Glitched

Chapter 23

((381's POV))

"Where are we going?" Laila asked as we walked.  She tried to keep up with Timberland and 256.  I trailed behind the group, walking at my own pace, tuning in on their small conversations that popped up here and there.

"Well-" Timberland started but 256 cut him off.

"We're going to see Reggie to ask him about the Old World.  Since he's free."

Timberland sighed, and looked from 256 to Laila.  He bit his lip and then ran his fingers through his hair.

"Actually, I don't think we should see him now..."

256 stopped in her tracks and I ran into her.  She squeaked and I backed up a few steps, spitting out bits of her orange hair.  She gaped at Timberland, annoyed. 

"What?  Why?!" she asked, crossing her arms.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Laila backing up slowly, hiding herself behind Timberland subtly.  She peeked over his shoulder worriedly at 256, eyes wide.  Timberland glanced at Laila, and then turned back to 256. 

"I don't think she," he nodded at Laila, "is in the right mood to hear it.  It's not the best time right now.  The Old World's story is not much of a happy story."

"Well obviously it's not if you guys are hiding.  And the fact that we didn't even know the Old World existed..." I pointed out.

I had a feeling it wasn't a good story that made people all happy-feely or whatever. The New World had to come from somewhere, I figured that out using the word New. Any idiot would've been able to tell that there must've been something before the New World. And since we were living in the New World, the Old World must've stopped... existing somehow. Something bad must've happened for it in order to be replaced with the New World. It was just common sense. But as to what, that was a mystery my brain wasn't able to put together.

"I still don't get why we can't hear the story. Why can't me and 381 just hear it, and then when she-" 256 pointed at Laila, "is ready to hear it, then she can go and be filled in?"

"Because I think it's best if we all go together. Laila, no offense, probably won't take it too well and I think it's best if we go with her. Now, we've only met yesterday, but she doesn't really know anyone else here, and I think our support might be good for her. That and Reggie probably won't want to tell the story over and over again. Once is less he has to tell it, the less annoyed he'll probably be." Timberland explained.

Laila frowned, and once again, fear flashed in her eyes as she took a small step backwards.

"Fine, we'll wait. But then what do we do now?" I asked, walking around 256.

Timberland thought about it, his gaze flickering around the room. "Um... I don't know exactly."

I scoffed, shaking my head slightly. "What, is there nothing to do here in the oh so wonderful Old World? Surly there's something we can do here."

Timberland's eyes got an excited spark, and his grin grew wide. "Actually, there might be something we can do."

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"You know, Timberland, when I asked if there was anything we could do, this was not what I had in mind." I mumbled, stepping over a rock.

Apparently, Timberland's idea of a good time was walking through the forest-which Laila took the luxury of explaining to us what a forest was... even though we kind of already knew what it was. She called it:

"A large area covered chiefly with trees and undergrowth."

Which probably would've been a great definition, if I knew what chiefly and undergrowth even were. I just called it:

"A place with lots of muddy dirt where trees and other plant things grow in clumps close together, making it hard walk through."

But I actually liked it. This was the most I had ever seen in my life, and it was all so new and interesting. It was adventure, outside, not in some building, locked away. It was fresh air and unfamiliar, and I kept growing more excited with every turn we made.

However, 256 was no where near as excited as I was, and I had to admit, the sight of it was hilarious. She squealed with every step she took, holding herself, trying not to touch anything. She looked so disgusted and freaked out by every single little thing we encountered. I could tell she was hating this whole experience.

Timberland was loving it, pushing branches and leaves out of the way, stepping in wet mud, jumping over logs and big rocks.

"You're going to break a bone, Timberland slow down. I'm not carrying you when you break a leg." Grace grumbled, trailing behind her brother.

Grace decided to join us once she saw her brother heading out to the forest. She claimed that Timberland bringing three 'newbies' out into the forest was not only a bad idea, but a deadly one. She wanted to come with to make sure none of us seriously injured ourselves because Timberland wasn't the most responsible person. Obviously. Most of the time, Grace stayed silent and blended into the background, and I kept forgetting that she was actually there, that is until she spoke up at random moments and nearly made me scream... nearly.

Laila, of course, dragged behind, staring at every small detail, as quiet as Grace. Every now and then I had to look back to check that we hadn't lost her or something. She'd been out of it ever since the anger thing. To me, she was overreacting too much. What's the big deal with a little anger? It usually didn't do much. It came and then it went in a matter or minutes. That was how anger worked. It was nothing to be terrified of.

"I'm not going to slow down, you guys need to hurry up or else I'm going to leave you all behind. Come on, our destination awaits." Timberland said from up ahead.

This should be interesting...

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((Question #24: Where are they going?))