Hell on Earth (Boyxboy)

Chapter 19: Hitching a Ride

Gah so FYI I'm going on a two weeks vacation soon so I'm not going to be able to write or update for twoooo weeeeekkkkkkss!! Sworry :( Welp enjoy this chapter anywhooo :3

19

Joseph had receded into himself, getting lost in his aimless thoughts.

The dimming sunlight brought him back to reality, though.

His body was cramped from sitting all day in that pentagram, and his stomach was beyond dying. He was also exhausted from lack of sleep, and starting to see the world in a strange, dizzied way. Joseph knew he couldn't spend another night like this, though. It wasn't safe here. Just thinking of what had passed through the room earlier, sending invisible ripples through the whole space, left the linguist chilled to the bones.

Thinking about that.. that thing that had been in the room was the final push Joseph needed to leave the other-worldly dimension he was in.

The exiting was easy enough; Joseph just thought about leaving, willed himself into the real world, and he was out.

Aziz made it sound harder to leave than this... Thought Joseph passingly.

He sat up. Then, stretching the muscles that he'd let get knotted and painful by lack of use, the linguist stood. Looking around, he could see the true damage of last night's developments. He stood not in a motel room, but a pile of rubble. The old bricks were strewn in clumps all around. There was no longer a ceiling. Only the front door, by some miracle, was still standing.

But even then, the door was broken and hanging on a sole hing.

Evening sunlight slipped across the rubble, accenting the lightly playing breeze to create an overall pleasant atmosphere. Yet at the same time, Joseph felt dull, lonely, tiny.

This feeling only grew as he moved out to the front of the motel. The sky was large and dimming, a few stars already revealing themselves in the cloudless heavens. The desert seemed to stretch on infinitely, with only the remnants of the motel and lone stretch of worn highway breaking it's all inclusive desolation.

Joseph's thoughts were broken as he saw the sun dipping dangerously low on the horizon, moving to be covered by a distant mountain range.

He didn't want to be here at night.

Spying the car, a bit dusty and sporting a few new dents and scratches- but otherwise fine,Joseph moved to leave.

I can drive... it's been a while but I still can. Joseph thought to himself as he moved to pull the handle.

Locked.

The sky was dimming further, turning an ominous shade of blood red. Clouds could be seen, dimly, in the distance.

Where are the keys.... where are the keys?! Joseph felt a sense of panic begin to grow. He knew he couldn't go back into that half realm. Something inhuman, demonic to be more precise, had put him there. No. Joseph only had one option. He had to leave.

But Aziz had had the keys.

And Aziz is gone.

Oh my god what am I going to do?

Joseph was in no shape to walk, nor to face the cold desert night.

But I have no other choice. He thought numbly. He couldn't stay another night at that hellish motel.

So, after checking (in vain) for any sign of their old luggage, the linguist moved to walk, heading north along the abandoned highway.

***