The Cards that Keep Turning

Chapter 13 ~ Whats Happening?!

Third Person - Claude Miles (Miles) P.O.V

All that has happened within the past few days was a mixture of good and bad. Them finding clues as a whole, them talking by the fire at night, talking about all the ideas that they might have to get home, that was a plus right?

But... with the group slowly losing each other, and all of them going at each others throats, the group had gradually losing their trust amongst each other, and they slowly drifted away from the brother-ship they share. They've lost three of their friends... one being forgotten and left alone, and the others...the others had passed on to another life.

The one that had been left behind wasn't forgotten, completely... he was always there. Baker was constantly in their thoughts and their hearts, he was their top priority of things to get to. It wasn't like they chose to venture out like this, the idea was just never in their minds. All they wanted to do was to get back to him, get back to their normal day to day activities, they just didn't know how.

The night before hand was difficult for them, for all of them. The argument that broke out the previous night had made the hike awkward and quiet, it made the tension in the air more obvious then it was, more thicker, and none of them liked it. Miles had told them to tidy the site up a little bit as for it will be an early start for all of them, and they didn't want to leave the cleaning til sunrise.

Although, Miles told them last night. The four sleeping squirrels were now busy bee's, getting the last of their belongings together in the early hours of the morning. The set up they made didn't need to be touched or dismantled, it was all nature after all, so they left it the way it was. Without having to touch or move any of the logs or large leaves around, the four had started walking in the direction of the supposed gates, where they will meet with the borders of dream and reality, or whatever the last hint said to them.

The hints they have been receiving over the past few days have been guiding them towards these so called gates. Gates that guide the lost back to reality, out of the dream land they were stuck in. Reedie was the only one who was able to see the clues that were marked on the trees. The clues, or hints more like it, point them in a certain direction that would eventually lead to home.

The last clue Reedie spotted was a sketched image of two large gates, with a small pathway leading out of them on a tree, it was waiting for them at the end of the trail. It was like a race to the end, like the four of them were up against other groups to cross the finish line, thats how fast they were moving. The only difference in this situation was that they were the only group and that... the prize wasn't a trophy, it was home. And instead of racing against groups, they were up against time.

The hike was rushed, but silent. The only sound that you could hear was the sound of the leaves crunching and the sticks snapping under the heavy weight of their bodies. Nothing was said amongst them, not a whisper or a whimper was let out by any of them, not a yell or a bellow to wake them up, just silence. Even if Hughes and Miles had settled down from the the argument they had from the previous night, everything was still awkward, it was as if they were sitting in a puddle of tension, whether they had liked it or not.

"I don't think its too far now boys!" Miles said reassuringly as he took one last look at the leaf map, making sure they were following the small, moving arrows on it.

"...Miles...Miles...Stop and turn around!" Tay said as uneasy and shaky breaths had interrupted his sentence.

"What is it...Tay?"

As Miles turned around, a pale pair of hands had come into his sight, making him more nervous and scared then ever. In seeing this, the rest of his body had flicked around faster then anyone could have imagined, his body fully facing the two unconscious and pale bodies. It was Reedie and Hughes, they weren't dead and he could tell due to the rise and fall of their stomaches, they had just... fallen to the ground and... and turned pale.

*Is this what happened to Nate and Moe?* Miles thought.

"Umm... M-Miles?"

"Yes Tay?" Miles answered back, flipping his head to face the ill faced Tay.

"I don't feel so w-well Miles!"

"It will be f-fine don't w-worry!"

Miles noticed how he started to stutter with his last response. He wasn't feeling the best either by the sounds of it. But before he was able to reach out for Tay, or correct himself, he and Tay had both collapsed to the ground, next to their sickly friends.

But before completely blacking out, Miles had heard the faint whispers of Tay, "W-what's wrong w-with us M-Miles?"

But he couldn't respond, the darkness had completely consumed him. And not too long after... Tay as well had fallen into deep slumber.

Only darkness... that it. Hughes, Reedie, Tay and Miles had all fallen into darkness. Even though they had felt trapped within the dark cages of their minds, they were scared and frightened to what was happening. Not knowing the outcome of this situation had made things worse. They didn't know if they were going to wake up or not... that was the scary part of it all.

Awake or not, Miles was fully aware of what state he was in. He knew he had passed out in the middle of basically no mans land, he just couldn't pick himself or the others up, he was... useless

Or so he thought...

Even though his eyes were shut and the darkness had taken over... he could still feel and hear and... see things. Miles had heard the sound of a piano playing, it was gentle and subtle but it was there. He had felt the cold, yet smooth ground touching his face, no! Body. And Miles was able to see... he was able to see a light... just a light.

He still wasn't able to pick himself up though, he wasn't able to speak up to his friends next to him and tell them what he had seen, felt and heard... because they were unconscious, and so was he.

Whats Happening?!