What I Wish

Alec, a man of 19, sat on the floor and took one long sip of water, letting the fluid slip out of his mouth and onto his clothes. Casually, he wiped the water away with the back of his arm and held up the bottle.

"Put this away for me." He told his nephew who was looking at him with desperate eyes. He avoided those eyes, it would make him want to stay home, where everything was safe. Instead, he looked up at the night sky. The night was beautiful, the stars he's always watched with her. Yet, he wouldn't be able to see them for a very long time, as he was just about to leave his only home for who knows where.

His nephew obediently followed Alec's directions, taking the cup down the rickety hall to the kitchen. While hearing his footsteps totter away, Alec slowly put on his boots. His uncle, next to the front door, looked down at Alec putting on his boots with a sad face.

"Are you sure about this?" His uncle asked in that slow, deep voice he always had. "I can't guarantee you'll come back,"

"I'm sure," Alec told him, the same way he's said it for the past 2 weeks.

"Got your pack ready?"

Scoffing, Alec said, "Been ready for weeks,"

Sighing, the uncle looked towards the room beside them. The closed door leading to the room where Alec's beloved was sleeping, not knowing what was happening at all. "Are you really going to leave without telling her then?" The uncle asked, noticing Alec's gaze towards her room. "She definitely wouldn't want you to go,"

"That's all the more reason I shouldn't tell her," Alec replied, looking up at his uncle who he loves dearly. "She'll be heartbroken to know I'll leave. And this is for her anyways. Plus," Alec added, sighing. "If I see her now, just one look might cause me to stay. I couldn't bear it,"

All of the house was asleep except for these three people. Alec trusted his uncle not to tell another soul, and he couldn't bear not telling his adorable 7 year old nephew the truth. Yep, just these three people.

They were quiet for a minute. The nephew came back, hugging Alec goodbye. Alec looked into his eyes one last time, emerald green eyes that are just like his. They were brimmed with tears. "Don't cry," Alec told his nephew. "I'll definitely come back, and when I do, I want you to give me that big, old smile of yours,"

His nephew was quiet for a minute, stifling the tears. "You're coming back," He said in a quiet voice. "You're find The One Who Sends Miracles and bring them back. They'll cure Angelica, and we'll all live happily,"

"Right, I promise," Alec said, giving him one last, long hug. "I love you,"

"Me too, love you lots, Alec," He replied, still squeezing Alec as tightly as a 7-year old could, which was a lot harder then you'd expect.

Turning around, he looked at his uncle, slowly opening his arms to welcome him. Alec turned and hugged him.

"Remember to be strong," His uncle said. Alec could barely see his face in the dark, but the tone of his voice sounded gruff. He, too, was close to tears.

"Bye, I'll miss you," Alec told him. "Turning his head, he nodded at his nephew. "And you too,"

They let go off each other. The three walked to the area behind the house, to the neck of the woods. There, under a pile of leaves, was a circle full of symbols. A portal. It will take Alec to a new world. An unknown place that just might have a miracle for Angelica.

Alec, who was all dressed in his traveler clothes, hat, and brown boots, slowly uncovered the leaves along with his uncle. In moments, the portal was fully seen, white light glittering under the moon's reflection. Symbols a normal human wouldn't understand.

Alec stepped onto the portal without another word, and it started to activate. The two were looking at him from behind, but he refused to look at them. "Soon..." Alec thought to himself. But there was a crack of a branch, catching his attention.

"Where are you going?"

Alec's head automatically jerked towards the voice. She was awake. She was there. Her long hair flowing in the night wind. She carries only a thin blanket outside, though it is cold and she is gravely ill.

"Angelica..." Alec said slowly, staring at her with wide, open eyes. Stay away.

"Stop this!" Angelica said, coming forward. Uncle caught her by the wrist, not allowing her to move another inch. Struggling, Angelica continued, "I don't want this. Don't leave! Don't leave for my sake!"

Alec's nephew started to wail, "I don't want you to leave too! I was gonna be a good boy. I wanted to see you off with a smile. But I can't, I'll miss you too much! Don't go!"

Alec was torn on the inside. This was exactly why Alec wanted to keep his departure a secret. After all, it's depressing to leave family. Hesitantly, he put a foot outside the portal.

It was too late. The portal flashed and glowed like the sun itself. Alec felt his body levitate off the ground. Air glowed around him. His breath being taken away. "It's happening," Alec thought to himself. He's being transported away.

Slowly, the surroundings dimmed. His hearing grew weak. But even so, he could clearly see the tears running down his beloved's face, hear her cries that beg him not to go.

Quietly in his head, he thought, "Please don't stop me, this is for your happiness,"

In one big flash, his body was teleported to new surroundings. Alec started tumbling down a hill before catching himself. His new travel clothes were already dirtied, and he's been here for 30 seconds. He sighed in disappointment. Then looking around, he observed the massive trees and vines. He smelled the woods, the fresh, growing grass that rose from the earth.

"A jungle," Alec said calmly, trying to calmly forget the faces of his family and move on to finding The One Who Sends Miracles. He ruffled his slightly curly, brown hair. It wasn't that easy, to forget the tears that happened just a moment ago. That look on Angelica's face.

It wasn't going to be that easy to find this miracle person. Forget where they are, no one even knows if they even exist. The one called The One Who Sends Miracles is only a rumor.

But Alec foolishly believes it.

He started walking forward, carrying the heavy backpack full of necessities. He knows he should be careful. It's a new world after all, creatures only of your imagination could be here. Demons, monsters, he could even be in the past, the future, it's unpredictable where he could end up next.

Well, there's sure to be a village close by where he could stop at. Wait, scratch that. No living being will want to even stay close to a jungle.

Maybe he spoke too soon. Because right there, under a large, mystical tree in the middle of a jungle, was a sleeping girl.