Don't get me wrong, I try not to get high hopes for many things. But time travelling and ending up on a giant turtle shell wasn't my idea of a nice landing.

All four of us were lying on the ground, right underneath a humongous tree, followed by another tree, and another. We were on a giant shell, trees growing out of the thing, and we didn't know where we were.

Yet. There's always a yet.

"What kind of place needs help when they live on a humongous turtle?" Holly said, knocking on the green shell. "Turtles are peaceful, last time I checked. Although, I guess I haven't really checked, but..."

"Maybe they've met an equally large shark?" Dominic suggested.

I looked down at what we were wearing, and terrible flashbacks occurred. "Crap, not this again!"

We were wearing the same outfits as we wore the first time travelled back in time— when we were in Pompeii. It probably wasn't that long ago in my timeline, but I was kinda hoping it had been at least 100 years after that fiasco, just because I didn't want to see Antonius again. He's on my hit list, that idiot.

"Well," Raymond said cheerfully, "since the last time we were near trees went so well, there's no harm in looking around, c'mon!"

There was a list of things I didn't want to come across. This is what it was;

1. A body of water.
2. Buildings that resembled Pompeii's.
3. Any human life forms that could possibly talk to me.

Three things. That's all I asked for.

And yet— the universe decided they were stupid.

The first thing we came across was the ocean. Of course, it would've been worse if it were a smaller body of water, but it still gave me chills. Dominic gripped my hand tightly.

We came across the next two at the same time. After walking in the opposite direction of the sea, we heard human sounds— like yelling and crying. Not a good combination, but oh well. At this point I was really hoping they lived in huts and igloos. I didn't even care if it was actually pretty warm.

But oh no. Everyone hates me.

It started off with little things like wells (getting water through a turtle? Ow and how) and tiny gardens. It was made of cobblestone, and I was really wondering where they got it from. We're, like, a three minute walk from the ocean. We're on a shell. This should be a huge land-place. Where the hell did they go mining?

"Hopefully the turtle has consented to this," Raymond said. "Consent is everything."

Wise words from a dude who can and probably will stub his toe on every piece of furniture in a house.

We kept walking. The trees were starting to get less crowded. The whole walk, I only saw about three birds, at once.

The noises were getting louder. I really didn't want anyone's attention on me. It's so awkward when a bunch of dead people start staring at you because you randomly popped up.

Because I hate it when that happens.

I was still holding Dominic's hand, so I yanked him a couple steps behind to one of the trees. "I don't have a good feeling about this," I whispered.