Պ∆яƙ oʄ Ðҽ∆ҭƕ Journey Back Home

Book 3; Chapter 1 - Bethany Learns Her Last Name

Alice's POV

Bethany left me alone! She just ran out the door and left me here. I'm scared. Stay calm, I tell myself. Everything will be okay. I couldn't believe myself and I ran out the door after her. "Bethany! Come back! Please!" I yelled. She was a block or two down already, and couldn't hear me. I began developing a thirst, but I don't care. I'm only seven, and I'm not staying home by myself.

I take off after Bethany, wearing no shoes. It's chilly outside. I finally make it around 3/4 down the block when all I see is a human form. Bethany. She's standing in the middle of the foggy road, looking down at the street. "This can't be happening." I heard her say in a loud whisper. I quietly walked up to her, and held her hand. "Are you okay? What is it?" I said. Bethany shook her head. "Austin...he, um..." Bethany said, crying. "I just can't believe it." I looked down. Sure enough, Austin's lifeless form was lying silently on the ground.

"I don't even know how it happened." Bethany said. "Wait a minute." I say. "Remember that dream that Austin had? About this weirdo telling him something about the Hazard?" I said. Bethany crouched down and stared at me. "The Hazard." she said. "That's it! The Hazard is real. It killed him." she looked sadly at her brother and turned away quickly. I looked too. There seemed to be some type of hole in his chest.

"Alice, you're such a smart seven year old!" Bethany said, her eyes shimmering with tears. I looked away from Austin. "Bethany...is the Hazard those...storms that come a lot?" I said, worried. I was having mixed feelings. Sad, worried, scared... Et cetera. "No, no Alice. Those are just storms. The Hazard is something much worse." She stood up. "Come on." she said, after saying goodbye to Austin.

"Where are we going?" I ask her, as we begin walking down the road. "We need to finish off the Hazard." Bethany looked straight ahead through the daily fog.

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Bethany's POV

I was stunned. Alice was very smart for a seven year old girl.

"Alice, I think I have an idea of what the Hazard is." I said, walking a little quicker, Alice at my side. "What? Some type of machine?" Alice asked in her little voice. "I personally think it's some type of gang. The hole in Austin's chest could be a gunshot." I looked down. "Or...it could be some type of warning." Alice suggested. I sometimes wondered who raised her. Whoever it was, they taught her the important things in life.

I needed some time to think. I need to know how life is going to be without Austin's daily "hello" or the clunking of his fake foot. Then I thought some more about the Mark of Death. Every time it showed up, it had a a victim. It gave people burns, cuts, bruises, death... I saw a figure that looked like a person in front of us, a dozen yards away. I had to strain my eyes to see through the fog.

"Hello out there! Need any help?" the voice sounded familiar.

Me and Alice looked at each other. We sped up, down the road to the familiar person. The fog had already started clearing up. The faces were familiar. That's right. Plural. There were two people out there. Once we got closer I could tell immediately who they were.

"Mom! Dad!" I yelled. I let go of Alice's hand and ran up to hug them. "I thought you guys left forever! But here you are! You're here!" I was still hugging them. Alice came up behind me and said, "Hi Mr. and Mrs. Bethany's Parents." she said smiling. I could tell that she was happy for me.

I stopped hugging them. "You can call us Mr. and Mrs. Chase." Mom said. Bethany Chase. "Where's Austin?" Dad said, smiling at this happy reunion. My smile turned to a frown. I hesitated to say it, but it came out. "He's in a better place now." I said, tears welling up in my eyes. Mom and Dad looked at each other sadly. "Oh." They sighed together.

Austin's death was brushed out of everyone's mind later that day.

We were finally reunited, the same day I have the dream about Austin losing his foot.

Sorry if you cried. Actually no. #SorryNotSorry