Cold

Chapter Eight

I didn't know what to do, so I started walking. I eventually ran into a wall. I walked the other way, ran into another wall about 10 steps from the other side. All around me was walls ten steps apart. It occured to me that I was in a small room, with no light, no food, nothing to keep me warm as it was getting colder by the minute. I tried feeling the walls for a light switch, or a window; something that told me I could get out. But found nothing. I could only hear the sound of my own breathing. I could only feel the clothes on my body. I was surrounded by darkness, in an empty room. And then, as all hope was gone, I heard it:

"Hello?" It sounded familiar, like a child I have met before.

"Summer?" I knew in that moment that is was Ariel.

"Ariel? Where are you?" I called out. All of a sudden, there was a line of torches leading into a cave, begging me to follow. I looked around, no Ariel. So I decided to follow the torches.

***

First step: The Path. This path will test her mind and emotions to determine if she's smart enough to win. I went through this. You must get her out.

"Why"

Just trust me.

***

About an hour has passed and I am still following the path. Eventually I walked straight into a wall, with drawings on it. It was of a little girl with a man, the man was wearing something on his leg. The little girl was in the corner crying.

"Summer?"

I turned around, and I saw a girl who looked like Ariel, but wasn't.

"Ariel?" I asked cautiously as I subtley looked for a way out.

"Summer!!" she said excitedly as she ran up to give me a hug. Something isn't right. I've only been gone for a few hours, days at the most, and Ariel hates hugs unless it's important. I pushed her off.

"Who are you?" I asked. She gave me a confused look. She pointed to the wall. I turned around and saw the image was moving. I touched it and said "This isn't real."

***

Her mind isn't strong enough. As we speak it is deteriorating. The Cold is taking her. We must get her out.

"How do you expect we do that?!? Like you said, her mind us deteriorating. We would be lucky if she even wakes up again"

Just get her out.

***

I turned around and pushed 'Ariel'. I ran away. I didn't exactly know where I was going or how to get there, but I needed to leave.

"Wake up!!!" I could hear somone yelling at me, but it is someone I don't recognise.

"Wake up. Before it's too late." What do they mean?

"Wake. Up. Let me help you."

I see a light. It's getting closer.

***

The first priority is helping her find her friends and her brother. Once they are together, then we can save the world.

"Why couldn't you just say that instead of throwing her under the bus?"

I knew you wouldn't understand.

"I understand perfectly. You put her in a coma after she didn't learn the truth, then you cheated me into it by telling me I needed to get her out. Whilst doing that, you tell me that you needed her alive so she and her friends can be your guinea pigs to save what's left of this horrible world. All the while you are hiding a huge plan, and these kids are only the beginning. So yes, I understand perfectly what's happening. I just hope you are ready and you understand what's happening because I am done lying to everyone for you. I am telling the girl what she just went through and how that benefits you. I also have a plan of my own. And you are not apart of it. So this is where we say goodbye, for now. If you need me, talk to the kids. If not, see you on the other side."

Fool. You can't do this without me. I am the mountain. Everything that happens, is because of me, or for me. You will help me.

"You see, that's exactly why I don't want to help you. You think you are the centre of the world because everyone talks about you and plans how they should stay away from you. But you don't fool me. I know everything that happened. I know the truth. I know who you were, I know who you are, and who you want to be. But you will never get there. You are too conceited, stuck-up, and I still think you should've died all those years ago"

How could you say that to me?

"I didn't have to"

***

I am so cold. I feel like puking. I open my eyes to see someone looking down on me. I try to get up, but pain shoots through my leg, and my head is pounding from the sun's reflection on the snow. Where am I?

"Don't try to get up. You need your rest. We leave in the morning" said the guy.

"Forgive me, but I don't remember you giving me a name, place, or why I am here" I said with a little more attitude than I expected.

"Forgive me but I didn't give you permission to talk. So zip it" he said. Wow. Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. He walked up to me and gave me a plate with fish on it.

"No thanks. I am not hungry" I said.

"Eat or starve to death" he said. I don't know what I did, but this guy seems to hate me.

"Did I do something? To make you hate me?" I asked. Almost immediately I wanted to take it back, though.

"Don't ask questions you don't want to know the answers to. Now go to sleep. We leave early tomorrow to go to Alowronia, which is a very long walk which you can't do currently so it will take us even longer" he explained.

"What is Alowronia?" I asked.

He stared at me for a few seconds then said, "It's where we will find your friends."

***

I am a little nervous leaving her in your hands. If you mess this up -

"I won't"

If you do, though, everything changes, and no one gets out. At least not alive. Protect her. Everyone needs her alive. She doesn't know it yet, but she will save all of us. Just wait and see.