What Lurks Behind The Trees

Hallucinations of the gone

They needed to rest; they had been walking for a whole day now, slipping out of reality several times. Night had fallen and they were drained from the long walk. So they decided to take a break beneath a large tree. Illyria was still in her Sisin form, afraid of being affected by the hallucinations. She curled up into a ball and fell into a deep snooze.

The other men lay down, immediately slipping into sleep from fatigue. Gregor closed his eyes; his brain was beginning to shut down. But somewhere in the back of his mind, he could hear a shuffling sound, the rustle of clothes and pained grunts. He opened his eyes and looked around, that's when his eyes landed on Alan.

He was shifting in his sleep, crying but with no tears. Gregor stood up and walked over to him, crouching down "Alan," he shook his shoulders.

Alan's eyes snapped open; he sat up abruptly, eyes wide and hazy "Where is he? Where's Jase?"

Dread settled in Gregor's gut, hallucinations.

Alan stood up, his head darting in every direction. Gregor stood up "Alan, you're hallucinating,"

Alan frowned at him and shoved him hard, making him stumble down "I'm not!" he hissed. He kept looking around until his face softened; he smiled brightly "Jase!" He was looking at the darkness between the trees, nothing was there. He was starting to walk in that direction, Gregor quickly scrambled up and held his arm.

"Alan, don't."

This time Alan looked at him with a deadly expression on his face, yanking his arm away "If you stop me again, I will kill you," he turned around and carried on walking.

Gregor gulped, unsure of what to do, he started following him.

"Stop following me!"

"No, I have to stop you! You don't know what kind of trap is waiting for you!"

"My brother is waiting for me!" Alan screamed.

Gregor stopped walking, he sighed. How could he stop him? They could hardly see the other men now; they were too deep into the darkness.

"Alan, we need to get back! Please!"

Alan ignored him and carried on his way. That's when Gregor saw it, his mouth hung open and his eyes widened. A circle of large sharp teeth where poking out from the leaves on the ground. "Alan stop!" He ran, transforming his arm to a slayer's and grabbing Alan from his torso.

"Gregor! Leave me!" Alan growled, his blue eyes ignited with angry flames. "I'm going to kill you!" and before Gregor could stop him, he took out his sword and started waving it about without any sense of direction.

"Alan, there's a Megor right in front of us!"

"No! Jase, I need to see Jase!"

Gregor held on tightly and wrapped his other arm around his neck to stop him from thrashing about.

"Jase! Jase! Come, I'm right here!" He sobbed into the darkness, fresh tears staining his face. Gregor had never seen him so broken.

The teeth that were poking out in the ground were still, waiting for someone to step in them. Gregor used all his power to pull Alan back, but Alan used his sword to slash a deep cut in Gregor's leg, making him groan and let go.

Alan's legs carried him towards the Megor, but Gregor couldn't let him go just like that. He himself was finding it hard to focus as the gas invaded his brain. He limped to Alan and used his dagger to make two shallow slits at the back of his knees, making him buckle and fall to the ground. This was the only way to stop him.

Alan stopped moving; his head was down, hair covering his eyes. "Gregor, you..." He lifted his head and glared at him "I will kill you." He bought his hands up and wrapped them tightly around Gregor's throat "I will kill you!"

Gregor choked and struggled against Alan's deadly hold. Now he could see Alan's eyes, and all he could see in them was death.

He tightened his hands, "I will kill you, Gregor! Jase is waiting for me,"

"No... he's not..." Gregor's spluttered out, mind getting hazy "...he's gone..."

Alan blinked. His grip around Gregor's throat loosened and his arms hung by his sides. Gregor coughed and gasped for oxygen. It seemed like something had snapped in Alan as he collapsed to the ground and sobbed hard. "Damn you, damn you for making me think he was still alive." He whispered to himself.

Gregor looked at him with sad eyes and crouched down beside him, placing a hand on his shaking shoulder. "Alan, we need to get back, or I'm going to start hallucinating too."

"Gregor, I am so sorry, I almost killed you," The haze was no longer blinding his eyes.

"Alan, please, we need to leave now!"

They put their arms around each other's shoulders to steady themselves, after they both cut each other. They limped back and sat down next to the others who were still in deep sleep, they both stared at nothing as a million thoughts went through their heads. Alan had his head in his hands. "Gregor... I... I don't know if you'll ever forgive me, I'll never forgive myself, I'm sorry, I almost killed you with my own hands," he stared at his shaking hands.

"Don't worry about it, you were hallucinating, I can't blame you."

"Thank you, for saving me, I was walking straight for my death."

Gregor smiled and nodded.

"I really thought Jase was there," his voice broke

"I'm sorry," Gregor muttered

"My older brother Jase, my friend, my teacher, my only family." His heart clenched "He was gone long ago, I should be over it by now, but he was my only source of happiness in this world."

"Was he the one who saved you?"

"Yes, I told you about him before."

"I-I'm sorry Alan."

"It really is a waste, a waste of a perfect human, turning into a Slayer just like that, losing all his humanity. He was the best person I knew, he taught me how to fight and use a sword, he taught me how to hunt. My best days were spent with him, and in the blink of an eye, he faded from my site... I can't even avenge him, all the Slayer's look identical, how do I know which one bit him...and it's all my fault" he sighed "thank you, Gregor, I don't know how I can repay you,"

"We're together in this, and if we don't step in, we'll all die before we make it past this fraction. This place is no good for us, we've all been through so much and this place is the worst distraction."

"You're right; we need to leave as soon as possible,"

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