The Protagonists

Chapter Thirteen - Joel

Joel looked around him; everyone had a sympathetic-but-frightened facial expression. He knew right away that absolutely no one in Greengrass Library had believed him. "You don't believe me," he muttered, continuing to look around at everyone.

Annalise stared at him like he was mad, just like the nurse and doctor did at the hospital; she didn't believe him. Sam stared at him intently, as if he were looking for something in Joel's eyes; he didn't believe him. Oliver was staring at him from the other side of the library, lost in thought; he didn't believe Joel either. "It all sounds like a dream to me," Annalise said softly.

"A dream?" Joel stood up. "You think this was all a dream?"

"You were snoozing over there for a while," Sam said, shrugging his shoulders as Annalise backed away from Joel. Joel pulled out the ring and looked up at the ceiling fan. "Iris, I'm about to do something crazy!" He yelled at the fan.

"Iris isn't here," Stacie told him, following Oliver and Flynn over to the nook.

"Touch the ring!" Joel ordered, reaching out to grab Annalise's wrist. She quickly pulled her arm back in terror, not wanting him to pull her towards him. "I'll show you guys that I'm not crazy! I'll show you!"

"Show me then." With that, Oliver placed his finger on the small gem on the silver band. He looked down at the small boy, curiosity and confusion evident in his blue-grey eyes. Joel stared up at him in equal-confusion; he had not expecting Oliver to be the one to listen to him. He honestly thought Annalise would be the one to attempt to believe him, not Oliver-Oliver, the buff, tough-looking football player, did not seem like one to be kind enough to help Joel. "Oliver, what are you doing?" Sam asked, looking at his best friend confusingly.

"Joel wants to show us what happened, so I'm going to listen," Oliver explained, as if the whole thing was obvious. "This could possibly involve what happened to Jessica and Julia and I, for one, would like to know."

"Joel, I don't think you should-" As Flynn started towards the two boys-or, men; they were both over eighteen-Joel placed his finger on the blue, slightly-glowing gem and yelled, "Cinderella!"

Joel felt the familiar-although it wasn't too familiar-ear-popping sensation happen as the scene in front of him slowly start to change; Sam, Annalise, Stacie, and Flynn faded away, along with the other furniture in the library. Eventually, the entire library was no longer a library. In fact, the two were not even inside any longer; they were outside, in an empty, grassy field. "This isn't where I went before," Joel admitted to himself, looking around for Fairy Godmother's brick hut.

The hut was nowhere to be seen, however; the two boys were in a deserted, grassy field with nothing nearby. "Where are we?" Oliver asked, completely shocked. It was obvious to Joel that he had not been expecting to be transported to a fairytale, of all places. Oliver-attempting, yet failing, to keep calm-had his head darting around at a rapid pace, flying from the clear, blue sky to the grass brushing against his ankles below him. The wind whistled by slightly, causing both boys' hair to blow down into their faces. "We're in Cinderella," Joel responded, brushing his hair back.

"Seriously, Joel," Oliver sounded panicky, "where are we?"

"We're in Cinderella," he repeated, looking around for any sure sign that they were indeed in the fairytale and not just a random field. Joel was amused in watching Oliver walk around, taking in his surroundings. "Like, the fairytale?" He asked, looking over at Joel in confusion. "The princess story?"

Joel nodded, continuing to glance around: to his left was what seemed like the woods where Fairy Godmother's most likely was, to his right was an easy-flowing stream with four, croaking toads, in front of him was a continuation of the woodlands he saw to his left, and behind him was more of the grassy field, stretching out as far as he could see. "I think so," Joel replied uneasily, slowly starting to panic as well; he had no idea where in Cinderella he was at.

"You think so?" Oliver threw his hands in the air. "Joel, are we in a princess story, or not?" Joel shrugged and started to walk towards the woods, where he thought Fairy Godmother's hut was. "Joel, where are we?" Oliver asked, following him.

"We're in..." Joel's slightly-panicked voice trailed off as the whispers started up again-the hushed whispers muttered in his ears, causing cold chills to run up and down his spine. "Home," they whispered over-and-over again, frightening him greatly. They gradually became louder; it was until the voices were no longer whispering-they were practically screeching-when her voice spoke up.

Her, being Iris. Joel, this was supposed to be our little secret, she said. You weren't supposed to tell others about the Intellectuals. Now, just like you caused Jessica and Julia's little deaths, you're going to cause the others' as well; Oliver for being brought here, and Annalise and Sam for witnessing you two disappearing out of thin air. I hope you're happy, Joel, because I am not. I am tired of having to kill because of you. I could just kill you, Joel.

Joel's breath hitched, yet he kept listening to Iris. But I just cannot kill you, she continued. It's part of the wishes. I cannot kill you, Joel, but I can kill anyone else that gets in my way. Oliver is in my way, Sam is in my way, and Annalise is in my way. You're in my way too, Joel, but like I've already stated, I cannot kill you.

In response, Joel had a numerous heap of questions to ask Iris; yet, he remained silent. He didn't know what to start with: why he couldn't die, why she was after Oliver, what wishes she spoke about, or why she continued to kill, yet she complained about having to do it. "Are you alright?" Oliver asked, nudging Joel's shoulder with his own.

Nodding, Joel continued to walk down to the woods, Oliver beside him. There was a shockingly-peaceful, comfortable silence between the two as they walked, considering one was in a fairytale for the first time and the other had just been spoken to by someone-a murderer-who wasn't even there. You need to leave, Joel, Iris's voice spoke continuously as they stepped onto the dirt path leading straight to the woods.

"Not until I prove that we are most-definitely in a fairytale," Joel muttered under his breath for Iris to hear. Oliver didn't bother questioning Joel anymore, considering that boy had just transported him to a very different universe. You need to leave, she continued.

You should leave. That was a different voice. That voice, to Joel, was not like Iris's harsh, frightening words; in Joel's opinion, that other voice was soft and kind, like his own mother's tone. "Who is that?" Joel questioned, not caring if Oliver heard him or not.

You must listen to Iris, Joel, the different, unfamiliar voice continued. Although the augury says to keep you safe at all times, Iris will still hurt you. As long as she does not kill you, Iris can do anything she wants to you. Keep safe, Joel. I will try to protect you, for I know what you're going through. I was like you once; I was once part of the prognostication.

"Who is this?" Joel questioned again, ignoring the strange looks he was receiving from Oliver. He acquired no response; Joel only obtained nothing but absolute, unwanted silence. The only noises he could hear were the sound of his and Oliver's feet crunching on the ground and the sound of the birds chirping high-up in the trees.

Joel gathered nothing from the new, distinct voice.