StarFall (Completed)

Ch. 10 - Fireside

"Are you kidding me? Land of the what?" Madison paced about, biting at her nails. "You are all crazy. I just wanted someone to pay for the damage to my car, I don't deserve to be here." Her voice slowly gave in to desperation. 

"I don't care what you believe Madison, you saw that thing. We can't just stay here, we have to keep moving, before nightfall." My voice was strong, but inside I felt weak. 

"Adeline's right, if that's what's out during the day, I don't wanna see what comes out at night."

"Of course you agree with her, Miller." Death seemed to not dampen Bobby's attitude much.

"You actually believe this crap, Bobby?" Madison stopped her pacing and neared him.

"I don't know what I believe, but that...thing, stabbed me. I thought I was dead."

"You were dead," Miller said.

He tilted his head. "Well, apparently not." He raised his hands out to the side and smiled. "Untouchable." He laughed.

Miller narrowed his brow. "It literally touched you. It impaled you." 

"Then I guess I'm the luckiest man on earth." He grinned.

"We have to get moving. Now, I don't want anyone to die, but I'm not sticking around here for any more of those things to find me." I motioned to Miller and we made our way down another path further into the strange forest.

Bobby stood next to Madison and looked at her. "I may be lucky, but getting stabbed hurt like a bitch. See ya." 

"What? Don't just leave me here." Madison shouted as she ran after the rest of us.

                                                               ***************

"The farther we go the less anything looks familiar." I ducked under low hanging vines.

"The book isn't much help either. I thought there'd be like a map or something." Miller flipped through pages as vines whipped across his face.

Bobby laughed. "Watch where you're going, loser." 

"I think something just crawled up my leg, ew." 

I drowned out the sounds of Madison complaining, Bobby being a total ass, and Miller's constant page turning, and retreated into my thoughts. Nothing here is familiar, yet at the same time I feel like it is. I can't explain it, even to myself. The nameless queen, the other me, the secrets to that stupid curse, they have to be here, somewhere. 

"Adeline?" 

Miller's voice shook me out of my head and brought me back to reality. 

"What's wrong?"

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Am I okay? Let me see. I've been cursed by a fairy, I got freaky powers that apparently turn my hair blue and my skin purple, our town is on the verge of being wiped off the map, and to top it all off, I'm trapped in a magical fantasy land with the two people I'd never choose to be stuck anywhere with." I took a breath. "But other than that, yeah, I'm great."

Miller fumbled over his words. "Th-that's...good, great then. I'll just...read." He looked back down at the book.

"I can hear you, you know?" Madison shouted out to me.

"That's great Madison, good for you." 

Her mouth dropped open and she was too shocked to reply, she only scoffed, repeatedly.

"Nice one, Summers." Bobby laughed.

"Feel free to shut it, Ferrari." I snapped back.

The rest of our trek through the lush landscape was silent. After trudging along for what seemed like forever we came upon another clearing. And just in time, I doubted if I could walk any further.

"This is as good a place as any." I leaned against a tree.

"To what?" Madison crossed her arms and somehow found the strength to be unimpressed.

"To stay the night." I slid my back down the side of the tree.

"Are you kidding me? I am not spending the night in this messed up place." Her words were riddled with fear, and frustration.

I smiled. "Feel free to move on ahead," I said dryly. 

She tilted her head to the side and smiled. "Bite me."

"Not that this isn't fascinating, but why don't we save our strength for getting out of here." Miller stood between us.

"The dork's right. I need a break." Bobby looked over at me. "Not that I couldn't go all night long." He smirked.

I was too weak to respond--or care. 

"Bobby leave her alone." 

"And what if I don't?" Bobby moved towards Miller.

Miller got close to Bobby's face. "I'll tell your daddy what you did, and we'll see what he does to you then." His voice was firm and strong, though I swear I saw his knees buckle.

Bobby closed his mouth, and swallowed, he looked Miller up and down. "You better watch yourself, loser." Bobby walked past him and sat down on a large rock.

Miller sat across from Bobby, and Madison stood across from me, pouting.

"Anyone know how to make a fire?" I said as the sun began to set.

                                                                *******************

The night had found us. It surrounded us as it swallowed the forest whole. Stars painted across the night sky, the landscape felt different at night, calm but dangerous.

I poked the roaring fire before us. "I can't believe you know how to make a fire," I said in disbelief.

Madison scoffed. "Like you'd know the first thing about me, Adderall."

"I wasn't trying to mock you, I was just saying."

Miller looked at both of us. "Well I think it's cool. And it really saved us, so thanks, Madison."

She crossed her arms and glanced at him. "Whatever."

Bobby yawned. "So, how's this gonna work?" He raised an eyebrow.

We looked at him confused.

"We gotta double up for warmth, right?" He grinned.

I smiled. "Good idea." I looked away from him. "You heard him, Miller, take one for the team."

Miller laughed nervously. 

Bobby looked towards Madison. 

"Don't even think about it." She waved her hand in front of her.

Embers drifted off into the dead of night as we all sat by the fireside. The not-so-ditsy blonde, the not-so-mysterious loner, the not-so-simple predator, and the not-so-normal girl. I wonder what secrets will be illuminated by the light of the fire tonight. Or will the silence be all we hear.