RE:WRITE

51.0 Candela_Chapter 14: Topple

"I am not upset."

"Sure."

"You don't believe me? Fuck it, it doesn't matter," I said, brushing aside the branch in front of me.

We were making our way through the Twilight Forest while following Lily's group from a respectable distance. We were close enough to see them on the trail up ahead but we couldn't hear them because if they were in earshot, they would have heard us walking through the underbrush.

Then again, it didn't seem like they were talking much anyway. Professor Roweta had tried to start a conversation but apart from what seemed like a simple introduction, the three girls behind her hadn't said a word to each other.

"You've been grumpy since big sis Lily beat your sorry ass," said Zoe.

"What the hell did you say?" I asked.

"That she beat your ass," she replied.

I frowned. "No-"

"But she did."

I stopped and turned angrily to Zoe, "First, she cheated so it doesn't count," I turned back. "And second, what I meant was why are you calling her big sis Lily?"

"You're jealous I don't call you big bro Runir?" she said.

"Please don't call me that. You're older than me!" I replied.

"No I'm not," she said, perplexed. "Look, I'm tiny!"

She stood on her tiptoes and tried to reach Amy's forehead but couldn't.

"But you've lived two lives," I said. "And your vocabulary is way too mature," I added under my breath. "It's really creepy hearing a ten year old shouting profanity all the time."

"What was that, dumbass?" she asked.

"Nothing," I sighed. "And why are the two of you so quiet?"

Kai and Amy hadn't said anything since we left the city. Their silence and my dissatisfaction with Lily's childish act had made the journey stiflingly uncomfortable until Zoe started accusing me of being grumpy.

A baseless claim, to be sure, but at least it livened up the atmosphere a bit.

"Yeah, what's wrong with you two?" said Zoe.

"I was just thinking..." said Amy.

"Thinking about what?" I asked.

"About whether this will be the last time we'll be traveling together," she said.

"What do you mean?" asked Zoe, worried.

"You'll leave, won't you?" said Amy. "Once you find a way back to your world...you'll leave."

The leaves rustled in the evening breeze as darkness crept upon the forest.

"Maybe," I said. "That's funny, never would've pegged you as the sentimental type."

"Why not?" she asked, hugging Zoe.

"Never mind."

The shadows of the trees drew longer yet even as the sunlight died, the forest began to come to life in a different way. The animals of the night began making their presence felt; hooting and chirping to lay claim to the trees and bushes that buzzed with bees and butterflies in the morning.

It was that time of the day. The time when the sun's gentle glow has all but faded away and the moon hasn't come out to take over yet. A limbo or a no man's land, of sorts, between the day and the night.